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Ground pork stir fry is a simple weeknight dinner, but the texture makes all the difference. When done right, the pork should be browned and full of flavor, the vegetables should still have some crunch, and the sauce should lightly coat everything without making the dish watery.
This version is simple, fast, and made with everyday ingredients. I use cabbage and bok choy for a nice mix of crunch and juiciness, plus a light savory sauce that brings everything together. It’s a great weeknight dinner to serve with rice when you want something easy, flavorful, and not too heavy.
Why this ground pork stir fry works
This is the kind of ground pork stir-fry you really see in Asia. It’s simple, home-style cooking that brings out the best texture in the pork and vegetables without needing a lot of ingredients or complicated steps.
The key is getting the texture right. The pork is cooked until browned and crumbly, the vegetables stay juicy and crisp, and the light sweet-savory sauce ties everything together without making the dish soggy. It’s the kind of easy one-pan dinner that tastes especially good with a bowl of rice.
Ingredient Notes
- Ground pork: Use regular ground pork, not extra lean. A little fat helps the meat brown better and turn into those tasty crumbly bits. If using ground chicken or turkey, choose one with some dark meat so the stir-fry has more flavor.
- Cabbage: I like using cabbage here because it adds sweetness, crunch, and volume. If using flat white cabbage or Taiwanese cabbage, cut it into 2–3 inch pieces since it’s more tender and juicy. If using green cabbage, slice it thinner because it’s denser and takes longer to cook.
- Baby bok choy: This adds a juicy, crisp bite and cooks quickly. If the bulbs are larger, quarter them so they cook more evenly.
- Garlic, ginger, and scallions: These are the main aromatics and give the dish its savory base. Separate the white and green scallion parts so the whites cook with the pork and the greens stay fresh at the end.
- Dried Chinese red chilies: These are optional. They add aroma and a little heat, but the dish still tastes great without them.
- Light soy sauce: This is the main savory seasoning for the sauce.
- Dark soy sauce: Use a small amount for deeper color, a touch of sweetness, and a more caramelized flavor.
- Chinese black vinegar: This gives the sauce a nice tang and rounds out the flavor. Aged balsamic vinegar works well as a substitute.
- Chinese cooking wine or sake: This adds depth and helps round out the pork flavor. It’s optional, but nice if you have it.
- Brown sugar: Just a little helps balance the salty and tangy flavors without making the dish sweet.
How to make ground pork stir fry
Step 1: Prep the vegetables and sauce first.
This dish cooks fast, so it helps to have everything ready before the pan gets hot. Cut the cabbage based on the type you’re using. If it’s a flatter, more tender cabbage, keep the pieces larger. If it’s green cabbage, slice it thinner so it softens faster.
After rinsing the cabbage and bok choy, drain and pat them dry well. This small step matters because extra water on the vegetables is one of the fastest ways to end up with a soggy stir-fry.
Step 2: Brown the pork until it turns crumbly and flavorful.
Start with a large, well-heated wok or skillet. Add the pork and listen for a steady sizzle. If the pan sounds quiet, it usually means it is not hot enough yet.
At first, the pork will release moisture and look pale. That part is normal. Keep cooking and breaking it into small pieces until most of the moisture cooks off and the meat starts to brown around the edges.
You’re looking for small browned crumbles that are almost like bacon bits. This is the stage that gives the dish most of its flavor, so don’t rush it.
Step 3: Add the aromatics after the pork has browned.
Once the pork is lightly crisp and no longer wet, add the garlic, ginger, white parts of the scallions, and the dried chilies if using. This is the best time to add them because the pork already has some color, so the aromatics can cook into the meat and really build flavor, instead of sitting in a pool of moisture.
Give everything a quick toss for a minute or two until fragrant. The pork should smell savory and well-seasoned at this point, not flat or bland.
Step 4: Stir-fry the vegetables briefly so they stay crisp.
Remove the pork first, then use the same pan for the vegetables. This keeps the cabbage and bok choy from overcooking while the pork finishes browning. Stir-fry over medium-high heat just until the vegetables start to soften but still hold their shape.
The cabbage should stay a little crisp and the bok choy should still look juicy. If the vegetables start letting off too much water, turn the heat up a bit and keep tossing so the moisture can cook off quickly.
Step 5: Bring everything together with a light sauce.
Add the pork back to the pan, followed by the green scallion parts. Then pour in the sauce little by little while tossing. You want just enough sauce to lightly coat the pork and vegetables, not pool at the bottom of the pan.
This is why the sauce goes in at the end. By then the pan is hot enough that the sauce can coat everything quickly while some of the moisture evaporates at the same time, so the stir-fry stays lightly coated instead of soggy.
Tip
What the finished dish should look like – The pork should be browned, crumbly, and full of flavor. The cabbage and bok choy should still have some bite and juiciness. The pan should not be swimming in liquid. A little moisture is fine, but overall the dish should look lightly coated, not wet.
Can I use different vegetables?
Yes. This ground pork stir fry is flexible, but the key is to choose vegetables that stay crisp and don’t release too much water.
Good options include broccoli florets, diced carrots, snow peas, sugar snap peas, green beans, bell peppers, shiitake mushrooms, or button mushrooms. These vegetables hold their shape well and give the dish a nice texture.
I would avoid very watery vegetables, like Napa cabbage, for this recipe. Napa cabbage is delicious in many stir-fries, but it releases more liquid and can make this dish softer and wetter than we want.
No matter what vegetables you use, keep the same goal in mind: crisp-tender vegetables with browned, crumbly pork. Cut denser vegetables smaller or thinner so they cook quickly. Also, don’t overcrowd the pan. A good balance of pork and vegetables helps everything stir-fry properly instead of steaming.
Ground pork stir fry recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 9 oz cabbage sliced (see notes for how to cut)
- 6 oz baby bok choy about 6 small heads
- 0.6 oz garlic cloves finely minced (about 4 large cloves)
- 0.3 oz ginger finely minced (about 1 small thumb)
- 3 scallions chopped (separate white and green parts)
- 3 whole dried Chinese red chili peppers optional
- 1 lb ground pork
- 1 tsp coarse sea salt divided
- ¼ tsp ground white pepper plus more for garnish
- ½-1 tbsp avocado oil divided
Sauce:
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- ½ tbsp dark soy sauce
- ½ tbsp Chinese black vinegar or aged balsamic vinegar
- 1 tbsp Chinese cooking wine or sake (optional)
- 2 tsp brown sugar
Instructions
Prepare cabbage:
- Remove any damaged outer leaves and trim the base. Quarter the cabbage, then cut out the dense core at a 45-degree angle.
- If using a more tender cabbage (like Taiwanese flat cabbage), slice it into 2–3 inch bite-size pieces.
- If using green cabbage, slice it thinner (almost shredded) since it’s denser and takes longer to cook.
Prepare bok choy:
- Slice baby bok choy in half. If the bulbs are thick, quarter or chop into bite-size pieces.
Rinse and dry:
- Rinse the cabbage and bok choy, then drain well and pat dry. This helps prevent a watery stir-fry.
Aromatics and Sauce:
- Prep the garlic, ginger, scallions (separate white and green parts), and chili peppers, if using. Combine the sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
Brown the pork:
- Preheat a large wok (12-inch or larger) until it feels hot when placing your palm near. Add ½ tbsp oil, then the ground pork. You should hear a steady sizzle—if not, turn the heat up.
- Break the meat into small pieces and cook over medium-high heat for about 5 minutes.
- Season with ½ tsp salt and ¼ tsp white pepper. Continue cooking until the moisture cooks off and the pork starts to brown and turn into crisp crumbles, about 6–7 minutes.
Add aromatics:
- Push the pork to one side. Add garlic, ginger, white scallion parts, and chili peppers to the center with ¼ tsp salt.
- Stir and combine with the pork for about 2 minutes. Taste—the pork should be lightly seasoned, not too salty. Transfer the pork to a plate, leaving the oil in the wok.
Stir fry vegetables:
- In the same wok, add the remaining oil if needed. Add bok choy and cabbage with ¼ tsp salt. Stir-fry over medium-high heat for about 2 minutes, until crisp-tender. You should hear a sizzle sound throughout.
Combine and finish:
- Return the pork to the wok. Add the green scallion parts.
- Turn heat to high. Toss, then pour in the sauce gradually while stir-frying. Cook for about 30 seconds, just until everything is coated. Turn off the heat.
Serve:
- Transfer to a serving plate. Sprinkle a small dash of white pepper on top. Serve hot with rice.
Notes
- Brown the pork well: Cook the pork until most of the moisture is gone and the edges start to brown. You’re looking for small, crumbly bits with some crisp texture. This step gives the dish a lot more flavor, so don’t rush it.
- Keep the stir-fry lightly coated, not watery: The finished dish should have crisp, juicy vegetables and browned pork, not extra liquid at the bottom of the pan. If it turns out a little wetter than you’d like, you can stir in a small amount of starch mixed with water at the end.
- Use a large pan and don’t cover it: A 12-inch wok or skillet works best. If the pan is too small, the ingredients will steam instead of stir-fry. Use a splatter guard instead of a lid so the moisture can escape.
- Make ahead and reheat: This dish keeps well in the fridge for 4 to 5 days. Reheat in the microwave or in a skillet until warmed through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
What to serve with it
This ground pork stir-fry is especially good with something simple that can soak up the sauce. I usually serve it with rice, like my rice cooker rice, but plain boiled noodles work well too if you want something different. If you need help choosing the right noodle, see my Chinese noodles guide.
For a fresh side, I like pairing it with something cool and crunchy, such as Asian cucumber salad, daikon salad, or Chinese pickled garlic. These lighter sides give the meal a nice contrast and help balance the savory pork.
If you want to add a soup, keep it light and simple. Shiitake mushroom tofu soup or Chinese egg drop soup both work really well here.
FAQs
This usually happens when the vegetables are too wet, the pan is not hot enough, or the pork has not browned long enough. Let the pork cook until most of the moisture is gone before adding the aromatics. Also, pat the vegetables dry and avoid overcrowding the pan.
Not usually. If the pork is browned well and the vegetables are cooked quickly, the sauce should lightly coat everything without a thickener. If the dish turns out more watery than you like, mix a small amount of cornstarch with water and add it at the end.
Yes. Green cabbage works, but slice it thinner because it’s denser and takes longer to cook. Chinese or Taiwanese flat cabbage is more tender and juicy, so it can be cut into larger 2–3 inch pieces.
Yes. Ground chicken or turkey works, but choose one with some dark meat if possible. It has more flavor and enough fat to keep the stir-fry from tasting dry.
More Asian ground pork recipes
If you are looking for more recipes using ground pork, try my Taiwanese Braised Minced Pork (Rou Zhao Fan) next. It’s a cozy rice bowl dish with a rich, savory sauce.
For another quick stir-fry, my Miso Ground Pork Stir-Fry uses miso paste and crisp iceberg lettuce for a completely different flavor. You might also like Chinese Lion’s Head Meatballs for a classic Chinese ground pork dinner.
Made a dish and loved it? Please rate the recipe and leave a comment in the section below! It helps my blog grow organically, allowing me to continue sharing free and awesome content with you. Thank you!
Both my husband and I loved this dish and it came together easy. Getting the pork crispy was very helpful and added so much to the taste. Thank you for another wonderful recipe!
So glad you like it!
Delicious!! I followed the recipe and notes etc. Just didn’t have big onions so I used the green part too and more for garnish. Very very tasty and so simple!
Used the recipe as a guide. Cooked the pork first added a sliced onion, cremini mushrooms garlic and ginger. Then added a 1/4 chopped savoy cabbage and a large bok choy chopped. Cut large strips of carrot for colour. Doubled the sauce and added hoisin sauce and chili oil with 1/2 cup of stock with teaspoon of cornstarch to thicken.
Will make again
Thank you. Sounds great!