How can I adapt this for picky eaters?

Yes, you can change the sauce and other ingredients in the dish to appeal more to finicky eaters. Decrease the sugar in the sauce or add more soy sauce or kosher salt to balance sweetness. Increase the size of onion, bell pepper, and pineapple pieces to make them easier to pick out. Toss the pork briefly to help keep pieces separate and crispy for all diners.

Can I make sweet and sour pork vegetarian?

Yes, other meat substitutes, including extra-firm tofu, tempeh, mushrooms, and plant-based meat substitutes, can substitute for cooked pork. Your finished dish won't taste or feel quite the same as pork, but other meat substitutes can be coated and served with sweet and sour sauce. Choose substitutes that hold up well during stir-frying. Less time frying in sauce may help keep coatings from getting soggy.

Can I add more vegetables?

Yes, snap peas, green beans, mushrooms, baby corn, baby carrots, and broccoli are good choices to add. These vegetables add other textures to the dish. You will need to adjust cooking times for different vegetables and precook some. Add these vegetables to the vegetable mixture during cooking rather than at the end. Cut hard vegetables before stir-frying to ensure even cooking.

Can I make the pork ahead?

You can prepare some dishes ahead of time, but prepare the pork with hot sauce right before serving to keep it crispy. Pork prepared in advance will not be as crispy, especially once hot sauce is added. You can prepare other hot sauce ingredients and vegetables in advance. Wait to prepare other dishes until you are ready to serve hot sauce and pork.

How do I store and reheat leftovers?

Store leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Reheat sweet and sour pork in the microwave or on the stovetop over low heat until thoroughly heated. Sweet and sour pork will not be as crispy when reheated. Stir sweet and sour pork on the stovetop gently to avoid breaking apart pineapple and other vegetables.

Sweet and Sour Pork with Crispy Batter and Tangy Red Sauce

By Mason BrooksSep 23, 2026

Serve Takeout-Style Sweet and Sour Pork from a wok at home. Crisp breaded pork and pineapple with bell and onion peppers are cooked in a red sweet and sour sauce for added texture. The cooked pork and peppers are soft and tender after soaking up the sweet and sour sauce.

Sweet and Sour Pork with Crispy Batter and Tangy Red Sauce

Pork shoulder or butt is marinated briefly in soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, baking soda, and white pepper. It is coated with egg white, cornstarch, flour, and water before cooking. Cornstarch and flour coatings make the cooked pork crispy. Sauce ingredients include ketchup, sugar, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, chicken powder, and salt. Fresh pineapple and vegetables provide sweetness and other textures.

The batter should be a liquid/paint consistency, not a dough consistency, for frying. Partially cook and brown the pork in a few batches of frying and let it rest if you intend to fry it again. Visual cues that the pork is done include a golden-brown, firm outer layer. One common mistake in making this dish is tossing the pork in the sauce too long, which can cause the batter to soften.

Eat immediately after the final 15 to 30 seconds of cooking. Garnish with sesame seeds. Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Reheat leftovers in the microwave or on the stovetop. The pork may lose its crispy texture, but the sweet and sour flavors should remain.

Why you'll love this recipe

Serves a small family. Contains a dish like takeout, Pineapple and onion and bell peppers add the taste of a full stir-fry meal.
People who like crispy-coated pork use this two-fry technique because it gives the pork a resting period after the first frying, with a second frying if desired to remove more moisture.
Picky eaters might prefer the vegetable dishes because the vegetables are bigger and more visible. Vegetables can be prepared with less sugar or more soy sauce in the sauce.
The recipe is a good choice for weeknight meals because the vegetables only need to be cooked briefly to retain a little crunch, and the sauce can be made quickly in the same pan.
Leftovers can be eaten for several days because cooked sauced pork dishes can be reheated, though the breading will not be as crispy when reheated.
Guests can help themselves at a family-style dish because all ingredients (pork and pineapple, along with vegetables) are already coated in a red sweet-and-sour sauce.

Instructions

Mix the pork pieces with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, baking soda, and white pepper. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes.

Add the egg white, cornstarch, flour, and water until a wet, paint-like batter consistency is achieved. Adjust with more water if the batter is too thick.

Fry the battered pork in batches for about 7-8 minutes at about 330-340 F, or until fully cooked through. Let the fried pork rest for at least 10 minutes before double frying.

Optional: Turn the heat to high and fry the pork a second time at about 375 F for 30-60 seconds, until golden brown and crispy. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.

In an empty wok or pan, stir-fry the onion, bell pepper, and pineapple until soft and tender, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.

Mix together the white sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, chicken powder, and salt until smooth. Pour the sauce into the pan and bring to a low boil for about 2-3 minutes, until just thickened.

Add the stir-fried vegetables and fried pork. Quickly toss for 15-30 seconds until all pieces are fully coated in sauce. Serve immediately and top with sesame seeds.

FAQ

Serve this pork dish as a main course immediately for a crispy crust. Steamed white rice pairs well with this dish because it doesn't overpower the sweet and sour sauce. Other plain side dishes may be appropriate for family-style service when you have guests with varying preferences. Provide a serving of sesame seeds on the side for guests who prefer not to eat them.

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Dinner Pork Asian Chinese

Sweet and Sour Pork with Crispy Batter and Tangy Red Sauce

By Mason BrooksSep 23, 2026

Servings

Jump to recipe

Why you'll love this recipe

Serves a small family. Contains a dish like takeout, Pineapple and onion and bell peppers add the taste of a full stir-fry meal.
People who like crispy-coated pork use this two-fry technique because it gives the pork a resting period after the first frying, with a second frying if desired to remove more moisture.
Picky eaters might prefer the vegetable dishes because the vegetables are bigger and more visible. Vegetables can be prepared with less sugar or more soy sauce in the sauce.
The recipe is a good choice for weeknight meals because the vegetables only need to be cooked briefly to retain a little crunch, and the sauce can be made quickly in the same pan.
Leftovers can be eaten for several days because cooked sauced pork dishes can be reheated, though the breading will not be as crispy when reheated.
Guests can help themselves at a family-style dish because all ingredients (pork and pineapple, along with vegetables) are already coated in a red sweet-and-sour sauce.

Ingredients

Servings3

•1 lb pork butt or pork shoulder (~450 g, cut into bite-sized pieces)
•1 bell pepper (cut into triangles)
•1 small onion (quartered)
•150 g pineapple (cut into chunks)
•1 tbsp soy sauce (for marinade)
•1 tbsp Shaoxing wine (for marinade)
•½ tsp baking soda (for marinade)
•¼ tsp white pepper (for marinade)
•1 egg white (for batter)
•½ cup cornstarch (for batter)
•2 tbsp flour (for batter)
•⅓ cup water (for batter)
•¼ cup white sugar (for sweet and sour sauce)
•¼ cup ketchup (for sweet and sour sauce)
•3 tbsp apple cider vinegar (for sweet and sour sauce)
•1 tbsp soy sauce (for sweet and sour sauce)
•½ tsp chicken powder (for sweet and sour sauce)
•¼ tsp salt (for sweet and sour sauce)
•sesame seeds (for topping)

Instructions

1
Mix the pork pieces with soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, baking soda, and white pepper. Let marinate for at least 15 minutes.
2
Add the egg white, cornstarch, flour, and water until a wet, paint-like batter consistency is achieved. Adjust with more water if the batter is too thick.
3
Fry the battered pork in batches for about 7-8 minutes at about 330-340 F, or until fully cooked through. Let the fried pork rest for at least 10 minutes before double frying.
4
Optional: Turn the heat to high and fry the pork a second time at about 375 F for 30-60 seconds, until golden brown and crispy. Set aside to cool on a wire rack.
5
In an empty wok or pan, stir-fry the onion, bell pepper, and pineapple until soft and tender, about 3-5 minutes. Set aside.
6
Mix together the white sugar, ketchup, apple cider vinegar, soy sauce, chicken powder, and salt until smooth. Pour the sauce into the pan and bring to a low boil for about 2-3 minutes, until just thickened.
7
Add the stir-fried vegetables and fried pork. Quickly toss for 15-30 seconds until all pieces are fully coated in sauce. Serve immediately and top with sesame seeds.