What happens if you have leftover pork chops, pulled pork, or roast? You consider yourself lucky and whip up a batch of this easy and delicious pork stir fry recipe; that's what!
If you've been here for a while, then you know we HATE throwing away perfectly good food. But we also get that eating the same leftovers night after night can get old fast. That's how this pork stir fry recipe was born!
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We used leftover pork chops to bring this stir fry to life, but any cut of pork will work! And if you have fresh pork, feel free to use that instead. This is one of the easiest, most versatile recipes you can make. Who's ready to pig out on an easy pork stir fry recipe?!
HOW TO MODIFY THIS PORK STIR FRY RECIPE
So you've got leftover chops in the fridge, but you're just not feeling them anymore. Do you toss them and move on? Not a chance! That's a crime around here. You'll understand why very soon. But before we get to the recipe, let's chat about how you can make this stir fry your own. Try these recipe modifications if you need to:
- Vegetables – We honestly use different veggies every time we make a stir fry! Edamame, mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, peas, green onions, and carrots are some of our faves. In all honesty? Just use what you've got!
- Pork – Any pork will do here–pork shoulder, pork roast, pork chops, pork tenderloin, pulled pork, you name it! You can use leftovers or fresh meat, and you can use other types of meat, too. Beef, chicken, or shrimp stir fry is just as yummy!
- Rice – We usually use white rice because it cooks much more quickly than brown, but you can absolutely use brown rice if you want to make this dish healthier. Cauliflower rice could work, too, or you could even sub in some pasta. Lo Mein, anyone?
- Sauce – We got a HUGE container of Mr. Yoshida's Sweet & Savory cooking sauce from Costco, but you can use just about any type of sauce in a stir fry. Teriyaki would be amazing!
If you can't tell already, this pork stir fry recipe is pretty dang easy! It's nearly impossible to mess it up, and you really don't need anything fancy, so shelf cook your way through this one, you guys.
CAN YOU FREEZE THE LEFTOVERS?
If your house is anything like ours, we bet you're wondering if you can freeze this delicious creation! The short answer is: “yes!” Here's a quick primer on freezing a stir fry.
Allow your leftovers to cool completely, then toss them in an airtight bag or container. Label and plan to use with two months for the best taste! When you're ready to use those frozen leftovers, defrost overnight in the refrigerator, then reheat on the stovetop.
Did you forget to defrost? Don't panic! Nuke them in the microwave or thaw under running cool water for 10-15 minutes. We get so many questions about reheating leftovers, and our advice is always this: don't overthink it!
ADD-INS YOU CAN TRY
If you want to give this recipe your own little twist, try adding one or two of these extras to the mix:
- Eggs
- Crushed Nuts
- Cabbage Shreds
- Hot Sauce
- Lime Juice
- Water Chestnuts
- Peanut Butter (Sounds weird, but try it!)
- Coconut
- Pineapple
- Sesame Seeds
Don't be afraid to experiment! Using up leftovers is the best to find your new favorite recipe. And speaking of recipes, are you ready for this one?!
AN EASY PORK STIR FRY RECIPE
Are you ready to meet your new busy night go-to? This stir fry is so versatile and delicious. Give it a try the next time you have some pork on hand!
Easy Pork Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 cup sauce
- 1 cup cooked pork, sliced thin
- 2 cups veggies, sliced
- Soy sauce, to taste
- 2 tbsp garlic, minced
Instructions
- Round up your leftover pork and slice the meat off the bone into thin strips.
- Chop up any veggies you have or need to use. This time we used broccoli, peas, red pepper, and onion, but you can add anything!
- Meanwhile, get some rice cooking if you plan to serve your stir fry with rice. We love using a rice cooker because you add rice, add water, push a button, and forget about it. If you don't have a rice cooker, steam it in the microwave or warm-up leftover rice!
- Heat the sauce in your pan (get it pretty hot) and throw in your veggies! No oil needed! If you want, you can put in a bit of minced garlic with the sauce first and saute that for a minute or two.
- Crank your heat up to medium-high and stir-fry your veggies until they are crisp-tender. You don't want them soggy, but you certainly want them cooked through. It's a delicate process, but keep stirring, and you'll be fine!
- We like to add a bit of soy sauce to our veggies toward the end when they are almost done. Throw in your pork, and add more marinade. Let that simmer for a minute, so the pork gets the good flavor too.
- Once it's all done, put your rice in a big bowl. Dump the veggie/meat mixture (sauce and all!) over the rice. Stir well, add more sauce to taste if needed, and enjoy!
Notes
Voila! Pretty quick and easy, right?! If you're doing the low-carb thing, you can skip the rice or noodles and serve your stir fry in lettuce wraps instead.
We hope you love this recipe as much as our family has! It's the perfect dish to whip up in a hurry, and it honestly tastes so good.
Do you have a go-to meal for crazy busy nights? We're always looking for new recipes, so leave a comment below!
Want to try a few more recipes we love?
- This quick and easy donut holes recipe is ridiculously delicious!
- Learn how to make cinnamon rolls in a bread machine. These are SO good!
- Here are 100+ dinner ideas for you to try. Yep. 100!
Time to pig out!
I am takimg screen shots of all these recipes thank you for putting so many together! Also I forget where you mentioned what site is your cook book ready/going to be on please? I think you said it was coming soon or is up to buy, I forget!
It’s not ready yet, but it’ll be on ShelfCooking.com!