Ground Pork Stir Fry Recipe

I cooked a Pork Stir Fry featuring ground pork, cabbage and bok choy in a simple soy sauce marinade, and one small trick pulls it all together in under 20 minutes.

I love how Ground Pork Stir Fry turns everyday pantry items into something unexpectedly bold. Ground pork and bok choy play against each other, textures that surprise and flavor that sneaks up on you.

It’s fast, a bit messy, and somehow feels like a restaurant dish you didnt pay for. I kept picking at it between emails and then realised I had to hide leftovers or they’d be gone by midnight.

This is the kind of Pork Stir Fry I make when I’m short on time but want something that tastes like I didnt phone it in.

Ingredients

• Ground pork: Rich in protein and fat, gives the dish hearty mouthfeel and savory depth.
• Garlic: Punchy aromatic, adds umami and sweetness when cooked, lots of health benefits too.
• Ginger: Fresh spicy note, brightens flavors and aids digestion, use minced or grated.
• Soy sauce: Salty umami backbone, brings savory balance and color, watch sodium levels.
• Cabbage: Adds crunch and fiber, soaks up sauce, keeps dish light and filling.
• Bok choy: Tender greens, mild and slightly sweet, gives vitamins and a fresh bite.
• Cornstarch slurry: Thickens sauce quickly for glossy coating, use sparingly to avoid gluey texture.
• Toasted sesame oil and seeds: Nutty aroma from oil, seeds add crunch and visual finish.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 lb (450 g) ground pork
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil (or neutral oil like canola)
• 3 cloves garlic minced
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger minced or grated
• 3 green onions sliced
• 3 cups shredded cabbage (napa or green)
• 8 oz (225 g) bok choy or baby bok choy
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp oyster sauce (optional)
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry (sub rice vinegar if needed)
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch + 1 tbsp water (slurry)
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
• 1/4–1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or 1 tsp chili garlic sauce (optional)
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)

How to Make this

1. Prep everything first: mince garlic and ginger, slice green onions separating whites and greens, shred the cabbage, and quarter or slice bok choy, then rinse and pat dry so it doesnt steam too much.

2. Mix the sauce in a small bowl: 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce if using, 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine or dry sherry (or a splash of rice vinegar), 1 tsp sugar, 1/4 tsp ground black pepper and 1/4–1/2 tsp red pepper flakes or 1 tsp chili garlic sauce if you want heat.

3. Make the cornstarch slurry: stir 1 tsp cornstarch into 1 tbsp water until smooth and set aside.

4. Heat a large wok or skillet over high heat until very hot, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil, then add 1 lb ground pork. Break it up and let it sit a bit between stirs so it can brown, then cook until mostly no longer pink and nicely browned.

5. Push the pork to one side, add the whites of the green onions, minced garlic and ginger to the hot spot and stir for 20–30 seconds until fragrant, then mix into the pork.

6. Add the shredded cabbage and bok choy, tossing quickly. If the pan looks dry add a splash of the Shaoxing wine or water to deglaze. Stir fry until the greens are wilted but still have some bite, about 2–3 minutes.

7. Pour the prepared sauce over the pork and veggies, toss to combine, then give the slurry a quick stir and drizzle it in. Cook another 30–60 seconds until sauce thickens and coats everything.

8. Turn off the heat, stir in 1 tsp toasted sesame oil and the green onion greens, taste and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve sprinkled with 1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds if you like, over rice or noodles. Enjoy.

Equipment Needed

1. Large wok or heavy skillet for stir fry, dont use a tiny pan or it will steam the veg
2. Sharp chef’s knife for mincing garlic, ginger and slicing green onions
3. Cutting board (ideally separate one for meat and one for veg)
4. Two small bowls, one for the sauce and one for the cornstarch slurry
5. Measuring spoons (tsp and tbsp) and a 1 tbsp measure for accuracy
6. Microplane or fine grater for the ginger, or a garlic press if you prefer
7. Heatproof spatula or wooden spoon to break up pork and toss everything
8. Colander or salad spinner to rinse and dry cabbage and bok choy before cooking

FAQ

Ground Pork Stir Fry Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Ground pork: swap with ground turkey, ground chicken, or crumbled firm tofu for a vegetarian version; turkey cooks faster so dont overcook it.
• Bok choy: use baby spinach, Swiss chard, or thinly sliced napa cabbage instead; they wilt fast so add them at the end.
• Light soy sauce: replace with tamari for gluten free, low sodium soy for less salt, or coconut aminos if you need soy free.
• Shaoxing wine: dry sherry or mirin work well, or use a splash of rice vinegar plus a pinch of sugar if you dont have any.

Pro Tips

– Don’t skip drying the cabbage and bok choy first, otherwise theyll steam and turn soggy not crisp. Pat them really dry and keep the pieces bite sized so they wilt fast and still have texture.

– Let the pork actually brown before you stir it, give it a minute or two to form those little brown bits, they add huge flavor. If theres a greasy puddle spoon some out so the sauce clings better, but leave a little fat to carry the flavor.

– Keep the pan screaming hot and move fast, stir fry is all about speed. If the pan cools down too much or you crowd it, everything steams and gets limp, so cook in a hot pan and in batches if needed.

– Add the sesame oil and green onions at the very end and taste once more. Sesame oil loses its punch with heat, so finish off with it and tweak soy or sugar only after you taste the warmed dish.