Quick Pork Stir Fry in 25 Minutes

Juicy pork loin seared hot and fast, then coated in a savoury soy, garlic and ginger sauce with colourful stir-fried vegetables. It's quicker than a takeaway and easily beats one for freshness, and it all comes together in a single pan.

When you want something fast, fresh and genuinely satisfying, a pork stir fry is hard to beat. The trick is getting your pan properly hot and having everything chopped before you start, because once cooking begins it moves quickly. Lean pork loin stays tender, crisp veg keeps its bite, and a simple soy-ginger sauce ties it all together.

Ingredients

• 500 g pork loin steaks — trimmed and sliced into thin strips
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil — or groundnut oil, for high-heat frying
• 1 red pepper — deseeded and sliced
• 200 g tenderstem broccoli — cut into short lengths
• 1 carrot — cut into thin matchsticks
• 4 spring onions — sliced, white and green parts separated
• 3 garlic cloves — finely chopped
• 20 g fresh ginger — peeled and grated
• 3 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
• 1 tbsp honey
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil
• 2 tsp cornflour — mixed with 3 tbsp cold water
• 1 tsp sesame seeds — to garnish, optional

Method

1. In a small bowl, stir together the light soy, dark soy, honey and sesame oil, then set the sauce aside. In a separate cup, mix the cornflour with the cold water to make a smooth slurry.
2. Pat the pork strips dry with kitchen paper so they sear rather than steam. Heat a wok or large frying pan over a high heat until just smoking, then add 1 tbsp of the oil.
3. Add the pork in a single layer and fry, stirring, for 3 to 4 minutes until browned and cooked through with no pink remaining. Lift out onto a plate and set aside.
4. Add the remaining 1 tbsp oil to the hot pan, then tip in the pepper, broccoli, carrot and the white parts of the spring onions. Stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes so the veg softens slightly but keeps its crunch.
5. Add the garlic and ginger and stir-fry for about 1 minute until fragrant, taking care not to let the garlic catch and burn.
6. Return the pork and any resting juices to the pan, pour in the sauce and toss to coat everything evenly.
7. Give the cornflour slurry a quick stir, add it to the pan and toss for 1 to 2 minutes until the sauce thickens to a glossy coating and the pork is piping hot throughout.
8. Scatter over the green parts of the spring onions and the sesame seeds, then serve straight away while everything is hot and crisp.

Serve it with

• Fluffy steamed jasmine or basmati rice
• Quick egg-fried rice
• Plain or garlic noodles
• A pile of steamed pak choi
• Prawn crackers on the side

Why this works

Searing the pork in a single layer over fierce heat locks in juices and colour, while cooking the vegetables separately keeps them crisp. The cornflour slurry turns the soy and honey into a glossy sauce that clings to every strip.

Common swaps

• Swap pork loin for pork fillet (tenderloin) or thinly sliced chicken breast
• Use any stir-fry veg you have: mangetout, baby corn, mushrooms or green beans all work
• Replace honey with a tablespoon of hoisin sauce for a richer, sweeter finish
• For a kick, add a sliced red chilli or a teaspoon of chilli flakes with the garlic
• Use tamari in place of soy sauce for a gluten-free version

Common mistakes to avoid

• Crowding the pan so the pork steams and turns grey instead of searing golden
• Cooking over too low a heat, which makes the veg soggy and releases too much water
• Adding the garlic and ginger too early so they burn and turn bitter
• Skipping the cornflour slurry, leaving a thin sauce that slides off the pork

Storage, freezing & reheating

Storage: Cool any leftovers quickly and keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.

Freezing: This freezes reasonably well for up to 2 months, though the vegetables will soften on thawing. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.

Reheating: Reheat in a hot pan or wok for a few minutes, stirring, until piping hot throughout, adding a splash of water if the sauce has thickened too much.

Allergen notes: contains Soya, Gluten, Sesame. Always check individual product labels.

Estimated nutrition

Per serving, estimated from typical ingredient values — not a substitute for precise dietary calculation.