Name: Braised Pork in Sweet Soy Sauce
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 lb pork loin; 2 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 tbsp garlic and ginger paste; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 tbsp sesame oil; 1/2 cup soy sauce; 4 tbsp sugar; 1 1/2 cup water; 1 tbsp chili garlic sauce; 2 green onions (chopped (optional))

Braised Pork in Sweet Soy Sauce – Tender pieces of pork braised in a flavorful sauce with a touch of heat. Made with just a small list of simple ingredients, this is a great way to switch up your weekly rotation with a fabulously easy takeout-fakeout dinner.

overhead shot of braised pork in sweet soy sauce in a braiser garnished with green onions

Pork Recipe

I love figuring out how to make my favorite takeout items in the comfort of my own home, such as this delicious braised pork with sweet soy sauce. No extra grease or salt to weigh you down! They also require a really surprisingly easy list of ingredients. Once you have these basics in your kitchen, you can use them in practically any combination to make something delicious.

This is one of my most popular pork recipes on the blog, for good reason. It’s extremely easy to make and the taste is incredible.

Besides being able to use different cuts of pork for this recipe, it’ll also work really well if you want to use chicken breast or thighs. As long as they’re cut up into bite sized pieces, they’ll cook down so nicely in this sauce. Now, let’s get cooking!

Ingredients

Keep scrolling down to the recipe card for full ingredient amounts and instructions, or click the Jump To Recipe button at the top of the page.

Pork loin – You can use pork shoulder (butt) or ribs as well.
Vegetable oil – Any mild flavored oil like olive, safflower, or sunflower will work.
Sesame oil – If you can find toasted sesame oil, buy it! The flavor is amazing.
Soy sauce – I like to use reduced sodium soy sauce. You can use regular if that’s what you have on hand.
Sugar – Brown sugar works as well, or you can use sugar alternatives or more viscous sugars like honey or agave instead.
Water
Chili garlic sauce – Also known as sambal oelek. You can use any type of hot sauce you like best; sriracha or gochujang would be great as well.
Green onion – I like to have these as a nice and fresh garnish for the finished pork. The onion is optional, but I highly recommend using it!

process shots showing how to make braised pork with sweet soy sauce

How to Make Braised Pork in Sweet Soy Sauce

Sear the pork: Cut the pork into 1″ cubes. Sauté over medium-high heat in a pan with the vegetable oil, working in batches if you need, until the pork is cooked through.
Braise the pork: Mix the sauce ingredients in a bowl, then pour the prepared sauce over the pork and bring it to a boil. Reduce the heat to a simmer and braise for 30 minutes uncovered, or until most of the sauce has reduced. Stir to coat each piece of pork in sauce and serve garnished with green onions.

What Is Braising

Braising is a method of cooking that uses both wet and dry heat. Basically, this means that the food is first sautéed or seared at a higher temperature, then finished in a liquid, in a covered pot at a lower temperature.

braised pork in a white bowl garnished with green onions, with a bowl of noodles in the background

How to Serve

I usually serve this pork over some noodles or steamed rice. It would be delicious with coconut rice as well! You can also make some mashed potatoes, or use Asian style noodles such as udon, soba, ramen, or vermicelli.

If you want to serve your pork with some sides, give these recipes a try!

two bowls of braised pork garnished with green onions

How to Store Leftovers

Store your leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. If you made a carb like noodles, rice, or potatoes, you can store the leftover pork in the same container, or separate. Totally up to you!

Leftovers will heat up best in the microwave. If you want to use a different method, I’d suggest stovetop. Add the pork, plus a splash of water or broth, to a skillet and turn the heat onto medium. Stir often, and add more water or broth if the sauce starts to dry out. Cook for about 5 minutes or until heated through.

Freezing

This is an awesome freezer meal! You can make a double or triple batch of this recipe and store a few meals worth in the freezer for nights when you don’t have time to make a good homemade dinner.

Transfer the pork to a large freezer bag or airtight container and it will last in the freezer for 3-4 months. To reheat, you can pop it straight into the microwave from the freezer. To use my stovetop method above, let the pork thaw overnight in the fridge first.

overhead shot of braised pork in a white bowl

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Comments

Tara E. says

August 15, 2020 at 5:05 pm

I loved this recipe so much ! However next time I would cut the soy sauce to 1/4 cup it was a little too salty for me . I had to add honey to it to cut the saltiness. Then it was Amazing !

Reply
Marithel O. Castro says

August 12, 2020 at 7:32 pm

We loved this recipe. So easy and yummy.

Reply
Aimee Lim says

July 13, 2020 at 9:08 pm

So easy and tasty, 😍

Reply
BRETT WILEY says

July 9, 2020 at 9:40 am

“Amen” for the pork butt….

Reply