Better Than Takeout Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe
Sweet and Sour Pork with crunchy vegetables tossed in a tangy homemade sauce—an easy Chinese takeout classic made fresh at home with simple ingredients.
This Sweet and Sour Pork is my grandma’s version. It may not be the most authentic but it is everything you love about the classic Chinese takeout dish—crispy, sticky, tangy, and perfectly balanced. Made with simple ingredients and fresh flavors, it’s an easy homemade version that tastes even better than restaurant-style sweet and sour pork.
This was inspired by my other Chinese Takeout recipes on this site, like my Beef Lo Mein and Chicken Chow Mein. If you like this recipes, you may also like my Easy Hot & Sour Soup and Crispy Homemade Chinese Egg Rolls.
What Is Sweet and Sour Pork?
Sweet and Sour Pork is a classic Chinese dish featuring battered and fried pork tossed in a glossy sauce made with vinegar, sugar, and ketchup. The contrast of crispy meat, tangy sauce, and fresh vegetables makes it one of the most popular Chinese takeout dishes around the world. This homemade version keeps the flavors authentic while delivering better texture and freshness.
A Few Notes From My Grandma
This sweet and sour pork is a recipe my grandma taught me recently. She always said the secret to great sweet and sour pork is technique, not complicated ingredients—double frying the meat so it stays crispy longer, quickly frying the vegetables so they stay vibrant and crisp, and using the same ratio of ketchup, sugar, and vinegar to create the most perfectly balanced sweet and sour sauce. These are the little tips that make this dish taste truly special.
Ingredients
You’ll need the following ingredients to make the BEST Sweet and Sour Pork:
- Pork shoulder butt: You can use any cut of pork for this recipe, but my favorite is the pork shoulder butt as it has the right amount of marbling and fat content.
- Cornstarch: Creates a light, crispy coating.
- Egg: Helps the coating stick.
- Bell peppers & onion: Add color, crunch, and freshness.
- Pineapple chunks: I used canned pineapple but you can also use fresh pineapple
- Ketchup: Base of the sweet and sour sauce.
- Rice vinegar: Provides tanginess and sourness.
- Sugar: Provides and sweetness and balances the sourness.
- Neutral oil: I used avocado oil for frying, but you can use any neutral oil like canola oil, vegetable oil, grape seed oil, sunflower oil, or peanut oil.
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Let’s Make Sweet & Sour Pork!
- Make the Sweet & Sour Sauce: In a bowl, add all the sauce ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Prep the Pork: Cut the pork into 1 to 1- 1/2 inch bite-sized pieces.
- Marinate the Pork: In a bowl, add pork, soy sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, and sugar. Give it a good mix. Then add water and egg, mix again. Set aside.
- Add the Batter: Coat each pork pieces with cornstarch. Heat neutral oil in a wok or large pot until it reaches 325℉.
Step 5. Double Fry the Pork: Add the meat into the pot when the oil is hot. Fry for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pork is slightly golden and just cooked through. Remove the pork. Increase the heat until the oil reaches 375℉. Return the pork to the oil and fry again for 1-2 minutes, until deeply golden and crispy. Remove again and place it on a paper towel-lined plate.
Step 6. Fry the Vegetables: Add onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper into the oil and flash fry for 30-60 seconds, until slightly softened by still crisp. Remove and set aside on another paper towel-lined plate. Frying the vegetables helps keeps them bright and crunchy.
Step 7. Thicken the Sauce: In a clean wok, add 2 tbsp of neutral oil over medium heat. Add the prepared sweet & sour sauce into the wok and let it simmer for 1 minutes. Add cornstarch slurry into the sauce and let it simmer until the sauce is slightly thickened.
Step 8. Mix Together: Add the vegetables, pineapple, and pork into the pan with the sauce. Toss gently to coat everything evenly.
To Serve
Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Serve hot and enjoy!
What to Serve with Sweet & Sour Pork
These are my favorite dishes to serve with Sweet & Sour Pork:
Substitutions & Variations
- Pork – instead of pork, you can substitute with chicken, shrimp, or tofu for vegetarian option.
- Canned Pineapples – You can also use fresh pineapples.
- Pineapple Juice – If you’re not using pineapple juice from the canned pineapple, substitute with water instead.
- Vegetables – You can add other veggies like carrots, zucchini, or snap peas.
- Add Some Heat – Add a little bit of chili powder or sriracha to the sweet & sour sauce if you like spicy.
Equipment
How to Store and Reheat
To Store: Leftovers can be stored in an air tight container for up to 3-4 days.
To Reheat: You can reheat the pork in the air fryer or microwave until warm.
Top Tips for Success
Double fry the pork:
Fry once at a lower temperature to cook the meat, then fry again at higher heat to lock in crispiness. This keeps the pork crunchy even after tossing in sauce.
Don’t overcrowd the pan:
Fry the pork in batches so the oil temperature stays hot. This ensures even browning and crisp texture.
Use equal parts ketchup, sugar, and vinegar:
This classic ratio creates the perfect balance of sweet and tangy every time. You can adjust slightly to taste, but this is the foundation.
Fry vegetables quickly:
A quick stir-fry keeps the vegetables crisp and colorful instead of soft and soggy.
Toss at the very end:
Combine the pork, vegetables, and sauce just before serving to maintain the best texture.
More Recipes You’ll Love
Looking for other recipes like this? Try these:
Better Than Takeout Sweet and Sour Pork Recipe
Ingredients
Pork Marinade
- 1 lb pork shoulder butt, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 tsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine, or any cooking wine
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp white pepper
- 1 tsp white sugar
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 large egg
For Frying
- 4-5 tbsp cornstarch , add more if needed
- neutral oil, for frying
Vegetables
- ½ onion, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 red bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 cup pineapple chunks, I use canned pineapple
Sweet & Sour Sauce
- 4 tbsp ketchup
- 4 tbsp white sugar
- 4 tbsp white vinegar
- 3 clove garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- ¼ cup pineapple juice , from canned pineapple. If you are not using canned pineapple, you can substitute with water instead.
Cornstarch Slurry
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- 3 tbsp water
Garnish
Instructions
Marinate the Pork
- In a bowl, add pork, soy sauce, cooking wine, sesame oil, salt, white pepper, and sugar. Give it a good mix. Then add water and egg, then mix again. Set aside, let it marinate for 15 minutes while you prepare the sauce.
Prepare Sweet & Sour Sauce
- In a bowl, add ketchup, sugar, white vinegar, garlic, soy sauce, and pineapple juice, Whisk together until well combined. Set aside.
Fry the Pork & Veggies
- Heat neutral oil in a wok or large pot until it reaches 325℉.
- Coat each pork pieces with cornstarch. Add the meat into the pot when the oil is hot. The oil should bubble when a piece of pork is added, but not aggressively. Fry for 5-6 minutes, turning occasionally, until the pork is slightly golden and just cooked through. Remove the pork and place it on a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Double Frying for Extra Crispiness: Increase the heat until the oil reaches 375℉. Return the pork to the oil and fry again for 1-2 minutes, until deeply golden and crispy. Remove again and place it on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Add onion, red bell pepper, and green bell pepper into the oil and flash fry for 30-60 seconds, until slightly softened by still crisp. Remove and set aside on another paper towel-lined plate. Frying the vegetables helps keeps them bright and crunchy.
Bring Everything Together
- Remove the oil from the wok. In a clean wok, add 2 tbsp of the oil back into the wok over medium heat. Add the prepared sweet & sour sauce into the wok and let it simmer for 1 minutes.
- Prepare the cornstarch slurry by mixing cornstarch and water in a small bowl. Add cornstarch slurry into the sauce and let it simmer until the sauce is glossy and slightly thickened.
- Add the vegetables, pineapple chunks, and pork into the pan with the sauce. Toss gently to coat everything evenly.
- Transfer to a serving plate and sprinkle sesame seeds on top. Serve hot and enjoy!
