Mongolian Pork

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Mongolian Pork is one of my favorite dishes to make. It’s a quick and easy meal that you can whip up in 30 minutes. This twist on the classic Mongolian recipe uses pork for the protein. The sticky, sweet sauce is balanced with garlic, ginger and soy sauce. It’s the perfect easy weeknight meal.

Mongolian pork atop a bowl of rice with green onions and sesame seeds on top.

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This post is sponsored by the Kansas Farm Bureau and the Kansas Soybean Commission.  As always, all opinions are my own.

Recently, I was on a farm tour in Kansas and learned all about the pork industry. This Mongolian Pork recipe was inspired by that trip. My family loves pork tenderloin but we were bored with the same recipes I’ve been making. I decided to take a recipe traditionally made with beef and swap it for pork. This Asian pork tenderloin marinade and sauce was huge hit!


MORE PORK RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Best Grilled Pork Tenderloin | Korean Pork Chops | Porchetta


What We Love About This Recipe

This easy family-friendly recipe takes no time at all to make and the leftovers are so versatile!

  • 30 Minute Meal: This family favorite is quick and easy – perfect for busy weeknights!
  • Easy Ingredients: You probably already have most of the ingredients on hand.
  • Makes Great Leftovers: We used the leftovers to make Asian Tacos
Mongolian pork atop a bowl of rice with green onions and sesame seeds on top.

Ingredient Notes

  • Pork Tenderloin:   Pork tenderloin usually comes in a two-pack. I used one for this recipe and froze the other one for another recipe later. I like to use a 16 ounce piece for this recipe
  • GarlicYou can mince the cloves garlic or use pre-minced garlic from a jar.
  • Fresh Grated Ginger: Like the garlic, you can grate your own or use pre-grated ginger from a jar. It’s so easy!  
  • Soy SauceI like to use the low-sodium variety. This way I can cut down the amount of sodium in the recipe
  • Brown Sugar: Use dark brown sugar in this recipe. It has a deeper flavor.
Ingredients for making mongolian pork.

Equipment Needed

How to Make Mongolian Pork

These are the basic steps for making this Chinese style Mongolian Pork. Please refer to the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.

Step by step instructions for making asian pork tenderloin.

STEP 1PREPARE THE PORK 

Cut the pork tenderloin into 1/2 inch pieces. The key is to make sure they are the same size so that they will cook evenly.

STEP 2: COAT THE PORK 

Coat the pork pieces in cornstarch. The cornstarch gives a nice crispy coating to the pork and helps to thicken the sauce. I added the cornstarch to a bowl and tossed the pork but it would have been much easier if I added the cornstarch to a clean plastic bag (zip top bag) and used my favorite bag holder. Then all I would have to do is shake it – it’s much less messy this way. 

STEP 3: BROWN THE PORK

Brown the pork in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan or the pork will steam and not get crispy. If you have excess meat, work in batches.  Also, if you have a wok, you could easily stir fry it that way.

Step by step instructions for making chinese pork tenderloin

STEP 4: MAKE THE SAUCE 

Remove the pork and add the garlicgingersoy sauce, brown sugar, black pepper and water to the skillet and whisk it together. The sauce will be pretty thin at this point.

STEP 5: ADD THE PORK 

Add the pork back to the skillet with the green onions – use about two-thirds of the green part –  and allow it to simmer in the sauce. The cornstarch coating will help thicken the sauce so it clings to the pork.

Prep and Storage Tips

HOW TO MAKE THIS RECIPE AHEAD OF TIME

This recipe only takes a few minutes to prep and about 10 minutes to cook. If you want to get a jump start on dinner, you can cut the pork up to 24 hours ahead of time and store it in the fridge.

HOW TO STORE THIS RECIPE

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. 

HOW TO REHEAT THIS RECIPE

I prefer to reheat this dish in a skillet. You may need to pour a few tablespoons of water to help loosen up the sauce.

More About Pork

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit a working pork farm in Kansas to learn more about the pork industry and how pigs are raised. I’ve been on numerous working farms before but I have never been on a pig farm. I learned so much about the industry.

I’ve been asked a number of questions about pork, so I’m hoping these answers help you understand more about this incredible protein. And if you want to see more of my Kansas farm tour, head over to Instagram.

Is Pork Healthy to Eat?

Pork is a high quality protein and is a good source of vitamins and nutrients. Pig farmers carefully formulate the feed given to their animals to ensure they are getting the best nutrition possible. Over the years, the pork industry has been able to lower the saturated fat content in pork by over 25%.

What Type of Meat is Pork?

It might be a bit surprising but pork is a red meat. You may have heard it branded as “the other white meat” but it is classified as red. If you’re looking for leaner cuts of pork, look for the word “loin” in the cut.

Pigs on a pig farm.

What Part of the Pig is Pork?

Pork comes five main parts of the pig – loin, side, leg, pork shoulder and picnic shoulder. These main areas are then broken down even further into the cuts you find in the meat case. You can learn more about the various cuts here.

How Clean are Pigs?

This was one of the most fascinating things I learned on the farm. Bio-security is a very big deal on pig farms. Pig farmers are have plans in place to keep their animals safe and prevent foreign animal diseases. In fact, we had to wear foot coverings while visiting the farm. You can learn more about bio-security here.

Plastic coverings for my shoes on the pig farm.

Frequently Asked Questions

CAN I SUBSTITUTE GRATED GINGER IN PLACE OF FRESH GINGER?

I would not recommend this substitution. The powdered ginger just doesn’t have the same flavor as fresh grated. If you can’t find fresh ginger in the produce department, you can look for pre-grated ginger in a jar. It works just as well.

CAN THIS RECIPE BE DOUBLED OR HALVED?

Absolutely! If you’re feeding a larger bunch or if you want leftovers, you can easily double the ingredients. Conversely, if you have a smaller family, you can easily cut the ingredients in half for smaller portions.

WHERE DID THIS RECIPE COME FROM?

The inspiration for Mongolian Beef originated in Taiwan. Over the years, this recipe has become very Americanized and doesn’t use the processes or ingredients found in the original Asian recipe. If you’d like to try a more traditional recipe, give this one a try.

A close up shot of mongolian pork with chopsticks

Expert Tips for Making This Recipe

Try to think of suggestions and/or answers to questions readers may have. Work in the KW you used in the heading and try to naturally fit in other KWs where applicable.  Link to other relevant content or affiliate products when possible.

  • Size Matters: Make sure you cut the pork into uniform sized pieces so they cook more evenly.
  • Don’t Crowd: Don’t try to brown too much at one time. Overcrowding the pan will cause the pork to steam instead of brown. 
  • Spice it Up: Feel free to add crushed red pepper flakeshot sauce or hot mustard powder to make this dish a little zippier! 
  • Change it Up: Don’t limit yourself to pork tenderloin. I would use this same recipe to make Mongolian Pork Chops. I like center cut pork chops but you can ask for butcher cut thinner chops for faster cooking.
  • Boost the Flavor: Try substituting half of the soy sauce with 1/4 cup Hoisin sauce. I just love the flavor. You can also balance some of the sweetness by adding a tablespoon rice vinegar to the finished sauce.

What to Serve with Asian Pork Tenderloin

I like to serve this over a large bowl of rice. Any remaining marinade can soak into the rice making a super flavorful dish. You can serve any of your favorite veggies with this – bell peppers, carrots and broccoli are great. Here are some more that work too:

Mongolian pork in white bowl filled with rice and topped with sliced green onions and sesame seeds.
4.98 from 167 votes

Mongolian Pork

Yield: 4 people
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 20 minutes
Mongolian Pork is one of my favorite dishes to make. It’s a quick and easy meal that you can whip up in 30 minutes. This twist on the classic Mongolian recipe uses pork for the protein. The sticky, sweet sauce is balanced with garlic, ginger and soy sauce. It’s the perfect easy weeknight meal.
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⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️Did you try this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review below!

Ingredients

  • 1 lb pork tenderloin
  • ¼ cup cornstarch
  • 2 tablespoon canola oil
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
  • ½ cup low-sodium soy sauce
  • cup dark brown sugar
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 green onions, green parts only, sliced into 2 inch pieces
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 2 teaspoons sesame seeds, for garnish

Instructions

  • Cut the pork tenderloin into 1/2 inch pieces.
  • Add the cornstarch to a large zip top bag; Add the pork pieces to the bag and seal it, making sure to remove the excess air.
  • Shake the bag to coat the pork in the cornstarch.
  • Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork pieces, shaking off excess cornstarch, and transfer to a plate.
  • Add the canola oil to a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the oil is shimmering add the pork pieces in an even layer being careful not to overcrowd the pan. You can cook the pork in batches if you need to.
  • Cook the pork for 4-5 minutes the flip the pork and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the internal temperature is 140°F.
  • Transfer the pork to a clean plate and set aside.
  • In the same skillet, add the garlic and grated ginger. Cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Add the soy sauce, brown sugar and water and stir to combine.
  • Bring the sauce to a simmer. Add the pork and sliced green onions to the skillet.
  • Cook for 3 minutes. The sauce will thicken as it cooks.
  • Serve over rice and sprinkle with sesame seeds for garnish.

Estimated Nutritional Information

Calories: 329kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 26g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 74mg | Sodium: 1130mg | Potassium: 572mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 64IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 49mg | Iron: 2mg
The nutritional information provided are estimates. To learn more about how I calculate this information go to www.itisakeeper.com/about-its-a-keeper/privacy-disclosure-policies/
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Course: Main Dish
Cuisine: Asian

This recipe is my personal adaption of an ethnic inspired recipe. It is not intended to be an authentic recipe.  I’ve recreated this recipe because I enjoy the flavors and I want to encourage my readers to expand their tastes and try new flavor combinations. The recipe, ingredients and processes may have been adapted to make the recipe accessible for the average American. I have provided links to authentic versions of the recipe in the post above. I encourage you to visit these pages and learn more about the traditional version(s) of this recipe.

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52 thoughts on “Mongolian Pork”

      • All of the ingredients and measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. We do not guess with our ingredients or measurements.

        Reply
  1. Just made this, and I love it, spices were perfect, the recipe was so easy. Thank you for sharing this, I will check in with you next time I have an idea for dinner and see what you have come up with. Great job.

    Reply
  2. 5 stars
    This is a very quick and easy recipe to acheive a sweet and savory Asian flavored pork. I am not crazy about sweet asian dishes, but my husband loves them, so I made it for him. He raves about this recipe, and it has decent flavor. I just have to eat only a little with alot of rice or vegetables.

    Reply
  3. 5 stars
    Delicious recipe! My significant other who was hesitate when I said I was making it enjoyed it so much and asked that it be on the list of “have agains”! Now that’s a compliment! I stir fried matchstik carrots and broccoli, put them aside and then added back in with the pork. Looking forward to the little bit of leftovers for lunch.

    Reply
  4. 5 stars
    This dish was really good! I listen to some comments and didn’t add as much soy sauce and cut back on the garlic. I also didn’t have enough of soy sauce so I used what I had and mixed with Worcestershire sauce (which does have way less sodium). Chefs kiss! This was perfection. Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
  5. 4 stars
    Was definitely delicious, though I did half the amount of garlic and soy sauce and was boarder line too salty so I’d lessen even more next time. Otherwise soooo good!

    Reply
  6. 5 stars
    Made this last night for dinner with a small pork loin roast cut up. Spiced it up using 1/2 cup Hoisin sauce, 1/4 C Braggs liquid Aminos and ~1/4 C water with about 1/2 tsp Red Pepper flakes. Added some frozen carrots and broccoli to the saute while making the sauce, then added back the meat. O.M.GOOODNESS. Delicious. Even my finicky mother raved. That’s a WinWin for me! Thank You for the wonderful recipe!

    Reply
    • Oh, I forgot, the 3 green onions! White parts went in with the vegetables, Green parts added on top after being served over Jasmin rice. YUM!!!

      Reply
  7. 5 stars
    Used pork fillets and did a few short cuts. Added the corn flour in a freezer bag and shook it around. Went straight to cooking with your directions. My partner loved it. I am not a big lover of too much sodium even with low salt sodium.
    We will do it again and try to cut down on the sodium and sugar.

    Reply
  8. 5 stars
    I had left over cooked pork loin so I still coated in light corn starch fried up and follow directions for rest. Thicken nicely I didn’t do green onions. Put pork with sauce over Basmati rice and cooked frozen mixed Asian veggies on top. Very good with a slight sweetness and tender pork. Definitely make again.

    Reply
  9. Made this for supper tonight. Added thin sliced carrot and some bell pepper. was delicious. Will make this again and add some broccoli.

    Reply

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