You might switch to protein-packed ground pork when you’ve had enough chicken, turkey, seafood, and ground beef. Many modern cooks tend to avoid cooking pork because of its high-fat value. However, they don’t consider all the interesting ways of cooking pork. I gather 10 of the most delicious and easy-to-make ground pork recipes in this round-up.
So, no matter why you desire hearty pork dishes, these 10 affordable recipes are perfect for any family dinner! Although it’s often used for meatballs and meatloaf, there’s so much you can do with ground pork. This tasty, filling and incredibly versatile meat is also super economical, so you can enjoy delightful dishes, even on a budget.
1. Pork Fried Rice
This quick skillet of fried rice is one of the easiest, quickest, and most satisfying ways to transform leftover rice into a fancy dish. This recipe uses crumbles of ground pork, three eggs, and whatever vegetable you’ve got to create a winning dinner the whole family will love. This Asian-style dish is ready in less than 30 minutes and is also a crowd-pleaser!
2. Sweet ‘n Spicy Pork Lettuce Wraps
If you’re looking for a healthy ground pork recipe that’s not salad, these meat wraps are the help you need. The sweet and spicy sauce covers ground pork and veggies inside crisp lettuce cups for a flavorful, low-carb dinner. So, this is a dish perfect for a girls’ gathering. Not too fatty, but full of flavors!
3. Dan Dan Noodles
Dan Dan Noodles are one of the most famous Sichuan street foods. You most likely try them at least once in your lifetime! The boiled, thin noodles are served with a spicy sauce topped with crispy pork and peanut flakes.
When you prepare this recipe at home, stir everything with chopsticks to coat the noodles with the spicy pork sauce.
4. Garlic Sriracha Pork Stir Fry
Pork and cabbage are browned in the skillet, then simmered in a spicy-sweet sauce and layered over lime rice. Mmm, delicious! Not to mention that all of that is sprinkled with scallions, drizzled with sriracha, and finished with crunchy peanuts. Try to resist this Asian-style pork delish!
5. Asian Sloppy Joes
These easy Asian Sloppy Joes are so flavorful and still healthy! Ground pork gets mixed with hoisin sauce, ketchup, and lots of fresh ginger and garlic. Ready in under 30 minutes, this dish is perfect for meal prep! So, you see, ground pork can be light, healthy, and easy to cook!
As you probably already noticed, pork meat is often used in Asian cuisine. They also know how to season this hearty meat and what to pair it with to make it lighter and super tasty. So, when I choose to cook this type of meat for my family, I tend to follow many Asian-inspired recipes.
6. Dumpling Meatballs
Dumplings are most commonly formed from flour bound with egg and then simmered in water until they take on a light cakey texture. Also, many recipes call for herbs, onions, grated cheese, or chopped meat to be rolled into the dough before cooking.
Dumplings are a very common take-out dish, and they are super loved in our family. My kids are capable of eating two or three big portions at once… Don’t even get me started about how many dumplings get into my husband’s stomach… that’s insane! So, I learned how to make them at home in no time with affordable ingredients to stop paying a little fortune for takeout.
7. Keto Breakfast Cups
These keto breakfast cups contain many eggs, your favorite chopped veggies, and ground pork. Just the perfect meal for busy school or work mornings or a holiday brunch. In addition, you can rely on them to give you the right amount of protein and nutrients.
8. Pork Meatball Subs with Garlicky Kale
This super easy dish is perfect for busy weeknights when you don’t feel like putting much effort into preparing dinner. Pork meatballs come together super quickly, not to mention you can even make them months ahead and store them in the freezer. Then, add home-cooked kale seasoned with a lot of garlic for the best flavor. This comfort food is ready in less than 30 minutes, so it can be your real help whenever you want to create a quick and still delicious dinner for your little monsters.
9. Sausage Balls
These cheesy sausage balls are a holiday staple as an appetizer and are also found on many breakfast tables! Only three ingredients, and you have a delicious snack or side. So, visit your local grocery store and buy ground pork, cheddar cheese, and biscuit baking mix. Then, gather your kids and use their little sticky hands to form the balls. My kids love the process!
10. Sizzling Sweet and Sour Pork
This last pork meat recipe is one of my best friend’s favorites. She’s always amazed by the tenderness of the pork bites from the sizzling sweet and sour dish. Elen, it’s time for you to find out my little secret! Before cooking, I tender the pork meat with baking soda, so you’d swear they’re pricey chops. Quick and simple; exactly how we like it, here, on the wearychef blog!
What’s Your Favorite Ground Pork Recipe?
When it comes to ground pork recipes, the sky’s the limit! My parents-in-law are big fans of pork, so they always desire some dish that is based on ground pork. So, in time, I learned to be inventive and full of creativity. However, the big mighty Internet was my true help. Finally, I thought that this simple list that includes some fancier and healthier recipes with ground pork could help my beloved readers! So, here it is!
I hope it was helpful enough. Don’t hesitate to ask any further questions about the 10 dishes or anything else regarding ground pork and the kitchen in general in the comment section below. I will respond as soon as possible.