If you’re looking for a quick and easy meal that’s packed with flavor, look no further than this recipe for Quick Caramelized Pork and Broccoli. This dish is made with eight simple ingredients and is the perfect combination of sweet and savory flavors. Best of all, it’ll be on your table in 35 minutes or less!
So what exactly is caramelized pork and broccoli? It’s a quick, stir-fried dish starring thinly sliced pork tenderloin and crisp-tender broccoli florets tossed in a sweet and savory sauce. The sauce is made from a simple mixture of soy sauce, brown sugar, black pepper and garlic powder, which creates a caramel-like coating on the pork when cooked. The broccoli adds a fresh and crunchy element to the dish, making it a well-balanced meal.
One of the best things about this dish is how easy it is to prepare. All you need is a few basic ingredients and a skillet to get started. It’s also a versatile dish that can be easily customized to suit your taste, like making it spicy by adding some red pepper flakes or swapping in your protein of choice. Plus, it’s a great way to use up any leftover veggies you have in your fridge. Serve it over a bed of rice and dinner is done!
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Requires minimal ingredients.
- Quick and easy to prepare.
- Packed with flavor.
- Easily customizable to suit your preferences.
Key Ingredients You’ll Need
All you need are a few simple ingredients and a few minutes of prep time to have a delicious meal on your table in no time!
- Pork tenderloin: Before slicing, remove the silver skin (the tough, white membrane that runs along the outside of the tenderloin). Then, cut against the grain. This means cutting across the muscle fibers, rather than parallel to them. This helps to break down the muscle fibers and makes the meat more tender. Aim for slices that are about 1/4-inch thick.
- Low-sodium soy sauce: Just like my popular beef and broccoli recipe, low-sodium soy sauce is essential! Using anything else will result in a dish that’s way too salty.
- Oil: I prefer to stir-fry with vegetable oil because of its high smoke point and neutral flavor. However, if you don’t have vegetable oil or prefer not to use it when stir-frying, canola oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil or avocado oil can all be substituted.
- Brown sugar: This balances the salty flavor of the soy sauce and is the key to getting that perfect caramelization and depth of flavor.
- Cornstarch: Helps to thicken the sauce. It gets mixed with ¼ cup water to create a slurry. It’s important to bring this slurry to a boil when thickening the sauce because the heat activates the thickening properties of the cornstarch. If you don’t bring the slurry to a boil, the sauce may not thicken properly.
- Broccoli: Adds nutrition, flavor, texture and vibrant color to the dish.
Kelly’s Note: Get creative with whatever veggies you have stashed in your fridge! Bell peppers, snap peas, carrots and mushrooms are all welcome additions.
How to Make Quick Pork and Broccoli
- Marinate the pork pieces. In a large bowl, whisk together half of the soy sauce, garlic powder and black pepper. Add the sliced pork and toss to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- Cook the pork. Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil and swirl to coat the pan. Arrange half of the pork in a single layer. Cook the pork for 3 to 5 minutes, flipping once, until it is browned on both sides and cooked through. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a plate. If needed, add an additional 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the skillet and repeat the cooking process with the remaining pork, transferring it to the plate.
- Cook the broccoli. Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil to the skillet. Add the broccoli florets and cook, stirring, until it is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. Transfer the broccoli to the plate with the pork.
- Make the sauce. Add the remaining soy sauce along with the brown sugar and cornstarch slurry to the skillet, stirring to remove any brown bits from the bottom. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until thick and syrupy, about 2 minutes.
- Combine everything together. Return the pork and broccoli to the skillet and toss to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve with steamed white rice or your favorite side dish.
Pro Tip: To maintain broccoli’s vibrant green color, blanch it in boiling water for 15 seconds then drain it well and continue with the recipe as directed but reducing the broccoli cook time to 2 minutes. This is an optional additional step in the recipe.
- Prep your ingredients beforehand: Stir-frying is a quick cooking method so it’s crucial to have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking.
- Use high heat: Stir-frying is done on high heat, which helps to sear the ingredients and create that signature flavor. Make sure your pan is hot enough before you add your ingredients.
- Cook in small batches: Overcrowding the pan can cause your ingredients to steam rather than sear, so it’s best to cook in small batches. This also ensures that your pan stays hot enough to cook each batch quickly.
- Bring on the boil: Like most stir-fry recipes, this one uses a slurry composed of cornstarch and water to thicken the sauce. It must be boiled to achieve the desired consistency. Neglecting this step will result in a runny sauce instead of a thick syrup.
Yes! However, if you’re using frozen broccoli and you don’t thaw it ahead of time, be sure you account for the extra water it releases. As the frozen broccoli cooks, it’ll release water, and as long as your pan is not covered and you’re using medium-high heat, that water should evaporate quickly.
Absolutely! Some great options include bell peppers, snap peas, carrots, and onions. Just be sure to adjust the cooking time for each vegetable to ensure that they are cooked evenly.
Find inspiration with more of my favorite takeout-inspired recipes.
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Cut the pork tenderloin widthwise into 1/4-inch-thick rounds.
In a large bowl, whisk together ¼ cup soy sauce, garlic powder and black pepper. Add the sliced pork and toss to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
Heat a large skillet over high heat. Add 2 tablespoons vegetable oil and swirl to coat the pan. Arrange half of the pork in a single layer. Cook the pork, flipping once, until it is browned on both sides and cooked through, 3 to 5 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the pork to a plate and repeat the cooking process with the remaining pork, transferring it to the plate. (If needed, add an additional 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet.)
Reduce the heat to medium and add the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil to the skillet. Add the broccoli florets and cook, stirring, until it is crisp-tender, about 3 minutes. (See Kelly’s Note.) Transfer the broccoli to the plate with the pork.
Add the remaining ¼ cup soy sauce along with the brown sugar and cornstarch mixture to the skillet, stirring to remove any brown bits from the bottom. Bring the mixture to a boil and cook until thick and syrupy, about 2 minutes.
Return the pork and broccoli to the skillet and toss to coat. Garnish with sesame seeds and serve.
Kelly’s Notes:
Before slicing the pork tenderloin, remove the silver skin (the tough, white membrane that runs along the outside of the tenderloin).
Prep your ingredients beforehand: Stir-frying is a quick cooking method so it’s crucial to have all your ingredients prepped and ready before you start cooking.
To maintain broccoli’s vibrant green color, blanch it in boiling water for 15 seconds then drain it well and continue with the recipe as directed but reducing the broccoli cook time to 2 minutes. This is an optional additional step in the recipe.
Bring on the boil: Like most stir-fry recipes, this one uses a slurry composed of cornstarch and water to thicken the sauce. It must be boiled to achieve the desired consistency. Neglecting this step will result in a runny sauce instead of a thick syrup.
Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, and reheated using the microwave.
★ Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!
Calories: 172kcal, Carbohydrates: 15g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 6g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.1g, Cholesterol: 0.2mg, Sodium: 1187mg, Potassium: 497mg, Fiber: 3g, Sugar: 5g, Vitamin A: 708IU, Vitamin C: 101mg, Calcium: 68mg, Iron: 1mg
