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Superfast Pork Recipes

September 14, 2009
Photo: Jennifer Causey
Make a quick and healthy meal using tender, lean pork with these 20-minute pork recipes.
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Roasted Goat Cheese-Stuffed Portobellos

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Roasted Goat Cheese-Stuffed Portobellos

Serve with a mixture of sautéed sliced snap peas, radishes, and hot cooked brown rice. To make this a vegetarian main, simply skip the prosciutto.

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Pork Medallions with Red Wine-Cherry Sauce

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Pork Medallions with Red Wine-Cherry Sauce

The pan sauce gets its concentrated fruit flavor, body, and thickness from tart-sweet cherry preserves, a great complement to the pork and red wine. Try a Merlot or Cabernet for the wine, or sub in unsalted chicken stock.

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Seared Pork Chops with Poblano Peperonata

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Seared Pork Chops with Poblano Peperonata

A sautéed mix of peppers spiked with vinegar adds instant interest to the pork. Skip the poblano and use just the bell peppers if you like. 

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Pork Cutlets with Butternut Squash, Apple, and Cranberry Sauté

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Pork Cutlets with Butternut Squash, Apple, and Cranberry Sauté

Steaming squash tenderizes it before you pan-sear it to a caramelized finish.

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Pan-Roasted Pork With Baby Vegetable Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Pan-Roasted Pork With Baby Vegetable Salad

A mandoline is the best tool for shaving the vegetables into thin, even slices, but the salad would be just as delicious with thinner shaved ribbons (using a vegetable peeler) or slightly thicker slices (using a sharp knife). If you don't have pecorino romano, you can substitute, you can substitute Parmesan cheese.

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Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Flatbreads

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Flatbreads

Naan breads are the secret to instant pizza-style flatbreads (no rolling or baking of dough required). Look for whole-grain naan, such as Stonefire, and treat as you would a prepared pizza crust.

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Crispy Chicken, Ham, and Swiss Roll-Ups

Photo: Greg Dupree
View Recipe: Crispy Chicken, Ham, and Swiss Roll-Ups

Meaty, cheesy, moist, and crunchy: This 5-ingredient dish really delivers. Preheating the pan gets the breading crisp within 20 minutes. If you only have regular breadcrumbs, just add 1⁄2 teaspoon dried oregano and 1⁄4 teaspoon garlic powder. The timing and ingredient amounts work for small, 2-ounce cutlets. Split larger ones in half: Place each on a cutting board, and place your hand flat on top. Holding a sharp knife parallel to the cutting board, carefully halve using short, swift strokes. Serve roll-ups with a simple green salad.

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Pork Tenderloin with Blue Cheese and Pears

Photo: Romulo Yanes
View Recipe: Pork Tenderloin with Blue Cheese and Pears

Match the robust flavors of this dish with a hearty endive or radicchio salad to make the meal feel decidedly Italian.

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Turmeric Pork Chops with Green Onion Rice

Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Turmeric Pork Chops with Green Onion Rice

Our turmeric slathered pork chops may look polished, but don't let this quick weeknight supper fool you. It's complex flavor belies it's simple preparation. 

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Pork Chops and Couscous with Tomato-Caper Sauce

Photo: Victor Protasio
View Recipe: Pork Chops and Couscous with Tomato-Caper Sauce

This dish easily works with chicken if you don't have pork on hand. Toasting the turmeric in oil is a simple way to develop savory depth—try this technique with any spices you're cooking with. Couscous makes for a quick, versatile side dish that easily adopts different flavor profiles. Israeli couscous has more of a bite to it and can also be served chilled for picnics and to-go lunches. The tomato-caper sauce pairs well with other proteins beyond pork and poultry such as sole or shrimp simply cooked with garlic and butter. It's an impressive dish that's quickly prepared whenever you're short on time.

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Lemon-Garlic Pork and Broccoli Bulgur Bowl

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Lemon-Garlic Pork and Broccoli Bulgur Bowl

Bulgur is a great go-to grain because of its quick cook time and neutral flavor.

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Pork Chops with Sautéed Apples and Brussels Sprouts

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Pork Chops with Sautéed Apples and Brussels Sprouts

Guaranteed to be a fast favorite, this recipe plays on the sweet-savory match made in flavor heaven: pork + apples.

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Pork Sliders With Smashed Avocado

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Pork Sliders With Smashed Avocado

For smaller sandwiches like these, we prefer to smash the avocado into a spread before assembling so that no slippery slices are lost on the journey from plate to mouth.

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Pork with Chunky Applesauce

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Pork with Chunky Applesauce

The fall family favorite goes lighter with barely sweetened apples. And instead of the typical pork chops, we go for lean, inexpensive pork tenderloin. Complete the meal with a side of Broccolini or broccoli.

 

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Crispy Rice with Ham and Bean Sprouts

Photo: Jennifer Causey
View Recipe: Crispy Rice with Ham and Bean Sprouts

Toasting half the rice in this recipe yields warmth and crunch that takes this ultra-comforting 5-ingredient entrée from ordinary to exceptional. For an added kick, serve with a drizzle of Sriracha.

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Ham and Veggie Fried Rice

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Ham and Veggie Fried Rice

Tossing in frozen green peas at the end of cooking keeps them bright and lively.

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Spicy-Sweet Pork Tenderloin

Beau Gustafson

Asian and Mexican flavors collide with excellent results in this seven-minute dish: The pork first cooks in a ginger-soy mixture, then is doused with a sweet cilantro salsa. If you like heat, be sure to use an extra-spicy salsa. If you really like heat, chop a jalapeño or a couple serranos and add to the salsa.

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Pork Chops with Ancho Chile Rub and Raspberry Glaze

Lee Harrelson
View Recipe: Pork Chops with Ancho Chile Rub and Raspberry Glaze

Spicy and fruity flavors make excellent partners, especially when paired with pork. Raspberry's tangy bite is great here, but almost any kind of fruit preserves, from apple to apricot, will work. Baked or mashed potatoes or sweet potatoes make great sides for this dish―try Smashed Potatoes with Goat Cheese and Chives.

 

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Szechuan Pork

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Szechuan Pork

Crunchy bell pepper and spicy chili garlic sauce highlight this surprisingly healthful dish. At 338 calories for a whole-meal serving it's an excellent dinner choice, and it takes less than 10 minutes to prepare. For simple variations try rice or another kind of Asian noodles like udon or somen, or sub another favorite vegetable―carrots or broccoli work well―for the bell pepper.

 

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Pork Chops with Country Gravy and Mashed Potatoes

Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Pork Chops with Country Gravy and Mashed Potatoes

Southern-style white gravy in a light recipe? Yes, it's possible, thanks to a moderate amount of butter and a low-fat milk-flour slurry. Each hearty serving of this dish―a pork chop with a big dollop of potatoes and a generous pour of gravy―has just 322 calories. Refrigerated mashed potatoes are perfectly good, and perfectly fast, but you can also make homemade mashed potatoes if you want.

 

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Cider and Sage Pork

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Cider and Sage Pork

Cider and sage allow the delicious flavor of the pork to shine through. Serve with steamed green beans.

 

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Pork Chops with Caribbean Rub and Mango Salsa

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Pork Chops with Caribbean Rub and Mango Salsa

The smoky-spicy rub would also work well with grilled chicken breasts.

 

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Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Sautéed Apples

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Sautéed Apples

Sweet spices coat the tenderloin, while apples get a savory treatment. Serve with a spinach salad.

 

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Pork Tenderloin with Red and Yellow Peppers

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Pork Tenderloin wtih Red and Yellow Peppers

Anchovies melt into the pepper mixture, adding a savory, salty quality. If you don't like anchovies, omit them and add 3 tablespoons minced olives. 
 

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Ham and Asparagus Frittata

Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Ham and Asparagus Frittata

Leftover Thanksgiving, Christmas, or Easter ham is a perfect candidate for this recipe―a thick, hearty open-face omelet suitable for breakfast, brunch, lunch, or dinner. Turn the frittata into a quiche by pouring the mixture into a pie crust before baking.

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Pork Fattoush

Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Pork Fattoush

Traditional fattoush doesn't contain any meat―the salad with crisp pita pieces is delicious, but best as a starter. We add pork tenderloin to turn this Lebanese specialty into a main course without sacrificing nutrition: The dish has just 314 calories per serving. Kick up the flavor by adding chopped red onion, carrot, olives, or feta cheese if you like.

 

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Wasabi and Panko-Crusted Pork with Gingered Soy Sauce

Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Wasabi and Panko-Crusted Pork with Gingered Soy Sauce

Japanese flavors and ingredients dominate this quick, easy, and healthful take on the deep-fried pork cutlet dish tonkatsu. Pan-fried, panko-dredged pork chops end up nice and crisp, doused in a sweet-hot ginger and wasabi soy sauce. For extra-tender and crispy pork, pound the chops between two pieces of plastic wrap to ¼-inch thickness, or try chicken breasts or tenders instead.

 

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Quick Pork Picadillo Sandwiches

Beau Gustafson
View Recipe: Quick Pork Picadillo Sandwiches

Highly seasoned beef dishes are a staple all over the world―goulash in Hungary, sloppy joes in the United States, and picadillo all over Latin America. With its olives and raisins, our version is closer to the Cuban and Puerto Rican variations on the dish. A picadillo sandwich makes for fun eating with your hands, but you can also serve the meat with black beans and rice or as the filling for tacos.

 

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Prosciutto and Smoked Gouda Panini

Shelly Strazis
View Recipe: Prosciutto and Smoked Gouda Panini

This three-ingredient recipe is the ultimate last-minute party dish. It'll make a light meal for 10 or hors d'oeuvres for 15 to 20 in just a few minutes. The strong flavor of smoked cheese (cheddar or mozzarella works as well as Gouda) stands up well to the saltiness of prosciutto. Of course you can also cut the recipe down to make a great quick lunch for just a few―you need a little over half an ounce each of prosciutto and cheese per sandwich.

 

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Orange Pork with Scallions

Lee Harrelson
View Recipe: Orange Pork with Scallions

A dredge in cornstarch before sautéing gives the pork a silky texture, and more cornstarch in the sweet-salty-spicy orange sauce makes it thick and glossy, just like restaurant Chinese, but with only 214 calories and 586 milligrams of sodium per serving. For a complete homemade-Chinese-takeout meal, add an appetizer like pot stickers or shrimp toast, or try Hot and Sour Soup.

 

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Artichoke and Arugula Pizza with Prosciutto

Photo Courtesy of Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Artichoke and Arugula Pizza with Prosciutto

Cured pork products perform culinary magic: A single ounce of salty, meaty prosciutto gives all four servings of this pizza a nice, savory flavor. A base of pesto and toppings of bitter arugula and slightly sweet artichoke hearts complete the picture for a gourmet pie that beats delivery any day and takes only 13 minutes start to finish.

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Fresh Tortellini with Mushrooms and Pancetta

Beau Gustafson
View Recipe: Fresh Tortellini with Mushrooms and Pancetta

Pancetta is an Italian version of bacon that isn't smoked, so it has a slightly more delicate flavor than its American cousin. But it still brings a salty, meaty punch to this dish, which matches well with the earthy, savory flavor of cremini mushrooms. If you have any pancetta left over, use it to make luscious, creamy pasta carbonara for another Italian meal.

 

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Southwestern Pork Soup

Lee Harrelson
View Recipe: Southwestern Pork Soup

This 10-minute recipe is so easy and adaptable that it should be a part of everyone's repertoire. This version flavors pork and beans with the zesty flavors of cumin, jalapeño, and cilantro, but you can add other meats or vegetables and different spices to create a totally unique soup. Add corn and sliced tortillas for tortilla soup, or try chicken and pasta with oregano and black pepper for a minestrone variation.

 

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Vietnamese-Spiced Pork Chops

Karry Hosford
View Recipe: Vietnamese-Spiced Pork Chops

Scoring the surface of the meat, and then rubbing it with a brown sugar spice mix before searing gives these chops a crisp and caramelized, almost blackened, surface. For authentic flavor, serve over rice with nuoc cham, a mix of fish sauce, garlic, lime, and chiles that's part of almost every Vietnamese meal.

 

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Pork Medallions with Red Currant Sauce

Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Pork Medallions with Red Currant Sauce

Red currant jelly may sound exotic, but you can find the tart condiment with other jellies and jams in most supermarkets. The spice rub gives the pork deep, smoky fall flavor, and the easy sauce brightens the taste. Serve with a salad and a grain like grits or polenta.

 

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Pierogies with Bacon, Sautéed Onion, and Sour Cream

Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Pierogies with Bacon, Sautéed Onion, and Sour Cream

The delicious Polish dumplings called "pierogies" are often filled with fat-laden ingredients and then loaded down with sour cream. We serve them over a tasty mixture of caramelized onions, peas, and bacon, while keeping a bit of tangy reduced-fat sour cream in the mix (you can use yogurt instead to cut more fat). Frozen pierogies make this easy, but if you want you can make yours from scratch.

 

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Coconut Curried Pork, Snow Pea, and Mango Stir-Fry

Lee Harrelson
View Recipe: Coconut Curried Pork, Snow Pea, and Mango Stir-Fry

Thai cuisine balances big flavors like the spicy curry powder and paste, pungent fish sauce, and creamy coconut milk in this recipe. You'll love the contrast between sweet, tangy mango and savory, tender pork. Though it takes a bit longer to cook than boil-in-bag rice, fragrant jasmine rice is ideal for this dish―try it!

 

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Smoked Paprika Pork Chops with Bell Pepper and Corn Relish

Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Smoked Paprika Pork Chops with Bell Pepper and Corn Relish

Smoked paprika, called pimentón in its native Spain, brings amazing meaty, savory flavor to any dish without adding any fat, salt, or calories. It should be a critical part of every pantry. If you love that smoky flavor, toss some potato wedges with salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and olive oil and roast until crisp for a great side to serve with this dish.