MyPlate-Inspired Pork Recipes

August 21, 2013
Photo: Andrew Purcell
Enjoy our favorite MyPlate-inspired pork recipes, which use grilled, baked, roasted, and even oven-fried chicken as the base for a variety of healthy, protein-packed meal options.
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Nutritious Pork Recipes

Photo: Nina Choi

Cooking Light is working with the Partnership for a Healthier America and USDA’s MyPlate to give anyone looking for healthier options access to thousands of recipes that will help them create healthy, tasty plates. For more information about creating a healthy plate, visit ChooseMyPlate.gov.

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Spicy Pork Lettuce Cups

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Spicy Pork Lettuce Cups

Serve with long-grain white rice to complete the meal. While the pork stands to allow its flavors to meld, chop the veggies for the ­lettuce cups and get the rice going. For a milder version, seed the serrano chile or simply omit it.

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Spiced Pork Tenderloin with Sautéed Apples

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

This one-dish pork tenderloin entrée is perfect for fall. Sweet spices coat lean pork tenderloin, while apples get a savory treatment with shallots and thyme. We use a cast-iron skillet, which evenly conducts heat and keeps the pan hot so that the pork and apples can each get a good searing and lots of caramelized flavor. The tenderloin, sliced into medallions, will cook quickly, so keep a close watch: Overcooking will quickly dry out and toughen this lean cut. Because the dish is ready in 20 minutes, it's essential to have everything on hand and a game plan before you start cooking: Slice the apples before you begin and keep them from browning by tossing the slices with a few teaspoons of lemon juice and cover with plastic wrap. Shallot's papery skin can be a little stubborn to remove, you can sometimes find them pre-peeled in the produce department or soak them in boiling hot water for two to three minutes to make the skins easier to remove. Have a plate and a piece of aluminum foil ready to tent over the meat to keep it warm while the apples cook.

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Cheese and Pear Pork

Photo: Nina Choi
View Recipe: Cheese and Pear Pork

This is an elegant presentation of a flawless flavor combination. Walnuts, pear, and blue cheese create the filling for pork tenderloin. Serve slices dressed with the sauce over a bed of sweet, fresh spinach and thinly sliced pear.

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Pork Medallions with Whisky-Cumberland Sauce and Haricots Verts

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Pork Medallions with Whisky-Cumberland Sauce and Haricots Verts

Try serving with roasted new potatoes to round out the meal. This savory and light meal will please every palate.

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Grilled Pork Chops with Nectarines

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Grilled Pork Chops with Nectarines

For a fruitier vinaigrette, use balsamic vinegar.

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Spicy North African Pork Tenderloin

Photo: Nina Choi
View Recipe: Spicy North African Pork Tenderloin

Roasting tender pork at high heat browns the exterior, adding deep, savory flavor, but leaves the interior juicy and rosy pink.

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Double Thick-Cut Pork Chops

Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Double Thick-Cut Pork Chops

Don't oil your grill rack before grilling so your meat will stick a little. This technique, called "scruffing," increases the meat's surface area so you get even more of that delicious, lightly charred, crisp-crunchy exterior. For nonstick grill racks, lightly score the surface of the meat to create more surface area from the start.

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Cider and Sage Pork

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Cider and Sage Pork

The classic ingredient combination of cider and sage allow the delicious flavor of the pork to shine through. Serve with steamed green beans.

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Chipotle Pork Tacos

Photo: Ellie Miller
View Recipe: Chipotle Pork Tacos

Cook tortillas over an open gas flame or in a grill pan for chargrilled flavor.

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Apple and Rosemary Pork Roulade

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Apple and Rosemary Pork Roulade

The scent of fall will overtake your kitchen while this pork roulade bakes in the oven. It looks a little fancy but, trust us, it's much easier than it looks.

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Roast Pork Tenderloin with Plum Barbecue Sauce

Photo: Anna Williams
View Recipe: Roast Pork Tenderloin with Plum Barbecue Sauce

A fusion BBQ sauce: Asian and Southern, sweet and vinegary. Once it’s cooked, set aside 2 1⁄2 cups sauce to serve with the pork, and use the rest to baste as it cooks.

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Mu Shu Pork Wraps

Photo: Mary Britton Senseney/Wonderful Machine
If your butcher is unable to cut an 8-ounce piece of pork loin, buy 1 pound and freeze the remainder for another use. Save your mushroom stems for stocks or broths.

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Grilled Pork Chops with Shallot Butter

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Grilled Pork Chops with Shallot Butter

This recipe calls for meat to be prepared with a savory rub of olive oil, chives, thyme, rosemary, and garlic. After grilling, the butter, shallots, and lemon rind mixture is applied for a satisfying, savory pork chop. If you plan to make ahead, allow the butter to come to room temperature before spreading over the pork. You can also combine the oil and herbs a couple of hours in advance.

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Crispy Pork Medallions

Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Crispy Pork Medallions

Mustard adds tanginess to the pork and helps the crust adhere to the meat.

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Blue Cheese-Stuffed Pork Chops with Pears

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Blue Cheese-Stuffed Pork Chops with Pears

This quick-cooking dish offers a nice balance of savory and sweet tastes. Serve with a side of simple roasted Brussels sprouts for a special meal that's full of fall flavors.

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Pork with Figs and Farro

Photo: Nina Choi
View Recipe: Pork with Figs and Farro

Farro is an ancient wheat grain. If you can't find it, substitute wheat berries for the stuffing.

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Tamarind Pork with Pineapple-Ginger Chutney

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Tamarind Pork with Pineapple-Ginger Chutney

Tamarind is a pod containing sticky, tart pulp and large seeds. Tamarind paste is more convenient, as it's seedless. Buy it at Asian, Latin, or Indian markets. Or substitute 2 tablespoons lime juice for less-complex flavor.

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Greek-Style Pork Chops

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Greek-Style Pork Chops

Make your own tzatziki sauce out of Greek-style yogurt, fresh dill, and red wine vinegar to accompany grilled pork chops. Serve with pita wedges: Cut two pita rounds in half, and cut each half into quarters and toast.

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Ancho Pork Medallions

Photo: Johnny Autry
View Recipe: Ancho Pork Medallions

Pepper jelly and aromatic spices give your average pork tenderloin a bold new flavor. Serve with a spinach salad for a complete meal.

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Quick and Easy Pork Fried Rice

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Quick and Easy Pork Fried Rice

The whole family will love this speedy one-dish meal. Dry edamame works just as well as frozen, and it adds a nice crunch to the dish.

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Crispy Pork Stir-Fry with Baby Bok Choy

Photo: Jason Wallis
View Recipe: Crispy Pork Stir-Fry with Baby Bok Choy

Hot! Hot! Hot! That is exactly how your wok should be before the food goes in so that you get the crispy, browned edges you want. Get the thinnest slices of meat by using a serrated knife to cut it or by freezing it for 30 minutes.

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Smothered Vineger Pork Shoulder with Apples and Kale

Photo: Rob Culpepper
View Recipe: Smothered Vinegar Pork Shoulder with Apples and Kale

The fall flavors of this budget-friendly dish will please any dinner guest.

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Orange-Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Tabbouleh

Photo: Brian Woodcock
View Recipe: Orange-Glazed Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry Tabbouleh

If you can't find five-spice powder, simply substitute a mixture of ground ginger and cinnamon.

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Pork Cutlets with Wild Mushroom Marsala

Photo: Justin Walker
View Recipe: Pork Cutlets with Wild Mushroom Marsala

Simple, delicious, and under 230 calories per serving. What more could you ask for?

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Pork Tenderloin Paprikash with Egg Noodles

Photo: Jason Wallis; Styling: Cindy Barr
View Recipe: Pork Tenderloin Paprikash with Egg Noodles
This classic Hungarian dish is named for the spice that plays a central role in the recipe—paprika. You probably know paprika as that brick red dusting over deviled eggs, but it also plays a big role in Hungarian cooking. Hot paprika, often called hot Hungarian paprika, is made from a variety of spicy-sweet red bell peppers that are dried and then ground into a fine powder. While paprika as a garnish is pretty, it doesn't add much flavor—paprika's essence is unleashed once it's toasted, as we do here along with the tomato paste, and then incorporate to flavor the sauce. The sour cream is a classic addition to paprikash that gives body and a tangy, creamy flavor to the sauce. Avoid adding the sour cream while it is very cold (straight from the fridge)—it could curdle when it comes in contact with the hot liquid. If you don't have time to let the sour cream come to room temperature, gradually add a few teaspoons of the hot broth to the sour cream, while stirring, to temper it before adding to the pan.

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Orange-Mustard Glazed Pork Chops

Photo: Johnny Miller; Styling: Sarah Smart
View Recipe: Orange-Mustard Glazed Pork Chops

Marmalade provides pectin to give the glaze syrupy body and balances the sweet orange juice with a touch of pleasant bitterness.

 

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Pork Cutlets with Orange Gremolata

Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Pork Cutlets with Orange Gremolata

Orange marmalade is great for a near-instant meat and fish glaze. Balsamic vinegar cuts the sweetness, and chopped parsley adds color.

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Pear, Blue Cheese, and Bacon Focaccia-Style Pizza

Photo: Jason Wallis
View Recipe: Pear, Blue Cheese, and Bacon Focaccia-Style Pizza

If you don't own a pizza pan, you can find inexpensive, disposable rimmed pizza pans at the supermarket. For a quick side, combine 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, and 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard in a bowl. Add ½ cup halved grape tomatoes, 5 cups mixed greens, ½ cup toasted walnuts, and ¼ cup chopped pitted dates; toss to coat.

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Pork Tenderloin and Cannellini Beans

Photo: Jason Wallis
View Recipe: Pork Tenderloin and Cannellini Beans

Soaked in a tomato broth with cannellini beans, this pork tenderloin is brimming with fresh herbs. Look for a bundle of fresh poultry herbs found in the produce section to help cut cost down; it contains both rosemary and sage.

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Soy-Braised Pork and Rice

Photo: Jason Wallis
View Recipe: Soy-Braised Pork and Rice

Braising the pork in soy sauce and chile paste infuses it with flavor and keeps it tender. Serve with sesame-soy cucumbers: Combine 1 tablespoon rice vinegar, 2 teaspoons lower-sodium soy sauce, 1 teaspoon dark sesame oil, and 2 sliced English cucumbers.

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Roasted Pork Tenderloin Tacos

Photo: Andrew Purcell
View Recipe: Roasted Pork Tenderloin Tacos
Thick and slightly tangy Mexican crema adds a cooling finish to these tacos. If you can't find it at the grocery store, substitute sour cream thinned with a little bit of lime juice. Make the tortillas extra-delicious by lightly charring them over a gas burner. No gas? Quickly sear directly on an electric coil (work fast) or in a hot cast-iron skillet. Look for mojo marinade—a combination of orange and lemon juices, garlic, and spices—with the Latin/Mexican foods in your supermarket. It’s a great shortcut ingredient that will save you prep time and effort.
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