Get dinner on the table in just 20 minutes with this pork and cabbage skillet recipe. Boasting an Asian inspired stir fry sauce and simple (gluten-free) ingredients, this will become a fast favorite for easy weeknight meals.
When people ask me about my site I always throw in the word “seasonal” somewhere in that description.
And I truly try to live by that because it always feels better to eat food grown nearby rather than imported thousands of miles across the country or world.
For rural central New York right now in the middle of December, however, that means not much variety at the farmer’s market.
So instead of getting annoyed (which I’ll admit was a fleeting emotion for me last Saturday at said farmer’s market), this pork and cabbage stir fry recipe is here to embrace the seasonality.
Cabbage and mushrooms have been two produce staples since the bountiful days of August and September ended and they’ll probably continue to be for the weeks ahead.
Normally, these aren’t ingredients I get overly excited about (except for maybe some crispy air fryer cabbage steaks) but that changes with this recipe.
Ground pork, red cabbage and some sliced baby portobello mushrooms come together in this easy skillet recipe that’s truthfully all about the Asian inspired stir fry sauce that coats every bite.
This is one of those meals that tastes far more impressive than the effort it took to throw together and will likely become one you’ll revisit time and time again for an easy weeknight dinner.
PORK AND CABBAGE STIR FRY INGREDIENTS
For the stir fry itself, here’s what you’ll need:
- extra virgin olive oil
- ground pork
- yellow onion
- cabbage (red or green works for this recipe)
- white button or baby portobello mushrooms
- fresh cilantro for garnish
For the stir fry sauce that coats the pork and cabbage skillet, you’ll need:
- tamari or coconut aminos (both are gluten-free substitutions for soy sauce)
- creamy almond butter
- rice vinegar
- toasted sesame oil
- sriracha
- minced garlic
- minced ginger (or ginger paste from a tube)
The sauce is what really brings the flavor in this dish. If you like spicier food, increase the amount of sriracha used in the recipe.
Feel free to also swap out almond butter for another nut butter. Or, make the sauce with peanut butter for a “satay-like” vibe. That combination reminds me of this roasted red cabbage with peanut lime sauce from way back!
The stir fry sauce is almost identical to the one used in this ground beef stir fry recipe so check that out too!
HOW TO MAKE THIS PORK AND CABBAGE RECIPE
Whisk all the ingredients for the stir fry sauce together in a small bowl and set aside.
Place the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add the onion once hot and sauté until starting to soften.
Add the ground pork to the onions and cook until browned, breaking the meat up with a spatula as it cooks.
When the pork is almost completely cooked through, add the mushrooms and cabbage to the pan. Toss everything to combine and let cook down until the mushrooms and cabbage have wilted and softened, about 5-7 minutes.
Pour the prepared sauce into the skillet and stir until thoroughly combined. Season to taste with salt and pepper then turn off the heat.
Garnish with some freshly chopped cilantro and serve.
RECIPE TIPS & SUGGESTIONS
- You can swap the pork out for beef, turkey, chicken, bison, etc. Fattier grinds like pork and beef will be more flavorful but almost any ground meat will work. This ground beef cabbage skillet recipe is very similar. Try shaved beef with this recipe too, it’s great for a stir fry!
- Use green or red cabbage and cook the cabbage to your liking. With 5-7 minutes of cook time, the cabbage will be slightly wilted but not entirely soft. If you prefer cabbage to be completely softened (like it would be in cabbage soup), cook it down for a few more minutes. I also find green cabbage to soften quicker than red/purple. Freeze any leftover cabbage for later use.
- Double this meal for excellent leftovers/meal prep. The sauce can be made ahead of time and kept in the refrigerator or freezer too for prepping purposes.
- Enjoy as is in a bowl for a lower-carb pork and cabbage recipe or, serve over rice, cauliflower rice or even noodles (udon noodles would be great!) for a more filling option.
USING ANOTHER CUT OF PORK
I like using ground pork when pairing with the cabbage in this skillet recipe because of the flavor the fatty juices from the grind lend to the dish.
If you’d like to keep it leaner, however, you can certainly use thinly sliced pork loin or boneless pork chops in place of the ground pork.
Make sure to slice very thinly so that the pork remains tender when cooking.
What I love about this recipe is that it takes simple and let’s be honest, almost boring ingredients and somehow transforms them into a dish reminiscent of a takeout stir-fry yet in a healthy, quick and easy way.
Don’t sleep on this one, it’s sure to be a family favorite!
MORE ONE-SKILLET MEALS TO TRY:
Ground Beef Sweet Potato Skillet
Chicken Artichoke Olive Skillet
Baked Cauliflower Gnocchi
Creamy Skillet Turmeric Chicken with Chickpeas
Garlic Chicken Bites
Pork and Cabbage Stir Fry
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 small yellow onion, chopped
- 1 pound ground pork
- 6 cups thinly sliced/shredded cabbage, red or green
- 2 cups sliced white button or cremini mushrooms
- salt & pepper to taste
- fresh cilantro for garnish
For the stir fry sauce
- 3 tablespoons tamari or coconut aminos
- 2 tablespoons creamy almond butter, or other nut butter
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger, or ginger paste
Instructions
- Whisk the ingredients for the sauce together in a small bowl and set aside.
- Pour olive oil into a large skillet and place over medium heat.
- Once hot, add onions and cook for 2 minutes until starting to soften.
- Add the ground pork to the pan and cook until browned, breaking up with a spatula as it cooks, about 4-5 minutes.
- Add the mushrooms and cabbage to the skillet, toss to combine with the pork and onions and let cook down for 5-7 minutes until the mushrooms have given off their water and the cabbage has softened.
- Pour the sauce into the skillet and stir to combine.
- Turn off the heat and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Garnish with freshly chopped cilantro and serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.
This is such a great recipe…was searching for a red cabbage recipe that wasn’t just a side dish! So tasty, didn’t have mushrooms so added some kale for greens & a touch of water to wilt it down & soften the cabbage. Devoured it, can’t wait to eat the leftovers tomorrow