Full flavor on a budget can be yours with this simple pork and pepper stir fry. I love this dish as a weekday meal because it’s easy to make and doesn’t skimp on tangy Asian flavors.

Like all good things, there is a caveat. Pork and pepper stir fry is very inexpensive to make if your pantry is already stocked with key ingredients like cornstarch, soy sauce, and rice wine. Rice wine has several good substitute options, too, which are described below. Once you’re stocked on those ingredients, you’re ready to make pork and pepper stir fry repeatedly for  a small investment in pork tenderloin and bell peppers.

Tangy Asian flavors

Here’s what you can expect with this recipe, flavor-wise. The sauce is a blend of savory and salty soy sauce, chicken broth, garlic, and rice wine. That combo creates a taste that’s reminiscent of Chinese take-out — it hits all the notes of sweet, salty, and spicy.

The addition of cornstarch gives the sauce a thick, slightly sticky texture that holds to the meat and veggies. It also tastes great with rice.  

Ingredients and substitution recommendations

The ingredients you need to make this easy stir fry are:

• 1lb pork tenderloin: You can try beef, chicken, or tofu instead, though I like pork because it’s the cheapest protein in town.
• 2 green bell peppers (sliced): If you prefer a sweeter flavor, red or yellow bell peppers would also be delicious.
• 1/4 cup plus 2 teaspoons vegetable oil: You can alternatively use avocado oil, canola oil, or peanut oil.
• 2 garlic cloves (minced): Stick with fresh garlic for the best flavor. Or, for a different twist, swap in fresh ginger instead.
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, divided: Try tamari or coconut aminos as substitutes.
• 1/4 teaspoon white pepper: It’s tough to substitute for white pepper’s distinctive flavor. If you’re really in a jam, use black pepper instead.
• 1/2 teaspoon sugar: Anything sweet can stand in here. Brown sugar, coconut sugar, or even maple syrup would work.
• 1/2 tablespoon rice wine: Most dry wines can stand in as a substitute for rice wine. Sherry, cooking wine, or gin would work also.
• 4 tablespoons chicken broth: Vegetable broth or beef broth can also step in.
• 3 teaspoons cornstarch: Cornstarch is an effective thickening agent for the sauce. You could omit this ingredient if you had to. It won’t affect the flavor, but the sauce won’t adhere to the meat and veggies. You could also use tapioca flour instead.

Tip — just one — for success

There are only a few steps required to make pork and pepper stir fry and, fortunately, there are mostly foolproof. The only thing to watch for is cutting the pork and peppers into evenly sized pieces.

Using leftover ingredients

In case you need help deciding how to use the remaining soy sauce from this recipe, here are three excellent options:

• Sesame noodles with chicken: A fan favorite noodle dish with nutty, spicy flavors.
• Grilled soy ginger chicken: Marinated grilled chicken breast with a mango salsa is always a hit at parties.
• Oyster sauce chicken: This one’s sure to hit the spot if you’re craving Chinese takeout.

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