Vegan Sweet and Sour Pork

Vegan sweet and sour pork is a healthier twist on the classic Chinese dish! It’s flavorful, easy to make, and high protein. The plant-based pork is coated in a sweet, tangy, and sticky sauce, then served over rice. There’s no need for takeout when you can make this comfort food recipe at home!

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JADA’s plant-based porkless mix

This vegan sweet and sour pork is made with JADA’s Plant-Based Porkless Mix. It comes lightly seasoned, so it pairs perfectly with any sauce and veggies. Try it with your favorite pork meal!

JADA’s porkless mix is made with simple and healthy ingredients. It tastes just like the real deal, but contains no preservatives and no antibiotics. It’s also loaded with protein, providing 21 grams per serving. Since this is a dry mix, no refrigeration is needed. Just add water and oil to form mince, then shape the dough into anything. You can create bite-sized nuggets, meatballs, sausage links, crumbles, patties, and more!

The plant-based porkless mix is:

• Soy-free and non-GMO
• Only 120 calories per serving
• A great source of vitamin B12
• Kosher certified
• High protein with 21g per serving
• Preservative-free

You can shop more JADA Brands meatless mixes including their Mediterranean Chick’n Mix & Unseasoned Chick’n Mix (As Seen on Shark Tank!)

What is sweet and sour sauce?

The “sweet and sour” flavor is used in a variety of cuisines across the world. It is most commonly used in Asia, but remains popular in Europe and America today. The sauce is sweet with a tangy and sour kick. It is typically made with sugar, light vinegar, soy sauce, and mild spices.

This particular recipe is a plant-based version of the popular Chinese food. Vegan pork is combined with sautéed vegetables, including bell peppers, onion, pineapple, garlic, and ginger. Then, it’s all coated in a homemade sweet and sour sauce. The dish comes together rather quickly and uses pantry staples. This plant-based meat recipe is great for vegans and non-vegans alike!

This sweet and sour pork is:

• Vegan, vegetarian, and dairy-free
• Easy to make & ready in 30 minutes
• Super flavorful, comforting, and satisfying
• Easily made soy-free, gluten-free, and refined sugar-free
• A high protein vegan meal for the whole family to enjoy

Ingredients needed

• Vegan pork: As mentioned above, we’ll use JADA’s Plant-Based Porkless Mix to make this recipe meat-free and vegan-friendly.
• Pineapple: Canned pineapple is an important ingredient. We need both the sweet juice and chunks for this dish.
• Rice vinegar: Made from fermented rice, this ingredient has a mildly sweet flavor.
• Tomato paste: Homemade sweet and sour sauce typically contains ketchup, but tomato paste adds a richer and deeper flavor. If you don’t have any, simply replace it with unsweetened ketchup.
• Sugar: You can also use brown sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup for a more nutritious option.
• Veggies: We’ll use red and green bell peppers, as well as onion, garlic, and ginger. Feel free to include any of your favorite vegetables.
• Soy sauce: Other options, like tamari or coconut aminos, also work well.
• Cornstarch: Cornstarch thickens the sauce while it cooks. This is an essential ingredient, so don’t skip it.
• Red pepper flakes: This is optional, but you can add a pinch of crushed red pepper for a subtle spicy flavor.

How to make vegan pork

For the full ingredient measurements and step-by-step instructions, scroll down to view the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

First, pour the porkless mix into a bowl. Add water and oil, then mix together until evenly combined. Chill in the refrigerator (covered) for 10 minutes.

Next, scoop and shape the porkless mix into bite-sized pieces. You can shape them into balls, links, crumbles, or anything you’d like. For this particular recipe, I recommend sticking to the bite-sized pieces.

Warm a large non-stick pan over medium-low heat. Lightly grease it with oil, then add the porkless bites. Fry the “pork” for 2-3 minutes or until crispy, then flip to cook the other side. After, remove from the pan and set aside.

How to make sweet and sour sauce

To make the easy sweet and sour sauce, combine all ingredients in a bowl. This includes pineapple juice, rice vinegar, tomato paste, water, sugar, soy sauce, cornstarch, and red pepper flakes. Whisk together until smooth. You can do this while the porkless mix is chilling in the refrigerator to save time.

Using the same large non-stick pan, warm it over medium-low heat. Add oil, onion, garlic, ginger, bell peppers, and pineapple chunks. Sauté for 5 minutes or until the onions are fragrant and translucent.

Pour the sauce over the veggies. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 1-2 minutes. The sauce will thicken quite a bit. You can add water, if needed, to thin it. After, add the porkless bites to the pan and gently toss everything together. Serve over rice and garnish with green onion and sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Recipe variations

Want to enjoy this recipe but have specific dietary needs? See my tips below.

• Refined sugar-free: Instead of cane sugar, use real maple syrup to naturally sweeten the sauce.
• Soy-free: Replace the soy sauce with coconut aminos, which has a similar flavor but contains no soy.
• Gluten-free: Replace the soy sauce with tamari and use your favorite gluten-free meat replacement.

How to store leftovers

I recommend serving this sweet and sour vegan pork immediately after making it. However, if you have leftovers, store them in a sealed container inside the refrigerator. This dish will keep for 1-2 days.

More vegan meat recipes

• Orange Tofu
• Vegan Jackfruit Tacos
• Vegan Tempeh Burrito Bowls
• Buffalo Tofu Wings
• Vegan Baked Ziti
• Vegan Black Bean Burgers

If you try this Vegan Sweet and Sour Pork, please let me know your thoughts by leaving a rating and comment below! Ready for more? Subscribe to my newsletter or follow along on Instagram and YouTube!

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