52 Favorite Pork Recipes

The mustard and capers make a delicious pan sauce for these quick pork chops.

Recipe: Pork Chops with Mustard, Rosemary, and Capers

Real, slow-cooked barbecue takes time, but this dish is truly worth it. Pile the succulent meat on bolillos or other small rolls, then top with queso fresco, avocado slices, and a squeeze of lime.

Recipe: Achiote-and-Orange Pulled Pork

A far cry from the store-bought packages, real ramen starts with amazing broth. Chef Kolin Vazzoler, of the late, lamented Shimo Modern Steak in Healdsburg, California, simmered his for 12 hours. Our simplified version of his dish doesn’t take nearly that long, but it’s still over the top, taste-wise.

Recipe: Ramen with Ginger ​Roasted Squash and ​Crispy Pork Belly

The traditional Italian method used for this dish is one of the most succulent ways to cook pork. Serve with polenta and a green salad.

Recipe: Braised Pork with Lemon and Sage

Stuffing this roast with figs and garlic slivers will make you feel like a modern-day Julia Child, and the results are stunning: mosaic-like slices infused with rich fruit and wine flavors.

Recipe: Pork Shoulder Roast with Figs, Garlic, and Pinot Noir

Essential to this recipe is the peanut sauce, which is quick to make and gives a sweet and spicy flavor.

Recipe: Fresh Spring Rolls with Pork, Mango, and Mesclun

Peaches and pork were made for each other, and this recipe, with a brine to lock in the chops' juiciness, is our favorite way to pair them.

Recipe: Grilled Pork Chops with Brown-Sugar Brine and Onion-Peach Marmalade

This sandwich is a specialty of Hoi An, a charming old fishing village in central Vietnam. Its interplay of textures--cold cuts, ground pork, greens, and cucumbers--is distinctive.

Recipe: Hoi An-Style Oven-Crisped Pork Sandwich

This bright citrus salsa pairs so well with pork.

Recipe: Honey Lime Grilled Pork Tenderloin with Citrus Salsa

This colorful slaw is a fresher and faster version of the classic German long-cooked red cabbage. We serve it with pork for a hofbrau haus-inspired meal.

Recipe: Pork Chops with Warm Cabbage Slaw

These super-simple ribs are a home run, especially if you add a squeeze of lime at the end.

Recipe: Roasted Pork Spareribs with Citrus-Soy Sauce

San Francisco's Tacolicious ($$; tacolicioussf.com) serves this braised pork in tacos, but owner Joe Hargrave also makes it at home as a fall stew. The chiles fall apart as the dish cooks, giving the meat a mellow, earthy spiciness.

Recipe: Shot-and-a-Beer Pork Stew

Indian spices play up the sour kick from the plum skins, and both are fantastic with pork’s natural sweetness.

Recipe: Grilled Pork Chops with Fresh Plum Chutney

Grilling this roast over charcoal is a little complicated, but the results are worth it—the crust is crisper and the meat is melt-in-your-mouth tender. You can do the pork on a gas grill instead.

Recipe: Charcoal-Grilled Pork Shoulder with Fresh Herbs and Roasted Garlic

Warm apple cider is great for sipping on brisk fall days, but ever tried it for brining? You should. Sautéed apples makes this the ideal autumn meal.

Recipe: Cider-Brined Pork Chops with Sautéed Apples

Why make the same old thing when you can cook up a chili rich and smoky with bacon and Spanish chorizo, mellowed by whiskey, and fired up with chipotles?

Recipe: Whiskey and Triple Pork Black Bean Chili

Serve this traditional Mexican enchilada recipe with a side of rice and beans for a satisfying meal.

Recipe: Pork Enchiladas

Delicious with cheesy mashed potatoes and a green salad, this dish is special enough for guests, but homey enough for Sunday dinners with the family.

Recipe: Cider Pork Roast with Apple-Thyme Gravy

Red New Mexico chiles develop a complex, earthy flavor and mellow heat as they dry. Chimayó chiles (named for the town they come from) have a particularly intense, flowery aroma. Don’t be put off by the large quantity called for; the chile is nothing like cayenne or supermarket chili powder.

Recipe: Red Chile and Pork Stew (Carne Adovada)

Pork loin is slathered with resiny rosemary and set on a bed of fennel in this great main-dish choice for company.

Recipe: Rosemary Pork Roast with Fennel and Green Olives

Char siu―Chinese-style barbecued pork―is popular throughout the Islands. We’ve used its sweet, tangy glaze on pork tenderloin and pineapple, and then tucked both into Hawaiian sweet rolls.

Recipe: Char Siu–Glazed Pork and Pineapple Buns

The fresh and crunchy texture of this slaw wins high marks, especially when served with pork.

Recipe: Asian Peanut Slaw with Pork

Cutting the pork in half speeds the cooking, but also gives diners options, since the small piece will be more cooked when you pull it from the oven.

Recipe: Rosemary Garlic Pork Tenderloin

This recipe is loosely based on a Szechuan dish that incorporates long beans. (It also works with regular green beans, of course.)

Recipe: Stir-Fried Pork and Long Beans

Loaded with good-for-you ingredients like escarole, squash, and walnuts, this one-pan dish is as satisfying as it is nutritious.

Recipe: Pork Chops with Butternut Squash, Escarole, and Walnuts

Moroccan meat skewers, or kefta, are made with beef and formed into sausage shapes. Our variation uses ground pork and a hefty dose of spices rolled into little meatballs.

Recipe: Spicy Pork Skewers

Milanese refers to meat that has been pounded or vegetables that have been thinly sliced, dredged first in egg and then in a mixture of bread crumbs and grated parmesan cheese, and fried. Although they're not traditional, we like using panko (Japanese bread crumbs), because they make a crunchier crust.

Recipe: Pork Milanese with Arugula, Fennel, and Parmesan Salad

Vindaloo, a searingly spicy stew from Goa, India, cries out for beer. What does the trick: Boont Amber Ale, from Mendocino County, whose malty sweetness tames the flames.

Recipe: Pork Vindaloo

Chef Gregory Gourdet prepares modern Asian cuisine at Portland’s Departure Restaurant + Lounge. But at home, the Bikram yoga disciple and marathoner adheres strictly to the Paleo diet, which is rooted in whole foods and nutritionally dense ingredients. Here's how the chef-athlete gives a healthy, classic meat-and-vegetable combo an unexpected Southeast Asian flavor twist.

Recipe: Pork and Charred Brussels Sprouts with Chile Lime Sauce

These tender, sweet-spicy pork kebabs are made from pounded tenderloin and combine flavors from China and Vietnam.

Recipe: Caramelized Pork Kebabs with Chinese Eggplant

This 5-star recipe features patties made of ground pork, chorizo, bacon, olive oil, shallots, parsley, thyme, and cumin.

Recipe: Lucques Pork Burger

We like a reader's suggestion of pairing this Mexican-style braised pork with our chipotle coleslaw recipe. Add a little rice to fill out the meal, or pile the pork and slaw on tortillas for a scrumptious south-of-the-border dinner.

Recipe: Salsa Verde Braised Pork

Wrap one of these gingery meatballs with shredded vegetables in lettuce, then dunk in a tart-sweet-spicy sauce.

Recipe: Shrimp and Pork Meatball Wraps with Vietnamese Dipping Sauce

Layers of ragù and creamy, nutmeg-scented béchamel are a subtle departure from the familiar cheese-laden lasagna favored by many Americans; our version is actually closer to authentic Italian lasagna. However, we streamlined the ragù by using sweet Italian sausage instead of the traditional beef, pork, and/or veal blend.
Recipe: Lasagna with Sausage Ragù

Mild, delicate ricotta complements and smoothens the roughness of this pizza’s other, more boldly flavored toppings: coppa (a spicy cured meat) and peppery arugula.

Recipe: Coppa, Ricotta, and Arugula Pizza

At La Taqueria, in the Mission District of San Francisco, the tortillas, beans, and salsa are all made from scratch. In our timesaving version, the star remains the juicy, tender, crisp-edged pork carnitas--"little meats." You'll have leftover pork, which you can add to eggs for a hearty brunch or freeze as a future gift to yourself.

Recipe: Tacos de Carnitas

For a taste of the tropics, top this burger with a combination of sweet and salty spam and pineapple. Finish it with some grilled Maui onion. You can use a grilled Hawaiin sandwich roll for the bun or thick slices from a Hawaiin sweet bread loaf.

Recipe: Hawaiian Pig-Out Burgers

Meat expert Bruce Aidells drew on the Northern Italian heritage of Sonoma’s founding wine families for this recipe, creating crisp-edged ribs that don’t require additional sauce.

Recipe: Grilled Spareribs with Fennel Seeds and Herbs

For these crisp, garlicky ribs, Alexander Ong, chef of Betelnut restaurant in San Francisco, uses Chinese red vinegar and mushroom soy sauce. If you substitute regular vinegar and soy sauce, they’ll be lighter in color and flavor but still delicious.

Recipe: Chinese Glazed Riblets with Garlic and Thai Basil

This version of silky carbonara cuts out the standard addition of heavy cream, making it more faithful to the Italian original without the added fat. Sprinklings of garlic and bacon mean you won't be sacrificing any flavor, either.

Recipe: Spaghetti Carbonara

Baking prosciutto intensifies its flavor and gives it a crispy texture in these breakfast sandwiches. If you're eating them on the go, just wrap them in waxed paper.

Recipe: Egg, Avocado, and Crispy Prosciutto Pitas

This risotto is a lot more lemony than you might expect, so get ready for some bracing tang along with the rich cheeses.

Recipe: Lemon Ricotta Risotto with Asparagus, Peas, and Prosciutto

A salad that’s as beautiful and clever as it is delicious. Oh, and did we mention—it only has four ingredients?

Recipe: Shaved Cantaloupe and Prosciutto Salad

Panzanella, a traditional Italian bread salad, gets an upgrade with sweet roasted fennel, fried eggs, and crispy, salty pancetta.

Recipe: Roasted Fennel, Egg, and Pancetta Panzanella

What's better than a shrimp quesadilla? One that has bacon, too.

Recipe: Shrimp and Bacon Quesadillas

This hearty combo will fuel you for an active day, or will satisfy as a decadent brunch.

Recipe: Huevos Rancheros con Bacon

Homemade mac’n’cheese in 30 minutes? It's true. Creamy and bacon-studded, this dinner is the ultimate quick, comfort food.

Recipe: Bacon and Herbs Mac 'n' Cheese

The tartness of tomatillos add the same flavor profile of a green apple, which is a natural pairing with cheddar cheese. We added bacon because… well, why not?

Recipe: Tomatillo Grilled Cheese and Bacon Sandwiches

Here's a fun twist on the classic BLT: Instead of lettuce, sub in 4 to 6 basil leaves. We recommend Sunset's Red Horizon tomato for this recipe; its meaty, heart-shaped fruit is perfect for sandwiches.

Recipe: BBT (Bacon Basil Tomato) Sandwich

Sweet, salty, and altogether delicious. Try these easy appetizers at your next party.

Recipe: Dates with Bacon

It’s all about textures here: crisp carrot slices, hearty pork and chickpeas, and delicate herbs. Make sure to use very fresh mint—it really makes a difference—and get the pan ripping hot before you add the chops; that’s what will give them their nice brown crust.

Recipe: Moroccan Carrot and Chickpea Salad with Pork Chops

Cookbook author Paula Wolfert learned how to make these herby, tangy skewers on an adventure in the Caucasus Mountains. The onions are traditionally grated by hand, but the marinade comes together in seconds in a food processor. It’s also delicious with chicken thighs or extra-firm tofu. Pomegranate molasses is made from fresh pomegranate juice cooked down to a syrup with lemon juice and sugar; concentrate is simply fresh pomegranate juice brought to a boil, then simmered until reduced. They are interchangeable in this recipe, says Wolfert.

Recipe: Pomegranate-Glazed Pork Skewers with Dill-Onion Marinade