34 Perfect Pork Dishes You Need To Try

Most of the time, we don't get very excited over pork chops. Often overdone, they come out dry, sad, and flavorless. Cooking them in an air fryer changes all that. Due to the intense heat circulation that happens, the outside crisps slightly while the inside stays nice and juicy.

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The secret to really good pulled pork is cooking it low and slow, and lucky for you, a slow cooker makes the drawn-out process a breeze. This on a potato roll plus pickles and coleslaw (and potato chips, if you're feeling crazy) = absolute perfection.

Get the Slow-Cooker Pulled Pork recipe.

Pork chops have the potential to be juicy, tender, and flavorful—really! This oven-baked method will ensure your pork has a delicious crust and a perfectly cooked interior.

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In its simplest terms, fried rice is exactly what its name implies: cooked rice that's reheated with oil. Today, there are thousands of recipes and countless restaurant variations, regional specialties, and new twists on the old classics. This version of pork fried rice is our go-to when we want to use ground pork.

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Thịt kho tàu is a salty-sweet dish of caramelized pork belly and marinated eggs. Hailing from South Vietnam (as evident by the use of coconut water in cooking), this flavorful dish is one of the most beloved Vietnamese dishes.

Get the Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly recipe.

With a little time and a lot of spices, you can make the best chorizo EVER. If you can't eat it all in one go, freeze it in servings so you can have freshly cooked chorizo whenever you please. We used it in tacos, but there's really nothing this spicy chorizo can't improve.

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Thanks to a magical combination of brown sugar, cumin, paprika, and lemon zest, this is honestly one of our all-time favorite pork recipes. Round out the meal with some vegetables like grilled asparagus or grilled zucchini to create a dynamite summer meal. Don't skimp on the chimichurri!

Get the Grilled Pork Tenderloin recipe.

Pork tenderloin is the perfect vehicle for the spicy sweet sauce in these lettuce wraps. They’re fun to eat like lettuce tacos, but you could also just transform the whole thing into a rice or grain-based bowl.

Get the Air Fryer Korean-Inspired Pork Tenderloin Lettuce Wraps recipe.

Few foods are better than perfectly tender ribs, glistening with caramelized BBQ sauce. Now you can have smokehouse-quality ribs from the comfort of your own home. All it takes is a grill, a few hours, and, okay, a lot of patience. While they're cooking is the perfect time to get the rest of your sides ready. We're talking BBQ classics like coleslaw, potato salad, and cornbread.

Get the Ribs On The Grill recipe.

Banh mi is the PERFECT sandwich. Rich, savory meat combined with bright and crunchy homemade pickles stuffed into fluffy French bread; what's not to love?! We love this version because it requires minimal ingredients but still packs a powerful punch of flavor.

Get the Classic Banh Mi recipe.

Pork loin may seem intimidating, but if you cook it right, it can be extremely good. Plus, you can flavor it in so many ways; woody herbs like thyme and rosemary infuse a lot of fragrant flavor. Mustard is also always classic (we love grainy Dijon-style!) and pairs nicely with brown sugar. Also, butter. Always butter. Switch it up with chimichurri, a fig jam, or even with sauerkraut.

Get the Pork Loin Roast recipe.

If you like our chicken chile verde—a classic Mexican stew made with a variety of green peppers and tomatillos—you're going to love this rendition. This version features pork shoulder, which you'll cut into cubes before braising until meltingly tender. It's easy enough for a weeknight meal (put your feet up on the couch while the pork braises) but impressive enough to serve company.

Get the Green Chili Pork Stew recipe.

Not all sheet-pan dinners are created equal. Sheet-pan pork chops with apples fall into the camp of excellence, packing in tons of caramelized flavor with a short-ingredient list onto one pan. Looking for more ways to put your sheet pans to use? Try sheet-pan panzanella and sheet-pan quesadillas next!

Get the Sheet-Pan Pork Chops With Apples recipe.

Traditional tacos al pastor are made on a vertical rotisserie just like chicken shawarma. The method was used by Lebanese immigrants to Mexico and the tacos adapted to fit the culinary scene of Mexico with their spices and quickly became a popular street food. Serve these up with some queso and call it a fiesta.

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There's very little prep for this simple dinner—it's just a matter of halving bell peppers and cutting onions into wedges, then the oven does the rest of the work, transforming the boneless pork shoulder into meltingly tender meat. If you are thinking of serving this for company, paired with creamy Parmesan polenta, a roasted beet goat cheese salad, and citrus olive oil cake.

Get the Slow-Roasted Pork And Peppers recipe.

Chile verde is a traditional dish from Northern Mexico that can be made with several types of meat. Pork is classic, and here, you'll transform a pork shoulder into meltingly tender nuggets through a long braise. This recipe makes a big batch, perfect for serving at a dinner party or a Cinco de Mayo celebration. No matter the occasion, chile verde pairs well with margaritas and Mexican rice.

Get the Chile Verde recipe.

Juicy pork tenderloin seriously deserves its own spotlight. We keep the seasoning simple here: chili powder, cumin, garlic powder. If you want another flavor profile, the world is your oyster: oregano and Italian seasoning, ranch seasoning, taco seasoning, or even just salt and black pepper will do.

Get the Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin recipe.

Braised pork belly, aka a little slice of heaven, is the star in this amazing homemade ramen. Making ramen from scratch is pretty darn elaborate, but we promise your patience will be more than rewarded.

Get the Homemade Shoyu Ramen recipe.

Our Cuban sandwich is of the South Floridian variety, but without the salami. We don't need it in this case: Along with layers of ham, Swiss, pickles, and mustard, there's also the super-juicy slow-roasted pork loin that we marinate for 2 hours in a citrus blend. The acidity and spices in the marinade help to balance out the richness of the meat, giving you that perfect marriage of light and heavy flavors.

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You may not normally think to turn to your slow-cooker for a large, lean piece of meat, but this dish will definitely change your mind. Pork loin becomes super-tender and juicy as it cooks, and the sweet and tangy glaze on the outside seals the deal.

Get the Crockpot Pork Roast recipe.

Who has hoouurrs to wait on a pork shoulder to slowly cook in a Crockpot all day? Not us! Good news is that an Instant Pot makes just as tender, just as juicy, just as delicious pulled pork in less than half the time.

Get the Instant Pot Pulled Pork recipe.

How can something this creamy and delicious be keto?! These easy pork chops come complete with a mushroom cream sauce that you'll want to pour over everything.

Get the Keto Pork Chops with Garlicky Cream Sauce recipe.

The spiced garlicky herb sauce is absolutely heavenly and will make this the best pork shoulder of your life. For serving, we'd recommend some herb roasted potatoes and a bright, leafy sautéed green like Swiss chard.

Get the Slow-Cooker Pork Shoulder recipe.

Chiles en nogada is a traditional Mexican dish of poblano chiles that are stuffed with a fruit-and-nut-filled picadillo that is then covered with walnut sauce (nogada) and pomegranate seeds. It's also thought of as one of Mexico’s most patriotic dishes, and it's easy to see why: The green of the poblanos, the red of the pomegranate seeds, and the white salsa de nogada make up the colors of the Mexican flag.

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A good marinade will make a big difference in pork chops. Make sure your marinade has an acid in it to tenderize the meat. We use soy sauce in our marinade, but you could use anything from Dijon mustard and lemon juice; cilantro, olive oil, and lime juice; or balsamic and honey.

Get the Honey Soy Grilled Pork Chops recipe.

Looking for a weekend project? We suggest these super-flavorful (and surprisingly easy) pot stickers! Don't miss the photo guide of our folding technique, though you don't need to fuss too much over them. They'll taste amazing no matter how they look.

Get the Ginger Pork Potstickers recipe.

Pork and sauerkraut is traditionally eaten on New Year's Eve as a good luck tradition (may we suggest alongside some black-eyed peas?!), but don't let that not inspire you to eat it throughout the year, too.

Get the Pork & Sauerkraut recipe.

We glaze this pork tenderloin with a bright citrusy, garlic reduction that couldn't be simpler, but looks really fancy. Complete your meal with a side dish, like one of these exciting rice recipes.

Get the Glazed Pork Tenderloin recipe.

The maple rosemary glaze is so good on the pork, sure, but it also helps flavor the potatoes too. You can also add in some carrots and red onions in place of some of the potatoes for even more delicious roasted vegetable options.

Get the Roast Pork Tenderloin recipe.

The key to any good Carolina BBQ is a sauce that's heavy on the vinegar. If you're looking for something sweeter and a little more classic, try our easy homemade BBQ sauce instead!

Get the Carolina Pulled Pork recipe.