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Sweet and sour pork chops are seared in a skillet, finished in the oven so they stay juicy, and smothered in a sticky homemade sweet and sour sauce with bell peppers and onions. It tastes like takeout and is on the table in about 30 minutes. If pork chops are a weeknight staple at your house, my Baked Breaded Pork Chops and Crockpot Pork Chops are two more family favorites, and a side of fried rice makes this a full takeout-style dinner.
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Pin RecipeWhy These Sweet and Sour Pork Chops Work
I took inspiration for this sauce from my local Chinese restaurant, whose sweet and sour sauce I could happily put on everything. Searing the chops first and finishing them in the oven is my go-to method for pork chops, because cooking them all the way through in the oven alone takes too long to brown them and dries them out. The sauce comes together in the same skillet while the chops bake, so there is only one pan to wash.
- Skillet-then-oven method: a golden crust from the sear, then a gentle finish to 145°F so the chops stay tender and juicy.
- The sauce is pantry-simple: brown sugar, rice vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, and ginger, thickened with a quick cornstarch slurry. No pineapple needed, and no food coloring.
- Peppers and onions cook right in the sauce, so the vegetables are built in.
- Rated 4.8 stars by readers.
“Fantastic pork chops. If you are looking for an easy meal that packs a big flavour punch, this is it. The pork chops were juicy and the sauce is delicious.” — Glen, reader review
Table of Contents
- Why These Sweet and Sour Pork Chops Work
- Ingredients for Sweet and Sour Pork Chops
- Variations
- Grab My Favorite Tools
- How to Make Sweet and Sour Pork Chops
- Can I Use White Vinegar Instead of Rice Vinegar?
- Serving Suggestions
- How to Store and Reheat
- Kasey’s Tips
- FAQs
- More Tasty Pork Recipes
- Sweet and Sour Pork Chops Recipe
Ingredients for Sweet and Sour Pork Chops
See the recipe card below for ingredient amounts and complete instructions.
- Boneless pork chops: four chops about 3/4 inch thick. Boneless chops cook quickly and are easy to slice and serve. Bone-in works too; see Variations.
- Kosher salt and black pepper: for seasoning the chops before they hit the pan.
- Vegetable oil: for searing. Any neutral, high-heat oil works.
- Brown sugar: light or dark both work. This is the sweet in sweet and sour.
- Rice vinegar: milder and a little sweeter than white vinegar, and the classic choice for this sauce. Readers have asked about swapping in white vinegar; it works, but use a little less and add a pinch of sugar to soften the sharpness.
- Ketchup: gives the sauce its tang and its signature red color without any food coloring.
- Soy sauce: regular or low sodium.
- Ground ginger: a little goes a long way. Freshly grated ginger works too; see Variations.
- Garlic: fresh minced cloves have the strongest flavor, but jarred minced garlic is fine.
- Red and green bell peppers: one of each, cut into 1-inch pieces. Red is sweeter, green has a slightly bitter bite that balances the sauce.
- White onion: half an onion, thinly sliced. Yellow onion works too.
- Cornstarch and water: mixed into a slurry to thicken the sauce so it clings to the pork.
Variations
- Bone-in pork chops: add about 5 minutes to the oven time and check with a meat thermometer; they are done at 145°F at the thickest part.
- With pineapple: two readers have added a can of drained pineapple chunks to the simmering sauce for a taste closer to restaurant sweet and sour pork. One also stirred in some of the pineapple juice. As written, this recipe has no pineapple.
- Fresh ginger: swap the ground ginger for about 1 teaspoon of freshly grated ginger for a bolder, spicier sauce.
- No ginger: one reader who does not care for ginger left it out and still loved it.
- Thin pork chops: thin-cut chops (about 1/2 inch) may be done after the sear alone. Check the temperature before putting them in the oven so they do not overcook.
Grab My Favorite Tools
Click on the products below to see my favorite tools for making this recipe!
How to Make Sweet and Sour Pork Chops
- Preheat and sear. Preheat the oven to 375°F and set a foil-lined sheet pan inside to heat. Season both sides of the pork chops with salt and pepper. Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sear the chops about 4 minutes per side until browned.
- Finish in the oven. Move the seared chops to the hot sheet pan and bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until a meat thermometer reads 145°F at the thickest point. Let them rest while you make the sauce.
- Mix the sauce and cook the vegetables. In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, rice vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce, and ginger. In the same skillet over medium heat, sauté the garlic, bell peppers, and onion until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes.
- Simmer and thicken. Pour the sauce into the skillet and bring it to a simmer. Stir the cornstarch and water into a smooth slurry, add it to the pan, and cook on low, stirring, until the sauce thickens slightly, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Serve. Plate the pork chops and spoon the sauce, peppers, and onions over the top. Serve hot.
Can I Use White Vinegar Instead of Rice Vinegar?
This is the question readers ask most about this recipe. Rice vinegar is milder and slightly sweet, so the sauce tastes balanced rather than sharp. White vinegar is noticeably harsher. If it is what you have:
- Use less. Start with about 1/3 cup of white vinegar in place of the 1/2 cup of rice vinegar, taste the sauce once it simmers, and add more only if you want it tangier.
- Add a pinch of sugar. A teaspoon or so of extra brown sugar takes the edge off, which is the swap one reader suggested in the comments.
- Apple cider vinegar is a closer match than white vinegar if you have it. Use the same amount as the rice vinegar.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving these pork chops over simple white rice or a big scoop of fried rice to soak up the sauce. Crab rangoon dip makes a fun appetizer, and roasted broccoli or roasted asparagus can cook in the oven right alongside the pork so everything is ready at once. The extra sauce is also delicious over broiled chicken.
How to Store and Reheat
- Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for 3 to 4 days. Store the pork chops in the sauce so they stay moist and soak up more flavor.
- Freeze the chops and sauce together in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
- Reheat in the microwave in 30-second bursts, with the sauce, until hot all the way through, or warm gently in a covered skillet over low heat.
Kasey’s Tips
- Sift the ground ginger into the sauce as you whisk. Once it hits the liquid, clumps are hard to break up and you end up with spicy pockets instead of an evenly seasoned sauce.
- Use a meat thermometer. Pork chops are done at 145°F, and a 3-minute rest keeps them juicy. Overcooking is the number one reason pork chops turn out dry.
- Make the sauce in the same skillet you seared the pork in. The browned bits left behind add savory flavor to the sauce, and it means one less pan to wash.
- If the sauce gets thicker than you like, stir in a splash of water. If it is too thin, let it simmer another minute or two.
FAQs
Yes. This recipe sears the pork chops in a skillet first, then finishes them in a 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes until they reach 145 degrees. The sauce is made on the stovetop while the chops bake.
Yes. This recipe has no pineapple at all. The sauce gets its sweetness from brown sugar and its tang from rice vinegar and ketchup. If you want pineapple, stir a can of drained pineapple chunks into the sauce while it simmers.
Do not overcook them. Sear the chops in a hot skillet for color, then finish them in the oven just until a meat thermometer reads 145 degrees, and let them rest a few minutes before serving. Baking pork chops from raw in the oven alone takes too long to brown them and dries them out.
Most restaurant sweet and sour sauce is red from food coloring. This homemade version gets its color from ketchup, which also adds a tangy tomato flavor, so no food coloring is needed.
More Tasty Pork Recipes
Looking for more ways to cook pork chops? Try my Air Fryer Bone-In Pork Chops, Baked Pork Chops, or Roasted Pork Tenderloin. Craving more takeout flavors? My Sweet and Sour Chicken uses a similar sauce.
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Sweet and Sour Pork Chops
Ingredients
- 4 boneless pork chops (about 3/4" thick)
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- ⅓ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons ketchup
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
- 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces
- ½ white onion, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons water
Instructions
- Preheat an oven to 375 F. Line a sheet pan with aluminum foil and place in the oven.
- Season both sides of each pork chop with salt and pepper.4 boneless pork chops (about 3/4" thick), 2 teaspoons kosher salt, ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- In a large skillet over medium high heat, heat the vegetable oil until hot and it begins to shimmer.3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Add the pork chops and cook for about 4 minutes per side until they start to brown. Remove from the skillet and place on the pan inside the oven. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes or until they reach an internal temperature of 145 F.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the brown sugar, vinegar, ketchup, soy sauce and ginger, set aside.⅓ cup brown sugar, ½ cup rice vinegar, 3 tablespoons ketchup, 2 tablespoons soy sauce, ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- In the same skillet used to sear the pork chops, saute the garlic, bell pepper and onion over medium heat until they begin to soften, about 4 minutes.2 cloves garlic, minced, 1 red bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces, 1 green bell pepper, seeded and cut into 1 inch pieces, ½ white onion, thinly sliced
- Add the vinegar sauce to the pan and bring to a simmer.
- In a small bowl, use a fork to mix the cornstarch and water into a slurry. Add to the sauce and return to a simmer. Cook on low while stirring until it has thickened slightly, 3 to 4 minutes.1 tablespoon cornstarch, 2 tablespoons water
- Spoon the sauce over the pork chops to serve.
Me and bf made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious but we’re not used to the rice vinegar. Could we use white vinegar instead?
Making a Swap: If you must use white vinegar as a substitute for rice vinegar, add a tiny pinch of sugar and use a smaller amount to tone down the harsh sharpness.
Thank you for sharing that swap, Jenni! That is exactly how I would do it too — a little less vinegar and a pinch of sugar.
So glad you two enjoyed it, Jennifer! You can use white vinegar, but it is sharper than rice vinegar. Start with about 1/3 cup instead of 1/2 cup and add a small pinch of extra brown sugar, then taste once the sauce simmers. Apple cider vinegar is another option if you have it.
Fantastic Pork Chops. If you’re looking for an easy meal that packs a big flavour punch, this is it. Easy to follow recipe. The pork chops were juicy and the sauce is delicious. I will make this recipe again soon.
Thank you so much, Glen! I love hearing that the pork chops came out juicy and the sauce was a hit. Enjoy it again soon!
I am not able to print pages 14 and 15. My printer works but it just will not print the information I want
Hi Dave, so sorry for the trouble! It sounds like your browser is printing the whole web page. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of the post and click the Print button on the card itself — that opens a clean one-page version of just the recipe. If it still will not print, let me know which browser you are using and I will help.
Great recipe followed all the way through. Had pork chops marinated in Chinese 5 spices etc
Added some pineapple pieces and pineapple juice and onion petals. So tasty best sauce I’ve made.
Will be making again.
Thank you, Keith! We’re so glad you enjoyed it!
Delicious!! I left out the ginger, just don’t like ginger…and it was so good! Next time I will add a can of pineapple after it’s simmering.
Thank you, Mary-Lynn! Leaving out the ginger works just fine, and pineapple is a great addition. A couple of readers have added a drained can of pineapple chunks while the sauce simmers and loved it.