Ground Pork Stir Fry with Potatoes
This post may contain affiliate links.This ground pork stir fry with potatoes is a simple childhood favorite I recreated completely from memory. With tender potatoes, savory ground pork, and just a few everyday ingredients, it’s an easy home-cooked dish that’s perfect with steamed rice.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
🏷️ Recipe Name: Ground Pork Stir Fry with Potatoes
⏱️ Ready In: ~ 10 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 4 portions
🔥 Calories: 238 kcal per serving (estimate)
🧾 Main Ingredients: Ground pork, potatoes, sweet soy sauce, soy sauce, mushroom powder, pepper.
🥗 Dietary Info: Contains meat.
🧠 Difficulty: Very easy
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This ground pork stir fry with potatoes has a very special place in my heart because it was one of my favorite dishes when I was growing up. I didn’t get to learn the recipe from anyone, so when I wanted to make it again years later, all I had was my memory of how it tasted. Luckily, that flavor stayed with me, and after recreating it in my own kitchen, I finally found the version that tastes just like the dish I remember.
It is such a simple recipe—ground pork, potatoes, and just a few seasonings—but somehow that simplicity is what makes it so comforting. The potatoes become tender and absorb all the savory flavor from the pork and sauce, and I could easily eat this with nothing more than a bowl of hot rice.
A lot of my favorite childhood dishes are like this. Pork and broccoli stir fry, tomato egg stir fry, and steamed pork patty are all easy, home-style recipes without anything fancy, but these are often the dishes I enjoy the most.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Recipe Ingredients
Ingredient Notes
Ground pork – I prefer using ground pork from the collar or shoulder area because it contains some fat, which keeps the meat juicy and flavorful as it cooks. If you prefer a leaner dish, you can use ground pork made from pork loin, which has less fat.
Potatoes – Peel and slice the potatoes to your preferred thickness. Thinner slices will cook faster and absorb the sauce more easily, while slightly thicker slices will have a firmer bite.
Sweet soy sauce – This adds both sweetness and a deeper savory flavor to the dish. If you don’t have sweet soy sauce, you can use regular soy sauce and add a little palm sugar or brown sugar to achieve a similar sweet-savory balance.
Shallots and garlic – These form the aromatic base of the stir fry and add plenty of flavor even though the ingredient list is very simple.
Soy sauce – Adds saltiness and umami and balances the sweetness from the sweet soy sauce.
Mushroom powder – This is optional, but I like adding a little to deepen the savory flavor. You can leave it out or substitute a small amount of chicken bouillon if preferred.
How to Make Ground Pork Stir Fry
STEP 1. Deep-fry the sliced potatoes until lightly golden, then remove them from the oil and set aside to drain (Images 1, 2). Heat a little cooking oil in a wok or large pan. Add the minced garlic and shallots and stir-fry until fragrant and lightly golden (Image 3). Add the ground pork (Image 4).
STEP 2. Cook the ground pork, breaking it apart as you stir, until it changes color and is mostly cooked through. Add the fried potatoes (Image 5), followed by the sweet soy sauce, soy sauce, mushroom powder, and pepper (Image 6). Pour in a little water to help the seasonings combine and coat everything more evenly (Image 7). Stir-fry until the pork and potatoes are evenly coated with the sauce and most of the liquid has been absorbed (Image 8). Turn off the heat and serve warm.
Pro Tips
- You don’t have to deep-fry the potatoes. If you prefer to skip deep-frying, cut the potatoes into small cubes and cook them directly with the ground pork. They will take longer to become tender, so add a little water and cover the pan if needed. The flavor will still be delicious.
- Adjust the spice level. This dish is mild as written, but you can add sliced fresh chilies or chili flakes if you prefer a spicy ground pork stir fry.
- Make it saucier. I usually cook this until most of the sauce coats the pork and potatoes, but you can add more water if you like a little gravy to spoon over your rice.
- Don’t slice the potatoes too thick. Keeping the slices relatively thin helps them cook evenly and allows them to absorb more of the savory-sweet sauce.
- Taste before adding extra seasoning. Both soy sauce and sweet soy sauce are already salty and flavorful, so taste the dish near the end before adding additional salt or soy sauce.
Serving Suggestions
Serve this comforting ground pork stir fry with potatoes with steamed rice and a simple vegetable dish such as bok choy stir fry, cabbage stir fry, or green beans with garlic to add some vegetables and fiber to the meal.
For an extra side dish, Chinese shrimp omelette works beautifully, especially if you want something quick and savory. You can also pair it with pork and shrimp egg foo young for a more filling family-style meal.
Because the ground pork and potatoes are already rich and satisfying, I’d keep the vegetable side fairly simple so the whole meal feels balanced rather than too heavy.
Ground Pork Stir Fry FAQs
Yes. Cut the potatoes into small cubes or thin pieces and cook them directly with the ground pork. Add a little water and cover the pan if needed so the potatoes can soften. It will take longer, but the dish will still taste delicious.
Ground pork with a little fat works best because it stays juicy and flavorful during cooking. Pork collar or shoulder is a good choice. If you prefer something leaner, ground pork made from loin also works.
Yes. If you do not have sweet soy sauce, use regular soy sauce with a little palm sugar or brown sugar. Start with a small amount and adjust until you get a pleasant savory-sweet balance.
Definitely. Add sliced fresh chilies, chili flakes, or a little chili oil while stir-frying the pork. The original version is mild, so the heat level is easy to adjust.
Frying gives the potatoes a lightly golden exterior and helps them hold their shape during stir-frying. They also absorb the sauce beautifully without becoming too soft.
Storage and Reheating
If you have leftovers, let the ground pork stir fry with potatoes cool completely before transferring it to an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
To reheat, warm it in a pan over medium-low heat until heated through. Add a small splash of water if the sauce has dried out in the refrigerator. You can also reheat individual portions in the microwave.
I would avoid freezing this dish if possible, since potatoes can become softer and slightly grainy after thawing. It is best enjoyed fresh or within a few days.
More Easy Asian Recipes
Ground Pork Stir Fry with Potatoes
Equipment
- 1 wok
Ingredients
- 500 gr potatoes peeled, sliced
- 150 gr ground pork
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 cloves shallots minced
- 2 tbsp sweet soy sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp mushroom powder
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 star anise optional
Instructions
- Deep-fry the sliced potatoes until lightly golden, then remove them from the oil and set aside to drain.
- Heat a little cooking oil in a wok or large pan. Add the minced garlic and shallots and stir-fry until fragrant and lightly golden. Add the ground pork.
- Cook the ground pork, breaking it apart as you stir, until it changes color and is mostly cooked through.
- Add the fried potatoes, followed by the sweet soy sauce, soy sauce, mushroom powder, and pepper. Pour in a little water to help the seasonings combine and coat everything more evenly. Stir-fry until the pork and potatoes are evenly coated with the sauce and most of the liquid has been absorbed. Turn off the heat and serve warm.
Notes
- You don’t have to deep-fry the potatoes. If you prefer to skip deep-frying, cut the potatoes into small cubes and cook them directly with the ground pork. They will take longer to become tender, so add a little water and cover the pan if needed. The flavor will still be delicious.
- Adjust the spice level. This dish is mild as written, but you can add sliced fresh chilies or chili flakes if you prefer a spicy ground pork stir fry.
- Make it saucier. I usually cook this until most of the sauce coats the pork and potatoes, but you can add more water if you like a little gravy to spoon over your rice.
- Don’t slice the potatoes too thick. Keeping the slices relatively thin helps them cook evenly and allows them to absorb more of the savory-sweet sauce.
- Taste before adding extra seasoning. Both soy sauce and sweet soy sauce are already salty and flavorful, so taste the dish near the end before adding additional salt or soy sauce.
This is one of my favorite childhood dishes. I recreated it from memory, and I love how such simple ingredients can make something so comforting and flavorful. I hope you like it too!