All recipes

Cantonese-Style Sweet and Sour Pork

Cantonese-Style Sweet and Sour Pork pairs crisp, twice-fried pork with a glossy sauce that balances tangy vinegar and ketchup with gentle sweetness. Bell pepper, pineapple, and fresh chiles add brightness and heat, while garlic and green onions bring aromatic depth. Serve this crowd-pleaser for weeknight dinners or casual gatherings when you want bold flavor and a satisfying crunch.

  • Prep40 mins
  • Cook10 mins
  • Serves4
  • DifficultyMedium
Cantonese-Style Sweet and Sour Pork

easyChef Pro health score

Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Cantonese-Style Sweet and Sour Pork, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.

35 Health Score
Glycemic ImpactFair
46 / 100
Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
Nutritional DensityPoor
23 / 100
Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
Energy DensityPoor
29 / 100
Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
NOVA Processed Culinary Ingredients
2 / 4
Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.

How it scores for each health goal

The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.

47
Heart Health
38
Metabolic
44
Digestive
37
Inflammatory
22
Performance
32
General Wellness
  1. 1

    Whisk the soy sauce, sugar, 2 teaspoons potato starch, sesame oil, and black pepper together in a large bowl. Add the pork to the marinade and turn it until all the pork is coated. Let it rest for 15 minutes.

  2. 2

    For the sauce, whisk the water, vinegar, ketchup, 1/4 cup sugar, salt, 2 teaspoons potato starch, and red food coloring together in a separate bowl, then set aside.

  3. 3

    Dip the pork pieces in the beaten egg, then dredge them in the 1 cup potato starch, pressing the starch onto the pork with your hand to ensure an even coating.

  4. 4

    Heat the peanut oil in a wok over medium-high heat until it reaches 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).

  5. 5

    Fry the pork pieces in the hot oil until crisp and light brown, 4 to 5 minutes, then remove and drain them, keeping the oil hot. Return the drained pork to the hot oil for 30 seconds more, then remove and drain again. Pour off all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the wok.

  6. 6

    Heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved oil in the wok over medium heat. Cook the green bell pepper, cayenne pepper, pineapple, garlic, and green onion in the hot oil for about 5 minutes. Add the sauce and stir until it thickens. Stir in the pork and toss until the pork is coated with the sauce, then remove from the heat and serve.

About This Recipe

Cantonese Style Sweet and Sour Pork is a Chinese dinner recipe made with 18 ingredients. It takes about 50 mins, serves 4, and is rated medium. Key ingredients include Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Eggs, and Garlic. Each serving provides about 1278.66 kcal, and is a good source of protein.

Recipe Questions

What is Cantonese-Style Sweet and Sour Pork?
It is a Chinese recipe made with 18 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch.
What is Cantonese-Style Sweet and Sour Pork made of?
The main ingredients are Black Pepper, Cayenne Pepper, Eggs, Garlic, Green Bell Pepper. The full list of 18 is above.
What goes well with Cantonese-Style Sweet and Sour Pork?
Explore these Chinese side-dish recipes.
How long does it take to make Cantonese-Style Sweet and Sour Pork?
About 50 mins in total: 40 mins to prepare and 10 mins to cook.
How many calories are in one serving?
One serving provides about 1278.66 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
Is Cantonese-Style Sweet and Sour Pork easy to make?
This recipe is rated medium, with 18 ingredients and 6 steps.
Is Cantonese-Style Sweet and Sour Pork healthy?
Cantonese-Style Sweet and Sour Pork has an easyChef Pro health score of 35/100. Per serving, it provides 1278.66 calories and 29.59 g of protein, or 59% of the Daily Value. It is a good source of dietary fiber. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 733.71 mg (32% of the Daily Value), saturated fat at 3.47 g (17% of the Daily Value) and added sugars at 6.19 g (12% of the Daily Value). It contains Peanuts, Eggs, Soy, Sesame, Garlic, Onions and Food Dyes, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.

How easyChef Pro scores recipes and products

easyChef Pro analyzes up to 41 nutrients using data sourced from USDA and other verified food databases. Its scoring method uses the nutrients relevant to nutrition quality, calorie density, processing level, and your selected health goal. Recipes and food products get a health score from 0 to 100, calculated using consistent rules instead of being estimated by AI. The same nutrition data, serving size and health goal will produce the same result.

The calculation evaluates nutrients, calorie density, processing level, and how well the food supports your selected health goal. Protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals and other beneficial nutrients can strengthen the score. High amounts of sodium, saturated fat, added sugar and other nutrients may lower it.

Your health goal also matters. easyChef Pro evaluates recipes and products across six health areas and adjusts their importance for your selected goal. This means the same food may be a better fit for one health goal than another.

For recipes, changing an ingredient, quantity or serving size changes the nutrition and may change the score. Remix the recipe in easyChef Pro to calculate fresh nutrition and scores for the version you actually make. Product scores are based on the nutrition and serving information associated with that specific product.

Score a recipe free, no app required

Learn More