Pork in Black Bean Sauce

If you love quick and easy Chinese-style dinners, this pork in black bean sauce with green peppers is a weeknight winner. Fermented black beans add a deep, savoury umami flavour that’s distinctively southern Chinese, and the pork stays tender thanks to fast stir-frying.

Updated September 2026

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Inspired by a classic Ken Hom recipe, this version adds ginger, garlic and fresh chilli for extra warmth and brightness. It’s simple, fast, and perfect served with steamed rice or noodles.

Whether you’re new to cooking with black beans or already love them, this dish is a great introduction — big flavour, minimal effort, and ready in under 20 minutes.

More Chinese Recipes You Might Enjoy

If you like this pork in black bean sauce, here are a few more Chinese-style dishes from my kitchen:

• Beef in Black Bean Sauce
• Chow Mein
• Chinese Cashew Chicken
• Sweet and Sour Chicken
• Vegetables in Chinese Brown Sauce

Ingredients

🥩 pork loin steaks
🧅 large onion
🫑 green bell peppers
🧄 garlic
🫚 fresh ginger
🌶️ dried red chilli
⚫ fermented black beans
🧂 Szechuan pepper
🍗 chicken stock
🛢️ peanut or vegetable oil

🦪 oyster sauce
🌶️ sweet chilli sauce
🔥 chilli oil
🧂 dark soy sauce

The Marinade

🧂 soy sauce
🍶 Shaoxing wine
🧂 sugar
🍷 Chinese rice wine
🌾 cornflour
🛢️ peanut or vegetable oil

Serving Suggestions

This dish is perfect with egg fried rice, plain steamed rice, or noodles. Add a side of stir-fried greens or Chinese-style broccoli for a complete meal.

Storage & Reheating

Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. Reheat gently in a pan or microwave until piping hot. The vegetables will soften but the flavour remains delicious.

FAQ

Can I use black bean sauce instead?
Fermented black beans give a stronger, more authentic flavour, but black bean sauce works in a pinch.

Can I use chicken instead of pork?
Yes — thinly sliced chicken breast or thigh works beautifully.

Is this spicy?
It’s mildly spicy. Add more chilli if you prefer extra heat.

Have you tried this recipe?
Please leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating in the recipe card below!

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pork in black bean sauce, Chinese pork recipe, black bean stir fry, fermented black beans, Chinese stir fry, quick Chinese dinner, pork stir fry recipe

Chinese Recipes, Pork Recipes, Stir Fry Recipes, Takeaway‑Style Recipes

Chinese

Yield: 2

Author: Jan Bennett

Chinese Pork in Black Bean Sauce

A quick and easy Chinese-style stir-fry made with tender pork, green peppers and fermented black beans. It’s savoury, slightly spicy, full of umami, and ready in just 20 minutes — perfect for a weeknight dinner.

Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 10 MinTotal time: 20 Min

Ingredients

• 400g thin‑cut pork loin steaks
• Peanut or vegetable oil (for frying)
• 1 large onion
• 2 green bell peppers
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 2 tbsp sweet chilli sauce
• 1 dried red chilli
• 2 tsp Szechuan pepper
• 2 tbsp fermented black beans
• ½ tbsp chilli oil
• 60ml (¼ cup) chicken stock
• 1 tbsp dark soy sauce

The Marinade

• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tbsp Chinese rice wine or dry sherry
• 1 tbsp cornflour
• 2 tsp peanut or vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Prepare the black beans: Rinse the fermented black beans well, soak them for 15 minutes, rinse again, then chop them into small pieces. Place them in a small dish and stir in the chilli oil. Set aside.
2. Prepare the marinade: Mix the soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, sugar, Chinese rice wine (or dry sherry), cornflour, and oil. Slice the pork thinly (bash between cling film if needed), then add it to the marinade. Leave for 30 minutes.
3. Prep the vegetables: Chop the onion into cubes, cut the green peppers into bite‑sized pieces, finely chop the garlic and ginger, deseed the dried chilli, then slice it into thin strips. Grind the Szechuan pepper using a pestle and mortar.
4. Cook the pork: Drain the pork from the marinade. Heat about 1 tbsp of oil in a wok or large skillet and stir‑fry the pork until almost cooked through. Remove and set aside.
5. Start the stir‑fry: Wipe the wok clean with kitchen paper. Heat about ½ tbsp more oil (you won’t need much because the black beans are already in chilli oil). Once hot, add the onion, peppers, garlic, ginger, black beans, oyster sauce, sweet chilli sauce, Szechuan pepper, and dried chilli. Stir‑fry for about 1 minute until fragrant.
6. Combine everything: Return the pork to the wok. Add most of the chicken stock and the dark soy sauce. Stir well.
7. Adjust the sauce: If you want more sauce, add the remaining chicken stock and simmer for a few minutes.
8. Taste and serve: Adjust seasoning if needed (more soy, chilli, etc.). Serve immediately — it’s perfect with egg fried rice.

Notes

Fermented black beans: Always rinse and soak them before use to remove excess salt. They give a deep umami flavour that black bean sauce can’t replace.

Chicken stock: I prefer Knorr as Oxo can taste too salty in stir‑fries. Adjust the amount depending on how much sauce you want.

Szechuan pepper: Grind it fresh with a pestle and mortar for the best flavour. Pre‑ground pepper loses its aroma quickly.

Heat level: Add more dried chilli or a splash of chilli oil if you like it spicy. Reduce or omit the chilli for a milder dish.

Pork: Thin slices cook quickly and stay tender. If your pork steaks are thick, bash them between cling film before slicing.

Vegetables: Keep them bite‑sized so they cook evenly and stay crisp.

Wok cooking: Stir‑frying is fast — have everything prepped before you start.

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