52 Easy Pork Recipes to Make for Dinner Tonight

updated Nov 19, 2020

Page URL

We independently select these products—if you buy from one of our links, we may earn a commission. All prices were accurate at the time of publishing.

One-Skillet Sage and Apple Pork Chops — Credit: Kelli Foster

Ready to mix up your dinner routine? If chicken is the lean meat you usually turn to, allow me to suggest shaking things up with pork. Already making pork chops a regular in your dinner lineup? We’ve got some fresh inspiration you’re going to love.

No matter the cut you start with, be it juicy chops, lean tenderloins, loin roast, or a hearty pork shoulder, pork recipes are a reliable dinner staple to keep in your meal plan. Pork is easy to prepare, won’t break your budget, and, best of all, endlessly adaptable. From slow cooker pork dinners to easy-as-can-be pork chops, these 52 recipes have all the dinner inspiration you need.

In This Article

Pork Chop Recipes
Saucy Pork Recipes
Pork Loin Roast and Pork Tenderloin Recipes
Slow Cooker Pork Recipes
Ground Pork Recipes

Pork Chop Recipes

Part of the reason pork chops are such a popular weeknight dinner pick is this lean cut is incredibly quick cooking and easy to get on the table. We love them because they’re downright delicious, with a mild flavor that allows them to team up with a huge array of ingredients and sides.

1 / 11

One-Pan Caramelized Apples & Pork Chops

Cozy up with a skillet of these juicy, tender pork chops with stewed apples and caramelized shallots.

2 / 11

Honey Garlic Pork Chops

These sweet and tangy pork chops are on your table in just 15 minutes. Yes, really.

3 / 11

Crispy, Cheesy Sheet Pan Pork Chops

Inspired by shake 'n bake pork chops, this nostalgic throwback is turned into a sheet pan supper will the help of Parmesan cheese and panko breadcrumbs.

4 / 11

Crispy pork cutlet, kewpie mayonnaise, and thinly shredded cabbage sandwiched between slices of plush milk bread.

5 / 11

Easy Pan-Fried Pork Chops

All you need is your handy cast iron skillet and few key techiniques to make crispy, juicy pan-fried pork chops.

6 / 11

Tender & Juicy Pork Chops in the Oven

The easiest recipe for tender, juicy pork chops that turn out perfectly every time. All you need? Cast iron skillet and your oven. No brining necessary!

7 / 11

Sage-Brined Pork Chops with Brown Sugar Glaze

A simple sage-infused brine not only guarantees juicy chops, but it packs in a fragrant herbal aroma, too.

8 / 11

Air Fryer Pork Chops

Thanks to the convection heat of the air fryer, these breaded pork chops cook up crisp and juicy every time.

9 / 11

Easy Skillet Pork Chops with Apples

These thick cider-brined chops are tender, juicy, and practically foolproof, and are nestled atop wedges of sweet apples and onion.

10 / 11

Grilled Pork Chops

A quick soak in an easy brine makes for perfect grilled pork chops every single time.

11 / 11

One-Pan Basil-Plum Pork Chops

Tender pork chops are roasted with sweet plums for the ultimate summer skillet meal that comes together in a flash.

Saucy Pork Recipes

You know what makes juicy pork chops and tenderloin even better? Dragging each bite of meat through a puddle of sauce. Each of these recipes treat you to a saucy and totally irresistible pork dinner. And as for a side dish, you cannot go wrong with rice, egg noodles, or a crusty chunk of bread to mop up every last drop of sauce.

1 / 12

Pork Chops in Port Wine Sauce

This slightly sweet sauce instantly makes weeknight pork chops feel like a fancy affair.

2 / 12

Easy Creamy Mustard Pork Chops

If you love the combination of mustard and apples, this 30-minute pork chop skillet will be right up your alley.

3 / 12

Slow Cooker Cranberry Pork Chops

Fresh cranberries add just the right amount of subtle acidity and fruitiness to the savory pork chops.

4 / 12

Easy Grilled Pork Chops with Sweet & Tangy Mustard Glaze

Brine the chops while the grill heats for the juiciest serving of pork, and finish with a sweet and tangy mustard glaze.

5 / 12

Pork Chop Marsala

For a fun, easy twist on chicken marsala, give boneless pork chops a try for dinner instead.

6 / 12

Cilantro Lime Pork Chops

These cilantro lime pork chops are bursting with bold flavor, and make for a quick and easy weeknight dinner.

7 / 12

Pork and Broccoli Rice Bowls

Made with pork loin cutlets, these weeknight rice bowls are coated with warm, savory peanut sauce.

8 / 12

Tender and Juicy Instant Pot Pork Chops

Using the one-pot power of an Instant Pot means these pork chops can be quickly braised in a rich onion gravy that makes for almost fall-apart tender pork chops that are anything but dry or flavorless.

9 / 12

Honey-Glazed Pork Tenderloin

Spiked with mustard and vinegar, it's the honey glaze that makes this tenderloin so impossibly delicious. In fact, you really love saucy dinners, you won't regret making a double batch of glaze.

10 / 12

30-Minute Creamy Garlic Mushroom Pork Chops

Pair plain pork chops with creamy garlic mushroom sauce and you can be sure dinner will be anything but boring.

11 / 12

One-Skillet Salsa Pork Chops

The only thing better than having fast-cooking pork chops in my midweek meal plan is when they’re extra juicy from simmering in salsa, and the whole dinner hits the table in a single skillet.

12 / 12

Whole30 Creamy Mushroom Smothered Pork Chops

Brown and juicy pork chops are covered in a creamy rosemary and mushroom sauce for an impressively easy stovetop dinner.

Pork Loin Roast and Pork Tenderloin Recipes

Even though they have similar names, pork loin and pork tenderloin are totally different cuts that benefit from different cooking methods. Tenderloin is a small cut (usually a pound to pound-and-a-half) and is best quickly cooked over fairly high heat, while loin roast (usually three to five pounds) lends itself well to slow-roasting.

1 / 11

Roasted Pork Tenderloin

Here's our best method for making tender, juicy pork tenderloin that tastes so good it may just earn a spot in your weekly meal rotation.

2 / 11

Instant Pot Freezer Meal: Lemon Garlic Butter Pork Tenderloin

In this elegant Instant Pot meal (made straight from the freezer!), juicy pork tenderloin mingles with tart lemon, garlic, and butter.

3 / 11

Roasted Rosemary and Garlic Pork Loin and Potatoes

This sheet pan supper is simple enough to cook on a weeknight, but it’s also the recipe to keep in your back pocket when you’re having friends over for dinner.

4 / 11

Southwestern-Spiced Pork Tenderloin

Warm smoky spices give mild-mannered tenderloin a big boost of flavor for a diner that's on the table in 30 minutes.

5 / 11

Grilled Pork Tenderloin

Learn the keys to cooking rosy-pink pork tenderloin on the grill every time.

6 / 11

Instant Pot Pork Tenderloin

Here's how to use your Instant Pot to make moist and tender pork tenderloin.

7 / 11

Crock-Pot Pork Roast

If you've ever struggled to cook a pork loin roast that isn’t bland or dry, this recipe is for you. This straightforward recipe leaves you with a loin roast that's and perfect juicy tender without any hands-on effort.

8 / 11

Ina Garten's Cider-Roasted Pork Tenderloins with Roasted Plum Chutney

Like all of Ina’s recipes, this roasted pork tenderloin is simple yet impressive.

9 / 11

BBQ Pork Tenderloin with Green Beans and Cauliflower

While mild-mannered pork tenderloin can be paired with just about any kind of sauce or flavor combo, you’ll be hard-pressed to find one more irresistible than smoky-sweet BBQ sauce.

10 / 11

Sheet Pan Pork Loin with Herb Potatoes and Vegetables

A compound butter flavored with garlic and herbs is the elegant answer for easy seasoning lean loin roast.

11 / 11

Slow Cooker Pork Loin

This slow cooker pork loin is cooked over a bed of thick-cut carrots and red potatoes with a sweet and tangy sauce to bring it all together.

Slow Cooker Pork Recipes

If you’ve got a hefty pork butt or pork shoulder, go ahead and grab your slow cooker. It’s a natural friend to these large, tough cuts and makes easy work of turning them into a stew or pulled pork. Pork loin roasts and certain cuts of pork chops are also great picks for slow cooking.

1 / 10

Big-Batch Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Sandwiches

Seasoned with just salt, sugar, and apple cider vinegar, this pulled pork is a perfect blank canvas for a mustard-forward BBQ sauce and tangy slaw.

2 / 10

Slow-Cooked Hoisin and Ginger Pork Wraps with Peanut Slaw

Juicy pulled pork is ready to be partnered with a crunchy peanut slaw and wrapped up in a tortilla.

3 / 10

Slow Cooker Coconut and Green Curry Pork

The slow cooker works its magic, infusing a hearty pork shoulder with the pungent aromas of green curry paste and rich, warm coconut milk.

4 / 10

Slow Cooker Pork & Cider Stew

Pork and apple is such a classic pairing, and this slow cooker stew gets not one, but two doses of apple mixed in.

5 / 10

Slow Cooker Maple-Mustard Pulled Pork

Transform everyday pulled pork with your slow cooker and the sweet and tangy flavors of maple syrup and mustard.

6 / 10

Simple Slow Cooker Pulled Pork

This dead-simple pulled pork acts as the base for tacos or BBQ sandwiches with a salt, pepper, and brown sugar rub. So easy, you'll want to commit it to memory.

7 / 10

Slow Cooker Pork Chops

Pork chops cook on top of a layer of vegetables in the slow cooker, resulting in an incredibly flavorful, hands-off meal.

8 / 10

Slow Cooker Pork Loin

This slow cooker pork loin is cooked over a bed of thick-cut carrots and red potatoes with a sweet and tangy sauce to bring it all together.

9 / 10

3-Ingredient Slow Cooker Root Beer Pulled Pork

This three-ingredient slow cooker root beer pulled pork will totally convince you to give this Southern combination a try.

10 / 10

Slow Cooker Pork Carnitas

These slightly unconventional carnitas are kicked up with warm spices for a twist that's totally delicious.

Ground Pork Recipes

Ground pork is the weeknight hero. It cooks up quickly, which means you can get dinner on the table in no time. Try it in fried rice, easy egg roll skillets, and on top of noodles.

1 / 9

Egg Roll Skillet

A veggie-rich take on the classic Chinese appetizer that you can actually eat as dinner.

2 / 9

Pasta alla Norcina

This hearty Italian pasta hails from the town of Norcia located in Umbria, and is loaded with homemade sausage and mushrooms in a creamy white wine sauce.

3 / 9

Pork Fried Rice

A pan of savory pork fried rice is one of the most satisfying and quickest meals to make with leftover rice, ground pork, a couple eggs, and frozen vegetables.

4 / 9

This humble dish of ground pork (or beef) and vegetables — also called giniling or menudo in the Philippines — comes together in a single skillet and is endlessly customizable.

5 / 9

Bola-Bola (Filipino Meatballs)

These tender and juicy meatballs will always hit the spot.

6 / 9

Instant Pot Green Chili Cheese Fries

A saucy combination of cheese and fried carbs with obligatory crudités for freshness, these fries encapsulate the key components of a game day spread into one dish.

7 / 9

Chili Crisp Mazemen

This saucy, highly slurpable Japanese noodle dish is all about the kaleidoscope of toppings.

8 / 9

Easy Egg Roll in a Bowl

Bagged slaw makes this egg roll in the bowl a cinch to make.

9 / 9

Garlic Chive Pork Zucchini Boats

These stuffed zucchini boats are inspired by two dim sum staples: garlic chive pork dumplings and stuffed eggplant.

Filed in: