Thai Lemongrass Pork Stir-Fry
Marinated pork tenderloin cooked with fresh lemongrass, ginger, garlic, Thai chilies and cilantro make up this incredibly flavorful, delicious and easy Thai lemongrass pork stir-fry recipe.
Thai food has long been one of my favorite international cuisines. A few years ago I took a local Thai cooking class, and then last summer I got a more immersive experience at a cooking school in Bangkok while visiting Thailand for the first time. It was a trip highlight for sure!
This Thai pork recipe captures the fresh and vibrant flavors I love about Thai food in a quick stir-fry. Lemongrass, ginger, garlic, spicy chilies and herbs combined with pork, a simple sauce and crunchy peanuts— it’s sooo good! Serve it over jasmine rice or noodles for a fast, delicious meal any night of the week.
Why you’ll love this Thai pork recipe
- It’s bursting with fresh Thai flavors like lemongrass, ginger and Thai basil.
- It’s an authentic-ish Thai recipe from a Thai-food obsessed American.
- It’s quick and easy to make, with a short marinade time and fast stir-fry.
- You can find most ingredients at the grocery store, but don’t be afraid to shop your local Asian market too.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Sliced pork loin or tenderloin
- Lemongrass: Find fresh lemongrass if you can! Though lemongrass paste will work in a pinch.
- Fresh ginger
- Fresh garlic
- Thai chiles: Adjust amount or leave out completely, depending on your desired level of spice. Substitute with jalapenos if you want.
- Green onions
- Fish sauce
- Roasted peanuts
- Cilantro
- Thai basil: Optional, okay to leave out if you can’t find it.
- Brown sugar, salt and pepper
- Oil
Visit your local Asian market! There you can find fresh lemongrass, Thai chilies and Thai basil if you can’t find them elsewhere. They’ll also have better fish sauce, and I like the quality and price for fresh produce too.
How to make Thai lemongrass pork
- Marinate pork with lemongrass and ginger. Let them rest together for at least 30 minutes (and up to 4ish hours).
- Stir fry pork. Add to a hot skillet or wok and cook over medium high heat for about 3 minutes, until browned.
- Add garlic, green onion and chilies and cook for another few minutes until pork is cooked through.
- Finish with fish sauce, brown sugar, peanuts and herbs to make a light sauce and stir until the pork is coated.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Serving suggestions & variations
- Serve this Thai pork with: rice noodles, steamed rice, coconut rice or lettuce.
- Switch up the protein: use this same recipe with chicken, beef or shrimp.
- Use ground meat instead: use ground pork, turkey or beef, skipping the marinade step. Add the lemongrass and ginger along with the other ingredients once the meat is browned.
- Make grilled skewers: thread marinated meat onto skewers and grill or broil. Whisk together fish sauce and brown sugar and brush on during the last few minutes of cooking. Garnish with green onions, herbs and peanuts.
More Asian-inspired recipes
- Beef and Broccoli Stir Fry
- Slow Cooker Korean-Inspired Pork Tacos
- Asian-Glazed Sheet-Pan Salmon and Broccoli
Get the recipe
Thai Lemongrass Pork
Marinated pork tenderloin stir-fried with fresh lemongrass, ginger, garlic, Thai chilies and cilantro make up this incredibly flavorful and delicious Thai lemongrass pork recipe.
Ingredients
- 1½-2 lbs pork loin or tenderloin , thinly sliced
- 3 tablespoons oil , divided
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced lemongrass , or lemongrass paste
- 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- 3 green onions , chopped
- 2 cloves garlic , minced
- 1-2 Thai chilies , finely chopped (optional, see Notes)
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoons brown sugar
- ¼ cup roasted salted peanuts , chopped
- Cilantro and Thai basil , for garnish
- Rice, rice noodles or lettuce , for serving
Instructions
- Combine sliced pork with 1 tablespoon of oil, lemongrass, ginger, salt and pepper. Let sit for at least 30 minutes and up to 4 hours.1½-2 lbs pork loin or tenderloin, 1 tablespoons oil, 1 tablespoon fresh minced lemongrass, 1 tablespoon fresh minced ginger, 1 teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper
- Heat a large skillet or wok over medium high heat and add remaining oil. Add the pork and stir fry for about 30 minutes until it's lightly browned and about 80% done.2 tablespoons oil
- Stir in green onions, garlic and chilies (if using). Cook for a few more minutes until the pork is cooked all the way through.3 green onions, 2 cloves garlic, 1-2 Thai chilies
- Add fish sauce, brown sugar and chopped peanuts and toss to mix it all together. Serve as desired with rice noodles, rice or lettuce. Garnish with cilantro and Thai basil.3 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoons brown sugar, ¼ cup roasted salted peanuts, Cilantro and Thai basil
- Store leftovers in the fridge for several days. Reheat in a hot skillet or wok.
Notes
- To prepare lemongrass: Remove root end, top, and woody outer layers. Smash softer inside layers with the flat of your knife and thinly slice. Fresh lemongrass will have the best fresh flavor, but lemongrass paste works if you can’t find fresh.
- Use Thai chilies per your desired heat level. I recommend using gloves when handling Thai chilies. Use seeds for more spice, or discard for less spice. You can also use 1 tablespoon diced jalapeño.
Calories: 311kcal, Carbohydrates: 8g, Protein: 27g, Fat: 19g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 0.04g, Cholesterol: 74mg, Sodium: 1744mg, Potassium: 646mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 4g, Vitamin A: 202IU, Vitamin C: 19mg, Calcium: 38mg, Iron: 2mg
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.
That sounds amazing! I’ve been trying to recreate some of the flavors from my own trip to Thailand, but it’s always a challenge to get it just right.