Quick Pork Stew

Name: Quick Pork Stew
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 40 min
Ingredients: 2 tablespoons olive oil; 2.5 pounds pork tenderloin (cubed into 1-inch pieces; 2 tenderloins); 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt; 1/2 teaspoon black pepper; 1 tablespoon fresh garlic (minced, or 1 teaspoon garlic powder); 2 teaspoons paprika (or smoked paprika ); 1 teaspoon dried thyme; 1/2 cup low-sodium chicken broth (or water ); 1 cup canned tomato sauce; 1 dried bay leaf; 1 tablespoon cornstarch (optional, used to thicken the stew); 2 tablespoons parsley (chopped, optional, for garnish)

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This aromatic and hearty pork stew, perfect for cold winter nights, is so easy to make. I like serving it in soup bowls, atop rice, cauliflower rice, or spaghetti squash noodles.

A pork stew is served in a white saucepan with a napkin.

Stews such as beef heart stew, okra stew, and fish stew are among my favorite comfort foods.

Many stew recipes require a lot of work, but this pork stew is easy to make. It's ready in 40 minutes! The leftovers are excellent, so sometimes I double the recipe to ensure I have tasty leftovers.

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Ingredients
Variations
Instructions
Expert Tip
Recipe FAQs
Serving Suggestions
Storing Leftovers
More Pork Recipes
Foodie Newsletter
Recipe Card
Comments

Ingredients

Here's an overview of the ingredients needed to make this pork stew. The exact measurements are included in the recipe card below.

Olive oil: I love cooking with this delicious oil. Another tasty option is to use ghee.
Pork tenderloin: You'll need two of them, each weighing around 1 ¼ pounds. Use a sharp chef's knife to cut them into 1-inch cubes.
Minced fresh garlic: I use a full tablespoon, which may seem like a lot. But it adds great flavor to the stew.
To season: Kosher salt, black pepper, paprika, and dried thyme. Since we add 2 teaspoons of paprika, which is quite a bit, you should ensure it's fresh.
Chicken broth: I typically use a low-sodium broth by Pacific Natural. This enables me to better control the saltiness of the stew.
Canned tomato sauce: I usually use the Whole Foods brand.
Dried bay leaf: Adds an extra layer of flavor to the stew. It's not strictly needed here, so don't buy it especially, but it does make a difference in the dish's flavor profile.
Cornstarch: Acts as a thickener.
Parsley: Used for garnish. You can skip it if you don't have any on hand.

Variations

Change the liquid: You can use dry white wine instead of chicken broth and serve the stew with the same wine. Sauvignon Blanc works well. Another option is to simply use water. While not as flavorful as broth or wine, the stew comes out great with just water.

Change the spices: Sometimes, I use smoked paprika instead of sweet paprika. It adds a nice smoky flavor to the dish. You can use a heaping teaspoon of garlic powder if you don't have fresh garlic, or add a ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes to add some heat to the dish.

Add veggies: During the last 5 minutes of simmering the stew, mix in two cups of chopped vegetables such as small broccoli or cauliflower florets. Other (higher carb) options include baby carrots or peas. You can also add a 5-ounce bag of raw baby spinach leaves to the stew once it's done. Add the spinach in batches, allowing each handful to slightly wilt before adding the next.

Instructions

Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed instructions. Here are the basic steps for making this recipe:

Cube the pork tenderloins. They'll probably have a small amount of fat attached to them. It's okay to leave it on. There's no need to trim it.

Season the pork cubes with salt and pepper. Cook them in olive oil on all sides. Add the garlic (or garlic powder), paprika, and thyme, and cook them briefly.

Add the broth (or water) and use it to deglaze the pan - scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen any tasty bits stuck to the bottom.

Then add the tomato sauce and bay leaf.

Bring the mixture to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer the stew until the pork is cooked through and the sauce has thickened. This should take about 10 minutes.

You can add small broccoli or cauliflower florets five minutes before the stew is done or add baby spinach leaves at the end of cooking.

Mixing spinach leaves into the pork stew.

Expert Tip

Pork tenderloin is a tasty cut, but it's lean and can dry out easily. So make sure not to overcook it.

According to the USDA, pork (except for ground pork) can be cooked to medium. There's no need for it to be cooked until it's well done.

Recipe FAQs

What cut of pork is best for making a stew?

I use pork tenderloin. It's a lean and tender cut, perfect for a quick-cooking stew like this one.

Pork shoulder is an option, too, but it's too fatty for this particular recipe. It needs to be cooked longer to melt away the fat. So, I prefer to use it when making a pork roast, pulled pork, or carnitas.

Does pork get more tender the longer it cooks?

While this is true (with some limitations) for a fatty cut like pork shoulder, and assuming you use a slow cooking method, it's not true for a lean cut such as pork tenderloin. That's why I cook this pork stew for a short time.

Can I add vegetables to this stew?

Yes. During the last five minutes of simmering the stew, you can mix in two cups of chopped vegetables, such as small broccoli or cauliflower florets. You can also mix in 5 ounces of baby spinach leaves when the stew is ready.

Serving Suggestions

I usually serve this pork stew in soup bowls on its own or atop cauliflower rice or mashed cauliflower, as shown in the photo below:

Pork stew is served in bowls with spoons.

If I didn't add any veggies to the stew (and sometimes even if I did), I like to add a side such as roasted cauliflower (shown below), roasted green beans, roasted asparagus, or steamed broccoli.

Pork stew is served with roasted cauliflower.

This stew is also excellent on spaghetti squash, zucchini noodles, shirataki noodles, or sauteed spinach.

Storing Leftovers

You can keep the leftovers in the fridge, in an airtight container, for 3-4 days. Reheat them gently, covered (to prevent splatters), in the microwave at 50% power. You can also freeze the leftovers in individual containers for up to three months.