Black Bean Garlic Pork Belly Stir-fry

Modified: Sep 16, 2023 · Published: Mar 22, 2023 by Lisa · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

This Chinese black bean garlic pork belly stir-fry is loaded with flavor and comfort in every forkful! It is a breeze to make and is incredibly satisfying when eaten with rice. It is a simple, humble dish that packs a punch and is an easy delicious meal for any night of the week!

Here's another dish that is very nostalgic for me as it's one that my mum used to make all the time. It's a humble dish with very simple ingredients, but it packs a flavor punch and is satisfying and comforting!

Ingredients

Pork belly
Preserved black beans
Garlic
Ginger
Onion
Oyster sauce
Soy sauce
Chinese cooking wine
Sugar
Optional vegetables: corn, zucchini, bell peppers

About preserved black beans

Preserved black beans are a very common ingredient in Chinese cooking and can be found in most Chinese markets in the dry food aisle, often near the sauces.

A square red, black, and yellow package of preserved beans.

They may be in a container or packet, and sometimes they may contain ginger (which is totally fine), but besides that, it should simply be black beans and salt.

Prepare the Ingredients Before Cooking

Stir-fries are cooked very quickly and all the ingredients should be prepared and ready to go before you add anything to your pan.

Black beans and aromatics: Rinse the preserved black beans in cool water a couple of times and drain off the liquid.

A white bowl containing preserved black beans.

A round white bowl containing black beans in brown water.

Finely mince the garlic and ginger and set it aside with the black beans. Finely dice the onion and place in a separate bowl.

A round white bowl containing black beans, minced ginger, and minced garlic.

A round white bowl containing diced onions.

Pork belly: Cut the pork belly into slices, and then cut each slice into small bite-sized pieces. Keeping the pieces small makes for easier eating and faster cooking.

Two pieces of raw pork belly, one piece on its side.

Pork belly that has been cut into small pieces on a wooden cutting board.

Vegetables: If adding vegetables like zucchini, bell peppers, cut them into bite sized pieces.

A round white bowl containing chopped green zucchini.

A clear square dish containing yellow corn kernels.

Sauce: In a bowl, combine the oyster sauce, soy sauce, cooking wine, sugar, and white pepper. Mix well and set aside.

A metal spoon in a clear round bowl containing a brown sauce.

How To Cook Black Bean Garlic Pork Belly Stir-Fry

Heat your skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add about a tablespoon of neutral flavored oil and add the onions. Stir-fry for about a minute.

A metal pan with diced onions, black bean, minced garlic, and minced ginger.

Add the black beans, garlic, ginger and stir-fry for about another minute.

Add the pork and stir-fry until mostly cooked through.

Raw pink pork belly chunks frying in a metal pan.

A metal frying pan with cooked meat, zucchini and corn.

Add your vegetables to the pan and stir-fry about 2 minutes.

Add the sauce to the pan and mix everything together. Let the pork belly cook about another couple of minutes to let the sauce reduce and thicken so it coats the pork.

Close up of cooked pork pieces, zucchini, corn in a pan.

Pieces of cooked pork belly, zucchini, corn, in a brown sauce in a frypan.

Commonly Asked Questions

A round dish containing black bean garlic pork belly with zucchini and corn.

Can I use jarred black bean sauce?

If you choose to use jarred black bean garlic sauce, start conservatively because their flavors can be quite strong. You will still need to add some or all of the sauce ingredients I have listed in this recipe, but you will likely have to add less of each ingredient to start with, adjusting as necessary to get the right flavor. Using the preserved black beans with the aromatics gives you more control over the taste of the final product.

What other meat can I use besides pork belly?

You could also use beef or chicken, or another cut of pork, like collar, choosing cuts that have some fat or marbling so they are more tender to eat.

What other vegetables can I use?

My mum often used canned corn and it's easy, and I used zucchini because I like it with the black bean. Bell peppers, mushrooms, leafy Asian greens like choy sum or Chinese kale, green beans, and cabbage are all great ones to use, too. Ones that cook quickly work best and remember to cut them into bite-sized pieces.

A round white bowl containing cooked white rice and black bean garlic pork belly, green zucchini, and yellow corn.

How To Serve the Pork Belly

Scoop a spoonful of the black bean garlic pork belly over some hot cooked rice and dig in! It's totally good just like that as a comforting meal, but eating it with some steamed leafy green vegetables or a hot bowl of soup definitely rounds it out.

Closeup of a pair of white chopsticks holding a piece of cooked pork belly.

Sometimes if I'm too lazy to make rice, I actually love eating the pork belly with steamed veggies. It's still delicious and satisfying....and if you're avoiding carbs, it's perfect!

If you're looking for other Chinese recipes, here are some that are worth checking out, and that were all inspired by what my mum used to make!

Close-up of a spoonful of rice, pork belly, and zucchini.

As I mentioned before, my mum used to cook this dish all the time. Served with hot rice and oftentimes a bowl of some sort of Chinese soup, every spoonful was so comforting and satisfying. Every spoonful I have when I make this dish now is loaded with nostalgia and warm food memories from my childhood. I hope you'll try it and get some enjoyment from it, too!

~ Lisa.