Home-styleEasy 20 min serves 2

Pepper Shredded Pork (青椒肉丝)

Name: Pepper Shredded Pork (青椒肉丝)
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Home-style
Ingredients: pork loin (or tenderloin); green bell pepper; light soy sauce; shaoxing wine; cornstarch; garlic cloves; cooking oil; sesame oil; sugar

青椒肉丝 · qing jiao rou si

家庭快手版 · Home version: 家庭快手版——肉丝滑嫩，青椒爽脆，十分钟上桌。

Pepper shredded pork is the ultimate weeknight comfort food in Chinese homes. Thin strips of pork are velveted for silkiness, then stir-fried with crisp green pepper. My mother made this after work on busy Tuesdays — it took 15 minutes from fridge to table and never failed to make my father smile.

Recipe author: HǎoWèi Test Kitchen

Home-cooking research team

Reviewed by HǎoWèi editorial team · Last updated 2026-08-29

More pork recipes →Quick & Easy Comfort Food

Ingredients

pork loin (or tenderloin)猪里脊🛒 local200 g
green bell pepper青椒🛒 local1 large
light soy sauce生抽🏮 asian1 tbsp
shaoxing wine绍兴酒🏮 asian1 tbsp
cornstarch玉米淀粉🛒 local1 tbsp
garlic cloves大蒜🛒 local2 cloves
cooking oil食用油🛒 local2 tbsp
sesame oil香油🏮 asian1/2 tsp
sugar白糖🛒 local1/4 tsp

🌶️ Adjust to your taste

Pick a level and we'll show exactly how much to change — no more "适量".

Spice level

Saltiness

Oiliness

Make it vegetarian

Instructions

1Cut pork loin into thin strips about 5 cm long and 3 mm thick. Place in a bowl with shaoxing wine, 1/2 tbsp light soy sauce, and cornstarch. Mix well and marinate for 10 minutes.
🔍 Look for 10 min
Visual: meat coated in glossy slurry
You know it's right when: liquid absorbed
2Remove seeds from the green pepper and cut into matching thin strips. Mince the garlic.
🔍 Look for
Visual: uniform strip shapes
You know it's right when: prep complete
3Heat oil in a wok over high heat until shimmering. Add the marinated pork and spread in a single layer. Let it sear for 20 seconds without stirring, then stir-fry until the pork turns white.
🔍 Look for High heat
Visual: pork turning opaque white
You know it's right when: sizzling
4Add garlic and green pepper strips. Stir-fry for 1 minute until the pepper softens slightly but remains crisp.
🔍 Look for High heat
Visual: pepper glossy bright green
You know it's right when: fragrant
5Add remaining light soy sauce and sugar. Toss for 15 seconds. Drizzle sesame oil and serve immediately over steamed rice.
🔍 Look for
Visual: sauce glossy coating meat
You know it's right when: ready

Tips

· Velveting (上浆) is the secret to tender pork — the cornstarch creates a protective coating that locks in moisture.
· High heat is essential. If your wok isn't hot enough, the pork will stew instead of stir-fry.
· Green bell pepper works best — sweet and crisp. Don't use hot peppers for this dish.

Sources & references

Quantities, technique notes, and substitution ratios are cross-checked against established Chinese cookery references and standard food-science sources.

Read our editorial policy
Fuchsia Dunlop, Land of Plenty: A Treasury of Authentic Sichuan Cooking
USDA FoodData Central — ingredient nutrition and portion data
Traditional Chinese family-kitchen practice and regional taste records

Common questions

Can I skip Shaoxing wine? What's the substitute?

Dry sherry is the closest 1:1 swap (fidelity ~80%). No sherry? Use a splash of white wine plus a little water, or just skip it and add a tiny extra pinch of sugar — the wine's job is depth and removing meat's gamey notes, and a good marinade covers most of it.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

Is there a vegan substitute for oyster sauce?

Yes — 'mushroom oyster sauce' (often labeled vegetarian/vegan) is sold in most Asian grocers and increasingly in mainstream supermarkets. It behaves 1:1 and adds the same glossy umami. Watch labels if you're also gluten-free; most brands are GF, some aren't.

Source: HǎoWèi substitution engine

What's the difference between light and dark soy sauce?

Light soy (生抽) is the everyday salty seasoning — thin and salty, used in most recipes. Dark soy (老抽) is thicker, darker, slightly sweet, and used mostly for color (braises, fried rice). If you only buy one, get light soy. For dark soy's color: 1 tbsp light soy + a pinch of sugar + a few drops of molasses.

Source: HǎoWèi pantry guide

Ingredient swaps

Can't find an Asian-market staple? Use these.

Swap: light soy sauce
→ regular soy sauce
Ratio: 1:1 · Slightly saltier — dial salt back by a pinch.
Swap: shaoxing wine
→ dry sherry or mirin (less sweet)
Ratio: 1:1 · Both add the same warm fermented depth.
Swap: sesame oil
→ toasted sesame oil (same thing!)
Ratio: 1:1 · Check the label: use toasted (dark), not raw.

Don't make these mistakes

The traps every home cook hits — and how to avoid them.

✗ Crowding the pan — ingredients steam instead of sear.
✓ Fix: Cook in batches; give each piece room to brown.
✗ Adding sauce too early — the wok cools and flavors dull.
✓ Fix: Push food up the wok wall, add sauce to the hot center, toss fast.