17 Healthy Pork Recipes That Are Still Hearty Enough to Satisfy (2024)

Low-Sugar Barbecue Pulled Pork Sandwiches

As much as we love pouring on the barbecue sauce, purchased sauces can be loaded with added sugar. Enter a tickle-your-tastebuds homemade sauce that's naturally sweetened with dates and tomatoes. Add that to lean, slow-cooked pulled pork atop a whole-wheat bun, and you've got a healthy pork dinner idea to satisfy any cookout craving.

Buy It: Crock-Pot Slow Cooker ($40, Target)

Apple Cider-Brined Pork Chops

Apple cider isn't reserved for cold-weather comfort food. The crisp drink gives boneless pork chops a moist and full flavor and reduces cooking time on the grill. Serve with miniature sweet peppers and French bread for a complete meal.

Oven-Roasted Pork with Rhubarb Barbecue Sauce

Pork loin takes on a bright spring flavor with tangy mango-rhubarb stuffing. Slather the lean pork recipe with a double dose of juicy barbecue sauce.

Test Kitchen Tip: Rhubarb not in season? Replace fresh rhubarb with 1½ pounds frozen cut rhubarb for the sauce.

Curried Cider-Pork Stew

This healthy pork shoulder recipe is the perfect cozy stew to help warm up on a chilly day. Sweet-tart apples, butternut squash, and carrots are added to the pot for a fall dinner that will have everyone coming back for second helpings.

Buy It: Lodge Dutch Oven ($100, Target)

Pork and Red Cabbage Skillet

This one-skillet healthy pork recipe is made with just five ingredients and takes 25 minutes total to prepare. A splash of apple cider vinegar adds a tart, crisp flavor to the juicy pork dinner. If you're not a fan of cabbage, substitute it for Brussels sprouts.

Jamaican Pork Stir-Fry

Jamaican-style stir-fried pork and peppers with a bit of heat are easy ingredients to prep and toss together. Serve the 20-minute healthy pork recipe over brown rice or whole-grain pasta to add additional nutrients.

Quick Pork-and-Vegetable Fried Brown Rice

Fried rice isn't your typical "health food," but this one is loaded with veggies and swaps in nutrient-packed brown rice for traditional white. Meat takes the supporting role in this whole-grain, veggie-full meal, but each serving still packs 19 grams of protein while offering 4 grams of fiber.

Cilantro-Lime Pork

Fresh cilantro and tangy lime give this healthy pork tenderloin recipe bold flavor without adding empty calories. Toss your five ingredients into a slow cooker and enjoy this healthy pork dinner with any of your favorite toppers.

Pork with Butternut Squash Barley Risotto

Showcase fiber-rich barley and butternut squash in a healthy yet hearty risotto. Prep your pork tenderloin while the barley cooks for a complete meal that comes together in an hour.

Healthy Pork Lo Mein

This lightened-up twist on takeout features lean pork loin, plenty of veggies, and a reduced-sodium sauce. Don't worry; chili, sesame, soy, and ginger ensure that each bite of the healthy pork dinner packs all the Asian-inspired flavors you love.

Roast Pork Salad with Ginger-Pineapple Dressing

Spice up a boring brown-bag lunch with a healthy pork salad that can be made 24 hours in advance. After roasting the meat, divide it into four portions and pair with fresh pineapple, peaches, lettuce, and our fruity ginger dressing.

Slow-Cooked Pork Carnitas

This healthy pork shoulder recipe is covered in spices and slow-cooked until juicy-tender. Enjoy a lower-carb take on the Mexican-favorite dish by serving the shredded pork on lettuce or cabbage leaves.

Oven-Fried Pork Chops with Potatoes

Healthy fried pork chops? Believe it! Just take your chops out of the frying pan and into the oven for dinner under 400 calories. Corn bread stuffing mix gives the pork a crisp and crunchy coating while keeping the inside unbelievably moist and juicy.

Chile-Lime Pork

For an uncomplicated healthy pork recipe, marinate pork tenderloin in a zesty lime-garlic sauce, then grill until golden. Purchased guacamole serves as a creamy dipper for the 190-calorie entrée. It's a genuinely satisfying meal perfect for busy weeknights.

Grilled Pork and Pineapple

Grilled pineapple and roasted cashews make this healthy pork chop recipe (complete with a marmalade glaze) a winner. The simple low-fat dinner takes just 18 minutes to complete.

Pan-Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Carrots, Chickpeas, and Cranberries

Ditch the potatoes common to classic pork loin roast for fiber-rich, protein-packed chickpeas. Dried cranberries add a tart flavor to the healthy pork dinner's simple salt-and-pepper rub.

Maple-Pork Wilted Salad

If we're going to eat a salad for dinner, it's going to be one topped with meat, cheese, and nuts. This healthy pork recipe comes together in one skillet for easy cleanup and fuels with 24 grams of protein.

Buy It: Cuisinart Skillet ($23, Bed Bath & Beyond)