Slimming-Friendly Pork Recipes

When you’re watching what you eat, it can be easy to think your weekly meal plan needs to stick to a rotation of vegetables, fish, chicken or turkey. Other types of meat, particularly pork, are often seen as fattier and higher in calories. 

A versatile and flavourful meat, pork is simply too tasty to miss out on! The right cuts can be both economical and slimming friendly, especially when combined with plenty of vegetables. 

If you’re looking to put pork back on the menu at your house, we’ve got you covered with this handy roundup of slimming-friendly pork recipes. 

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Salt and Pepper Pork

A fakeaway favourite, this Salt and Pepper Pork is on the table in a super speedy 20 minutes. Proving our point that pork recipes can be slimming friendly, there are just 320 calories in each serving. 

We use pork loin steaks for this recipe – when they’re fully trimmed, this is a surprisingly lean cut of meat, with plenty of flavour. Coat the pork really well in the homemade spice mix, and be as generous with the chilli flakes as you dare!

Serve with a simple side dish of fluffy boiled rice and get stuck in! You can find more ideas for a Chinese-inspired fakeaway night in this article.

Pulled Pork

If you think Pulled Pork is too indulgent, you’re doing it wrong! Our tender, fall-off-the-fork pork is smothered in a sweet, sticky sauce – and it still works out at a slimming-friendly 395 calories per portion. 

This recipe starts with a pork shoulder joint, and although this can be quite a fatty cut, you’ll be giving it a good trim before you get down to business. Whether you cook it in the oven, slow cooker or pressure cooker, when it’s ready it’ll be perfect for filling sandwiches, pairing with salads or mixing into pasta. 

We reckon cooking this recipe in the slow cooker is the ultimate convenience: leave it to simmer away all day and come home to the irresistible smell of tender BBQ pork. If you don’t already have a slow cooker, we’d recommend looking out for one with at least a 3.5 litre capacity. 

Pssst…if you’re looking for ways to use up your juicy pulled pork, may we suggest taking a look at this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Lasagne recipe!

Pork Carnitas with Pineapple and Mango Salsa

We love to give pork a Mexican-inspired twist, by treating ourselves to these Pork Carnitas with Pineapple and Mango Salsa. Served in lettuce cups with a zingy pineapple and mango salsa, these make for a lovely light lunch idea. 

In the recipe we advise you to use lean diced pork (and we’d cut off any extra visible fat before getting started). The meat gets sealed in a hot pan before being poached in a flavour-packed cooking liquid made with stock, citrus juice and diet cola (yes, really!), so it’ll turn out beautifully tender, despite being such a lean cut. 

Mexican Pork Fillet

Speaking of Mexican-inspired flavours, the vibrant mix of chilli and citrus pairs so well with pork that we couldn’t resist creating this Mexican Pork Fillet recipe. A pork fillet is one of the leanest cuts of pork, and this punchy marinade really brings it to life. 

Perfect for an alternative Sunday dinner idea, we love to serve slices of this pork with a crisp fresh salad or these Mexican Potatoes. At 201 calories per serving you’ll want to save any leftovers for a sandwich the next day!

This recipe is started on the hob and finished in the oven. It’s well worth investing in a good quality ovenproof frying pan to save on washing up! 

Pork and Pepper Stew

Smoky and sweet paprika and juicy pork are a flavour combination that just makes sense. If you fancy something hearty and warming for dinner, you can’t go wrong with our Pork and Pepper Stew. 

Coming in at a slimming-friendly 248 calories per portion, you’ll love how many vegetables we’ve squeezed in with our strips of lean pork steaks. The rich tomato sauce takes on a delicious, deep flavour from the paprika, and it’s even better when it’s finished off with a good sprinkling of cracked black pepper. 

We’d recommend serving on top of Creamy Mashed Potatoes to soak up every last bit of tasty goodness!

Bang Bang Pork with Spicy Roast Potatoes

Pork, broccoli and potatoes…so simple, yet so delicious! In well under an hour, this Bang Bang Pork with Spicy Roast Potatoes could be on your plate. It’s a one-pot wonder of a dish, which means it’s super easy to cook, and even easier to clean up afterwards. 

We’re using lean diced pork again, coated in a spicy, nutty seasoning that adds so much flavour. A whole hearty meal, with no need for a side dish, (unless you want to add some extra veggies!) this recipe works out at just 343 calories per serving. Who said pork couldn’t be slimming friendly?

Parmesan Pork Skewers

If you’re looking to add a fuss-free, fast dinner to your midweek menu, these Parmesan Pork Skewers will save the day. On the table in just 20 minutes, the easy, cheesy recipe is just 287 calories per portion. 

To get the most flavour out of your pork, we’d recommend leaving it to marinate overnight in our blend of garlic, herbs, Dijon mustard and red wine vinegar. This will keep it really nice and juicy when it’s cooked. 

You can make these skewers on the barbecue in the summertime, but did you know you can also cook them in your air fryer? You can find the air fryer method here. If you haven’t picked up an air fryer yet, it’s never too late! Why not start with our rundown of the best air fryers to buy?

Honey and Lime Pork Nachos

These Honey and Lime Pork Nachos are fun to look at, and even more fun to eat. They’re made with 5% fat pork mince, reduced-fat cheese and low-fat Greek yoghurt to keep the calories down, without losing out on the tasty flavours. 

Ideal for sharing as a starter or snack, they bring so much crunch to the table. We can’t get enough of the crispy tortilla chips, loaded with spicy pork, fresh tomatoes, melted cheese and crunchy onions. Don’t skip the sprinkle of coriander at the end of the recipe – trust us, it brings everything together beautifully!

Viking Pork

The inspiration for our viral Viking Toast recipe, this Viking Pork is guaranteed to be a family favourite. We promise you’ll be blown away by how much flavour you can add to a plain pork chop! You can use pork chops or lean pork steaks for this one – just remember to trim away any visible fat to keep it slimming friendly. 

Using just a handful of simple ingredients, we’ve created a tangy, cheesy, savoury topping that melts onto the pork. Grill until it’s golden brown and serve up with a side of freshly steamed vegetables for an easy dinner that you’ll want time and time again. 

This recipe can only be found in our Quick and Easy cookbook. If you don’t have a copy yet, you can pick one up here. 

Thai Style Pork Curry

If you love fusion flavours, how about a Massaman-style dish for your next fakeaway night? Our Thai Style Pork Curry blends ingredients from India (including cumin and cardamom) and Thailand (including lemongrass and tamarind) to make a hearty, warming, slimming-friendly dinner. 

The homemade curry paste really brings the flavour, and it’s so much tastier than using a shop-bought version. Smoky, spicy and fragrant, it perfectly complements the tender pork and potatoes. 

In a rush? You can cook this recipe in an Instant Pot for all in the flavour in a fraction of the time. It’s so handy when you want your pork to be lovely and tender without waiting hours for it to cook in the oven. This 7-in-1 Instant Pot can be ordered from Amazon – it comes with lots of useful functions including slow cooking, steaming and even yoghurt making!

Which slimming-friendly pork recipe will you be making first?

We’d love to know what your favourite pork recipes are! Drop us a comment or photo over in our Facebook group! With almost 1 million members, there’s always plenty of ideas and inspiration to help you along on your slimming journey. 

Did you know that you can share your hints, tips, quotes and photos in our PON Gallery too? It’s a good place to hang out if you want to see what everyone else has been making lately. 

If you liked this article, you’ll love exploring the rest of our blog. Browse any time you need a little bit of inspiration for recipe ideas, kitchen equipment, money-saving tips and LOADS more!