21 Easy Pork Recipes to Make for Sunday Dinner

Healthy Oven-Fried Pork Chops

Enjoy the end of the weekend with these cozy recipes that make the most of pork chops, tenderloin and shoulder, but only require 20 minutes of active time or less. This mix of easy dinners runs the gamut from soup to slow-cooker ribs, so you're sure to find something tasty. Recipes like our Healthy Oven-Fried Pork Chops and Slow-Cooker Pork Posole are simple, delicious dinners that will leave you feeling ready for the week ahead.

01 of 21

Healthy Oven-Fried Pork Chops

78210.jpg

These whole-wheat panko breadcrumb-coated pork chops get just as crispy as fried chops, but they're healthier. Oven-frying saves you fat and calories while producing chops that are crispy on the outside, yet juicy inside. Serve with steamed broccoli and baked sweet potato for a satisfying weeknight dinner.

02 of 21

Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry-Port Sauce

Roast Pork Tenderloin with Cranberry-Port Sauce
Greg DuPree

Here, mustard topped with fresh herbs makes a crisp, flavorful crust on the roasted pork tenderloin that plays well with the juicy sauce.

03 of 21

Skillet Pork Chops with Peas, Carrots & Pearl Onions

6960155.jpg

This superfast one-dish dinner is full of classic flavor and is such a crowd pleaser that you'll want to work it into your regular weeknight dinner rotation. We call for bone-in pork chops to maximize flavor, but boneless pork chops are a fine substitution. To round out this meal a little more, serve with rice or mashed potatoes.

04 of 21

Slow-Cooker Pork Posole

7240922.jpg

Mexican pork posole is the perfect dish to serve to a crowd. It's hearty, comforting and full of well-loved ingredients. Mashing some of the beans and hominy thickens the slow-cooker posole and releases more of their earthy flavor. For a twist, substitute thinly sliced jalapeño chiles, finely shredded green cabbage and fresh thyme or cilantro leaves for the radishes, scallions, and oregano.

05 of 21

Pork Schnitzel with Creamy Dill Sauce

Pork Schnitzel with Creamy Dill Sauce
Jacob Fox

Pounding pork chops before breading and pan-frying is the signature method to getting crisp yet tender German schnitzel. Using an air fryer works well too and cuts back on calories.

06 of 21

Roast Pork Loin with Salsa Verde

Roast Pork Loin with Salsa Verde
Eric Wolfinger

Colorado chef-farmer Eric Skokan began raising heritage Mulefoot pigs more than a decade ago, in part because he found the taste incomparable. His pigs spend their days outdoors, munching through fields of overripe (and thus not restaurant-worthy) organic vegetables and pasture. It's worth seeking out pastured pork for its bold and complex flavor; robust sauces like this salsa verde complement it especially well. Blending an ice cube with the herbs helps preserve their vibrant color.

07 of 21

Sheet-Pan Maple-Mustard Pork Chops & Carrots

6433778.jpg

You need just one pan for this satisfying weeknight dinner. A sweet and savory maple-mustard glaze livens up baked pork chops, while the carrots are jazzed up with flavor-boosting and anti-inflammatory garlic, ginger and turmeric. Rainbow carrots add colorful pizazz, but regular orange carrots are a just-as-tasty substitute. Pork dries out easily--using an instant-read thermometer ensures meat is cooked safely, but still moist.

08 of 21

Slow-Cooker Baby Back Ribs

5095084.jpg

This easy load-and-go crock pot recipe is a great dinner to make with your kids. Let the kids stir the sauce while you rub the ribs, then just let the slow cooker do the rest of the work! Serve with a colorful coleslaw and brown rice.

09 of 21

Pork Chops with Balsamic Sweet Onions

6343065.jpg

Balsamic onions and raisins add a burst of sweet and savory flavor to pan-seared pork chops. Round out this healthy dinner recipe with sweet potatoes and green beans.

10 of 21

Grilled Bone-In Pork Chops

6963271.jpg

Juicy grilled pork chops with a tiny bit of sweetness and a faint hint of spiciness make for an excellent simple dinner main that pairs with practically any side. A simple brine imparts flavor, but mostly keeps the pork chops from drying out; just don't marinate the meat for any longer than 4 hours or it'll soften the texture.

11 of 21

Air-Fryer Pork Chops

7410058.jpg

These crispy breaded air-fryer pork chops don't require a lot of oil to create a deep-fried crispy crust. Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce or alongside roasted veggies. Want to double the recipe? Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to cook the pork chops in batches, but that's easy to do.

12 of 21

Garlic-Lime Pork with Farro & Spinach

5583211.jpg

In this easy main dish recipe, pork chops are paired with farro and spinach in a zesty peanut butter-lime sauce. This one-skillet meal will be on the table in under 30 minutes and requires minimal cleanup.

13 of 21

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples & Squash

Pork Tenderloin with Roasted Apples & Squash
Jacob Fox

This pork tenderloin recipe roasts apples and acorn squash alongside for an easy, delicious weeknight meal. Preheated baking sheets help jump-start the roasting process, ensuring everything gets nicely browned.

14 of 21

Italian Roasted Pork Tenderloin with Vegetables & Quinoa

6895194.jpg

For the best flavor in this easy roasted pork tenderloin dish, start marinating the pork the night before or get it going before you head off to work in the morning. Then, when you get home, all that's left to do is roast the pork and vegetables and prepare the quinoa for this easy healthy dinner. This recipe makes extra quinoa--use the leftovers as a base for easy meal-prep lunches, salads, stir-fries later in the week.

15 of 21

One-Pan Pork Tenderloin with Heirloom Tomato & Shallot Confit

7664164.jpg

Pair juicy, tender pork with a rich, flavorful tomato confit that tastes like melted tomatoes and sweet shallot preserves. We think this sweet and savory pork recipe is just as suitable for company as it is for Wednesday night dinner at home.

16 of 21

Sheet-Pan Pork & Cherry Tomatoes

5147292.jpg

Rutabaga is a root vegetable that tastes like cabbage and turnips had a baby. Start roasting it in the oven first while you prep the tomatoes and pork. As the tomatoes cook, they burst and create a delicious sauce to mix with the balsamic vinegar at the end.

17 of 21

Slow-Cooker Pork Sausage Bolognese

Slow-Cooker Pork Sausage Bolognese

Here's the meaty, saucy pasta that we all crave. If you have any slow-cooker bolognese leftovers, freeze them and reheat on a cold night when you're in need of a hot, comforting dish. Serve with a simple, crisp salad and crusty bread. For the prettiest appearance, sprinkle with whole fresh basil leaves instead of chopped oregano.

18 of 21

Sweet & Sour Pork with a Sesame Crust

Sweet & Sour Pork with a Sesame Crust

You'll recognize the classic Chinese flavor pairing of sesame, soy and white pepper on these sweet and sour pork chops. White pepper is more mild and earthy than black pepper, but either will work here.

19 of 21

Pork Carnitas

6389302.jpg

This Mexican-inspired meal is an easy crowd-pleaser. Savory pulled pork is served atop crisp corn tortillas and topped with sour cream and salsa in this simple slow-cooker recipe.

20 of 21

Slow-Cooker Easy Jerk Pork Shoulder

7329306.jpg

The name of this recipe says it all: It's an easy, mostly hands-off jerk pork dish that comes together in a snap. The cayenne provides a little heat, but mostly the slow-cooker pork shoulder gets its flavor from the cinnamon and allspice. The bright salsa-pineapple topping cools the dish off and gives it a pretty, dinner-party-worthy appearance. Serve the meat alone, or pile it on buns for sandwiches or shredded atop nachos. Garnish with fresh thyme sprigs, if desired.

21 of 21

Cheesy Kale & Spinach Stuffed Pork Chops

6937017.jpg

With a flavor reminiscent of creamed spinach stuffed inside a tender, seasoned pork chop, this dinner is sure to please. To really make this recipe work best, look for center-cut pork chops with a thin rim of fat on the outside edge. Alternatively, if you'd rather not stuff the pork chop, you can just simply serve the cheesy spinach-and-kale mixture alongside the pork.

Was this page helpful?

Related Articles