Spicy Pork and Asparagus Stir-Fry is a one-pan, Whole30- and keto-friendly weeknight supper that’s simple, delicious, and inexpensive. So yeah, all of your excuses for why you can’t cook dinner tonight have been busted.
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No more excuses!
Oh, you have more excuses? Someone in your family doesn’t like spicy food? Leave out the peppers! You hate pork? Sub in another ground protein that you love! You’re doing a Whole30 or keto challenge? Great! This recipe is totally compliant. Asparagus makes your pee smell funny? That happens to me, too—deal with it. Your family will love this cheap, fast, and easy dinner!
Clean out the fridge!
Similar to my Garbage Stir-Fry recipe, this weeknight quickie supper is the perfect way to clear out your vegetable crisper. You can substitute another chopped seasonal vegetable for the asparagus and you’ll be a-OK (e.g. broccolini, Chinese broccoli, collard greens, etc.). By adding a variety of colorful vegetables, you’ll be increasing the nutrients in the stir-fry without even trying!
Prep for success!
Although it’ll take a few extra minutes to chop all the vegetables and measure out the seasonings before you start cooking, the actual stir-frying part will be stress-free and fast. Once the pan is hot, you can quickly throw in the ingredients sequentially and dinner will be on the table in a blink of an eye. Also, if you already have a jar of my All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce in the fridge, you can use it as the seasoning in this recipe! I’m all about the shortcuts to deliciousness, remember?
Ingredients
- Asparagus
- Ground pork, ground turkey (not the super lean stuff), or your favorite ground protein
- Shallot
- Garlic
- Red jalapenos, Fresno peppers, or Thai chilies
- Scallions
- Avocado oil, ghee, or cooking fat of choice
- Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt
- Coconut aminos*
- Rice vinegar* (you can sub balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar)
- Fish sauce*
- Toasted sesame oil*
*Got a jar of All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce in the fridge? Use ¼ cup of it in place of the coconut aminos, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and toasted sesame oil!
How to make Spicy Pork and Asparagus Stir Fry
Grab your asparagus and get chopping! Start by trimming the tough ends off. I keep the thick rubber bands on the asparagus, spy where the ends morph from green to whitish (the tough part), and slice through the whole bundle at that point. (The method where you snap each piece of asparagus to find the “breaking point” is both tedious and unnecessary.)
Next, discard the tough ends in the compost bin and slice the asparagus crosswise into ½-inch thick coins, down to the tips.
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, swirl in the cooking fat so you have a thin layer of fat coating the bottom.
As soon as the fat is shimmering, toss in the shallots and a sprinkle of salt.
Cook, stirring, for a couple minutes or until the shallots are softened.
Toss in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Add the ground pork and break it up with spatula.
Sprinkle on some salt and increase the heat to medium-high.
Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until no longer pink.
Toss in the asparagus coins…
…and minced chilies…
…and cook until the asparagus are tender-crisp, about 2 minutes.
Stir in the coconut aminos, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and sesame oil. (Got a jar of All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce in the fridge? Use ¼ cup of it in place of the coconut aminos, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and toasted sesame oil!)
Turn off the heat and taste a bite. If necessary, adjust the seasoning to your liking.
Toss in the scallions and holler at your family to get to the table!
Craving more veggies? Serve this stir-fry with a side of cauliflower rice!
Leftover makeover ideas!
The leftover spicy pork and asparagus stir-fry can be store in a sealed container in the fridge for up to four days and in the freezer for up to four months.
If you want to change things up, you can use the leftover stir-fry in these tasty recipes:
- Egg Foo Young
- Easy Paleo Frittata
- Paleo Curried Meat Pies (use in place of the Deconstructed Samosa)
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).
PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD
Spicy Pork and Asparagus Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 1 pound asparagus
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil ghee, or cooking fat of choice
- 1 large shallot finely chopped
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 pound ground pork ground turkey (not the super lean stuff), or your favorite ground protein
- 2 red jalapenos 2 Fresno peppers, or 2 Thai chilies, seeded and diced, OR 1 teaspoon crushed red pepper (optional)
- 2 tablespoons coconut aminos*
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar* you can sub balsamic vinegar or apple cider vinegar
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce*
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil*
- 2 scallions trimmed and thinly sliced
- *Got a jar of All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce in the fridge? Use ¼ cup of it in place of the coconut aminos rice vinegar, fish sauce, and toasted sesame oil!
Instructions
- Grab your asparagus and get chopping! Start by trimming the tough ends off. I keep the thick rubber bands on the asparagus, spy where the ends morph from green to whitish (the tough part), and slice through the whole bundle at that point. (The method where you snap each piece of asparagus to find the “breaking point” is both tedious and unnecessary.)
- Next, discard the tough ends in the compost bin and slice the asparagus crosswise into ½-inch thick coins, down to the tips.
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, swirl in the cooking fat so you have a thin layer of fat coating the bottom.
- As soon as the fat is shimmering, toss in the shallots and a sprinkle of salt.
- Cook, stirring, for a couple minutes or until the shallots are softened.
- Toss in the minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
- Add the ground pork and break it up with spatula.
- Sprinkle on some salt and increase the heat to medium-high.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 3 to 5 minutes or until no longer pink.
- Toss in the asparagus coins and minced chilies, and cook until the asparagus are tender-crisp, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in the coconut aminos, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and sesame oil. (Got a jar of All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce in the fridge? Use ¼ cup of it in place of the coconut aminos, rice vinegar, fish sauce, and toasted sesame oil!)
- Turn off the heat and taste a bite. If necessary, adjust the seasoning to your liking.
- Toss in the scallions and holler at your family to get to the table!
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I loved this recipe! I love getting my cruciferous veggies in with my protein! The flavor was so yummy (I used the various ingredients listed for sauce, not the premade stir fry sauce), subbed turkey for pork, and decided to throw in green peas. Looking forward to making this again and again.
Hi, that All-Purpose Stir-Fry Sauce is Keto?
Yes!
Delicious recipe as written. Not really spicy.