Pan-Seared Shanghainese Soy-Glazed Pork Belly
Tender pork belly slices pan-seared to a caramelized finish and glazed with a classic Shanghainese soy and sugar sauce. This Chinese-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 40 minutes, pairs pork belly, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 380 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 500 g, skin removed, sliced into 1/2-inch thick pieces pork belly
- 3 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
- 20 g, thinly sliced ginger
- 3, smashed garlic cloves
- 100 ml water
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil
- 2, sliced thinly for garnish scallions
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Equipment for this recipe
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Instructions
- Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add 500 g pork belly slices and sear for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown and the edges start to crisp.
- Step 2: Remove pork belly from the skillet and set aside. In the same skillet, add 20 g sliced ginger and 3 smashed garlic cloves, sauté for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Step 3: Add 3 tbsp light soy sauce, 1 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp granulated sugar, and 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine to the skillet, stirring to combine and dissolve sugar.
- Step 4: Return pork belly to the skillet, add 100 ml water, then bring to a simmer. Reduce heat to low and cook, uncovered, for 20 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the pork.
- Step 5: Transfer pork belly to a serving dish and spoon the glossy soy glaze over the top. Garnish with 2 sliced scallions before serving.







