I can never resist these crispy, caramelized pork belly slices glazed in sticky honey garlic sauce. They’re rich, savory, and ready to steal the spotlight from any main dish.
I’m obsessed with pork belly when it hits that crispy, browned, ridiculously savory stage, and this honey garlic sauce is exactly why I keep making it. The slices get rich and crackly at the edges, then that glossy sweet-salty sauce clings to every bite like it knows what it’s doing.
I love how the honey plays against the garlic, sticky in the best way, with just enough punch to keep me going back for one more piece. And then another.
No polite little appetizer energy here. This is the kind of snacky, messy, full-flavor pork belly I want on repeat.
Ingredients
- Pork belly is the rich, crispy star, with tender bites and serious comfort-food energy.
- Kosher salt wakes everything up, so the pork doesn’t taste flat.
- Black pepper adds a tiny kick that keeps the sweetness from taking over.
- Neutral oil helps the pork sear without bringing any extra flavor drama.
- Garlic gets sweet and bold, basically making the sauce smell amazing.
- Honey brings that sticky glaze you’ll want all over your rice.
- Soy sauce adds salty depth, and tamari keeps it gluten free if needed.
- Rice vinegar cuts the richness, so each bite doesn’t feel too heavy.
- Water loosens the sauce, helping it coat the pork instead of clumping.
- Cornstarch makes the sauce thicker and glossy, if you’re into that takeout vibe.
- Sesame oil adds a nutty finish.
Plus, it smells ridiculously good.
- Scallions bring freshness and a little crunch to balance the fatty pork.
- Toasted sesame seeds add nuttiness, texture, and make the bowl look finished.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb (450 g) pork belly, thinly sliced
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 tbsp honey
- 2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free)
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tsp cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil (optional, for finishing)
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced for garnish
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
How to Make this
1. Pat pork belly slices dry with paper towels and season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
2. In a small bowl combine minced garlic, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and water; if using cornstarch, whisk it into the water first until dissolved, then add to the bowl and mix well.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
4. Add pork belly slices in a single layer, working in batches if needed to avoid crowding, and pan-fry 3 to 4 minutes per side until well browned and crispy at the edges.
5. Remove cooked pork to a plate and keep warm while you finish the sauce in the same pan.
6. Reduce heat to medium, add the garlic-honey mixture to the pan, and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
7. Cook the sauce 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened; if you did not use cornstarch, simmer a little longer until it reduces to a glaze.
8. Return the pork slices to the pan and toss to coat thoroughly in the glaze, cooking 1 minute more to heat through.
9. Remove from heat, finish with 1 tablespoon sesame oil if using, garnish with thinly sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds, and serve immediately.
Equipment Needed
1. Cutting board
2. Chef knife
3. Paper towels
4. Small mixing bowl
5. Measuring spoons and measuring cup
6. Whisk or fork
7. Large frying pan or skillet
8. Tongs or spatula
9. Plate for resting cooked pork
FAQ
Pork Belly With Honey Garlic Sauce Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Pork belly
- Pork shoulder, thinly sliced, for a leaner, meatier bite
- Thick-cut bacon, diced, for smoky, crisped texture
- Firm tofu, pressed and sliced, for a vegetarian alternative
- Honey
- Maple syrup, similar sweetness with a deeper flavor
- Light brown sugar dissolved in a little warm water, for caramel notes
- Agave nectar, milder and slightly thinner consistency
- Soy sauce
- Coconut aminos, lower sodium and gluten free
- Tamari, a gluten free soy alternative with similar saltiness
- Liquid aminos, for a slightly different savory profile
- Cornstarch (thickening)
- Arrowroot powder, clear, glossy finish and neutral taste
- All purpose flour, use more and cook a bit longer to remove raw taste
- Potato starch, good for glossy sauces and short cooking times
Pro Tips
– Get the slices as dry as possible before cooking. Pat them firmly with paper towels and let them sit a few minutes at room temperature if you can. That helps them brown faster and get crispier edges.
– Don’t overcrowd the pan. Cook in batches so each slice has space to develop a good crust. If the pan cools down from added meat, give it time to come back up to temperature before adding the next batch.
– If you like a glossy, clingy glaze, dissolve the cornstarch in the water first and add it to the sauce. For a more intensely flavored glaze without thickener, simmer the sauce a bit longer to reduce it and concentrate the honey and soy.
– Finish gently and serve immediately. Stir the pork through the hot glaze for just about a minute so the pieces stay crisp. Drizzle the sesame oil at the end for aroma rather than cooking it off, and scatter scallions and sesame seeds right before serving for contrast in texture and freshness.
Pork Belly With Honey Garlic Sauce Recipe
I can never resist these crispy, caramelized pork belly slices glazed in sticky honey garlic sauce. They’re rich, savory, and ready to steal the spotlight from any main dish.
4
servings
704
kcal
Equipment: 1. Cutting board
2. Chef knife
3. Paper towels
4. Small mixing bowl
5. Measuring spoons and measuring cup
6. Whisk or fork
7. Large frying pan or skillet
8. Tongs or spatula
9. Plate for resting cooked pork
Ingredients
1 lb (450 g) pork belly, thinly sliced
1 tsp kosher salt
1/4 tsp freshly ground black pepper
1 tbsp neutral oil (vegetable or canola)
3 garlic cloves, minced
3 tbsp honey
2 tbsp soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free)
1 tbsp rice vinegar
2 tbsp water
1 tsp cornstarch (optional, for thickening)
1 tbsp sesame oil (optional, for finishing)
2 scallions, thinly sliced for garnish
1 tsp toasted sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
Directions
- Pat pork belly slices dry with paper towels and season both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- In a small bowl combine minced garlic, honey, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and water; if using cornstarch, whisk it into the water first until dissolved, then add to the bowl and mix well.
- Heat 1 tablespoon neutral oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add pork belly slices in a single layer, working in batches if needed to avoid crowding, and pan-fry 3 to 4 minutes per side until well browned and crispy at the edges.
- Remove cooked pork to a plate and keep warm while you finish the sauce in the same pan.
- Reduce heat to medium, add the garlic-honey mixture to the pan, and bring to a gentle simmer, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom.
- Cook the sauce 2 to 3 minutes until slightly thickened; if you did not use cornstarch, simmer a little longer until it reduces to a glaze.
- Return the pork slices to the pan and toss to coat thoroughly in the glaze, cooking 1 minute more to heat through.
- Remove from heat, finish with 1 tablespoon sesame oil if using, garnish with thinly sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds, and serve immediately.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 156g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 704kcal
- Fat: 66.4g
- Saturated Fat: 21.9g
- Trans Fat: 0.1g
- Polyunsaturated: 10g
- Monounsaturated: 37.5g
- Cholesterol: 81mg
- Sodium: 1100mg
- Potassium: 337mg
- Carbohydrates: 18.3g
- Fiber: 0.5g
- Sugar: 15.8g
- Protein: 11g
- Vitamin A: 200IU
- Vitamin C: 2mg
- Calcium: 40mg
- Iron: 0.6mg
