Japanese Pork and Cabbage with Ponzu Sauce

Japanese Pork and Cabbage with Ponzu Sauce is a delicious, nutritious, and easy-to-make dish. The combination of pork belly, green cabbage or napa cabbage, and ponzu sauce is a perfect match.

Japanese Pork and Cabbage with Ponzu Sauce is a dish in which pork and cabbage are steamed together in a pan and then seasoned with ponzu sauce. Steaming brings out the natural flavors of the ingredients, and the addition of ponzu creates a well-balanced, harmonious taste. It is a great option when you want to prepare a nutritious meal with minimal ingredients and effort—all in a single pan.

The combination of pork, cabbage, and ponzu sauce works beautifully and is commonly featured in various recipes in Japan. Additionally, this dish is a great way to use up leftover cabbage and any extra ponzu you might have on hand.

There are several reasons why pork and cabbage are often used together.

In terms of flavor, pork has a savory, umami-rich taste, while cabbage offers a subtle sweetness and a crunchy texture. Cooking them together enhances the dish’s sweetness and texture without overpowering the flavor of the pork. Cabbage, infused with the pork’s flavor, creates a delightful balance of richness and sweetness.

Additionally, from a nutritional standpoint, pork and cabbage complement each other well. Pork is rich in iron and vitamin B1, while cabbage is high in vitamin C and dietary fiber. Vitamin C promotes iron absorption and supports the function of vitamin B1, while dietary fiber can help reduce fat absorption and aid digestion—making this combination especially beneficial.

Pork has different flavors depending on the cut, but for this dish, a fattier cut is preferable—specifically, pork belly is an excellent choice. While you can use leaner cuts, fattier ones pair better with ponzu sauce, as their richness complements the sauce and helps balance the flavors.

No matter which cut you choose, be sure to use thin slices. This improves the overall texture when combined with cabbage.

This recipe uses green cabbage, which is readily available, but napa cabbage is also a great option.

Napa cabbage has thicker leaves and a more distinctive flavor than green cabbage, and when cooked with pork, its taste really shines through. If it is available in your area, definitely give it a try—you will enjoy the dish with a different flavor compared to when it is made with green cabbage.

You can enjoy this dish by adding a few extra ingredients besides pork and cabbage. Ingredients like carrots, bean sprouts, and mushrooms work well. However, keep in mind that pork and cabbage are the main ingredients, so try not to go overboard with the extras.

Ingredients

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Instructions

🕒 Total: 15 mins mins

Step 1
Cut the pork into 4-inch (10 cm) pieces. Cut the cabbage into bite-sized pieces. Thinly slice the green onion.

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Step 2
Place the cabbage in a pan and arrange the pork on top, overlapping as little as possible. Add sake over the pork and heat the pan. Once the pan is hot, cover it and cook over medium-low heat for about 10 minutes.

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Step 3
Turn off the heat and remove the lid. Pour ponzu sauce over the pork and sprinkle with the green onions.

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To store

You can store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

After enjoying the dish, you can discard the leftover cooking liquid, but adding cooked udon noodles—such as those thawed from frozen—can turn it into an extra treat. The ponzu sauce, infused with the flavors of pork and cabbage, pairs well with the noodles, so feel free to give it a try.