Honey Garlic Pork Ramen
Honey garlic anything is basically cheating because the combination is so reliably delicious that it makes almost any protein taste incredible, and pork chops are no exception. The honey caramelizes in the pan, the garlic gets sticky and sweet instead of sharp, and the pork develops this glossy lacquer that makes it look like something from a restaurant even though you made it in a regular skillet. Slicing the glazed pork over ramen noodles in a light broth lets all those sweet-savory juices mingle with the soup, creating something that's comforting and satisfying in that specific way that Asian takeout always promises but rarely delivers. The key is getting a good sear on the pork before adding the glaze, so you have that caramelized crust underneath all that sticky sweetness.
Honey draws the fire—garlic whispers through the glaze—pork wears golden light.
Let Me Tell You...
I learned how to make honey garlic pork from a YouTube video at two in the morning when I couldn't sleep and fell down a rabbit hole of cooking content.
The chef in the video made it look effortless, building this glossy glaze in the pan while the pork cooked, and I remember thinking it couldn't possibly be that easy.
But it was.
The next day I made it exactly as she showed, and the pork came out sticky and sweet and perfect, with a glaze that clung to every surface and made me want to lick the pan.
You need that time to develop a proper golden crust before glazing.
The trick to honey garlic pork is patience at the searing stage and speed at the glazing stage, because honey burns quickly once the heat gets high.
You sear the pork until it's golden, then add your garlic and let it soften for just thirty seconds before the honey and soy sauce go in.
Then you're flipping and basting constantly, building up layers of glaze until the pork is lacquered and sticky.
It sounds fussy but it happens fast, maybe two minutes from adding the honey to pulling the pork from the pan.
Too high and it burns to bitter caramel, too low and it won't thicken into a proper glaze.
Putting the glazed pork over ramen came from a night when I wanted something more substantial than just pork and vegetables, and the combination was immediately obvious in hindsight.
The light broth keeps things from getting too heavy, and the noodles give you something to slurp while you cut into pieces of that sticky, sweet pork.
Some of the glaze drips down into the broth and adds sweetness, which sounds weird but tastes right.
I add a squeeze of lime at the end to cut through all that richness.
This keeps the meat tender instead of chewy.
This ramen is my go-to when I want something that feels special but doesn't require much actual skill, the kind of recipe that looks impressive but is basically just searing meat and making a two-ingredient glaze.
The pork stays juicy if you don't overcook it, the glaze stays sticky if you keep the heat right, and the whole thing comes together in about thirty minutes.
Sometimes the simplest recipes are the ones that become your regulars.
Ingredients
- 2 packages ramen noodles (discard seasoning packets)
- 2 boneless pork chops (about 1 inch thick, 6 oz each)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 1/4 cup honey
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 6 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
Preparation
- Remove the pork chops from the refrigerator 15 minutes before cooking. Pat dry with paper towels and season both sides generously with salt and pepper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the honey, soy sauce, and rice vinegar. Set aside.
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the pork chops and cook without moving for 3-4 minutes until a golden crust forms.
- Flip the pork chops. Add the minced garlic to the pan around the pork and cook for 30 seconds until fragrant.
- Reduce heat to medium. Pour the honey-soy mixture over and around the pork chops. Cook for 2-3 minutes, flipping the pork every 30 seconds and spooning the glaze over the top repeatedly. The glaze should thicken and become sticky.
- When the pork reaches 145°F internal temperature and the glaze coats the meat, transfer to a cutting board. Let rest for 5 minutes.
- While the pork rests, bring the chicken broth to a simmer in a medium pot. Stir in the sesame oil.
- Cook the ramen noodles according to package instructions. Drain and divide between two serving bowls.
- Ladle the hot broth over the noodles. Slice the rested pork against the grain into 1/2-inch strips.
- Arrange the sliced pork over the noodles, drizzling any remaining glaze from the cutting board over the top. Garnish with sliced green onions and sesame seeds. Serve with lime wedges.