Cantonese Steamed Pork With Black Bean Sauce

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Cantonese Steam Pork with Black Bean Sauce is a simple Chinese dish with savory flavors that will remind you of your parent’s cooking! Commonly served with hot white rice and a stir fried vegetable (like Stir-Fried Cabbage) for a healthy Chinese meal at home.

A bowl of steamed pork with black beans, garnished with sliced green onions and chilies.

🔍 Quick Look:

What is it? A classic Chinese dish featuring super tender steamed pork chops topped with a savory black bean sauce made from fermented black beans called dau si. For a similar recipe, check out my Tofu With Black Bean Sauce.
Why you’ll love this recipe: This dish is inspired by one of my favorite Chinese recipes, Chinese spare ribs, which uses the same sauce. The way the pork is marinated and prepped makes it super tender, and we steam the pork for extra juiciness.
🕒 Total Cook Time: 30 minutes
🔥 Cook Method: Steaming the marinated pork (about 10–13 minutes) with the fermented black bean sauce.
👩‍🍳 Flavor Profile: The sauce is a little sweet, salty, and full of umami flavor from the fermented black beans (a Chinese staple sauce).
⭐ Difficulty: It’s easy! Follow the steps and you’ll get tender pork with a really flavorful black bean sauce. Mix the black bean sauce and steam the pork, no need to marinate the meat beforehand.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Cantonese pork with black bean sauce is a common dish that is served at Chinese dim sum restaurants known for it’s sweet and savory flavor. My recipe tastes more like home cooking (compared to the restaurant version) using a healthier and leaner cut of pork — also tastes more salty, less sweet and no MSG. I grew up eating this steamed pork dish because it was quick and easy for my grandma to cook after school. All she had to do was make fresh white rice and boil some veggies for an affordable and healthy meal!

If you’re looking for more tasty pork dishes, don’t miss my Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Rice (Lu Rou Fan), Sweet and Sour Chinese Pork Ribs and Korean Pork Belly BBQ (Samgyeopsal)—it’s just as irresistible!

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🔍 Quick Look:
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Key Ingredients
Substitutions and Variations
How to Make Cantonese Steamed Pork With Black Bean Sauce
Expert Tips
Cantonese Pork With Black Bean Sauce FAQs:
Check Out More Easy Pork Recipes:
Cantonese Steamed Pork With Black Bean Sauce

Key Ingredients

Here’s a look at what you need to make this Cantonese Steamed Pork With Black Bean Sauce. The highlights are here but the full ingredient list and quantities of each are in the recipe card. The black bean sauce is comprised of staple Chinese pantry items like fermented black beans (known as dau si), oyster sauce and soy sauce. All you have to do is mix the marinade together with the pork and steam for nostalgic Chinese home cooking.

Ingredients for steamed pork with black bean sauce laid out on the table countertop including porkchops, garlic, fermented black beans, corn starch, olive oil and seasonings.

Boneless pork chops – I’m going for a leaner cut of pork to make this dish healthier (don’t worry the pork is still tender). You can use pork belly, pork ribs (common protein used for this dish), chicken thigh or even fish (salmon or white fish) as this sauce is so versatile.
Fermented black beans (known as dao si in Chinese) is inexpensive & flavorful ingredient that is the base of this sauce. They’re fermented soybeans that add saltiness (don’t be confused with black beans) to sauces and stir fries! You can find this at all Chinese groceries (like 99 ranch) in the pantry aisle.
Garlic – mixed with fermented black beans is a must to take out the gaminess of the meat and enhance the flavors of the sauce.
Soy sauce – low sodium soy sauce is recommended to ensure that this dish is not too salty.
Oyster sauce – adds sweetness to the pork and is recommended to give umami flavor. You can find this at your local asian grocery store.
Corn starch – makes the pork extra tender and soft when mixed with oil and water. Commonly used in Chinese cooking to enhance the texture of the meat. I don’t suggest to use other types of flour for this.

Substitutions and Variations

Mix up the protein: My Chinese grandma often made this savory black bean sauce with pork or fish – delicious with different proteins! In my recipe, I am using pork chops (take out the bone or not, up to you) to make cooking quick and easy.
Add sweet potato, pumpkin or taro underneath the steamed pork and it soaks up the delicious pork and black bean sauce. This variation is popular at dim sum restaurants.
Make this more flavorful! Add some minced ginger and chilis to cut the gaminess of the meat and makes the pork taste extra delicious with a little heat.

How to Make Cantonese Steamed Pork With Black Bean Sauce

A tenderized pork chop on a chopping board with a knife beside it.

Step 1: Tenderize the pork chops by pounding both sides with a mallet or the back of a knife.

Step 2: Slice in 3 inch pieces

Chopped fermented black beans and minced garlic on a wooden chopping board.

Step 3: Chop the fermented black beans and mince the garlic.

A bowl of fermented black beans with minced garlic, oil, cornstarch, and seasonings.

Step 4: Next, mix pork with the fermented black beans with minced garlic, salt, sugar, chicken bouillon, soy sauce, oyster sauce, oil, and cornstarch. Mix well in a bowl.

Sliced pork with black bean mixture on a steaming plate set inside a pot.

Step 5: In a large pot, add a steaming rack and some water. Heat water to medium high. When the water starts boiling, you can steam the pork chops for 10-13 minutes or until the pork is cooked.

Step 6: Garnish with sliced green onions (optional). Serve the Cantonese pork with black bean sauce with rice & leafy vegetables.

Expert Tips

Make sure you tenderize the pork with a mallet or the back of your knife. This helps loosens the fibers of the meat so it’s not chewy.
Don’t skip rinsing the fermented black beans. Give them a gentle rinse and quick soak, then drain well before chopping. This removes any dirt and unwanted smells from the fermented black beans.
Marinate at least 15–30 minutes. Even a short rest with the black bean mixture, cornstarch, and seasonings helps the pork absorb flavor and keeps it silky after steaming. If you have time, marinate up to 1 hour in the fridge for deeper taste.

Cantonese Pork With Black Bean Sauce FAQs:

What meat is best with black bean sauce?

Pork is the classic choice for black bean sauce, especially cuts like pork ribs, pork loin, or thinly sliced pork belly, which stay tender and absorb the rich, savory flavors beautifully. I also love tofu and fish with the black bean sauce as well! The sauce is so versatile, you can marinate it with anything and it will taste delicious!

Can I use other types of meat for the black bean sauce?

Yes, you can use chicken thigh, fish or even tofu. You can also make the classic Cantonese steamed pork ribs.

What does black bean sauce go well with?

It is a flavorful, versatile ingredient that works great in stir-fries with meat like Spicy Stir-Fried Beef or Pork and Cabbage Stir Fry, as well as with seafood or tofu, such as in my Tofu With Black Bean Sauce recipe. It pairs well with veggies like broccoli, bell peppers, and eggplant, and can also be used with noodles or fish for a quick, tasty meal.