This Moo Shu Pork is a 30-minute healthier spin on the classic Chinese takeout dish. It’s packed with thinly sliced pork, egg and lots of veggies, all cooked until tender, topped with a homemade hoisin sauce and served in lettuce cups.  This recipe is Paleo, Whole30,  Grain Free, Gluten Free, Dairy Free and Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal. 

Moo Shu Pork

This is my healthy, homemade Paleo and Whole30 spin on Moo Shu Pork, and I have to say, it’s pretty dang tasty. The filling is made with thinly sliced pork, strips of egg and lots of veggies, which makes it light and fresh tasting. This 30 minute meal is a great option when you are craving the Chinese takeout dish but trying to eat healthy. 

Moo Shu Pork

What is Moo Shu Pork 

Moo Shu Pork is a dish from northern China that has been “Americanized” and become a Chinese takeout staple. In the traditional dish, thin strips of pork tenderloin are cooked with wood ear mushrooms, scrambled egg, scallions, ginger and cucumber, while the American version uses more vegetables such as cabbage, carrots and shiitake mushrooms all served in spring pancakes. This recipe is a Paleo and Whole30 spin on the American version of Moo Shu Pork with lots of veggies in the filling, a thick homemade hoisin sauce and lettuce cups used in place of pancakes. 

Moo Shu Pork

Why you are going to love this Moo Shu Pork 

  • It’s a 30 minute meal: This is such a great weeknight meal because start to finish it takes just 30 minutes! That includes all of the time it takes to shred the cabbage, and that time can be reduced further by using store bought coleslaw mix
  • It’s so tasty! The veggie and pork mix is so simple but when paired with the thick hoisin sauce and fresh crunchy lettuce wraps….it’s a winning combination. 
  • It’s healthy! I actually prefer lettuce wraps to the traditional pancakes because it really lightens up the dish, yet you can still pick them up and eat them with your hands
  • The filling reheats well: You can make the filling 1-2 days in advance and reheat it in a pan or the microwave before serving. 

Moo Shu Pork

The Hoisin Sauce

You won’t believe how much this sauce tastes like traditional hoisin! It’s very thick and has a wonderful balance of sweet and salty flavours. It will last for up to 5 days in the fridge, so make extra and add it into stir frys or using it for dipping. 

Whole30 Moo Shu Pork

Ways to modify this Whole30 Moo Shu Pork 

  • You can use pork chops in place of tenderloin or alternatively thinly slice chicken breasts and use it in place of the pork.
  • Rather than shred the cabbage by hand, save time by using a bag of store bought coleslaw.
  • If you have traditional spring pancakes than you can use them in place of the lettuce cups. For those note on a grain free diet, flour tortillas are also an easy substitute. 

Whole30 Moo Shu Pork

Love healthy versions of takeout dishes? Here are a few others you might enjoy:

If you make this recipe let me know in the comment section below, I would love to hear what you think or take a photo and tag me (@everylastbite_) on Instagram, I love seeing your photos!

 

Moo Shu Pork

Every Last Bite
 This Moo Shu Pork is a 30-minute healthier spin on the classic Chinese takeout dish. It's packed with thinly sliced pork, egg and lots of veggies, all cooked until tender, topped with a homemade hoisin sauce and served in lettuce cups. Leftovers will last for 4 days in the fridge.
4.58 from 7 votes
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Prep Time 13 minutes
Cook Time 17 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Diets Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Grain Free, Keto, Paleo, Specific Carbohydrate Diet Legal, Whole30
Servings 4
Calories 379 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 1 pound pork tenderloin
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1 1/2 tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 1/2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 2 eggs
  • 7 ounces shiitake mushrooms stems removed and cut into thin slices
  • 1 large carrot* shredded or julienned
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded savoy cabbage*
  • 1 cup shredded red cabbage*
  • 1/3 cup sliced scallions
  • 1 tbsp chopped ginger
  • 4 cloves garlic finely diced

Sauce

  • 4 large medjool dates soaked in hot water for 10 minutes
  • 1 tbsp chopped ginger
  • 1 tbsp almond butter
  • 2 tbsp coconut aminos (or tamari/soy sauce)
  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1/2 tsp chinese 5 spice

To Serve

  • 1 head butter lettuce or iceberg lettuce (or tortillas)
  • 2 tbsp chopped scallions
  • 1 tsp sesame seeds

Instructions
 

  • Cut the pork tenderloin into thin strips and place them in a bowl. Add the baking soda, apple cider vinegar and coconut aminos to the bowl and leave to marinate while you chop the veggies and prepare the sauce.
  • In a high speed blender or NutriBullet combine the drained medjool dates, ginger, almond butter, coconut aminos, balsamic vinegar, apple cider vinegar and Chinese 5 spice and blend into a thick paste like sauce. If the mixture is too thick to blend add a splash of water. Once completely, transfer to a small bowl and set aside.
  • Heat 1/2 tbsp sesame oil in a large non stick skillet on medium high heat. Whisk the 2 eggs in a bowl and pour them into the skillet. Leave the eggs to cook untouched for approximately 3 minutes until they are set (like an omelette). Slide the omelette from the skillet onto a cutting board and chop into thin small strips. Set aside.
  • Add the sliced pork plus any excess marinade to the skillet and cook for approximately 4 minutes until the pork is golden in colour and cooked through. Transfer the cooked pork to a plate.
  • Add the remaining 1 tbsp of sesame oil to the skillet and once hot add in the garlic and ginger and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add in the shredded cabbage, carrots, shiitake mushrooms and scallions and cook for approximately 4-5 minutes until the cabbage begins to soften.
  • Once the cabbage has softened (be careful not to overcook!) add in 1 large spoonful of the hoisin sauce plus the cooked pork and stir to combine. Once well mixed add in the strips of eggs and give it a gentle stir with a spatula so as not to break up the egg. Remove from the heat.
  • Serve the mixture in lettuce cups and garnish with a drizzle of the hoisin sauce and a sprinkle of chopped scallions. For those not doing a Whole30/SCD you could use tortillas.

Notes

* The shredded savoy cabbage, red cabbage and carrot can be replaced with 4 cups of store bought coleslaw mix
Nutrition
Calories: 379kcalCarbohydrates: 34gProtein: 31gFat: 14gSodium: 584mgFiber: 6gSugar: 21g
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below and let us know how it was!

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