Delicious Creamy Pork Casserole | Slimming Eats Recipe (2024)

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Creamy Pork Casserole - tender pieces of pork loin in a rich creamy tomato sauce with mushrooms and butternut squash.

Delicious Creamy Pork Casserole | Slimming Eats Recipe (1)

Creamy Tomato Sauce for Casserole

I love a good ole casserole, but it has to have a good sauce or gravy. So when I had some pork loins that needed to be used up, I had a real craving for a yummy creamy tomato sauce. The kind of sauce you can literally eat on its own with a spoon.

This sauce does not disappoint and has so much flavour from the added vegetables such as butternut squash and mushrooms. The butternut squash adds a lovely natural sweet taste and removes some of the acidity of the canned tomatoes. Perfect!!

Delicious Creamy Pork Casserole | Slimming Eats Recipe (2)

Best Cut of Pork for Casseroles

So you may be wondering what is the best cut of pork to use for a pork casserole. Well, my favourite is Boneless Pork Loin Rib Chops, they really absorb all that flavour in the sauce and stay nice and tender.

Other cuts that are good for this are:

  • Chump End/Chops
  • Tenderloin or Leg
  • Pork Shoulder

Just be aware that you need to trim off any visible fat and some cuts are much fattier than others.

Delicious Creamy Pork Casserole | Slimming Eats Recipe (3)

Can I use other meat or protein?

That's a great question and if you don't like pork, this works just as well with boneless skinless chicken thighs. Chicken breasts will work too, but I prefer to use thighs in casserole dishes as the meat stays much more tender and absorbs more flavour.

Hey, you could even use some fillets of white fish in this creamy sauce or even prawns (shrimp).

Just be aware that whatever you choose for your protein base it may have a slightly shorter cooking time than the pork.

You could even make this vegetarian, by adding in quorn pieces or something like chickpeas or cannelini beans instead of meat. Yum!!

Delicious Creamy Pork Casserole | Slimming Eats Recipe (4)

Sides for Creamy Pork Casserole

You may be wondering what sides work well with this casserole dish. Some of my favourites are:

  • Pasta
  • Rice
  • Crushed Roast Potatoes
  • Garlic and Herb Roast Potatoes
  • Mashed Potatoes
  • Sour Cream and Spring Onion Mashed Cauliflower
  • Perfect Oven Baked Chips
  • Garlic and Herb Potato Wedges

and if you are wondering on some choice for a vegetable side, a few of my favourites are:

  • Fresh Baby Spinach
  • Sauted Shredded Garlic Brussel Sprouts
  • Roasted Broccoli
  • Roasted Cauliflower
  • ROSEMARY ROASTED POTATOES, PARSNIPS, CARROTS AND ONION
  • MAPLE GLAZED CARROTS

or head on over to my Full Recipe Index with over 900 delicious Slimming Eats and Weight Watchers friendly recipes all fully searchable by meal type, ingredients, value and smart points etc

Delicious Creamy Pork Casserole | Slimming Eats Recipe (5)

Can I use Quark instead of Cream Cheese?

It's a question I see often and there are a few things to consider.

Quark is much more sour tasting that cream cheese (like Philadelphia) so you won't get that yummy creamy taste with quark.

Secondly, quark doesn't cope well with heat, unlike cream cheese which melts into a creamy goodness. If you overheat the quark it will split resulting in a not very pleasant looking sauce.

Lastly, it really isn't that many for the amount of cream cheese used when you divide up into portions.

That aside if you really can't bear to use up some points, be all means use quark, just take into account what I have mentioned above.

I recommend spooning some of the sauce into the quark to slowly warm up and never use straight from the fridge. Then remove the pan from the heat when you stir in the quark into the whole dish.

Delicious Creamy Pork Casserole | Slimming Eats Recipe (6)

Originally created on the 26th January 2012 and updated on the 31st March 2020

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Delicious Creamy Pork Casserole | Slimming Eats Recipe (7)

Creamy Pork Casserole

Yield: SERVES 4

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour

Creamy Pork Casserole - tender pieces of pork loin in a rich creamy tomato sauce with mushrooms and butternut squash.

Ingredients

  • 800g (28oz) of Boneless Pork Loin Rib Chops (remove visible fat), sliced into smaller pieces
  • 1 onion, finely chopped
  • 2 cloves of garlic
  • 150g (5.5oz) of cremini mushrooms, sliced thinly
  • 250g (9oz) of butternut squash, peeled and cubed small
  • ½ tbs of paprika (not smoked)
  • pinch of mixed herbs
  • 400g (14oz) can of chopped tomatoes
  • 1 teaspoon of tabasco sauce
  • 1 cup (240ml) of chicken stock
  • 5 tablespoons of low-fat cream cheese
  • cooking oil spray
  • Salt and black pepper
  • fresh chopped Italian Parsley to serve

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 180c (fan 160c) or 350f, gas mark 4
  2. Spray a cast-iron casserole pan or ovenproof deep frying pan with some cooking oil spray. Lightly brown the pieces of pork in batches, seasoning with salt and black pepper as you do and remove and set aside.
  3. Add the onion and fry until softened, use a little bit of the stock to deglaze the pan and stop any sticking, scraping up any food that is stuck to the bottom.
  4. Add in the mushrooms and continue to fry for a few more minutes.
  5. Add the garlic, butternut squash, mixed herbs and paprika, and stir to coat.
  6. Add in the chopped tomatoes, tabasco and chicken stock
  7. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat slightly.
  8. Stir in the cream cheese until melted.
  9. Add in the pieces of pork ensuring they are fully covered with the sauce.
  10. Place in the oven covered and bake for 40 minutes, remove the lid for the last 15 minutes
  11. Top with some freshly chopped Italian parsley
  12. Taste and season as needed with salt and black pepper.
  13. Serve with your choice of sides

Notes

Please see below for full nutritional info and additional details about recipe:

  • Calories - scroll down to nutritional info box
  • WW Points and other Slimming or Weight Loss programs - due to plans regularly changing and updating, we recommend calculating with the official tools you get as a member to those plans to ensure accuracy of values.

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Nutrition Information

Yield 4Serving Size 1 SERVING
Amount Per ServingCalories 314Total Fat 15.1gSaturated Fat 4.5gCholesterol 117mgSodium 704mgCarbohydrates 15.1gFiber 3.5gSugar 7.5gProtein 43.1g

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Delicious Creamy Pork Casserole | Slimming Eats Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How do you make pork more flavorful? ›

8 oz
  1. Keep the Fat. The fat on pork is great for flavor, so definitely don't trim it off. ...
  2. Buy Bone-In. Similarly to not removing the fat, cooking your pork still on the bone will also help keep it from drying out. ...
  3. Embrace Marinades. ...
  4. Consider Brining. ...
  5. Use a Meat Thermometer. ...
  6. Let it Rest.

How do you add flavor to cooked pork? ›

Use garlic powder, minced garlic, or roasted garlic to give pork dishes more flavour. Garlic works well with Italian seasoning; or with any combination of basil, parsley, rosemary, sage, and thyme. Raw, fresh ginger can have a very “sharp” taste. The flavour will mellow with more cooking.

What is the best method to cook pork chops? ›

A quick turn in a hot pan followed by a little time in the oven is another great way to cook pork chops. You build color and flavor in the skillet, then hand the cooking over to the oven, which gives you time to prep the rest of the meal.

What spice brings out the flavor of pork? ›

This comes from the five ingredients in Five Spice, namely star anise, fennel, cloves, cinnamon and Sichuan peppercorns. The mix of flavours binds to pork well. Pork has a distinct taste, but it really works well as a blank canvas for the spices to do their thing.

How do you keep pork moist and tender? ›

Brining pork chops is one of the best ways way to guarantee a juicy cooked pork chop. Even a quick 30-minute brine (or up to four hours) makes a big difference. It's not strictly necessary — you can still use this method to make great pork chops even without brining — but if you have some extra time, I recommend it.

What makes pork so delicious? ›

The colours of the meat and the fat of pork are regarded as more appetizing, while the taste and smell are described as sweeter and cleaner. It is also considered easier to digest. In rural tradition, pork is shared to celebrate important occasions and to form bonding.

What herbs and spices are good with pork? ›

Great cooking is all about experimenting with flavours. Traditionally, pork pairs best with these herbs and Spices: Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Caraway Seeds, Mustard Seeds, Fennel, Cloves, Garlic and Parsley.

Is it better to bake or pan fry pork chops? ›

While there are a number of ways to cook pork chops for dinner, baking is arguably the easiest path to perfection. The hands-off cooking method cooks pork chops gently and evenly without the need for extra fat, resulting in juicy, healthier pork chops that pair well with practically any side dish.

Is it better to bake pork chops covered or uncovered? ›

Some baked pork chop recipes do require that the pan is covered with either foil or a lid. It creates steam and ensures that the meat is tender and juicy. Those recipes typically require a long cook time and may add vegetables to the pan, and some uncover the chops to finish browning them at a higher temperature.

What is the secret to moist pork chops? ›

Fat is key to keeping pork chops moist

Basting them with fat, such as butter. Add in aromatics while basting for more flavor — similar to how you might cook a steak — and then you have the added bonus of browned butter and crispy garlic and/or herbs to serve with the meat.

Why is my pork tasteless? ›

The pork you buy from the grocery store is dry and tasteless because genetically, the hogs are bred for less fat, while ours are the way pigs traditionally are, with tremendously tasty intra-muscular fat.

What makes pork taste good? ›

Brine them for several hours

One of the easiest, simplest ways to make your pork chops more flavorful is to brine them. Brining pork chops has the added benefit of increasing the meat's moisture content as well as amping up the flavor.

What herbs enhance pork? ›

Great cooking is all about experimenting with flavours. Traditionally, pork pairs best with these herbs and Spices: Sage, Thyme, Rosemary, Caraway Seeds, Mustard Seeds, Fennel, Cloves, Garlic and Parsley.

How do you make pork taste less gamey? ›

Information. The distinct game flavor of either birds or animals will be milder after soaking the meat overnight in the refrigerator in either a salt or vinegar solution. 2. Vinegar solution - 1 cup per quart of cold water.

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