Back in the 1960s, you may be more familiar with a chicken cacciatore, which was what we had most of the time but also if we happened to be able to afford pork that week, she would use bone-in or boneless pork which was a favorite, especially in this delicious sauce it's simmered in.
With the addition of freshly sliced mushrooms, tomatoes, and peppers this all one-pan meal was a banquet to us, plus often it was perfect to stretch out when served with rice, pasta, or eaten with a massive hunk of hard-crusted Italian Bread and fed a large family economically.
Of course, we also loved the slow-cooked meal for Chicken Cacciatore the popular classic Italian style recipe with pork was a treat when we had it.
This delicious cacciatore recipe can be served plain, over rice, with a side of pasta of any kind you like, or even on Italian bread which happens to be my favorite way!
During the winter months, this cacciatore was often a weeknight easy meal!
Scroll down to get this simple printable cacciatore recipe and how to make it.
Italian Classic Recipes
This pork is slow-cooked in a delicious tomato fresh sauce accented with peppers, mushrooms, and white wine.
Growing up mom always made this on the stovetop but there are so many options available now where you can come home to a home-cooked meal using your crockpot!
The best part is you can also use any meat you have with this basic one-pan meal!
When choosing the meat you prefer, always choose boneless styles.
This Italian meal is over 100 years old and has historically been mentioned as peasant food because it has just a few ingredients and is economical to make to feed a large family.
Tips: This delicious cacciatore never goes out of style, adapt this style of stew to what your family loves with any additions and substitute what they like, just remember you can buy pork chops bone-in and remove the bone yourself to save money or any meat you like!
Suggestion and Tips
- Use fresh plum ripe tomatoes when possible
- Use fresh herbs when possible
- Chicken, Veal, Steak, and Venison can all be substituted
- Other vegetable substitutions: zucchini, pole or string beans, mushrooms, carrots, peas
- Slow and low is recommended on the stovetop or appliance cooking methods
- Use bone-in meats on the stovetop if you don't want to remove the bone, however, in a slow cooker, or instant pot, we prefer boneless meat to reduce any of the splinters that come away from meats using that method of cooking
Cooking Stews
This classic easy meal is certainly a stovetop kind of slow-cooked stew.
You can use a pressure cooker, slow cooker, or instant pot pressure cooker mode, and even add this meal to a dutch oven to cook it in other than the stovetop.
Remember when using a slow cooker or pressure cooker to add the correct liquids per instructions in your manual.
I prefer the stovetop method, but slow cooking is the way to fork-tender stewed meat no matter what cut of meat you choose to use.
If you decide to use a pork tenderloin, sear the meat first, let it rest, and slice it 2 to 3 inches thick then add back to the cooking method you chose.
Ingredients You Will Need to make Pork Cacciatore
- boneless pork chops or use chicken, beef, venison, or any other meats you prefer
- bell peppers sliced
- plum tomatoes pulsed to a diced size
- minced garlic
- whole tomatoes with basil added pureed in the food processor
- olive oil
- white wine ( I used Pinot Grigio) beer, beef broth, or water can be used
- salt, pepper, cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes, oregano, parsley
- Optional Suggestions: mushrooms, peas, or cut green beans for an additional vegetable at the end of cooking IE zucchini. Also, I add a handful of finger carrots for sweetness
More of Our Favorite Italian Classic Meals
Pressure Cooker Stew
Italian Stew
Slow Cooker Beer Stew
Chicken Stew
Lamb Stew
Old Fashioned Venison Stew
Pin for later Boneless Pork Cacciatore
Great Leftovers!
Leftover pork if boneless is terrific over rice, pasta, or even a slice of bread in sandwiches.
Mom would repurpose leftovers for another meal and just add them to something since the sauce and basic recipe can be used as a ragu-style topping for just about anything even a potato!.
This cacciatore is a versatile Italian meal that can be one of the most flavorful one-pan recipes you'll ever cook.
BonelessPork Cacciatore
Yield: 6
prep time: 15 Mcook time: 2 hourtotal time: 2 H & 15 M
This is a wonderful classic Italian one-pan meal called Pork Cacciatore. You may have heard of Chicken Cacciatore or Veal. This is fork-tender pork that has peppers and tomatoes with mushrooms that is very much like a stew. Cooked on low heat slowly, you will have a classic Italian meal in no time!
ingredients:
- 6 to 8 thick boneless pork chops or pork tenderloin roast ( you can also substitute pork with veal, chicken, beef, venison, Italian sausage links, or any other you like)
- 3 bell peppers sliced
- 8 plum tomatoes pulsed to a diced size
- 3 cloves minced garlic
- 1 can 16-ounce whole tomatoes with basil added pureed in the food processor
- olive oil
- 1 - 8-ounce packages of sliced mushrooms
- 1/2 cup white wine ( I used Pinot Grigio), beer, beef broth, or water can be used
- salt, pepper, cayenne pepper, or red pepper flakes to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon dried Italian seasoning or just use oregano
- 1 tablespoon each chopped fresh basil and parsley
- Optional: mushrooms, peas or cut green beans, zucchini, carrots, onions
- This recipe has peppers, tomatoes and mushrooms added.
instructions:
How to cook BonelessPork Cacciatore
- Saute the pork until nicely browned on both sides in a large frypan and season to taste. If using tenderloin, slice the boneless tenderloin into 2-inch thick medallions.
- Make slits into the pork and add the garlic to each piece of pork.
- In a large dutch oven deep pan, add the pork with tomatoes, wine herbs, and spices
- In a large, enough Dutch oven transfers the pork to accommodate all the ingredients, add the tomatoes, mushrooms, wine, herbs, and spices.
- Top the with peppers and any other vegetables you would like except peas, add them 1/2 hour before done.
- For Stovetop Method, simmer 2 hours on low.
- For Oven Method bake at 350 degrees for 1 1/2 hours, check to make sure it doesn't need more liquid added on the 1/2 hour mark.
- For Instant pots, Pressure cooker, check instructions ( mine takes 45 minutes) to add correct amounts of liquid to your manual instructions.
- For Slow cookers, set on low 6 to 8 hours or high 4 to 6 hours.
- Serving Suggestions:
- Serve with hard-crusted Italian bread, over rice, with a side of spaghetti or any other pasta.
Boneless Pork Cacciatore Pin for Later
Sauce Recipes to Try
Calamari Sauce
Traditional Sunday Sauce
Bolognese Sauce
Puttanesca Sauce
Marinara Sauce
Disclosure: This recipe was originally posted to this blog in 2017. It was edited and re-published in 2020.