Mom made veal, chicken steak or pork cacciatore often being a working mom, this was a quick, economical meal to feed a family of five back in the 1960s.
Usually, we had veal or chicken, however, you can try this with any meat you have even chicken of course which is the traditional style Chicken Cacciatore classic Italian recipe.
This delicious cacciatore recipe can be served plain, over rice, with a side of pasta any kind you like or even on Italian bread which happens to be my favorite way!
During hunting season, mom even made a delicious Venison Cacciatore that was also fabulous, so you can see how versatile with just a few changes in ingredients this one-pan meal is!
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 historically mentioned as peasant food because it has just a few ingredients and economical to make to feed a large family.
This delicious cacciatore never goes out of style, just check out my other options for those who aren't fond of some of the vegetables and adapt this style stew to what your family loves.
Suggestion and Tips
- Use fresh plum ripe tomatoes when possible
- Use fresh herbs when possible
- Chicken, Veal, Steak, Venison can all be substituted
- Other vegetable substitutions: zucchini, pole or string beans, mushrooms, carrots, peas
- Slow and low is recommended no matter what cooking method you choose to use
Cooking Stews
This classic easy meal is certainly a stovetop kind of slow-cooked stew.
You can use a pressure cooker, slow cooker, instant pot 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, deer meat or any other you like
- 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. 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!
Peppers and tomatoes are the main ingredients and with just some mozzarella on two slices of bread with leftover pork, it becomes a whole second wonderful meal.
She would work late at the supermarket she worked in.
By the time she got home, she would have to whip something up quick.

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 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
Here are some Favorite Crockpot Recipes
Crockpot Osso Boco
Crockpot Stewed Tomatoes
Crockpot Chicken Red Chili
Crockpot Minestrone Soup
Crockpot Chicken Pisano
Disclosure: This recipe was originally posted to this blog 2017. It was edited and re-published in 2020.
This would definitely make my family happy! Perfect dinner for this rainy forecast!
ReplyDeletePork in sauce is perfect! Love cacciatore and yours looks delicious. It would be a hit here in this chilly rainy weather!
ReplyDeleteQuantity of Pork?
ReplyDeletethanks Mike... good catch I use around 6 for my size family, I wouldn't use more than 8 they are around 1 inch thick. Great with boneless spare ribs as well!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like a wonderful dinner idea! I love that you used boneless pork. What a great looking meal. YUM!
ReplyDeleteThis pork cacciatore looks amazing! Easy to make as well.
ReplyDeleteThis looks like it's full of flavor! Yum!
ReplyDeleteThis looks like an easy but delicious weeknight dinner. I love one pan meals, too!
ReplyDeleteThis pork cacciatore looks so dang good. I have to tell you that I love your recipes and your unapologetic Italian posts. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteI had never tried a recipe quite like this before, but I loved it! Making your fun Italian recipes makes me feel like the best cook ever!
ReplyDeleteWhat's not to love about this classic dish! Love that you used pork!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful meal to come home to! The pork looks so tender and juicy ... I bet this would be amazing with chicken too.
ReplyDeleteI am certainly going to experiment with pork in my cacciatore recipe now! I love cooking with pork, and how did I not think of it!? Thanks!
ReplyDelete