🛒 What You’ll Need
🥓 1½–2 lbs pork belly, skin removed
🧂 1 teaspoon salt
🌶️ ½ teaspoon black pepper
🧄 1 teaspoon garlic powder
🌶️ 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
🧅 ½ teaspoon onion powder
🫒 1 tablespoon olive oil
Optional Glaze
🍯 2 tablespoons honey
🥢 1 tablespoon soy sauce
🧄 1 minced garlic clove
🌶️ A pinch of chili flakes
👩🍳 How to Make Them
1️⃣ Cut the Pork Belly
Cut the pork belly into bite-sized cubes, roughly 1½ inches each.
Try to keep the pieces similar in size so they cook evenly.
2️⃣ Season Generously
Place the pork belly in a bowl and toss with olive oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, smoked paprika, and onion powder.
Make sure every piece gets coated.
3️⃣ Get Them Cooking
Arrange the pieces in a single layer on a lined baking sheet or in an air fryer basket.
For the oven, cook at 400°F (205°C) until the pork is tender and deeply browned, turning the pieces occasionally so they crisp evenly.
For an air fryer, cook in batches if necessary so the pieces aren't crowded.
4️⃣ Make Them Extra Crispy 🔥
Once the pork is cooked through and tender, increase the heat briefly or use the air fryer’s higher setting to give the outside that final crispy, crackly finish.
Keep a close eye on them at this stage—the goal is golden and crisp, not burnt.
5️⃣ Add a Glaze if You Like
Want that sweet-and-savory finish?
Mix honey, soy sauce, garlic, and chili flakes.
Toss the hot pork belly bites lightly in the glaze, then return them to the oven or air fryer for just a few minutes until the glaze becomes sticky and caramelized.
That combination of crunchy pork + sticky glaze is seriously dangerous. 😍
🥣 Don't Forget the Dipping Sauce!
These are fantastic with:
🌶️ Spicy mayo
🥢 Sweet chili sauce
🍯 Honey mustard
🧄 Garlic aioli
🔥 Hot sauce
🥒 Pickled vegetables on the side
The fresh, tangy crunch of pickles or pickled onions is especially good with rich pork belly.
✨ Easy Flavor Ideas
Want to switch things up?
🥢 Asian-inspired: Soy sauce, ginger, garlic, and sesame.
🌶️ Spicy: Add cayenne, chili flakes, or your favorite hot sauce.
🍯 Sweet & smoky: Honey + smoked paprika + a little barbecue sauce.
🧄 Garlic herb: Garlic, rosemary, thyme, and cracked black pepper.
🥓 BBQ style: Toss the crispy bites with your favorite barbecue sauce right before serving.
💡 The Crispy-Pork Secret
Don't crowd the pan.
Pork belly releases plenty of fat as it cooks. If the pieces are packed together, they can steam instead of crisping.
Give them breathing room and let the hot air circulate around each piece.
And don't rush the final crisping stage—that's where those irresistible golden edges really happen. 🔥
💬 Your Turn!
How would you serve these?
🌶️ Spicy, 🍯 sweet and sticky, 🥢 Asian-inspired, or 🧄 garlicky and herby?
And what would you dip your crispy pork belly bites into? 👇🥓
Thank you for spending a little time with us today. ❤️
✍️ Written with care by BASSMA EL-HAZIBI
