Creole-Seasoned Pork with Tomato-Pepper Salsa

Creole-Seasoned Pork with Tomato-Pepper Salsa is a delicious low-carb and gluten-free dinner with New Orleans flavors. Replace the tiny amount of brown sugar with a sweetener for Keto if you prefer.

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Creole-Seasoned Pork with Tomato-Pepper Salsa came about because I had pork loin chops and red bell peppers hanging out in the fridge and a few wayward cherry tomatoes on the counter. Rubbing the chops with a Creole-seasoned mix before I pounded them into cutlets was just an experiment that worked, and luckily I had the sense to take some photos while I made this, because it turned out to be a keeper.

And even though I didn’t plan this recipe to honor the New Orleans Saints, I am excited they’re in the Superbowl, or at least as excited as someone can be who doesn’t care a bit about football. I’ve been lucky enough to visit to New Orleans many times, and it’s definitely one of the most interesting food cities in the U.S.

If you haven’t tried dishes like Shrimp Etouffee, Muffuletta Sandwiches, Andouille Sausages, Beignets, or Red Beans and Rice, I recommend jumping on a plane and going to New Orleans immediately. Then make these pork cutlets as soon as you get back.

How to Make Creole-Seasoned Pork with Tomato-Pepper Salsa:

(Scroll down for complete recipe with nutritional information.)

1. Thin pork cutlets only need a few minutes to cook, so I made the salsa first to let the flavors blend for a few minutes. Start by finely chopping red bell pepper and thinly slicing green onions.
2. I also used a generous amount of diced cherry tomatoes and about 1/2 cup finely chopped cilantro.
3. Stir those ingredients together with some freshly-squeezed lime juice and couple of pinches of salt and let it sit while you prep and cook the pork chops.
4. I seasoned the pork with Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning (affiliate link) a product I’ve been using ever since a teacher from Louisiana told me about it. You can use any brand of Creole seasoning that you like, or make your own Creole Seasoning Blend. The Tony Chachere’s Seasoning does have salt, so be sure not to add any extra if you’re using that.
5. I combined 2 tsp. Tony Chachere’s Seasoning and 1 tsp. brown sugar make a rub for the pork. (Add a little salt if you’re using a Creole seasoning without salt.) Even if you usually avoid sugar, the small amount of brown sugar here will make a big difference in the flavor, but use sweetener if you prefer.
6. I used center cut pork loin boneless chops to make this. I trimmed the big pieces of fat, but if you’re eating low-carb high-fat go ahead and leave the fat on.
7. Rub the pork on both sides with the Creole Seasoning / brown sugar mixture. Then use a meat mallet or the hard edge of a heavy pan to pound the pork chops into cutlets about 1/4 inch thick. It’s important to get them all the same thickness so they cook evenly.
8. Heat 1-2 tsp. olive oil over medium high heat, until the oil is hot and shimmering. Thin pork cutlets cook quickly, so it’s important to get the pan hot before you add them so they have time to brown. I cooked these 3 minutes on the first side, then turned them and cooked just over 2 minutes more. Cooking time will depend partly on how thick your pan is, and for this type of pan-frying I prefer a heavy non-stick pan.
9. Serve pork cutlets immediately, with a generous amount of the salsa mixture spooned over the pork.

Make it a Low-Carb Meal:

Roasted Cauliflower Salad or Twice-Baked Cauliflower would be a nice side dish for a low-carb meal.

More Tasty Ideas for Pork Chops:

Grilled Pork Chops with Soy Sauce, Cumin, Lime, and Oregano from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Mom’s Perfect Pork Chops from Simply Recipes
Milk-Braised Pork Chops from Kalyn’s Kitchen
Rosemary Pork Chops from bell’ alimento
Grilled Boneless Pork Chops from Kalyn’s Kitchen

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Yield: 4 servings

Creole-Seasoned Pork with Tomato-Pepper Salsa

Prep Time 25 minutes

Total Time 25 minutes

Creole-Seasoned Pork with Tomato-Pepper Salsa is a delicious low-carb dinner that's quick and easy to make.

Ingredients

• 4 center cut pork loin boneless chops (about 1/2 inch thick)
• 2 tsp. olive oil

Pork Rub Ingredients:

• 2 tsp. Creole Seasoning
• 1 tsp. brown sugar (see notes)
• pinch of salt (do not add salt if the Creole Seasoning you use contains salt)

Salsa Ingredients:

• 1 red bell pepper, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup finely sliced green onion, white and green parts
• 1 cup finely diced cherry tomatoes
• 1/2 cup finely chopped fresh cilantro (see notes)
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• salt to taste

Instructions

1. Chop red bell pepper, tomatoes, and cilantro and thinly slice green onions and combine in a plastic or glass bowl.
2. Add lime juice and salt and stir until well combined. Let salsa flavors blend while you prep and cook the pork cutlets.
3. In a small dish, combine Tony Chachere’s Creole Seasoning, (or other Creole Seasoning of your choice), brown sugar (or sweetener), and salt. (Don’t add salt if the Creole Seasoning you’re using already contains salt). Stir to combine.
4. Trim fatty edges of pork chops and discard. Rub pork chops on both sides with Creole Seasoning mixture, then use a meat mallet or the edge of a heavy pan to pound pork into cutlets 1/4 inch thick. Be sure the pork pieces are an even thickness so they will all cook in the same amount of time.
5. Heat olive oil in a heavy frying pan until the oil is shimmery and pan is hot, about 1 minute at medium-high heat. (I would use a pan that’s not non-stick for this.)
6. When pan and oil is hot, add pork cutlets and turn heat to medium. Cook pork pieces for 3 minutes on the first side, or until lightly browned.
7. Turn cutlets over and cook 2-3 minutes on the second side, just until pork is barely firm and cooked through; don’t overcook. (I cooked mine for 2 1/2 minutes on the second side.)
8. Serve hot, with a generous amount of salsa spooned over each piece of pork.

Notes

Use your preferred sweetener if you don't want to use brown sugar. You can use parsley if you're not a cilantro fan. Recipe created by Kalyn.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 290Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 9gCholesterol: 94mgSodium: 792mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 33g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

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Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
As long as you choose pork chops with less than 10% fat (or trim fat) this is a good main dish for any phase of the original South Beach Diet, and it’s also suitable for most any low-carb eating plans, which might prefer leaving the fat on the pork chops! Yes, I used brown sugar, but I think 1 tsp. of brown sugar to season four pork chops is a pretty minimal amount, and some of the rub was still left in the bowl. Use another sweetener if you prefer.

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Pork Recipes to find more recipes like this one. Use the Recipes by Diet Type photo index pages to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to Follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

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