Name: Honey Glazed Pork Belly
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 6 oz thick-cut pork belly (skinless); 1 tbsp dark soy sauce; 1½ tbsp light soy sauce; ½ tbsp oyster sauce; 1 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp hoisin sauce; 1 tsp sugar; ¼ tsp five spice powder; Steamed greens; Sliced scallions; Toasted sesame seeds

Honey Glazed Pork Belly Recipe
What Makes Honey Glazed Pork Belly So Special
Why I Love Honey Glazed Pork Belly So Much
What You’ll Need To Make Honey Glazed Pork Belly
How to Make Honey Glazed Pork Belly
Tips and Variations
Frequently Asked Questions
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What Makes Honey Glazed Pork Belly So Special

This honey glazed pork belly is the perfect example of everything I love! It’s salty from the soy sauce, has the nostalgic, aromatic flavor from the five spice, and sweet sticky glaze that melts in your mouth along with the pork. I use honey in the marinade, which caramelizes in the air, creating crispy edges with a glossy finish, while the pork belly stays juicy and flavorful. It’s like Chinese BBQ pork (Char Siu) and crispy roasted pork had a sweet and sticky baby, and it’s always best enjoyed over hot rice with some greens on the side.

A pair of chopsticks lifts a juicy, glistening bite of honey glazed pork belly from a rice bowl. The caramelized surface is sticky and golden, revealing the tender, juicy layers inside.

Why I Love Honey Glazed Pork Belly So Much

What’s beautiful about this dish is how accessible it is. I actually think that’s the beauty of most of the dishes I make! You don’t need a grill, wok, or hours of slow cooking. With just an air fryer and a quick marinade of pantry staples like soy sauce, hoisin, and honey, you’ll be rewarded with amazing flavor and satisfying texture in just under 40 minutes. The sugars in the sauce naturally glaze and crisp up the pork belly, making it feel like you spent way more time than you actually did.

What You’ll Need To Make Honey Glazed Pork Belly

Pork & Marinade

6 oz thick-cut pork belly, skinless
1 tbsp dark soy sauce
1½ tbsp light soy sauce
½ tbsp oyster sauce
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tsp sugar
¼ tsp five spice powder

Optional Garnishes

Steamed greens
Sliced scallions
Toasted sesame seeds

How to Make Honey Glazed Pork Belly

In a bowl, combine pork belly with dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, honey, hoisin sauce, sugar, and five spice powder. Mix well and marinate for 15 minutes.

A metal cup pours a stream of glossy honey soy marinade over raw pork belly in a stainless steel bowl. The thick sauce coats the meat in preparation for a short marination.

Lightly grease air fryer basket and place pork belly in a single layer.

A hand places a thick strip of glossy marinated pork belly into the air fryer basket. The rich glaze clings to the meat, ready to caramelize into a sticky, golden crust during cooking.

Brush with extra marinade and air fry at 350°F (175°C) for 25 minutes.

A spoon drizzles a shiny, amber glaze over pork belly slices in an air fryer basket. The thick sauce enhances the pork’s rich surface before it finishes cooking to a deep golden color.

Flip and baste halfway through until golden and caramelized.

A silicone brush coats sizzling pork belly in the air fryer with more honey glaze. The pork is golden and slightly crisped, ready to soak in more flavor for the final finish.

Slice thinly and serve over hot rice with steamed greens if desired.

A hand carefully places a sliced slab of glazed pork belly onto a bowl of white rice using a knife. The glossy exterior contrasts with the fluffy rice base underneath.

Tips and Variations

• Lke your pork it extra caramelized like me? Baste with extra honey during the last 5 minutes of cooking

• Don’t have an air fryer? Roast at 400°F (200°C) in the oven for 25–30 minutes

• Mix in a little chili paste or gochujang for if you like your pork belly extra spicy!

• Pork belly thickness matters! Thicker cuts need a few more minutes in the air fryer

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use thin-sliced pork belly?

Yes, but reduce the cook time to 15–18 minutes. Keep an eye on it so it doesn’t over-crisp.

Can I prep this ahead of time?

Definitely! Marinate the pork belly overnight for even more flavor and crisp it up right before serving.

What’s the difference between dark and light soy sauce here?

Dark soy adds color and deeper sweetness, while light soy gives that sharp, salty edge. Use both for balance.

Is this similar to Char Siu?

Yes! This is like a shortcut version. Char Siu typically is usually marinated for much longer, but the flavor profile is similar thanks to hoisin, soy, and honey.

Can I make this in a pan?

You can pan-sear and finish it in the oven or just use low heat and cover the pan to simulate roasting. But the air fryer’s crispiness is hard to beat.