Recipe Background
Italian Pork Chops offer an aromatic, flavorful experience in every bite.
Italian Pork Chops are like a delightful opera for your taste buds. The enticing aroma of garlic and Italian seasoning wafts through the kitchen, setting the stage for an unforgettable meal. The savory blend of onion, mushrooms, and zucchini creates a hearty base, while the diced tomatoes and balsamic vinegar add a rich depth that dances gracefully across the palate. As the pork chops sear to golden perfection, a delightful crust forms, sealing in the juices and creating a succulent bite each time.
These chops are surprisingly simple to prepare, making them a star dish even on a busy night. The clever use of a pressure cooker streamlines the process, ensuring the flavors meld beautifully in a fraction of the time. A generous splash of broth and a single bay leaf enhance the aromatic profile, bringing a warm embrace of Italian comfort food into your home. Finish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley for a pop of color and an extra layer of flavor, ensuring each mouthful is as satisfying as the first.
Ingredients
- 6 pork chops boneless
- 1/2 teaspoon salt plus more, to taste
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper plus more, to taste
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/2 cup vegetable or chicken broth
- 1 cup onion diced
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 2 medium zucchinis halved lengthwise and cut crosswise into 1-inch pieces
- 2 cups mushrooms sliced
- 2 (14.5-ounce) cans diced tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
- 2 teaspoons dried Italian seasoning
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon cold water
- fresh parsley to taste, optional, chopped, for garnish
Directions
- Season the pork chops to taste with the salt and the pepper and 2 teaspoons of the garlic powder.
- Turn on the pressure cooker and select "sauté" mode and adjust the heat to "more."
- When the pressure cooker is hot, add the oil.
- Add the pork chops to the oil and sear on both sides until lightly golden. Transfer the pork chops to a plate.
- Add the broth to the pressure cooker and use a wooden utensil with a flat head to scrape all the stuck bits off the bottom of the pot.
- Return the pork chops to the pressure cooker.
- Add the onion, the minced garlic, the zucchinis, the mushrooms, the diced tomatoes, the balsamic vinegar, the Italian seasoning, the bay leaf, 1/2 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/4 teaspoon of the pepper to the pork chops. Do not mix.
- Secure the lid on the pressure cooker and close the pressure release valve.
- Select "pressure cook" and adjust the cooking time to 2 minutes.
- Let the pressure release on its own for 8 minutes.
- Carefully turn the vent to "venting," to release any extra pressure that might still be in the pressure cooker.
- Press "cancel," remove the lid, and discard the bay leaf from the pork chop mixture.
- Use a slotted spoon to transfer the chops to a plate and cover loosely with foil to keep warm.
- Mix the cornstarch with the cold water in a small bowl.
- Select "sauté" on the pressure cooker and adjust to "normal."
- Add the cornstarch mixture to the sauce in the pressure cooker and mix to combine.
- Cook the sauce, stirring occasionally, until it slightly thickens, about 2-3 minutes.
- Return the chops to the sauce.
- Serve the pork chops and the veggies drizzled with the sauce and garnished with the parsley.
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