Creole Pork Chops
Try our mouthwatering Creole pork chops recipe, featuring a savory blend of tomatoes, onions, peppers, and celery.
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These baked Creole pork chops are packed with Southern flavor and a rich tomato-based sauce. The chops are first dredged in seasoned flour and seared, then baked with the classic “holy trinity” of peppers, onions, and celery—plus tomatoes and tomato soup for depth.
This recipe brings together comfort, flavor, and simplicity in one pan. It’s the kind of dish you can serve over fluffy rice or mashed potatoes and feel like you’re sitting down to a home-cooked Sunday dinner—even if it’s a weeknight.
What You’ll Like About This Recipe
- Hands-off baking time. Once the chops are browned and the sauce is simmering, the oven does the rest of the work so you can step away and prep sides or clean up.
- Classic Creole-style flavor. The tomatoes plus the trio of bell pepper, celery, and onion give the dish that Louisiana-inspired, slightly smoky, savory character without needing a long list of spices.
- Tender, saucy pork chops. Browning first builds flavor, and the gentle oven braise in tomato sauce keeps the chops moist and tender instead of chewy.
- Pantry-friendly ingredients. Canned tomatoes, tomato soup, flour, and basic seasonings make this a recipe you can pull together with items you probably already have on hand.
Ingredient Notes
- Pork chops – Loin chops about 1 inch thick give you enough time to brown the outside while the inside stays juicy. Bone-in chops add even more flavor and stay moist; boneless chops will work but may cook a bit faster, so watch the timing.
- Flour and seasonings – The flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika create a light coating that helps the chops brown and also thickens the sauce as everything bakes. You can use smoked paprika for a subtle smoky note or add a pinch of cayenne for extra heat.
- Canned diced tomatoes – Provide acidity and texture in the sauce. Fire-roasted tomatoes are a nice option if you want a deeper, slightly smoky flavor.
- Tomato soup – This gives the sauce body and a lightly creamy, slightly sweet finish, which balances the acidity of the tomatoes. Condensed tomato soup straight from the can is what you want here; no additional liquid needed beyond what’s in the recipe.
- Bell pepper, celery, and onion – This trio is the “trinity” often used in Creole and Cajun cooking. Sautéing them briefly in the pork drippings before adding the tomatoes builds a flavorful base and gives the sauce a lovely mix of sweet and savory notes.
How to Make Creole Pork Chops
- Prepare the pork chops by patting them dry so the seasoned flour will cling well and brown nicely in the pan.
- Stir together the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika in a shallow dish, then dredge each chop in the mixture, shaking off the excess so you get a thin, even coating.
- Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium heat and brown the chops on both sides until they have a good golden crust; this step builds flavor and helps the coating stay on during baking.
- Transfer the browned chops to a baking dish, arranging them in a single layer so they cook evenly and are mostly covered by the sauce later.
- Pour off any excess grease from the skillet, leaving just a thin film and the browned bits, then add the chopped bell pepper, celery, and onion and sauté briefly to soften and pick up the pan drippings.
- Stir in the diced tomatoes and tomato soup, bring the mixture to a gentle simmer, and taste for seasoning, adding more salt and pepper if needed so the sauce is well flavored before it goes over the pork.
- Pour the hot tomato and vegetable mixture evenly over the pork chops in the baking dish, cover if you like a softer texture, and bake until the chops are tender and cooked through.
- Let the dish rest a few minutes out of the oven so the juices settle, then serve the chops with plenty of the Creole-style tomato sauce spooned over the top.
Creole Pork Chops Tips
- Brown in batches if your skillet is small so the chops sear instead of steaming; crowded pans make it harder to get that flavorful crust.
- Watch the flour coating and shake off extra; a thin layer browns better and keeps the sauce from becoming overly thick or pasty.
- Taste the sauce before it goes into the oven and again near the end of baking so you can adjust salt, pepper, or a little extra paprika to suit your preference.
- Cover for softer chops by tenting the baking dish with foil; leaving it uncovered gives a slightly thicker, more reduced sauce with a bit of browning around the edges.
- Check for doneness early if your chops are on the thinner side to avoid overcooking; you can always bake a few minutes longer, but you can’t undo dryness.
Recipe Variations
- Spicy Creole pork chops. Add cayenne pepper, crushed red pepper flakes, or a few dashes of hot sauce to the flour mixture or the tomato sauce for a bolder, spicier profile while keeping the same basic method.
- Veggie-forward version. Increase the bell pepper, celery, and onion and add sliced mushrooms or okra to the sauce for a heartier vegetable component without changing the core recipe.
- Lighter loin version. Use lean center-cut loin chops and trim any visible fat, then go a little lighter on the dredging flour for a slightly leaner dish that still feels satisfying.
- Finish with herbs. Sprinkle chopped parsley or green onions over the finished dish for a fresh touch.
What to Serve With Creole Pork Chops
- Rice: Cooked long-grain rice is a great choice, or try this garlic and Parmesan cauliflower rice.
- Potatoes: Choose mashed potatoes or try something a little different, like these fried smashed potatoes.
- Salad: A side salad can add freshness and balance to a meal without adding heaviness. Try a tossed green salad with homemade Italian dressing or a Caesar salad.
- Bread: Serve the chops and sauce with freshly baked cornbread or flaky Southern biscuits.
How to Store
- Refrigerate: Cool the pork chops and sauce within 2 hours of cooking, then transfer to airtight containers. Refrigerate for up to 3 to 4 days.
- Reheat: Place chops with some sauce in a covered baking dish and warm in a 325°F to 350°F oven until heated through and the sauce is bubbling gently. For single servings, you can reheat in the microwave in short bursts, spooning some sauce over the top to keep the meat moist.
- Freeze: For longer storage, place cooled chops and sauce in freezer-safe containers or heavy-duty freezer bags, removing as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 2 to 3 months and thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating so the texture of the pork stays tender.
Creole Pork Chops
Recipe Resources
Ingredients
For the Dredge
- 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon paprika
For the Pork Chops
- 6 pork chops, bone-in, 1 inch thick
- 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 14.5-ounce can diced tomatoes, undrained
- 1 10 3/4-oz can tomato soup
- 1 green bell pepper, chopped
- 1 cup celery, chopped
- 1/2 cup onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350°F.
- Combine the flour, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper, garlic powder, and paprika.
- Dredge the pork chops in the flour mixture.
- Heat a skillet over medium heat with olive oil. Add pork chops and brown on both sides.
- Place the browned chops in a single layer in a baking dish or pan.
- Discard any excess grease in the skillet and add the chopped peppers, celery, and onion. Sauté the vegetables for 2 minutes; add tomatoes and tomato soup and bring to a simmer. Taste the sauce and add salt and pepper, as needed.
- Pour the sauce over the chops. Bake for 45 minutes to 1 hour or until chops are tender.
Nutrition
Calories: 346kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 31gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 90mgSodium: 828mgPotassium: 619mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 237IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 25mgIron: 2mg
Disclaimer:
Our nutritional information is based on a third-party application that analyzes the ingredients list to determine the values. The information is meant to be helpful, but should be considered an estimate. Values may differ depending on measurements, brands, serving variations, and database availability.
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