This Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Bowls recipe is absolutely amazing! It tastes delicious, is so easy to make, quick, and affordable! This stir-fried pork mince is the perfect dinner meal for any weeknight! You can serve this as a main dish or an appetizer.
Vietnamese Caramelized Pork is a great stir fry minced pork recipe that you should try.
It's so flavorful and can be done at your dinner table in less than 30 minutes. It's definitely tastier and faster than any Asian take-out.
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About This Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Bowls
The ground pork is stir-fried and cooked perfectly in a homemade Asian sauce.
The sauce has the perfect balance of sweetness, saltiness, and tanginess, and with the right amount of heat!
The caramelized sauce really makes the meat tender and flavorful. So yummy!
Easy Ground Pork Recipe
Minced pork is an affordable protein choice. It's tasty and versatile. It also takes a little time to cook.
This stir-fried minced pork has a very mild spicy level. Feel free to skip the red chili to make it becomes less spicy and more kid-friendly so that everyone leaving the dinner table is happy.
This was inspired by the popular minced pork noodles recipe, also this Thai larb chicken, and my favorite chef, Gordon Ramsay.
Now let's talk about the ingredients, preparation, and cooking process.
Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Bowls Ingredients:
Pork Mince
Pork mince is ground meat that is usually made from pork shoulder, aka pork butt or Boston butt.
Unlike ground beef, pork mince is usually sold pre-packaged or in bulk without the fat and will often show the lean fat percentage content amount.
This recipe works well with pork mince or a combination of pork mince and ground beef.
And, if you are not a big fan of pork mince, feel free to use ground beef, chicken, or turkey as a replacement ingredient.
Vietnamese Stir Fry Sauce
To make the sauce, you need the following ingredients:
- fresh garlic
- ginger
- shallots
- Vietnamese fish sauce
- brown sugar
- salt and pepper
- red Jalapeno or Serrano or any red chilies
- lime zest, and lime juice.
This recipe requires simple preparation. It involves chopping and zesting only! Basically, you need to mince the garlic and ginger, slice the shallots and the red chilies, then zest the lime.
Vietnamese Fish Sauce:
Fish sauce is a liquid condiment made from fish, such as anchovy extract that has been coated in salt and sugar, and naturally fermented for up to two years.
It is used as a staple seasoning in East and Southeast Asian cuisine.
Please note that not all fish sauce products/brands are created equal and they usually have different sodium levels (ex: Thai fish sauce has a lower sodium content than Vietnamese fish sauce).
To add saltiness to the dish, just add a small amount of salt. Do not go overboard with fish sauce or all you’ll taste is fish sauce.
Cooking Vietnamese Caramelized Pork
And now for the cooking part!
This recipe requires two-step cooking but it can be done in one skillet and doesn't require any cooking skills.
The only important rule of this recipe is to cook the meat in the sauce on high heat. So be sure to prepare all of the ingredients and put them near you.
Here are some important cooking steps to follow to make this flavorful Asian meat dish:
Step 1. Brown the Meat
Brown the ground pork and remove the excess fat and liquid (if any) to make it more "lean", and less greasy, and keep the meat 🥩 staying crispy after cooking. Afterward, set it aside.
Please note that at this point, you only need to brown the pork, don't worry about getting the meat crisp because we are going to do that in the next step.
Step 2. Stir Fry and Caramelize the Ground Pork
Cook the aromatic vegetables until fragrant then put the browned pork back. Add the sauce and cook the pork until crispy and caramelized!
Lastly, about 30 seconds before the cooking process is finished, add the lime zest, scallion, and lime juice.
FAQ and Cooking Tips:
If you want to serve this as an appetizer, choose lettuce, cucumber, and some pickled vegetables. Or, serve it as a main dish with some brown or white rice, fried egg, and/or Korean spinach salad.
It's mild. If you are worried, use red bell pepper instead of red chili pepper or skip.
Put the leftover in an airtight container. Properly stored, it can last 3-4 days in the fridge or 2-3 months in the freezer.
Check Out More Tasty Asian Recipes:
- Vietnamese Pork Chops
- Easy Vietnamese Turmeric Fish with Dill (Cha Ca)
- Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Stir Fry
- Minced Pork Noodles with Hoisin Sauce
- Best Pork Tenderloin Stir Fry
I hope you'll enjoy this recipe and share it with friends! If you try it and don’t mind, please leave me a comment and/or give this recipe a rating.
📖 Recipe
Vietnamese Caramelized Pork Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 pound pork mince, (ground pork)
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil , (divided) - such as canola, vegetable, or peanut oil.
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 1 large fresh red chili pepper, (such as Jalapeno or Serrano) seeded and diced
- ½ cup thinly sliced shallots, (lightly packed)
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar, (or add more for a sweeter taste and according to your liking)
- 2 tablespoons Vietnamese fish sauce
- zest from 1 lime
- ⅛ lime, (freshly squeezed) - use more according to your liking and more for serving
- 3 scallions, (white and green parts - thinly sliced)
Optional:
- salt and black pepper, (to taste)
Instructions
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add pork and cook undisturbed for 1 minute. Add a pinch of salt and black pepper then cook for 4 minutes or until brown. Transfer the pork to a colander to remove the excess liquid and fat. Drain and set aside.
- Heat 1½ tablespoons of oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add shallots, cook for 1 minute, then add ginger and chili and cook for 1 minute. Add garlic and cook for about 15 seconds. Keep stirring.
- Add the browned pork back into the pot and stir. Add fish sauce and brown sugar. Stir then let it cook undisturbed to caramelize for about 1 minute. Stir again for a few seconds and let it cook undisturbed for another 1 minute. Gently scrape up the brown bits from the bottom of the pan to prevent burning. Repeat this process if necessary or until you reach the desired consistency or crispiness. The pork meat should turn golden brown with caramelized flavors. Do not overcook to prevent burnt taste and dry meat. Add salt and pepper if necessary.
- Add chopped scallions, lime zest, and lime juice. Give it a quick stir for a few seconds, then turn off the heat. Serve with white rice or lettuce and more lime juice if desired. Enjoy!
Notes
- Step #1 is crucial, do not skip it.
- The Nutrition is for the caramelized minced pork only. It doesn't include white rice or lettuce.
- Other Meat Besides Pork: ground beef, turkey, or chicken.
- Lime. You can replace lime with lemon if that's the only thing you have available.
- Shallots. You can also use red onions but must cook them a bit longer until soft and translucent.
- Garlic and ginger. If you love garlic and ginger, feel free to double the amount.
- Vietnamese Fish Sauce: I used Viet Huong Fish Sauce (also known as Three Crabs Fish Sauce). You can find them at Target, Ralph's, or any Asian grocers for around $4-$6 per big bottle. Alternatively, you can use Thai fish sauce. Please note that not all fish sauce products/brands are created equal and they usually have different sodium levels (ex: Thai fish sauce has a lower sodium content than Vietnamese fish sauce). To add saltiness to the dish, just add a small amount of salt. Do not go overboard with fish sauce or all you’ll taste is fish sauce.
- Fresh chili pepper. If you are worried about the spicy level, use red bell pepper instead of red chili pepper or skip it. If you can't find red jalapeno or red serrano pepper, you can use 1-2 small pieces of Thai chili peppers or more as a replacement ingredient.
- If you want to serve this as an appetizer, choose lettuce, cucumber, and some pickled vegetables. Or, serve it as a main dish with some brown or white rice, noodles, fried egg, and/or Korean spinach salad.
Dayle says
Surprisingly delicious. I say surprisingly because so often online recipes don't turn out the way they are described and/or are so bland. This way of cooking mince was so tasty. It really was browned and crispy if you are patient with it. I will definitely be adding this to my repertoire. Thanks!!
Rika says
Hi Dayle,
Your comment just made my day! Thanks so much for trying and reviewing this recipe. If you like pork, be sure to check out this Pork Tenderloin stir fry recipe.
Best,
Rika
Rika
Deb says
This was delicious!!! Will become one of our favs!!
Rika says
Thanks for taking the time to share your feedback, Deb! I am glad that you liked it.
Best,
Rika
Vero says
Loved this! Added some fresh thinly sliced cabbage at the very end just to use it up, added for some extra crunch. Delicious!
Rika says
Hi Vero,
Great tip, I'll try that next time! I'm such a fan of cabbage; great taste, and crunch as you said, and is exceptionally healthy.
Best,
Rika
Donna says
This is a favorite at my house - served with fresh red pepper strips/English cukes. Splashed lime juice and fern head dill
Rika says
Hi Donna,
I'm glad to hear that the caramelized pork is a hit in your household! Serving it with fresh red pepper strips and English cucumbers, and adding lime juice and fern head dill, sounds like a wonderful combination that brings a burst of flavors.
Best,
Rika
Angie Thorn says
This was delicious and so quick and easy to put together. I added small dice carrots, celery, and daikon. I used a teaspoon of sambas oelek in lieu of the hot pepper, and ground ginger instead of fresh. Don’t skip the lime zest or juice. Served it with Momofuku soy & scallion package noodles with the added sauce. This recipe will be a regular in my house. Everyone said it was delicious and empty bowls were the proof.
Rika says
Outstanding, thanks so much for all of the details in your dish! Sambal and Momofuku.. you're speaking my language, Annie 🙂 So glad everyone enjoyed it!
Best,
Rika
Keri Leibowitz says
This was so easy and delish. Send the recipe to my sister to make.
Taking it for lunch tmrw w lettuce
Rika says
Hi Keri,
I'm glad to hear that the caramelized ground pork turned out delicious and easy to make! Sharing the recipe with your sister is a wonderful idea. Enjoy your lunch with lettuce tomorrow—it sounds like a tasty and healthy choice.
Best,
Rika
G says
Absolutely love this recipe and make it regularly. I just wish there was an automatic option to 2x or 3x the recipe so I dont have to do the calculations myself. Our family loves it so much I’m always multiplying to make enough.
Rika says
Hi G,
Thank you so much for your kind words! I’m so happy to hear you and your family love the recipe and make it regularly! I totally get the need for an easier way to scale the recipe up—it's always nice to have more on hand for leftovers. I’ll definitely keep that in mind for future updates. Thanks again for trying the recipe, and I’m so glad it’s a favorite in your home!
Best,
Rika
Lucie Hunter says
I’ve made this 7 or 8 times now. My favorite fish sauce is the Vietnamese one “Red Boat”. I like mine more caramalized and pretty much double the times given for the meat before and after the sauce. Tonight I gambled (and succeeded) at tripling the recipe. And I made it on the griddle outside. Awesome recipe!
Rika says
Thanks so much for your feedback, Lucie! I’m so happy to hear you’ve made the recipe a few times and that it’s become a favorite. Red Boat fish sauce is a great choice, and I love that you made it your own by caramelizing it longer. Tripling the recipe sounds like a fun challenge, and cooking on the griddle outside must have been awesome! Thanks again for sharing, and I’m glad it turned out so well! - Rika -