Here’s a super fast pork stir fry made with pork mince (ground pork) infused with flavours from the streets of Vietnam. With just a handful of ingredients you probably already have, it’s sweet, salty, beautifully caramelised and absolutely irresistible. It’s the quick and easy version of Vietnamese Caramel Pork, a famous Vietnamese food speciality!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Vietnamese stir fry – Pork Mince recipe
Ground pork – which we call “mince” here in Australia – is extremely good value.
It’s also just about the least sexy protein I know. Don’t you think? A dry aged piece of New York strip is sexy. Quail is gourmet. Oysters are….well, we’ve all heard that oysters are an aphrodisiac, right? 😉
Mince is…well, it just isn’t fancy. And yet, it makes it into my shopping trolley every single week because it’s such good value and so versatile. Sure, there are the usual suspects you can make with mince. Bolognese, meatballs, burgers, Meatloaf, Shepherds Pie – to name a few of the more common ones.
But sometimes, it’s nice to do something a little different. Like this Vietnamese pork stir fry.
The crazy thing about this pork mince recipe is that the ingredients list is so short. Chili, garlic, ginger, sugar and fish sauce. That’s it. Seriously!
Can I make this pork stir fry with chicken or beef mince?
Yes! This is fabulous made with chicken, beef and turkey!
“This is a terrific ground pork recipe that tastes and sounds so exotic…. yet it’s so easy!”
The secret to this ground pork is the caramelisation. It is rare to see recipes made with ground meat that are cooked this way so the meat is caramelised.
But those golden brown bits you see – they are the crowning glory in this recipe that takes it from a rather unappetising pale brown-grey colour to a golden brown pile of deliciousness that you will want to eat with a spoon straight out of the skillet. (Go on – you deserve it – cook’s privileges!)
What you need
Short list – see? I didn’t exaggerate!!
Lemongrass is optional – it’s not a pantry staple and also it’s not an ingredient in traditional Vietnamese Caramel Pork. But lemongrass flavour is certainly at home in this dish!
How to make this Vietnamese pork mince stir fry
This pork mince stir fry comes together as quickly as any stir fry. Once you start cooking, you’ll be done in 6 minutes flat.
Authentic Vietnamese roots
I am not 1000% sure that this is strictly authentic Vietnamese but the combination of ingredients I use most certainly are and it is my replica of dishes I have tried at Vietnamese restaurants here in Australia. It is an adaptation of the marinade I use in my Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Bowl and essentially the quick version of Vietnamese Caramel Pork, a famous Vietnamese food speciality.
How to serve it
Serve this pork stir fry over rice and eat it with a spoon! This pork mince recipe doesn’t have a sauce, but you don’t need it because the flavour is intensified and the pork mince mixes all through the rice which flavour it.
To complete your meal, try these:
A fresh side salad like this Asian Slaw;
Add a side of cucumber and tomato wedges, pictured (very classic South East Asian way to add vegetables to a meal); or
Shredded lettuce, cucumber and carrots which makes it more like the classic Vietnamese Noodle Bowls.
Make my Vietnamese Chicken Salad but without the chicken for a fresh, slaw-like salad side.
Hope you enjoy! – Nagi x
PS For a healthy low carb option try Cauliflower Rice – 77% fewer calories and 87% less carbs than rice.
Watch how to make it
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
Get your Vietnamese fix!
Vietnamese Caramel Pork – and the Chicken version!
Lemongrass Chicken – one of my favourite things to grill!
Browse all Vietnamese recipes
More quick pork mince recipes
San Choy Bow (Chinese Lettuce Cups)
Egg Foo Young (Chinese Omelette with Pork)
Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.
Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 tbsp cooking oil (I use peanut oil)
- 1/2 onion , finely diced (brown, white or yellow) (~1/2 cup)
- 2 tsp ginger , grated or minced
- 2 garlic cloves , minced (2 tsp paste)
- 1 birds eye or Thai chili , deseeded and finely chopped (can omit, Note 1)
- 500g / 1 lb pork mince (ground pork) (Note 2)
- 5 tbsp (tightly packed brown sugar (don't skimp, else won't caramelise)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
Serving:
- 1 green onion stem , finely sliced
- Jasmine rice or other rice for serving
- Sliced red chilli, tomato, cucumber (optional)
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat.
- Sauté – Add the onion, ginger, garlic and chili and cook for 2 minutes.
- Cook pork – Add the pork mince and cook for 2 minutes or so until white all over, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon.
- Add sauce & caramelise – Add the sugar and fish sauce. Stir, then leave it to cook without touching until all the juices cook out and the pork starts caramelised – about 2 minutes. Then stir it and leave it again, without stirring, for around 30 seconds to get more caramelisation. Repeat twice more until caramelised to your taste.
- Serve over jasmine or other rice, or vermicelli noodles, garnished with sliced green onion. For a low carb, low cal option, try Cauliflower Rice! I like to have chunks of plain cucumber and carrots on the side which is a classic way of making Vietnamese bowls.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
Originally published November 2015. Updated September 2019 with new writing, some new photos, brand new video and most importantly, new Life of Dozer section added!
Life of Dozer
Dozer on the wrong side of the counter at the pet shop!!!
(PS yes you spy cat treats, buying a present for a friend!)
Simply superb. You have yet to disappoint Nagi. Thanks
Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls: I just cannot believe how delicious this recipe is and how quick it is to prepare and cook.
My sons (fussy eaters) said it was better than restaurant food!
It was super quick & easy recipe. I made during half an hour lunch break, added red and green peppers each. Another recipe to be my regular. Thank you Nagi.
Sounds perfect Makiko!! N x
Cooked this last night. Dead easy and absolutely delicious. Will definitely become a regular. Mediterranean Baked Chicken Dinner tonight!
Any chance I can substitute the sugar with something and it still work?
Hi Peter, the sugar is needed for the caramelisation here sorry! N x
I made this last night, and it was amazing! No chilis added to dish. We used siracha on our own plates to spice it up the way we like!
I love this recipe! As a Vietnamese rendering & prepping the pork belly version is so much effort so this is a much easier and healthier version~~
This recipe truly is so good. I’ve made it probably 4 times in 2 months since finding it. I change up the base between rice, noodles and zucchini noodles. It’s great with all 3. I also add a lot of veggies, shredded broccoli, cabbage and cauliflower is my go to. I made pickled onions, cumcumbers and jalapeños and added it to the side of the dish, topped with toasted sesame seeds, delicious! Thanks for much for sharing!!!
This is the second time I’ve made this and my husband and I polished off the entire batch!!
Outstanding with coconut ginger rice .
OMG, this is mind blowing and gosh how easy to make. MOTH didn’t stop raving about it until the last bite. The flavors just explode and by adding the tomato & cucumber added such freshness.
This is seriously the bees knees!
I had a 10oz pack of ground pork sitting in my fridge and no idea what I wanted to make. I randomly found this recipe, and even though I didn’t have the chili peppers, it turned out amazing.
I subbed gochugang for the chili peppers and used coconut sugar instead of brown sugar. I’m making this again next week with the actual peppers. I used the meat with lettuce wraps! So yum! Thank you!
This was my first time cooking with fish sauce and I have to say it smelled vile! However, pleased to report it tasted FAR better than it smelled! Quick and easy to make, I used chilli flakes instead of fresh chillis and served with rice, cucumber and tomatoes. Did find it a little dry and lacking in veggies so next time would use some lime juice, soy sauce (as suggested by other reviewers) and extra veg. Thanks for the recipe Nagi
Hi Kat, yes it is supposed to be a dry style stir fry. You could definitely add extra veg if you like, just increase the sauce portion. N x
Could you use chili paste instead? (Sambal Oelek)
Quick and tasty recipe. Next time I will cut the sugar a bit and add lime juice , I did add a bit of soy sauce and extra fish sauce. Added a red pepper and a small portion of jalapeño when cooking the onion. Just before serving I threw in fresh spinach just to add more veggies. Served it on noodles with cherry tomatoes and cilantro. Had a small bowl of jalapeño for hubby who like more spice than I do. Will definitely make this again.
By how much would you recommend cutting the sugar? Im going to make this tonight!
I would cut by one tablespoon and add a bit of lime juice. The extra veggies in this were a good way to sneak in a few extra vitamins! Hope you enjoy.
We all loved this 2 adults and 4 kids- it’s a miracle! I’d like to make it with less sugar – would it still work please?
this is on permanent rotation in our household – it is SO GOOD!!! i put cucumber, carrot and red caspicum on the side. thankyou nagi!!! 🙂
In the words of my husband: “Do not lose this recipe!”.
Yum yum yum!!! This has been one of my favorite dishes I made so far!! Me and my boyfriend loved it. So easy to make as well!!
Turned out pretty good no chili pepper so added red curry paste. Added broccoli and bell peppers too yum 😋
How much red curry paste did you add?
Made this recipe. It was absolutely scrumptious. I used soy sauce instead of fish sauce. Added juice of half a lime and used chilli flakes as o had no fresh chilli. Thank you for such a fab recipe. Served it with rice , sliced yellow pepper, tomatoes , spring onion and grated carrot.
Sounds great Claire!! N x