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)
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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!)
This is one of my go-to recipes in rotation – it’s the perfect amount of sweet and umami with a hint of heat! I also looove the texture. Beautiful!
That’s great to hear Celine – thanks so much! N x
Made this and loved it. Since we’re in the middle of a pandemic I wasn’t able to use all the ingredients and substituted/added a little extra. Turned out fantastic and topped it with a lil’ gochujang sauce
Sounds amazing Jenni! N x
Could I sub honey for the brown sugar?
Sure can Kylie, just watch the temperature though as honey tends to burn quicker than brown sugar 🙂 N x
Made it and loved it. I made this with same ingredients before but your method of leaving the pork to caramelize just bring it to next level. I love your recipes and very happy I come across your site!
Loved this recipe, cooked this last night and the taste was amazing. I Love all your recipes Nagi!!
Thanks so much Stacey! N x
First time making Vietnamese bowl delicious hubby even loved it thanks
Vietnamese pork bowl yum
So quick, so easy! And my family of minor food critics loved it. Thank you!
Omg i literally had no idea what to do what my ground pork.. google a recipe and bam! So easy! I didn’t have brown sugar… only light brown sugar but it still turned out yummy!!! Thank you so much!
Sounds perfect Whitney! N x
This is exactly like I remembered it at a restaurant in my hometown. I’ve been craving this dish for months — it came out perfectly. I used sliced pork chops instead. Thank you for this recipe!
Sounds perfect Genevieve! N x
Nagi I’ve got powdered lemon grass. Would you know how much of that I’d need to use. Thank you. I’m new to your site.
Hi Kathleen, I’d just add 1 tsp. N x
Soooo yummy! Hubby does not usually like ground meat but loves this dish. Another awesome recipe from you!
Soooo yummy! Hubby does not usually like ground meat but loves this dish. Another awesome recipe from you! ❤️
That’s great to hear Leila!! N x
Nice recipe! My ten year old usually eats his rice separately from the other stuff, but today he actually ate his rice with the pork mince. Therefore, it has to be good.
Perfect Glen! N x
Hubby almost literally inhaled this when I made it tonight. He had it with rice and I had it in lettuce cups (to justify the tim tams for dessert 😉 ).
My only modification was to use 3tbsp of the brown sugar and it was just to my liking. Another winner. Thanks, Nagi!
I’m so glad it was a hit Thao!!
Nagi, you did it again! This is why you’re #1 in my book. People are always repinning the posts that I save from your site. Thank you!
Perfect! Took no time! Exactly what the recipe said and was delicious. Will happily make again!
I’m so glad you enjoyed it KP! N x
You’ve done it again! Absolutely delicious, we couldn’t speak, only eat. Served it with rice and the Asian slaw. Have never tasted these flavours before, they were mind blowingly amazing. Thanks Nagi!
Have been making this now at least once a fortnight-I now have to triple your recipe as there is just never enough! The addition of lemongrass is essential for us, I’ve found you can buy frozen lemongrass at the local Asian grocery which I just break a big piece off!
Always 10/10
WOOOWWWW Nagi, you’ve done it again! I made this last night with turkey mince and it is going STRAIGHT into the regular rotation! The sticky sweetness, heat and spices…. Well, it’s just out of this world!!
YESSS!! That’s excellent Rachel! N x
Hi Nagi, would this recipe work with noodles instead of rice?
100% Jacqui!! N x