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!)
Amazing recipies
Thanks Linda!
When do you add the lemongrass?
Thanks!
Whoops. Just read where to add it. Cheers
Just made this for the family tonight. Added the lemongrass. Oh my, how yum it was. Definitely on my list of recipes to make again. Mmmm
Thank you. Love your food. 👍🏼
I’m so glad you loved it Annie!
Delish. Packed with flavor. I served with ramen in miso broth with spinach.
YUM! Sounds great Judy!
at what point do you put the lemongrass in?
Hi Anthony, with the garlic, as per the recipe notes 🙂
Any suggestions on a substitute for the fish sauce? Girlfriend is allergic but would love to make this with her if i can find an alternative
Just looked it up… options are soy sauce, 50/50 soy sauce/rice wine vinegar, soy sauce/lime juice
This recipe is so good!! It was super easy to make and has such great flavor! Thank you!
Yesssss, thanks Alexis!
Fabulous!!!! Caramelizing took longer but so worth it
I made the dish and it was wonderful! The only feedback I have is that there is tons of oil left at the bottom of the pan after caramelizing the pork. Do you drain any oil in the recipe that is not shown?
Hi Chris, that just depends on the type of mince you use – fatty mince will have more excess fat (you can drain this off using paper towel if you prefer) – N x
I made this recipe last night and am using it as a filling for homemade stuffed bao 😍.
YUM Jessi! Send some my way!
Made this for dinner tonight to serve with basmati rice. I also had some zoodles, delicious!
Sounds great Heather!
I can only find Thai chili pepper and not red chili – are they just for heat factor? Does not affect purpose for taste does it? Thank you
They will be fine Michi, just adjust to suit your desired heat level- N x
Loved it!!!! Very tasty. Will cook again
WOOT! Thanks so much for letting me know Teresa!
Vietnamese caramelised pork bowls. How much lemongrass paste do you use please
Hi Teresa, you can use 1 tbls of lemongrass paste to give a nice hit to this dish – N x
Many thanks Nagi
Absolutely loving this dish – I substituted the Fish sauce for Soy sauce though (not a big fish sauce lover) but it still tasted incredible! Thank you once more for a wonderful recipe x
Vietnamese caramelized pork bowls: in the notes it mentions lemongrass, has this been accidently omitted from ingredients list.
I screenshot ingredients to shop, if it’s not listed it’s not purchased. Will recipe be ok without it? Thanks for wonderful, inspiring recipes.
Hi Cher, it’s optional – the dish will be great without 🙂
I loved this! But I didn’t use ANY sugar! So it was healthier but still had a fab taste! I ate cold the next day!
Hi J, you really need some sugar for this to be caramelised – but glad you still enjoyed it!
Yum! Really nice! I reduced the amount of sugar by about a tbsp and a half and added a little thinly sliced lemon grass.
Perfect Tess!
Delicious!!!
This will become a family regular, quick and easy
Woot! That’s great Tracie!
Made this for dinner tonight and it turned delicious 😋. I’ve been following you for a few months and so glad I came across your site as everything I’ve made so far have turned out really good with rave reviews from my family.
Made this tonight for mr teen daughter and her boyfriend who suddenly showed up and apparently was staying for dinner. I needed something quick and tasty and this fit the bill! Used coriander instead of lemongrass and shock horror chilli from a jar. I garnished with sliced shallots and served with vermicelli. It was wolfed down by all.
Thanks Nagi for making delicious food accessible for those of us on a low budget. Takeaway is so expensive!
That’s wonderful to hear Nancy! Thanks so much – N x
This is really yummy! I make it with less chilli because the kids don’t like it to spicy, but it is a really great dish! Fast and easy to make. We really enjoyed it