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Home Quick and Easy

Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls

By:Nagi
Published:22 Sep '19Updated:30 Jul '23
1,046 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Here’s a super fast pork stir fry made with 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”!

Close up of pork mince stir fry - Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls

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!

Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls - close up of pork mince recipe, stir fry

“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!

Ingredients in Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls - pork mince recipe, stir fry

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.

How to make Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls (pork mince recipe)

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.

Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls served over rice in a rustic bowl - ground pork recipe / pork mince recipe

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!

  • Bun Cha – Vietnamese Meatballs (Noodle Bowl)

  • Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

  • Vietnamese Caramel Pork – and the Chicken version!

  • Lemongrass Chicken – one of my favourite things to grill!

  • Vietnamese Noodle Salad

  • Browse all Vietnamese recipes

More quick pork mince recipes

  • Pork Stir Fry with Green Beans

  • Bun Cha – Vietnamese Meatballs (Noodle Bowl)

  • San Choy Bow (Chinese Lettuce Cups)

  • Chinese Pork Mince with Noodles

  • 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.

Close up of pork mince stir fry - Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls

Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 10 minutes mins
Cook: 10 minutes mins
Total: 20 minutes mins
Stir Fry
Vietnamese
4.94 from 420 votes
Servings4
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 1936
Recipe video above. An exciting way to use ground meat (mince) to make a quick stir fry that taste unbelievable! This is great made with chicken, turkey or pork. It also works with beef though it is better made with "white meats". Serve it over rice or vermicelli noodles to make rice bowls with shredded lettuce, carrots and cucumbers on the side (very classic Vietnamese meal!).
**NOTE: If you reduce sugar then the pork will not caramelise as well and it will take longer to get colour on it!**

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 (Note 1)
  • 1 lb / 500g ground pork (mince) (Note 2)
  • 5 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce

Serving:

  • 1 green onion stem , finely sliced
  • Rice
  • Sliced red chilli, tomato, cucumber (optional)

Instructions

  • Heat the oil in a large skillet over high heat.
  • Add the onion, ginger, garlic and chili and cook for 2 minutes.
  • Add the pork mince and cook for 2 minutes or so until white all over, breaking up the meat with a wooden spoon.
  • 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 rice or vermicelli noodles, garnished with sliced scallions/shallots. 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:

1. Birds eye chilis are small red chilis that are usually around 3 to 4cm (1.5 – 2″) long. They are very spicy! You can substitute with any chili you want, or even exclude it if you are making this for kids. Just adjust to your taste.
This dish is great to serve with sriracha on the side so people can add the amount of heat they want.
2. Other meat – recipe works great with chicken and turkey too. Beef will also work well.
3. Lemongrass is a lovely and very traditional Vietnamese herb used in dishes like this. 1 stalk, white part only, very VERY finely chopped. Add it into the skillet with the garlic. 
If you have lemongrass paste (see ingredient photo in post), add it with the brown sugar.
4. Nutrition is for the pork stir fry only, excludes the rice and assumes you use a lean pork (10% fat).

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 153gCalories: 341cal (17%)Carbohydrates: 17g (6%)Protein: 22g (44%)Fat: 13g (20%)Saturated Fat: 3g (19%)Cholesterol: 110mg (37%)Sodium: 782mg (34%)Potassium: 425mg (12%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 16g (18%)Vitamin A: 30IU (1%)Vitamin C: 3mg (4%)Calcium: 40mg (4%)Iron: 1mg (6%)
Keywords: Ground pork recipe, ground pork stir fry, Pork mince recipe, pork mince stir fry
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @recipe_tin.

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!)

Dozer Pet O wrong side of counter buying present

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1,046 Comments

  1. Sierra says

    July 31, 2018 at 10:40 am

    This recipe is amazing so easy and delisious but i found that by adding qabout half a tbale spoon of soysauce at the end it really set off the flavor amzing recipe and food cant wait to make again trying to resist eating it all before i even have a chance to serve it 😀

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      August 1, 2018 at 9:16 pm

      Thanks for the tip Sierra!! 🙂

      Reply
  2. L.C. Lassman says

    July 24, 2018 at 5:36 am

    5 stars
    Many years ago I made something like this as the filling for an appetizer rice wrap. I placed vermicelli noodles, the ground pork filling, and fresh basil and mint leaves in rice paper and rolled them up.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 25, 2018 at 8:12 pm

      YUM!!!

      Reply
  3. Mandy says

    July 23, 2018 at 9:28 pm

    5 stars
    I cooked this for one of our Chinese students and he declared I am a better cook then his Mama!! Thanks Nagi. X

    Reply
  4. Christine Cobb says

    July 22, 2018 at 10:45 pm

    5 stars
    Good evening Nagi! This Vietnamese caramelised pork mince recipe was truly delicious. Definitely to add to tried and true, and to repeat very often.
    I think I must cook the mushrooms with orecchiette every 2 weeks. Nothing I have tried in your recipes has been a failure.
    Keep up your excellent work!

    Reply
  5. Laura says

    July 18, 2018 at 1:51 pm

    5 stars
    Wow — what a great recipe! We loved this – and so quick and easy. Served with sauteed carrots and broccoli and rice, topped with scallions and cilantro, plus generous squeeze of a lime and siracha. Fantastic! Thanks for a great recipe!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 20, 2018 at 9:17 pm

      That’s so great to hear Laura! I’m so pleased you enjoyed this, thank you for letting me know! N x

      Reply
  6. Deb says

    July 10, 2018 at 7:10 pm

    very sweet, I don’t think I would put as much sugar in next time.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 11, 2018 at 8:35 pm

      Hi Deb! This is definitely a sweet dish, it’s not intended to serve loads per person 🙂 Unfortunately if you reduce the sugar in this it does compromise the caramelisation 🙂

      Reply
  7. Tc says

    July 10, 2018 at 1:23 pm

    Tastes amazing!! Thank you so much for this dish.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      July 11, 2018 at 8:29 pm

      🙌🏻 🙌🏻 LOVE hearing that! Thanks for letting me know Tc! N x

      Reply
  8. carol lutton says

    July 2, 2018 at 4:56 pm

    5 stars
    made this today very tasty, had it in lettuce leaves ,so easy

    Reply
  9. Kassy Keys says

    June 27, 2018 at 3:10 pm

    5 stars
    Absolutely loved this dish.. My partner kept saying, is there any more lol

    Reply
  10. Jan says

    June 3, 2018 at 8:10 pm

    4 stars
    Tried this tonight and it was so easy and tasted great. Had no garlic but it didn’t matter. Hubby was very impressed and said I can cook it again anytime. Maybe he can learn as it’s so so easy.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      June 4, 2018 at 8:45 pm

      That’s great to hear Jan! Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed this! N x ❤️

      Reply
  11. Catherine says

    May 6, 2018 at 7:13 am

    5 stars
    This dish is fantastic and easy! Ingredients I have on hand and even my 8 year old daughter loves it! I like to add a splash of lime juice to add a little acidity, yummy! What’s this dish traditionally called in Vietnamese, Nagi?

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      May 7, 2018 at 9:15 am

      Hi Catherine! Actually, this isn’t authentic, it uses the sauce from the authentic Vietnamese Caramel Pork and turns a 90 minute dish into a very quick one using pork mince. So glad you enjoyed this Catherine! N xx

      Reply
  12. Denise says

    April 30, 2018 at 12:51 pm

    Hello, thankyou for your recipe, it sounds delicious. Before I make it can I confirm amount of brown sugar is 5 tablespoons, or should it be teaspoons? Many thanks

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      April 30, 2018 at 9:31 pm

      Hi Denise! Yes it’s tablespoons 🙂 It’s caramelised pork so it has more sugar in it than the usual savoury meals! N xx

      Reply
  13. Brea says

    March 29, 2018 at 12:21 pm

    I’m so happy I found your incredible website! We have been eating your recipes for the past month and every one we try is delicious! This is definitely one of our favourites.
    Love your website – it’s so helpful and easy to navigate. Keep the great recipes coming!!

    Reply
  14. Sandra Lachance says

    March 22, 2018 at 11:58 pm

    5 stars
    The whole family loves it! I’m doing keto, so I used coconut oil instead of peanut oil, and monk fruit instead of sugar. I’ve put some slivered almonds on top. The family had it on rice, and me, on Shiratake noodles.

    To be made again, and again!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 26, 2018 at 7:14 pm

      I LOVE hearing that Sandra! Thanks so much for letting me know! N xx

      Reply
  15. Jenni says

    March 1, 2018 at 10:21 pm

    5 stars
    Thanks again Nagi. We cook so many of your meals I would feel like I was stalking you if I told you how much I like each one. But this one has my son raving and my husband wanting to marry you. And we got to use our home-grown lemon grass, spring onion and chilli. Thanks for all your wonderful recipes.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 2, 2018 at 9:54 am

      I like being stalked 😜 Love that you made this with homemade lemongrass!! N x

      Reply
  16. Jennifer says

    March 1, 2018 at 5:52 am

    5 stars
    This is my new favorite recipe! It’s a big hit with my husband, too. I love the depth of flavor and it’s a dish I really enjoy making on a busy week night.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      March 2, 2018 at 12:45 pm

      I’m so pleased to hear you enjoyed this Jennifer! Thanks so much for letting me know! N x ❤️

      Reply
  17. Shat Ann says

    February 11, 2018 at 11:39 am

    I’ve made this low carb version using 3 tablespoons of swerve and 1 tablespoon of honey substitute. I did have to cook it longer but it turned out absolutely delicious. I made lettuce cups with it and I’ve also made it with cabbage stir fry. Absolutely delicious! I linked this recipe on Reddit giving you full credit, and I hope that drives some traffic to your site because as I look around your site, I see so many delicious, beautiful dishes. Thank you so much!

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      February 12, 2018 at 10:01 am

      So glad you enjoyed this Shat, and thank you for sharing on Reddit! 🙂 N x

      Reply
  18. Nicky says

    February 3, 2018 at 6:01 pm

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi – I love your website and many of your recipes are family favourites, we had this last night and another winner – quick to prepare and delicious, clean plates all round!

    Nicky

    Reply
  19. Shanna Morales says

    January 21, 2018 at 8:59 am

    I’ve made this twice now and it’s very good. I substitute the 5 tbsp of brown sugar for about 2.5 tbsp of coconut palm sugar. I served it over Green Giant’s frozen riced vegetable medley (you can even make a ‘fried rice’ version of that from the recipe on the back of the package) the first time, then tried it with brown jasmine rice and steamed broccoli the second time. Husband and toddler approved, by the way! Thanks for the recipe 😊

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 22, 2018 at 5:45 pm

      That’s terrific to hear Shanna! Thanks for taking the time to let me know – N x

      Reply
  20. Fiona says

    January 16, 2018 at 5:01 pm

    5 stars
    Yum…really enjoyed this meal..and it is sooooo quick and easy . Will definitely make it again. We had shredded cabbage and grated carrot on the side as I didn’t have an iceberg lettuce. Was just as yummy. Keen to try some for of your recipes Nagi.

    Reply
    • Nagi says

      January 16, 2018 at 8:21 pm

      I’m so happy you enjoyed this Fiona! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x

      Reply
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