Sweet, salty with a hint of flavorful heat, this Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork recipe is a fantastic meal for all those who love Asian cuisine!
Thanks to the speed of a pressure cooker, you can have a hot plate of saucy pork served over freshly steamed rice in just 20 minutes using kitchen-familiar ingredients that’ll produce restaurant-quality food.
Easily double the ingredients to serve more hungry mouths or to be stored as a ready-made meal for the busy week ahead.
What Is Vietnamese Pork?
Vietnamese Pork simply refers to a classic Vietnamese dish combining juicy pork and Asian sauce (typically consisting of soy and fish sauce) that’s given a slightly sweet, salty and tangy balance of flavors thanks to the addition of ingredients such as brown sugar, ginger and simple seasoning.
Being true to this regional food, it also packs a small amount of heat (whether you opt to use sliced jalapeno, or red chili flakes).
Of course, over the years, Vietnamese Pork has taken on many variations including the way in which the meal is cooked – in this case, I’ve made use of the convenience of an Instant Pot to whip up one of my favorite Asian-inspired dishes in just 20 minutes from pot to plate!
Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Ingredients
This delicious midweek dinner option is not only easy to make, it also calls for ingredients that are most likely already waiting for you in your pantry! Here’s what you’ll need to make restaurant-quality Vietnamese Pork:
- ground pork
- minced garlic
- ginger paste
- green onion
- diced jalapeño
- lime
- soy sauce
- oil
- brown sugar
- salt
- pepper
How To Make Vietnamese Pork In The Instant Pot
From pot to plate in just 20 minutes, here are my easy and simple steps to making a Vietnamese dish that bursts with flavor:
Step 1: Heat Oil and Brown the Pork
Start off by setting your Instant Pot to sauté and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add in the ground pork and brown until it’s 85% cooked. At this point, your pork should still have some pink color to the center.
Step 2: Add Veggies, Garlic And Ginger
Add the green onions, minced garlic, ginger paste, and diced jalapeño. Whenever preparing jalapeno peppers, make sure to wear latex gloves to protect your skin from irritation or burning and avoid touching your face!
Step 3: Make Your Rice
On a trivet, add one cup of rice (I prefer white rice) and 1 1/4 cups of water in an Instant Pot safe container. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
Step 4: Remove Rice and Add Remaining Ingredients
After 8 minutes, your rice will be done for you to remove. Now, add in the brown sugar, soy sauce, and salt and pepper. At this point, you’ll want to stir your ingredients occasionally while they cook for an additional 3 minutes so that the sugar doesn’t burn.
Step 5: Serve and Enjoy!
Your Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork is now ready for you to serve alongside your freshly steamed rice. Enjoy it as is or serve it with some additional stir-fry vegetables of your choice.
What Type Of Meat Can I Use For This Dish?
This dish is traditionally made with pork but you can certainly make use of ground beef or turkey instead if you wish.
What Side Dishes Can I Add To Vietnamese Pork?
This Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork with a serving of rice is a great and filling meal on its own but if you’d like to add a simple side dish to the meal or anticipate feeding a crowd, consider these tasty plate-filler options:
- Sesame Cauliflower;
- Homemade Classic Coleslaw;
- Bacon roasted Brussels sprouts;
- Quick Honey Roasted Carrots;
- Roasted sweet potato cubes.
How Should I Store Leftovers?
Once fully cooled, any leftovers of this Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days.
If you don’t have enough leftovers for full meals, consider using your leftover Vietnamese Pork as a snack or appetizer by serving it up with crispy lettuce cups or alongside some sliced cucumber and pickled vegetables.
Can I Freeze Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork?
Yes, you can! To freeze this dish, simply store it in an airtight container in the freezer for up to 3 months! To reheat, thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then heat it over a medium heat in a saucepan on the stovetop till heated through.
Freezing this dish is a great option for extending the shelf life of any leftovers or making this meal ahead of time!
Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork
Enjoy this Vietnamese inspired dish on a busy weeknight!
Ingredients
- 1 lb. of ground pork
- 1 tablespoon of minced garlic
- 1 tablespoon of ginger paste
- 1/4 cup of green onion
- 1/4 cup of diced jalapeño
- 1 lime
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of oil
- 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon of salt
- 1/2 teaspoon of pepper
Instructions
1. Set instant pot to sauté and add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the pork. Brown the pork 85% done. Should have some pink in the center.
2. Add the green onions, garlic ginger, and jalapeño.
3. On a trivet, add one cup of rice and 1 1/4 cup of water in an instant pot safe container. Seal the lid and cook on high pressure for 8 minutes.
4. Remove the rice and add the brown sugar, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Stir and cook for 3 minutes.
5. Serve.
Other Instant Pot Pork Recipes To Try
- Instant Pot Pork Carnitas
- Instant Pot Pork Roast
- Pork Tenderloin in the Instant Pot
- Instant Pot Stuffed Pork Chops