Vietnamese-Style Caramel Pork with Jasmine Rice

By AislePrompt Editorial · ·

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are drafted and published.

Tender pork belly simmered in a rich caramel sauce infused with fish sauce and aromatic spices, served over fluffy jasmine rice. This Vietnamese-inspired pork recipe, ready in about 65 minutes, pairs pork belly, sugar, fish sauce for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 520 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Prep: 15 min Cook: 50 min Serves 4 Vietnamese cuisine 520 cal/serving
Build a week of meals around this recipe → Shop this recipe on Instacart → Shop equipment ↓

Ingredients

The pan we’d use for this → Best Nonstick Cookware for 2026: Top 5 Skillet Picks + Buying Guide

Affiliate disclosure: AislePrompt may earn a commission on qualifying purchases made through Amazon links, at no additional cost to you. See our policy →

Equipment for this recipe

Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.

More Cookware & pots → Shop all kitchen tools →

Instructions

  1. Step 1: Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add 1/3 cup sugar and cook, stirring constantly, until sugar melts and turns a deep amber caramel color, about 5 minutes.
  2. Step 2: Immediately add 4 minced garlic cloves and 2 thinly sliced shallots, sautéing for 1 minute until fragrant but not burnt.
  3. Step 3: Add 1 lb cubed pork belly and 3 tbsp fish sauce, stirring to coat pork in caramel mixture. Cook pork for 5 minutes until lightly browned.
  4. Step 4: Pour in 1 cup water, bring to a simmer, then reduce heat to low. Cover and cook gently for 45 minutes until pork is tender and sauce thickens.
  5. Step 5: Season with 1/2 tsp black pepper. Serve pork over 4 cups steamed jasmine rice, garnished with 1/4 cup fresh cilantro and optional 1 small sliced red chili for heat.

Related recipes