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This Asian Pulled Pork Bowl is inspired by one of my favorite Vietnamese dishes, Bun Cha. Traditionally, it is made with rice noodles, but my version has rice base. It is loaded with juicy and tender Instant Pot pulled pork and finished with loads of raw veggies for lots of texture and freshness.
I was exposed to Vietnamese cuisine from a young age and quickly began to love it. My mom worked for our church and got to visit Hanoi for her job. She absolutely loved the culture and the food. So she shared that love with us.
We would go out for Vientmese food all of the time. We even experimented with making it home. We could not get enough! Some of my favorite dishes include pho, bahn mi, spring rolls, and bun cha. That succulent fatty pork is mouth watering.
I have been creating lots of Tex Mex and comfort food recipes which is typically what I am eating, but I wanted to mix things up. But to me comfort food can be inspired by any culture and is not limited to just southern food.
So I want to start creating more asian inspired comfort food dishes like this delicious pulled pork bowl.
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Highlights
- Tons of different flavors & textures
- Loaded with Instant Pot pulled pork
- Fresh veggies
- Great for meal prep (reheats great in the fridge)
- Inspired by a Vietnamese dish called bun cha
Ingredients
Pulled Pork
- Toasted Sesame Oil: Be sure to use toasted and not regular. It is darker in color and has a lot more flavor.
- Pork Butt: Swap for pork shoulder.
- Chili Garlic Sauce: This comes in a small plastic jar with a green lid. You should find it near the sriracha. Swap for sriracha if you can’t find it.
- Minced Ginger: You can use fresh or jarred. I prefer the jarred because it is much easier and still has tons of flavor.
- Brown sugar: Swap for honey.
Bowl Garnishes
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Instructions
before you start . . .
- Cut the pork. Cut the pork into 2 equal pieces. This will help it become even more tender in the cooking process. Don’t worry about trimming the fat. This adds so much flavor. You can remove large chunks of fat while shredding if needed.
Step 1: Select Sauté mode on the Instant Pot. Add the sesame oil. Once the pot is hot, add the pork pieces. Brown each side for 2-3 minutes.
Step 2: Add the water. soy, fish sauce, hoisin, chili garlic, lime juice, garlic, brown sugar, and paprika. Scrape any browned bits off the bottom.
Step 3: Place the lid on the pot and be sure the valve is switched to the sealing position. Select Pressure Cook (manual) and High Pressure. Set to 60 minutes. Let the pot release pressure naturally (valve still switched to sealing) for 15 minutes. Then, quick release (valve switched to venting).
Step 4: Remove the pork and shred with two forks. Add back some of the dripping from the pot. Assemble bowls and serve with extra drippings.
NOTE - The pork should be falling apart and super tender!
Expert Tips & Recipe Notes
- Brown the meat. Be sure to brown the meat a bit to give it a bit of a crust. This adds even more flavor.
- Prep the rice and toppings while the pork cooks. The Instant Pot will take time to come to pressure, cook, and release. This is the perfect time to make the rice and wash and cut all of your toppings.
- Don’t skip out on the toppings/garnishes. All of the fresh vegetables on top of these bowls add so much flavor and texture.
- Be sure to let the pot natural release for 15 minutes. The meat will continue to cook during this time so don’t release the pressure immediately.
- Serve with extra drippings. All of the flavor is in the juices in the bottom of the Instant Pot. I like to spoon some of these drippings over the rice and meat when serving. It is salty, but gives the rice such a good flavor.
FAQs
Store leftover pulled pork separate from rice and toppings in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
This pulled pork is great for meal prep. You can make the pork at the beginning of the week and eat it multiple times. It reheats great in the microwave.
Bun cha is a Vietnamese dish that originated in Hanoi. It traditionally consists of rice noodles, grilled pork, vegetables, herbs, and a sauce/dressing.
This asian pulled pork bowl is a great way to deviate from a barbecue pulled pork sandwich. It starts with a base of steamed rice, then is loaded with pulled pork, and fished with lots of fresh vegetables and herbs.
No. Pulled pork has to be made for a very fatty cut of pork. Pork butt or shoulder are the best options.
Serve/store leftovers with lots of the drippings from the meat. This is full of fat and flavor.
Related Recipes
Asian Pulled Pork Bowl
Ingredients:
Pulled Pork
- 1 Tablespoon toasted sesame oil*
- 2 ½ pounds pork butt, boneless & cut into large chunks*
- ½ cup water
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup soy sauce
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 2 Tablespoons hoisin
- 1 Tablespoon chili garlic sauce*
- 1 lime, juiced
- 10 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 ½ Tablespoons minced ginger*
- ⅓ cup brown sugar*
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
Bowls
- 1 ½ - 2 cups of white rice, cooked according to instructions on package
- shredded carrots
- sliced cucumbers
- green onions, shallots
- red chilis
- chopped cilantro
- mint
- peanuts
Instructions:
- Select Sauté mode on the Instant Pot. Add the sesame oil. Once the pot is hot, add the pork pieces. Brown each side for 2-3 minutes.
- Add the water. soy, fish sauce, hoisin, chili garlic, lime juice, garlic, brown sugar, and paprika. Scrape any browned bits off the bottom.
- Place the lid on the pot and be sure the valve is switched to the sealing position. Select Pressure Cook (manual) and High Pressure. Set to 60 minutes. Let the pot release pressure naturally (valve still switched to sealing) for 15 minutes. Then, quick release (valve switched to venting).
- Remove the pork and shred with two forks. Add back some of the dripping from the pot. Assemble bowls and serve with extra drippings.
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