Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice, or Cơm Sườn Nướng, is a tasty street food and home-style meal in Vietnam. It’s a perfect balance of savoury, sweet, tangy, and fresh elements — a dish that’s as comforting as it is flavourful!
With only a 10 minute marinating time, you’ll want thinner, fast fry pork chops. I make this meal when I’m pressed for time on a busy weeknight. It’s a well rounded meal that is absolutely comforting!
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Table of Contents
- What is Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice?
- Here’s Why You Will Love Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice
- Equipment and Tools to Make Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice
- Ingredients
- How to Make Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice
- Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice Options and Substitutions
- Storage and Reheating Tips
- Make Ahead Options
- Recipe Tips
- Frequently Asked Questions
- Hungry for More Vietnamese Recipes?
What is Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice?
Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice features marinated, grilled bone-in pork chops served over fragrant jasmine rice, topped with a drizzle of scallion oil, a sunny side up egg, and fresh vegetables like cucumber, tomato, and lettuce. It’s traditionally accompanied by nước chấm (Vietnamese dipping fish sauce), which ties everything together with umami and brightness.
Here’s Why You Will Love Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice
- Better than takeout: You can make this tasty dish right in your own kitchen without breaking the bank.
- Incredible Flavour: The pork is marinated with lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, and sugar, giving it a smoky, savoury-sweet flavour that’s irresistible.
- Well-Rounded Meal: With protein, vegetables, rice, and egg, it’s a complete and satisfying meal.
- Customizable: You can tailor the toppings and condiments to suit your preferences, from pickled carrots to chili-spiked sauce.
- As authentic as it gets: You will see pork chop rice at Vietnamese restaurants. Now, you can make this at home!
- Simple: You can make this recipe regardless of your cooking skill level. It’s very easy to make. Plus, it only takes 10 minutes to marinate!
Equipment and Tools to Make Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice
BBQ grill (for the pork chop)
Tongs or spatula
Rice cooker
Frying pan (for the egg and scallion oil)
Knife and cutting board
Measuring spoons and cups
Ingredients
Alright, let’s make our shopping list! To make this recipe, you will need…
Bone-in pork chops: having the bone in makes this dish extra tasty!
Lemongrass and garlic: my favourite aromatics
Fish sauce, sugar, black pepper and turmeric: simple ingredients for a 10 minute marinade
Cooked white rice: jasmine preferred
Scallions and oil: to drizzle over pork chop
Egg: sunny side up with a runny yolk
Vegetables: fresh cucumber, tomato, lettuce to brighten the dish
Ingredients for nước chấm: water, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, vinegar, chili (optional, if you want some heat)
How to Make Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice
Let’s make this dish!
Marinate the Pork: Combine lemongrass, garlic, sugar, fish sauce, turmeric and pepper. Marinate pork chops for 10 minutes.
Make the Scallion Oil: Gently heat sliced scallions in oil until softened but still bright green, about 1 minute over low to medium heat. Set aside.
Fry the Egg: Over low heat, heat some oil in a frying pan. Crack egg and cook sunny side up eggs with crispy edges until whites are set, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Make the fish sauce (nước chấm): Add together water, sugar, fish sauce, vinegar and lime juice. Optional, add finely diced chili pepper to liven it up.
Grill the Pork: Grill marinated pork chops in a BBQ over medium to high heat for 2-3 minutes per side until cooked through with nice caramelization and nicely charred at the edges.
Assemble the Plate: Add a bed of rice, place the pork chop on top, drizzle with scallion oil, add egg and fresh vegetables (lettuce, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers). Serve with nước chấm on the side.
Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice Options and Substitutions
Want to mix things up with this recipe?
- No BBQ Grill? Use a cast-iron pan or broiler.
- Boneless Pork: Boneless pork shoulder or tenderloin can be used instead of bone-in chops. However, this dish is way more tasty with the bone in.
- Low-Sodium Option: Use less fish sauce.
- Vegetarian Version: Substitute tofu for pork and use vegan fish sauce.
Storage and Reheating Tips
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat pork in the microwave, pan or air fryer until warmed through. Rice can be revived with a splash of water and microwaving under a cover.
Make Ahead Options
Marinate the Pork: Up to 24 hours in advance for deeper flavour.
Scallion Oil: Make and refrigerate for up to 5 days.
Nước Chấm: Pre-mix and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
Recipe Tips
Rice: Don’t forget to start your rice cooker before marinating the pork chops.
Tender Pork: Don’t overcook the pork — high heat and short cooking time give the best texture. If you find your pork chop is thick, pound it with a meat mallet to thin it out.
Vegetables: Wash and prepare the lettuce, tomatoes and cucumbers by cutting them into bite sized pieces. It makes it easier to eat.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice taste like? It is a delicious blend of savoury, sweet, smoky and tangy flavours. The pork is deeply marinated and caramelized, the fish sauce adds brightness, and the egg and fresh veggies balance the richness.
Can I make this dish gluten-free? Yes, just use a gluten-free fish sauce.
Can I bake the pork chops? Yes, you can bake them at 400°F (200°C) for about 20–25 minutes, flipping once, then broil for extra char.
Is this dish spicy? Not by default, but you can add sliced chili or chili garlic sauce to the nước chấm (fish sauce) if you prefer heat.
Hungry for More Vietnamese Recipes?
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Lastly, if you make my Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice be sure to leave a comment or give this recipe a star rating! I love to hear from you guys and respond to each and every comment. Also, don’t forget to tag me @cookwith.chopsticks and #cookwithchopsticks on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you have made makes me sooooo happy! You can also follow along on YouTube, TikTok, Facebook and Pinterest.
Vietnamese Pork Chop Rice
Equipment
- BBQ
- Tongs
- Frying pan
- Measuring spoons and cups
- Cutting board
- Knife
Ingredients
Marinade
- 4 pork chops bone in, about 2 lbs total
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tbsp lemongrass minced
- 1 tsp sugar
- ¼ tsp turmeric
- ¼ tsp black pepper
Scallion Oil
- 2 tbsp oil neutral
- 2 green onions sliced
Eggs
- 4 eggs
- 1 tbsp oil neutral
- salt and pepper to taste
Fish Sauce (nước chấm)
- ¾ cup water plus 2 tbsp
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup fish sauce
- 2 tbsp vinegar
- 2 tbsp fresh lime juice
To Serve
- cooked jasmine rice
- 2 tomatoes sliced
- 2 mini cucumbers sliced
- lettuce torn in bite sized pieces
Instructions
- Marinate the Pork: Combine lemongrass, garlic, sugar, fish sauce, turmeric and pepper. Marinate pork chops for 10 minutes.
- Make the Scallion Oil: Gently heat sliced scallions in oil until softened but still bright green, about 1 minute over low to medium heat. Set aside.
- Fry the Egg: Over low heat, heat some oil in a frying pan. Crack egg and cook sunny side up eggs with crispy edges until whites are set, about 2-3 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Repeat with remaining eggs.
- Make the fish sauce (nước chấm): Add together water, sugar, fish sauce, vinegar and lime juice. Optional, add finely diced chili pepper to liven it up.
- Grill the Pork: Grill marinated pork chops in a BBQ over medium to high heat for 2-3 minutes per side until cooked through with nice caramelization and nicely charred at the edges.
- Assemble the Plate: Add a bed of rice, place the pork chop on top, drizzle with scallion oil, add egg and fresh vegetables (lettuce, sliced tomatoes and cucumbers). Serve with nước chấm on the side.
