Gluten Free Vietnamese Pork and Lemongrass Bowls
These bowls are bright, fragrant, and deeply satisfying — the kind of weeknight dinner that tastes like it took way more effort than it actually did. Ground pork gets cooked down with finely minced lemongrass and fresh ginger until it's caramelized and glazed, building layers of savory, slightly sweet flavor that are genuinely hard to stop eating. The key to keeping this completely wheat-free is swapping traditional soy sauce for tamari, which delivers the same umami depth without any gluten — and both the tamari and fish sauce used here are naturally free of wheat-based additives. A tangy lime-and-fish-sauce dipping sauce ties everything together, while cool cucumber slices, fresh mint, and cilantro keep each bite feeling light and vibrant. Scallion greens add a gentle bite on top, and a handful of roasted peanuts (optional but highly recommended) gives the whole bowl a satisfying crunch. Everything gets piled over fluffy jasmine rice, making this a complete, nourishing meal that serves four without any complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients. It's the kind of recipe you'll want to keep in regular rotation.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the rice
- 1 ½ cups jasmine rice
- 2 ¾ cups water
- ½ tsp salt
For the pork
- 2 stalks lemongrass, outer layers removed, tender inner core finely minced
- 1 tbsp fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 2 tbsp neutral oil (such as avocado oil or canola oil)
- 1 lb ground pork
- 2 tbsp tamari
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- ½ tsp black pepper
For the dipping sauce
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (from about 2 limes)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp water
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 red thai chili, thinly sliced (or ½ tsp red pepper flakes)
For serving
- 1 english cucumber, halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 4 scallions (green tops only), thinly sliced
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped (optional)
- lime wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Rinse the jasmine rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear. Combine the rinsed rice, 2 3/4 cups water, and 1/2 tsp salt in a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to the lowest setting, cover tightly, and cook for 15 minutes, until the water is fully absorbed. Remove from heat and let steam, covered, for 5 minutes.
- 2
While the rice cooks, whisk together the lime juice, fish sauce, water, brown sugar, and sliced chili in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set the dipping sauce aside.
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