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Close-up of a banh mi rice bowl with fried egg, ground meat, white rice, cucumbers, carrots, jalapeños, cilantro, lime wedge, and spicy sauce

Weeknight Skillet Banh Mi Rice Bowls

40aprons.com/banh-mi-rice-bowls/
These banh mi skillet bowls bring every bold, craveable flavor of a classic Vietnamese sandwich straight to your weeknight dinner table. Caramelized, savory ground pork is piled over fluffy jasmine rice, and loaded with tangy quick-pickled veggies and a creamy sriracha-lime mayo.
Prep 15 minutes
Cook 25 minutes
Total 40 minutes
Recipe Makes (Approximate): 4

Equipment

  • 12-inch skillet (or larger)
  • medium saucepan
  • 2 medium mixing bowls
  • Spatula (or wooden spoon)
  • Fork (to fluff rice)

Ingredients

Quick Pickles

  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced onion
  • ½ cup thinly sliced cucumber
  • ¼ cup rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt or fish sauce

Pork

  • 1 tablespoon oil
  • 1 pound ground pork ((See Notes))
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar

Sriracha-Lime Mayo

Bowls

  • 1½ cups uncooked jasmine rice

Optional Toppings

  • fresh cilantro
  • jalapeño, thinly sliced
  • 1 fried egg per bowl
  • toasted baguette, sliced

Instructions

Make the Quick Pickles

  • Add 1 cup shredded carrots, ¼ cup thinly sliced onion, and ½ cup thinly sliced cucumber to a medium bowl. Add ¼ cup rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon sugar, and ½ teaspoon salt (or 1 teaspoon fish sauce).
  • Toss to combine until sugar and salt dissolve. Set aside at room temperature while you cook.

Cook the Rice

  • Cook 1½ cups jasmine rice according to package directions. Fluff with fork and keep warm.

Cook the Pork

  • Heat 1 tablespoon oil in large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
  • Add 1 pound ground pork or chicken and press into an even layer with spatula. Let sear undisturbed 2–3 minutes.
  • Break apart and continue cooking 2–3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mostly cooked through.
  • Add 3 cloves minced garlic and stir 30 seconds until fragrant.
  • Add 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, and 1 tablespoon brown sugar. Cook, stirring occasionally, until sauce reduces to a glossy, sticky glaze and pork has caramelized bits, about 3–4 more minutes.

Make the Sriracha Mayo

  • Whisk ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1–2 teaspoons sriracha, and juice of 1 lime together in small bowl until smooth.

Assemble Bowls

  • Divide cooked rice between 4 bowls. Top with pork.
  • Use slotted spoon to add pickled vegetables, leaving excess liquid behind. Drizzle with sriracha-lime mayo.
  • Top with fresh cilantro, sliced jalapeño, fried egg, and/or toasted sliced baguette as desired.

Recipe Notes

Storage and Reheating: Store pork, rice, and pickled vegetables in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Store sriracha-lime mayo separately for up to 5 days. Reheat pork in a skillet over medium heat with a small splash of water to loosen the glaze. Reheat rice in the microwave with a damp paper towel over the bowl. Add fresh toppings and mayo after reheating.
Freezing: Cooked pork freezes well for up to 3 months. Cool completely before transferring to a freezer-safe airtight container. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a skillet over medium heat. Do not freeze the pickled vegetables, sriracha-lime mayo, or cooked rice, as the texture suffers significantly after freezing.
Make it with Ground Chicken: Substitute an equal amount of ground chicken for the ground pork. Cook using the same method, but watch carefully — chicken is leaner than pork and can dry out quickly. Pull from heat as soon as the glaze is glossy and sticky and the meat is cooked through.
Make-Ahead Pickles: Pickled vegetables can be made up to 1 week in advance and stored in their brine in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Flavor improves significantly after 24 hours.
Spice Level: Start with 1 teaspoon sriracha in the mayo for a mild result. Increase to 2 teaspoons for more heat, or add a teaspoon of chili garlic sauce directly to the pork with the soy sauce for a deeper, layered heat throughout the bowl.
Make it Gluten-Free: Substitute tamari for soy sauce in equal amounts. Verify that fish sauce brand is gluten-free certified — most are, but labels vary. Omit baguette or use a certified gluten-free alternative.

Nutrition Information (Approximate)

Serving Size: 4servingCalories: 573calProtein: 24gFat: 39gSaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.04gCholesterol: 128mgSodium: 1134mgPotassium: 553mgTotal Carbs: 29gFiber: 2gSugar: 9gNet Carbs: 27gVitamin A: 5437IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 56mgIron: 2mg
Recipe By: Cheryl Malik
https://40aprons.com/banh-mi-rice-bowls/