If you remember my Vietnamese Beef in Betel Leaves recipe, you’re going to love this version too. I’ve adapted it using pork mince instead of beef and the result is just as delicious. So which one do I prefer – beef or pork? Honestly, I love them both. That’s why I alternate between them for our family meals. This Grilled Pork in Betel Leaves recipe is juicy, full of flavour and deeply infused with the fragrance of betel leaves. It’s one of those Vietnamese dishes that never leaves leftovers behind.
At home, we usually enjoy these grilled pork rolls with rice noodles, plenty of fresh salad vegetables and a generous pour of nước chấm dipping sauce. It’s light, refreshing and packed with flavour, ideal for hot days or as part of a BBQ spread.
The ingredients that make the magic
This Grilled Pork in Betel Leaves recipe follows the same method as the beef version so if you’ve made that before, you’ll find this very familiar.
The key ingredients is pork mince, I recommend choosing mince with around 12-15% fat content. This ensures the rolls stay moist and juicy once grilled. Very lean meat can turn out a bit dry.
To marinate the pork, I use the same aromatic blend as the beef version:
- Finely chopped lemongrass, garlic and onion (or use garlic and onion granules for ease)
- Fish sauce for that classic Vietnamese umami depth
- Ground black pepper for a subtle kick
- A bit of olive oil to bind everything together
- And of course, fresh betel leaves which give the dish its distinctive aroma and taste
You can read more about the wonderful qualities of betel leaves here. Apart from being used in Vietnamese cooking, they’re known for their medicinal benefits too.
Let’s make Grilled Pork in Betel Leaves
I start by washing the betel leaves thoroughly and patting them dry. I set the large leaves aside for wrapping and thinly slice the smaller ones to mix into the filling.
In a large mixing bowl, I combine the pork mince with the finely chopped lemongrass, garlic, onion, a dash of fish sauce, ground black pepper, olive oil and the sliced betel leaves. Ideally, you want to leave the mixture to marinate for 30 minutes but if you’re short on time, 15 minutes will still do the trick.
Rolling the leaves
Here’s the fun part – rolling the filling.
Place a betel leaf on a flat surface with the vein side up and the pointed end facing away from you. Spoon a generous teaspoon of filling near the edge closest to you. Start rolling the leaf over the filling, tuck in the sides (if you can), and roll all the way to the tip. If the leaf is too small to tuck in the sides, don’t worry – just roll it into a neat little parcel. Once cooked, the leaves naturally shrink and seal at the ends.
Secure the rolls onto skewers. This makes them easier to grill on air-fry.
Cooking the rolls
You can pan-fry these rolls in a bit of olive oil but for convenience, I often use the air fryer. Simply brush the rolls with olive oil and cook at 200°C. I cook one side for about 7 minutes then flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes, depending on the size of the rolls. Pork mince takes a touch longer than beef, so just keep an eye on them.
The cooked rolls will be beautifully fragrant, shiny and slightly crisp on the outside with juicy, savoury filling inside.
How to serve Vietnamese Grilled Pork in Betel Leaves
These Grilled Pork in Betel Leaves are best served with rice noodles, a big plate of mixed salad vegetables and a generous drizzle of nước chấm dipping sauce. The dish is light but satisfying, perfect for warm days, quick dinners or even your next BBQ.
To make the dipping sauce, I mix equal parts of fish sauce, lime juice and sugar with double the amount of water. Add minced garlic and chopped chilli to bring everything to life.
Vietnamese Grilled Pork in Betel Leaves
Description
Vietnamese grilled pork in betel leaves is a delicious, fragrant dish that pairs perfectly with rice noodles and fresh salad vegetables. With just a few aromatic ingredients and betel leaves, you can recreate this restaurant favourite at home.
Ingredients
For the pork rolls
For serving
For the dipping sauce
Instructions
-
Prepare the betel leaves
- Rinse the leaves thoroughly and pat dry.
- Set aside the large ones for wrapping.
- Finely slice the smaller ones and add them to the filling later.
-
Make the filling
- In a large bowl, mix pork mince with lemongrass, garlic, onion, fish sauce, black pepper, olive oil and sliced betel leaves.
- Marinate for 30 minutes, or at least 15 if short on time.
-
Roll the betel leaves
- Place a large leaf vein-side up, with the pointy end facing away.
- Add a teaspoon of filling near the bottom edge, roll up tightly, tuck in sides if possible and roll to seal.
- Secure with skewers if using.
-
Cook the rolls
- Air fryer method: Brush with oil, cook at 200°C for 7 minutes, flip and cook for another 3-5 minutes until cooked through.
- Pan-fry method: Heat oil in a non-stick pan, fry rolls until browned and cooked, turning occasionally.
- You can cook the rolls on BBQ too.
-
Make the dipping sauce
- Mix fish sauce, lime juice, sugar and water.
- Add garlic and chilli.
- Stir until sugar is dissolved.
-
Serve
- Serve grilled pork rolls over noodles with fresh salad and pour dipping sauce on top or serve on the side for dipping.
Nutrition Facts
Servings 5
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 779.96kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 37.18g58%
- Saturated Fat 13.11g66%
- Cholesterol 115.2mg39%
- Sodium 1368.94mg58%
- Potassium 646.28mg19%
- Total Carbohydrate 74.54g25%
- Dietary Fiber 1.74g7%
- Sugars 6.24g
- Protein 33.17g67%
- Vitamin A 10.26 mcg
- Vitamin C 15.03 mg
- Calcium 62.21 mg
- Iron 3.01 mg
- Vitamin E 0.57 mg
- Vitamin K 15.83 mcg
- Thiamin 1.21 mg
- Riboflavin 0.42 mg
- Niacin 7.69 mg
- Vitamin B6 0.76 mg
- Folate 29.92 mcg
- Vitamin B12 1.18 mcg
- Phosphorus 422.78 mg
- Magnesium 74.9 mg
- Zinc 4.4 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
