Issan-Style Thai Pork Larb – Spicy & Flavorful Minced Pork Salad

All about Larb

There are many different ways to prepare larb. At its root, larb refers to meat that is chopped and cooked combined with the herbs and seasoning. It can range anywhere from an intense Northern style larb meuang with naam prik, to versions made with offal (entrails and internal organs) which most American versions tend to ignore, preferring to a lighter, easy to prepare Issan-style larb like this one.

With its fresh, chopped herbs, bright and funky fish sauce and spicy Thai chilies this tangy dish hits all of my favorite flavor notes. It’s incredibly flavorful yet easy to make. Larb is traditionally served accompanied by cabbage, long beans, and sliced cucumber as vehicles for the dish though I often eat it over rice for as an easy dinner. Based on accessibility I substitute green beans for the long beans and add a head of butter lettuce because I like scooping it into little leaf “cups”. For a lighter take on this pork larb recipe the ground pork can be substituted with ground chicken or turkey.

Why You Will Love this Recipe

It’s a quick and easy recipe with minimal cooking required – perfect for a weeknight dinner! I love the contrast of the rich pork with bright Thai flavors of fish sauce, chilies and lime juice and fresh herbs.

Key Ingredients in Pork Larb

Ground pork 

Ground pork typically comes from minced pork shoulder meat and is incredibly versatile. Try swapping the pork for another lean ground meat like turkey or chicken in this recipe.

Fish sauce

I love the funky umami flavor fish sauce adds to any dish. It’s a great way to enhance the flavor of curries or even chicken wings. The flavor comes from a process of fermenting fish over a long period of time.

Lime juice

Lime juice works well with the fish sauce to balance the flavors in this dish.

Thai birdseye chilies

Bird’s eye chilies or Thai chilies are small, pointy chili peppers that pack a punch. They add an intense heat with fruity flavor to dishes rating between 50,000 and 100,000 Scoville units. Since they can sometimes be difficult to find I usually buy a large bag at them at my local Asian market and store them in the freezer in a resealable plastic bag. It’s actually easier to cut them when they are frozen.

Lemongrass

Lemongrass adds a bright, lemony flavor to dishes. Fresh lemongrass is best for this recipe since it has a more complex flavor. Pre-packaged paste or dried lemongrass can be substituted if needed. Only use the bottom yellow part of the lemongrass stalk for cooking, the top part is typically much too tough.

Shallot

Both raw, thinly sliced shallots as well as fried crispy shallots are used in this dish. The crispy shallots provide a savory crunch over the finished dish.

Green onion

In this recipe I use both the white, more pungent bottom parts of the stalk as well as the more mild green tops.

Mint leaves

Mint is as a beautiful contrast to the green onion, cilantro and lemongrass to create a vibrant flavor profile in this recipe.

Cilantro

In the United States, cilantro refers to the stalk and leaves of the plant while coriander refers to the dried seeds. In many other cultures the terms are used interchangeably. This herb is one of my favorites and it adds a bright, lemony flavor.

How to make Thai pork Larb

Step 1: Cook the pork.

Heat a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the vegetable oil and heat through. Add the pork, using a wooden spoon to break up the meat. Cook until the pork is cooked through and no longer pink but not browned and season with salt, about 6 minutes. Remove from heat.

Step 2: Make the sauce:

In a large mixing bowl whisk together the fish sauce, lime juice and Thai chilies.

Step 3: Add pork to bowl.

Use a slotted spoon to remove the pork to the mixing bowl, draining as much of the cooking liquid as possible.

Step 4: Toss to combine with herbs.

Toss to combine with the sauce then add the shallots, lemongrass, green onion, mint and cilantro. Toss once more.

Step 5: Make crispy shallots

Add enough oil to a 10” cast iron skillet ½” of the way up with the oil. Heat the oil over medium heat to 350ºF . Add the shallots and fry, stirring frequently, until deep golden brown and crispy, about 8 to 10 minutes, lowering the heat if they brown too quickly. Use tongs to remove the shallots to a paper towel-lined plate and cool for 5 minutes.

Step 6: Assemble and serve.

Add the larb to a serving bowl and top with the crispy shallots. Serve warm or at room temperature with the sliced vegetables for serving.

Other Recipes to Try

If you enjoy this pork larb recipe, give these a try:

• Crispy Duck Salad
• Thai Drunken Noodles
• Thai Fried Red Snapper