Stir-Fried Cabbage and Pork in Fish Sauce Butter

By Kay Chun

Published March 10, 2025

  • David Malosh for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Simon Andrews.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
30 minutes
Prep Time
15 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Rating
5(2,313)
Comments
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This quick, weeknight cabbage and pork stir-fry is humble in ingredients yet packed with flavor, thanks to briny fish sauce, rich brown butter and potent aromatics (ginger, garlic and red-pepper flakes). Chopped cabbage gets a nice char in butter that browns as it cooks, adding richness to the lean vegetable. Fast-cooking ground pork is infused with garlic, ginger and scallions, and the final addition of salty fish sauce, bright lime juice and chopped fresh cilantro creates a punchy sauce. If you like a jolt of heat, use a thinly sliced bird’s-eye chile in place of the crushed red pepper.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • 1 tablespoon neutral oil, such as canola or safflower

  • 1 pound ground pork

  • Salt and pepper 

  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • 1 pound green or red cabbage, chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 5 cups)

  • 1 tablespoon fish sauce

  • 1 tablespoon lime juice, plus wedges for serving

  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

  • ½ cup coarsely chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

  • Cooked rice (such as short-grain white or brown rice), for serving

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

11 grams carbs; 105 milligrams cholesterol; 454 calories; 15 grams monosaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 36 grams fat; 3 grams fiber; 619 milligrams sodium; 22 grams protein; 5 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    In a 12-inch nonstick skillet, heat oil over medium-high. Add pork, season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring occasionally and breaking up the meat until no longer pink, about 5 minutes.

  2. Step 2

    Add scallions, garlic and ginger, and stir until fragrant, 30 seconds. Transfer the pork mixture to a plate.

  3. Step 3

    Add 2 tablespoons of the butter to the skillet and stir until melted. Add cabbage, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until crisp-tender and golden in spots, 5 minutes.

  4. Step 4

    Stir in the pork mixture (and any accumulated juices), then add fish sauce, lime juice, crushed red pepper and the remaining 1 tablespoon butter, and mix well. Turn off the heat. Season with salt and pepper and stir in cilantro.

  5. Step 5

    Divide pork and cabbage mixture over rice in bowls. Top with more cilantro and serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.

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Ratings

5 out of 5
2,313 user ratings
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Comments

Ellen

Perfect combination of tasty, quick, cheap, and relatively healthy. When I make it again (which I’m sure I will) I’ll use a wok or a Dutch oven instead of a large frying pan, as it was a little too full to comfortably stir. Great recipe.

Jeanette R

@Carly Fish sauce is quite salty, and varies according to brand. This will determine thee need for additional salt.

Carly

Very good weeknight dinner! It definitely needs a good bit of salt- 1 lb of cabbage 1 lb of pork requires a lot. I wish NYT recipes would recommend at least a base amount of salt to start with. “Season with salt” implies a sprinkling (to non-chefs), which is definitely nowhere near enough for most dishes.

Erin

The last time I made this I added three tablespoons of oyster sauce. It made a huge difference! More flavor.

Becky R

This reminds me of a dish I have been making for over 30 years from a vegetarian cookbook. The only differences are that the cabbage and some sliced carrots and onions are browned in oil or butter and then soy sauce is used as opposed to fish sauce. Browning cabbage and onions with the addition of other veggies is always a winning start. Add meat for carnivores, add nuts (pecans are really good) for vegetarians. I can't wait to try this variation.

Shannon

I’m looking for the instructions for freezing since this listed a a good freezer meal.

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