Pork Laab
Updated July 29, 2025
- Total Time
- 25 minutes
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 15 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 3tablespoons uncooked jasmine rice
- 1pound ground pork
- 1small shallot, thinly sliced
- 3 to 4tablespoons lime juice (about 1½ limes)
- 2tablespoons fish sauce
- ½ to 1½ teaspoons ground red chiles (preferably Thai; see Tip), to taste
- ¼ cup packed cilantro leaves and stems, chopped
- 2scallions, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup packed fresh mint leaves, roughly torn, plus more for serving
- Raw green cabbage wedges, long beans, cucumber slices, and lettuce leaves, for serving
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
349 calories; 24 grams fat; 9 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 11 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 11 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 2 grams sugars; 21 grams protein; 775 milligrams sodium
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
- Step 1
In a small, dry skillet, toast the rice on medium for 10 minutes until browned and fragrant, shaking or stirring often. Cool completely. Grind in a mortar and pestle or spice grinder until a coarse powder, like cornmeal.
- Step 2
In a medium saucepan, combine the pork and 1 tablespoon water. Cook on medium 5 minutes, until pork is cooked through but not browned, breaking up into small bits and stirring often. Remove from heat.
- Step 3
To the pork, add the shallot, lime juice, fish sauce and chile. Stir to combine. Add the cilantro and scallions.
- Step 4
Just before serving, stir in half of the toasted ground rice. Taste and add remaining rice for more crunch, if desired. Fold in the mint. Transfer to a serving dish. Garnish with more mint, if desired. Serve with cabbage wedges, long beans, cucumbers and lettuce leaves.
- If you can’t find ground Thai chiles, you can finely grind crushed red pepper flakes in a spice grinder. Just be careful when removing the lid of your spice grinder, as the potent dust cloud that floats up can be cough inducing.
Private Notes
Comments
Laab moo has been on heavy rotation in my house for about 15 years, since I watched a lady in Thailand make it and asked her to share the ingredients with me. This is the closest recipe I’ve ever seen to the one I make. I use chopped fresh Thai birdseye chillies and add them to the cooked pork mince with the lime juice and the fish sauce to steep while I chop and mix the remaining salad-y bits, before mixing everything together. I like it hot! Also I don’t bother with toasting/grinding rice, too much faff for me - I use bashed up raw cashews. Eaten in baby gem lettuce cups. SO GOOD.
BTW - you can buy packets of toasted rice powder in Asian grocery stores.
This is so delish and simple. Don’t skip the rice- it’s easier than you think, and gives the dish its authentic crunch. I served with gem lettuce, extra cilantro, mint, hot pepper, shredded cabbage, and carrots and cukes sliced into oblong discs onto which you can pile the laab… Super summer meal!
TL;DR don't skip the toasted ground rice! this recipe is stunning and we inhaled it. the toasting and grinding of the rice took some time and elbow grease but man did it make the dish. lends the whole thing a terrific toothsome quality and gives an extra something for the fish sauce and lime to cling to. and, since the recipe recommended i use only about half, now i have a portion for next time. this is truly the highest calling for a pound of ground pork.
Didn't have jasmine rice so used brown rice instead - worked well. Was delicious!
Thai person here. Two things: 1. Thanks for spelling it "laab" instead of "larb"! 2. Did you know this also works great with canned tuna?