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Home » Blog » Recipes » Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew (Whole30, Keto)

Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew (Whole30, Keto)

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This easy Whole30-friendly Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew is a streamlined version of the classic braised dish, thit ko tàu, caramelized pork belly cooked in coconut water. It’s one of my favorite umami-packed stews that can be made faster and easier in a pressure cooker!

A side shot of Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew in a round serving dish on a dining table.

The original stovetop version of this recipe, Braised Pork in Coconut Water, is in our latest cookbook, Ready or Not!, and I included brief instructions on how to make it in an Instant Pot and slow cooker. But I know you guys like step-by-step pictures, so we created and photographed this new Whole30-compliant Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew recipe!

A collage of the cooking steps for Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew.

Can I use a different protein?

Yes! You can sub in cubed chuck roast and make a beef stew using the same cooking times. If you want to make the stew with chicken thighs, I recommend decreasing the cooking time to 15 minutes under high pressure.

Why no browning?

There’s no need to brown the meat ’cause it’ll still taste great without it. There’s a great article in the New York Times titled “Deep Flavor, No Browning Required” that explains why you don’t have to brown your meat for stews. Remember: I’m here to teach you shortcuts to deliciousness, which means I’m all for skipping unnecessary steps!

Can I leave out the fish sauce and/or coconut water?

To be honest, it really wouldn’t be the same dish without the fish sauce or coconut water. Besides, my Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew doesn’t taste like coconut or fish—it’s just umami-rich and nomtastic!

My preferred fish sauce is always Red Boat because it’s only made with wild anchovies and salt. In terms of coconut water, Harmless Coconut Water or fresh coconut water yields the tastiest stew. If you really must leave out the fish sauce and coconut water, you can use coconut aminos and chicken broth instead—but be warned: you’ve basically made a different recipe altogether! (Fish allergy? Here’s a vegetarian fish sauce recipe from Cook’s Illustrated.)

What do I serve with this Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew?

Simple cauliflower rice, stir-fried bok choy, or steamed Napa cabbage are all great side dishes!

Slow cooker instructions?

Sauté the shallots, shiitake mushrooms, ginger and garlic in the first two steps with some coconut oil in a large skillet on the stovetop and transfer the veggies to a slow cooker. Add the rest of the ingredients (except the carrots if you don’t like ’em mushy) into the slow cooker; then, cover and cook on low for 8 to 10 hours. You can toss in the carrots in the last 30 minutes. Garnish with cilantro and scallions at the end.

How do I save leftovers?

Leftovers can be kept in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days or in the freezer for 3 months. If you only have a little stew left, toss it in an Instant Pot with extra broth and chopped up veggies to make soup!

Alright, people.

Let’s make some Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew!

Serves 8

Ingredients:

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil, avocado oil, or ghee
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced shallots
  • ¼ pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and cut in half (or into quarters if large)
  • 3 quarter-sized slices peeled fresh ginger
  • 4 garlic cloves, smashed and peeled
  • 3 pounds pork shoulder, cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce, and more to taste
  • 3 large carrots, peeled and cut into ½-inch diagonal slices
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 3 scallions, thinly sliced

Equipment:

  • Measuring spoons
  • Measuring cups
  • Chef’s knife
  • Cutting board
  • Instant Pot (6-quart)
  • Silicone spatula

Instructions:

Turn on the sauté function of the Instant Pot and add the coconut oil or your fat of choice when the metal insert is hot.

A front shot of an Instant Pot Ultra on the sauté function. A woman is adding a spoonful of coconut oil to the Instant Pot.

Toss in the shallots and shiitake mushrooms…

Sliced shiitake mushrooms and shallots are added to an open Instant Pot.

…and cook until the shallots are softened and the mushrooms are cooked, about 3 to 5 minutes.

An overhead shot of an open Instant Pot with cooked shallots and shiitake mushrooms.

Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the pork cubes and stir well.

Ginger and garlic are added to an open Instant Pot. Next, cubed pork shoulder is added to the Instant Pot.

Pour in the coconut water and the fish sauce. (I normally use ¼ cup fish sauce, but if you’re new to fish sauce, start with 3 tablespoons.)

A smiling Asian woman with glasses is pouring pink coconut water and fish sauce into an open Instant Pot.

Stir well, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the Instant Pot.

A closeup of the inside of an Instant Pot where someone is stirring the contents with a silicone spatula.

Cancel the sauté function. Lock the lid of the Instant Pot and program it to cook for 40 minutes under high pressure.

A person is placing the lid on top of the Instant Pot .

When the stew is finished cooking, allow the pressure to drop naturally. If you’re impatient, wait 15 minutes and then manually release the pressure.

On the left, a woman is manually releasing the pressure from and Instant Pot and steam is coming out of the valve. On the right, the lid of the Instant Pot is removed, revealing lots of steam.

Check that the pork pieces are fork tender. (If it’s still a little tough, cook under high pressure for another 5 to 10 minutes.) Taste and adjust the seasoning of the sauce with more fish sauce or salt if needed. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to a serving platter. Cover to keep warm.

The picture not the left is a closeup of a spoon lifting out a piece of pork. On the right, the pork stew is placed in a covered serving bowl.

Carefully add the cut carrots to the cooking liquid (watch out for hot splashing liquid!) and cook for 2 minutes under high pressure.

Sliced carrots are added to an open Instant Pot and the display shows 2 minutes under high pressure.

Release pressure manually and remove the lid when the contents have depressurized.

The Instant Pot is opened to show cooked sliced carrots floating on top of the Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew cooking liquid.

Spoon the carrots and cooking liquid onto the pork…

The cooked carrots and cooking liquid are spooned on top of the reserved pork.

…and garnish the stew with sliced scallion or cilantro.

A person is adding cilantro and chopped scallions to the top of a bowl of Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew.

Enjoy!

An overhead shot of Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew in a cream colored serving bowl

Want more inspiration from my past January Whole30s? Check out my Day 8 posts from 2018 and 2017!

  • 2018 Whole30 Day 8: Breakfast of Champions
  • 2017 Whole30 Day 8: Mango + Avocado Salsa on Pan-Seared Salmon

A note to my Nomsters: This is one of a series of daily blog posts I’m writing in the month of January 2019 to help those doing a Whole30 to kick off the New Year. Not sure what the Whole30 is, or want info on how to get started? Read my Whole30 prep post—and then come back to Nom Nom Paleo every single day for recipes to inspire, delight, and sustain you on your Whole30!


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes on my iPhone and iPad app, and in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2021).


PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

An overhead shot of Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew in a cream colored serving bowl
Print Recipe
4.67 from 12 votes

Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew

This easy Whole30-friendly Instant Pot Vietnamese Pork Stew is a streamlined version of the classic braised dish, thit ko tàu, caramelized pork belly cooked in coconut water. It’s one of my favorite umami-packed stews that can be made faster and easier in a pressure cooker!  
Prep Time15 mins
Cook Time1 hr 10 mins
Total Time1 hr 25 mins
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: gluten-free, Instant Pot, keto, low carb, paleo, pork, pork stew, Pressure Cooker, Primal, Whole30
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 500kcal
Author: Michelle Tam

Ingredients

  • 1 tablespoon coconut oil avocado oil, or ghee
  • ¼ cup thinly sliced shallots
  • ¼ pound shiitake mushrooms stemmed and cut in half (or into quarters if large)
  • 3 quarter-sized slices peeled fresh ginger
  • 4 garlic cloves smashed and peeled
  • 3 pounds pork shoulder cut into 2-inch cubes
  • 1 cup coconut water
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce and more to taste
  • 3 large carrots peeled and cut into ½-inch diagonal slices
  • ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • 3 scallions thinly sliced
US Customary - Metric

Instructions 

  • Turn on the sauté function of the Instant Pot and add the coconut oil or your fat of choice when the metal insert is hot. 
  • Toss in the shallots and shiitake mushrooms, and cook until the shallots are softened and the mushrooms are cooked, about 3 to 5 minutes.
  • Stir in the ginger and garlic and cook until fragrant. Add the pork cubes and stir well.
  • Pour in the coconut water and the fish sauce. (I normally use ¼ cup fish sauce, but if you’re new to fish sauce, start with 3 tablespoons.) Stir well, scraping any browned bits from the bottom of the Instant Pot.
  • Cancel the sauté function. Lock the lid of the Instant Pot and program it to cook for 40 minutes under high pressure. 
  • When the stew is finished cooking, allow the pressure to drop naturally. If you’re impatient, wait 15 minutes and then manually release the pressure.
  • Check that the pork pieces are fork tender. (If it’s still a little tough, cook under high pressure for another 5 to 10 minutes.) Taste and adjust the seasoning of the sauce with more fish sauce or salt if needed. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the pork to a serving platter. Cover to keep warm.
  • Carefully add the cut carrots to the cooking liquid (watch out for hot splashing liquid!) and cook for 2 minutes under high pressure.
  • Release pressure manually and remove the lid when the contents have depressurized.
  • Spoon the carrots and cooking liquid onto the pork and garnish the stew with sliced scallion or cilantro.
Tried this recipe?Mention @nomnompaleo or tag #nomnompaleo!

Nutrition

Calories: 500kcal | Carbohydrates: 6g | Protein: 41g | Fat: 34g | Fiber: 2g
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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Grace says

    August 11, 2020 at 2:31 pm

    What can i use in place of carrots in Vietnamese soup. I am on a Ketogenic meal plan and carrots have to much sugar in them.
    Thanks, Grace

    Reply
  2. Maureen says

    August 11, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    Made this last night. Delicious!! Whole family loved it. Thank you!

    Reply
  3. Jeanne says

    August 11, 2020 at 2:30 pm

    Can this be made with coconut milk instead of coconut water?

    Reply
    • nomnompaleo says

      August 11, 2020 at 2:30 pm

      It won’t turn out the same! It’s better to use chicken broth or diluted apple juice if you can’t find coconut water.

      Reply
  4. Maureen Cioni says

    November 9, 2020 at 3:57 pm

    5 stars
    Made this for 8, no leftovers, everyone loved it. Next I will use more fish sauce and more mushrooms.

    Reply
  5. Dianna says

    January 28, 2021 at 3:59 pm

    5 stars
    This was delicious and so tender!

    Reply
  6. Crysta says

    April 17, 2021 at 12:13 am

    5 stars
    Delicious, and the house smells amazing. I only had one carrot left in the fridge, so I added a diced sweet potato too, which worked well. Will definitely make this again!

    Reply
  7. Ginette Sher says

    July 30, 2021 at 9:10 pm

    How can this be adapted to a stove top pressure cooker? I tried one of your other insta pot recipes in my pc and it got burnt.

    Reply
  8. mari says

    July 31, 2021 at 12:16 pm

    5 stars
    Always a winner dinner. Made it again last nite: no leftovers!

    Reply
  9. Beth says

    September 19, 2021 at 2:45 pm

    Can I make this in a slow cooker or the oven?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      September 19, 2021 at 4:08 pm

      Yep! The blog post has slow cooker instructions!

      Reply
  10. Vaughn Tsoutsouris says

    December 23, 2021 at 9:22 pm

    Can I substitute pork tenderloin for pork shoulder? If so, what would the cooking time be?

    Reply
    • Michelle Tam says

      December 24, 2021 at 2:03 am

      I don’t like to sub pork tenderloin because it’s too lean for Instant Pot cooking.

      Reply

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