Grilled Pork Belly and Cabbage Salad is a satisfying mix of crispy, smoky richness and fresh crunch. It’s perfect for those who crave something bold and comforting, yet still refreshing and balanced.
Start with the pork belly. Choose slices that are about ¼ inch thick so they cook quickly while still getting nice and crisp on the grill. To prep, make a marinade with soy sauce, garlic, brown sugar, rice vinegar, and a splash of fish sauce. Let the pork belly sit in this mixture for at least 30 minutes. The marinade helps tenderize the meat and infuse it with a sweet, salty depth of flavor.
While the pork marinates, prep the cabbage salad. Use a combination of green and purple cabbage, thinly sliced for a colorful crunch. Add some shredded carrots, thin slices of red onion, and chopped cilantro. You can also toss in a few chili slices if you want a bit of heat.
For the dressing, whisk together rice vinegar, lime juice, a dash of soy sauce, a touch of honey, and sesame oil. This light, tangy dressing pairs well with the richness of the pork belly. Pour it over the cabbage mix and let it sit for about 10 minutes to soften slightly and absorb the flavors.
Grill the pork belly slices over medium-high heat until they’re golden and crisp, about 3 to 4 minutes per side. Let them rest for a minute before slicing into bite-sized pieces.
To assemble the salad, pile the cabbage mix on a serving platter or bowl, then scatter the grilled pork belly over the top. Finish with chopped roasted peanuts, sesame seeds, and fresh lime wedges. The result is a dish that’s rich yet balanced, crunchy yet tender, and completely satisfying. It’s a great choice for a summer dinner or a weekend lunch, especially served with jasmine rice or cold noodles on the side.
Ingredients
- 1 lb pork belly
- 2 cups cabbage thinly sliced
- 1 red onion thinly sliced
- 1 carrot julienned
- 1 cucumber thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup cilantro chopped
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 red chili thinly sliced
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium-high heat.
- Season the pork belly with salt and pepper.
- Grill the pork belly for 15-20 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 145°F.
- Remove the pork belly from the grill and let it rest for 5 minutes. Slice into thin strips.
- In a large bowl, combine the cabbage, red onion, carrot, cucumber, cilantro, fish sauce, soy sauce, brown sugar, lime juice, garlic, and red chili. Toss to combine.
- Serve the grilled pork belly on top of the cabbage salad. Enjoy!
Meh… my pork belly burned 😩 Followed all the steps! Maybe needed less time on the grill?
I feel you! Pork belly can be tricky. Maybe try lowering the grill temp next time? It’s delicious when cooked right! 🌟
Can’t believe how well the cilantro and lime worked with the pork! Such a fresh, summery dish.
I don’t know… I think pork belly is too fatty. Can’t imagine this being as good as you say. cilantro and lime are great tho.
Totally agree! The cilantro really brings it all together, doesn’t it? Love this recipe!
Grilled meat! So rustic and good! Great recipe, thank u!
This is such a solid combo—grilled pork belly on fresh, crunchy veggies with that lime/fish sauce punch. I followed it pretty closely and it tasted restaurant-level. Will make again!
Just okay. I expected more from it. My husband said it was too spicy. Might skip the chili next time.
I’m skeptical about pork belly on a salad like this… but wow, it works. The sweet-sour dressing really cuts through the fattiness.
I was like, pork belly?? on salad?? But you’re right—the dressing absolutely balances it. Sweet-sour + fat is a cheat code. Will definitely try this with extra lime.
I’m not sure about the cooking time… 15-20 min per side for 1 lb pork belly seems kinda low/iffy to me. Also 145°F doesn’t sound like it’ll get the fat rendered, but maybe I’m wrong. Anyone tried it?
Good idea, but 145°F for pork belly feels too low to me. I kept cooking until it felt more tender—still ended up great.
I wasn’t sure about the fish sauce, but it added a nice depth that I didn’t expect. A solid recipe!
Super easy to make! Perfect for summer BBQs. Just make sure you watch the grill so it doesn’t burn! 🙂
Not bad, but I’m not sure fish sauce + soy + sugar is for everyone. It tasted a little “fishy” to me even after balancing with lime. Could be my brand though.
Yum! The cabbage adds a nice crunch. Also, the lime juice really brings it together! 🥗
I kinda messed up the grilling part and burned the pork. But, somehow it still tasted good? Weird but I’m not complaining!
Good recipe, but the pork belly took longer than 20 min to cook. Anyone else find this?
I agree! I had the same issue with the pork belly. Definitely took more time for me too. Maybe my grill isn’t as hot as it should be!
20 minutes? That seems like not enough! I’ve cooked pork belly before and it usually takes longer. Are you sure about the timing?
Grilling is a great way to cook pork! My family loved it, but I switched out the fish sauce for soy sauce because I didn’t have any. Still turned out good!
Honestly, I found the dressing a bit weird. Maybe a different sauce would work better?
I used dried cilantro (didn’t have fresh) and it tasted… okay? Still good with lime and chili though. Maybe fresh herbs would’ve made it a 5.
Not bad! I thought it was too salty tho. Next time, less soy sauce.
This was honestly delicious—juicy pork belly with that sweet-salty-lime dressing. The cabbage stayed crunchy too. I did 17 minutes per side and it hit perfectly.
I’m not a fan of fish sauce. What can I substitute it with? Anyone know?
You can use soy sauce or even a splash of vinegar if you’re avoiding fish sauce. It won’t be exactly the same, but it’ll still taste good! 🤗
This is fantastic! My family loved it. Will definitely make again!
Ingredients list is too long. I just want something simple. 😩
Great recipe but too many steps. I just grilled the pork and ate it with plain cabbage salad.
Grilling the pork sounds easier! I might try that next time, but it seems like you’re missing out on the salad flavors.
Too many steps? It’s not that hard! Just follow the instructions, it’s worth it. 🙄
Not my taste, I prefer beef over pork, but my partner loved it. Mixed feelings!
Yum yum! Let’s grill this every week. Perfect summer meal.
Wow, loved this! I didn’t have chili so just used black pepper instead. Still turned out great!!
Glad you loved it! Substituting with black pepper sounds interesting, might try that next time. Thanks!
I dunno, I thought this would be better. The fish sauce was too strong for my taste.
I was skeptical about the fish sauce + soy + sugar balance, but wow it works. Next time I’ll slice the cabbage a little thinner so it softens more from the dressing.
This was amazing! The pork belly was so juicy and full of flavor. My family loved it!
Won’t lie, I didn’t measure the salt/pepper and it ended up a bit salty for me. Otherwise flavors were nice. Maybe cut fish sauce next time.
Tasty! But I used chicken instead of pork and it turned out great too!
Did not work well for my family. They don’t eat anything green. What do I serve with it if no salad?
I tried this recipe, but my pork belly was too fatty. I think I did it wrong?
Don’t worry! Pork belly is naturally fatty. Maybe try trimming some of the fat next time or cooking it longer to render more fat off. It’ll help balance things out!
This was amazing! So much flavor, the dressing really brought everything together. Definitely making this again!
I’m so glad you loved it! The dressing really does make a difference, doesn’t it? Can’t wait to see your next creation!
Looks good, but I don’t eat pork. Can I use chicken instead? Anyone tried it?
Love how fresh the salad tastes against the rich pork. The cilantro and chili give it that “restaurant” vibe. Will make again!
Yum! A little too much cabbage for my taste, tho. Maybe I’ll add more carrots next time.
Nah, cabbage is great! Just eat it, you don’t need to mess with a good recipe! 😤
I think the cabbage makes it crunchy and fresh! But adding more carrots sounds like a great idea for sweetness.
I’m confused about the 145°F thing—like, I thought pork belly needed more? Mine was safe but felt slightly underdone for my taste. The salad is great regardless.
I followed the recipe but I think my lime was too small? It tasted a little flat until I added more lime juice. Next time I’ll taste and adjust sooner.
I dunno, it just didn’t hit right. Maybe too much sauce? Not a big fan.
I get what you mean! Sometimes too much sauce can really overpower the dish. Maybe try cutting back next time?
Why do we even need the brown sugar? Seems pointless to me. Just made it too sweet.
Grilled pork belly??? Yum! That’s my jam right there! 🥓🥗
This was absolutely delicious! The mix of flavors was wonderful. Will make again!
I dunno, seems a bit much for me. Pork belly is super fatty, right? But glad it worked for you!
So glad you loved it! The flavors really do come together nicely. Did you tweak anything?
Wait, do you really need all this fancy sauce? Can’t you just use BBQ sauce? My friend said that would be fine.
Yum! 😋
It sounds good, but I’m not a fan of fish sauce. Can I just leave it out?
Looks delicious! I can’t wait to make this! 😍
I don’t get why people use pork belly and then add cabbage—sounds like a weird salad at first. But after tasting, it kinda slaps. Not mad.
Honestly I thought the same—pork belly + cabbage sounds like “salad… but make it dinner,” lol. But the fish sauce/lime combo probably makes it work. Gonna try it!
I’m not sure about the 145°F thing for pork belly… mine didn’t feel as tender as I expected at that temp. Flavor was good though, especially the sauce in the salad. Next time I’ll probably go longer on the grill.
This dish was a hit at my BBQ! The flavors really mesh well, and the pork belly was so juicy! Will definitely make again.
This is giving restaurant vibes! The cilantro and chili really wake it up. I used lime zest too and it tasted bright. Will absolutely be in my rotation.
This was super easy to make! Loved the crunch from the cabbage.
Glad to hear you loved it! The crunchiness of cabbage really makes this dish pop. Did you add anything extra?
This sounds good, but I don’t think pork and salad go together. What’s the point? Just eat a good salad!
Ok but grilled pork belly takes forever on my grill. 15-20 min per side was not enough. Flavor was good, timing needs adjusting.
Wait, is pork belly the same as bacon? I thought I was makin’ bacon but now I’m confused.
Nah, pork belly and bacon ain’t the same. Bacon’s cured and sliced, while pork belly is fresh meat. You could say bacon’s a type of pork belly, but it’s more processed. Hope this helps!
This was absolutely delicious! The pork belly was so tender and the salad was so refreshing. Will definitely make again!
I don’t have a grill, can I bake the pork belly? How long?
meh.
I think this looks amazing! Pork belly is my favorite! Can’t wait to try it.
Quick and easy! Used some leftover pork and it turned out well, but I think I added too much lime.
My cabbage didn’t soften much, so it was super crunchy. I actually liked it, but if you want tender salad, you may need to salt and rest it first.
Recipe looks good, but 145°F feels low for pork belly to me. I ended up going longer until it was more crispy, and it was better—maybe adjust for thickness?
The flavors were nice, but I prefer my salads without meat. Too heavy for me.
I get that! Maybe try it without the pork or use some beans for protein instead. It’s like a whole different dish then!
I don’t usually comment, but my kids devoured this! Thanks for sharing!
That’s awesome to hear! Kids can be picky, so it must be really good! 😊
This dish is a game changer! The pork is so juicy and the salad is super refreshing.