Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Rice (Lu Rou Fan 滷肉飯)

Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Rice, or Lu Rou Fan (滷肉飯), is a classic Taiwanese comfort food made with tender pork belly simmered in a savory soy-based sauce with shallots, garlic, rice wine, and warm spices. Spoon the rich braised pork and plenty of sauce over hot steamed rice for an easy and incredibly flavorful meal!

Jump to:

• What Is Lu Rou Fan?
• Why You'll Love This Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice
• Ingredients
• Soy Sauces
• How to Make Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Rice
• What to Serve With Lu Rou Fan
• Tips for the Best Lu Rou Fan
• Can I Make Lu Rou Fan Ahead of Time?
• How to Store Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly
• Frequently Asked Questions
• Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Rice (Lu Rou Fan 滷肉飯)
• More Delicious Taiwanese Recipes
• Pin for later!

Growing up Taiwanese, rice topped with something savory and saucy has always been one of my favorite kinds of comfort food. And Lu Rou Fan is pretty much the definition of that.

The pork belly cooks slowly until tender while the fat melts into the braising liquid, creating a rich sauce that soaks right into the rice. Shallots add sweetness and aroma, while soy sauce, rice wine, garlic, white pepper, and just a touch of five-spice give the pork its signature flavor.

And while it tastes like it has been cooking all day, this version only needs about an hour of simmering!

What Is Lu Rou Fan?

Lu Rou Fan (滷肉飯) literally refers to rice served with braised pork and is one of Taiwan's most beloved everyday dishes. It's also incredibly common as a street food, served at night markets, casual food stalls, and small local eateries throughout Taiwan.

You'll find different versions throughout Taiwan. The pork can be chopped very finely or cut into slightly larger pieces, and every family, restaurant, and night market stall seems to have its own braising mixture.

For this recipe, I use pork belly cut into small pieces. As it braises, the pork becomes tender while the fat renders into the sauce.

The finished pork should be saucy rather than dry because one of the best parts of Lu Rou Fan is letting all of that flavorful braising liquid soak into the rice. The sauce is so delicious that it's also often spooned over blanched or stir-fried vegetables served on the side, adding extra savory flavor to the entire meal.

Why You'll Love This Taiwanese Braised Pork Rice

This Lu Rou Fan is:

• Rich and savory
• Made with tender pork belly
• Full of shallot and garlic flavor (fun fact: if you don't like onions and shallots, you might be okay with this dish, as is the case with my husband!)
• Easy to make in one pot
• Perfect served over steamed rice
• Great for making ahead because the flavor gets even better after sitting

It's also the kind of meal where a relatively small amount of pork can flavor several bowls of rice.

Ingredients

Here's what you'll need to make Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Rice.

Pork Belly

Pork belly gives Lu Rou Fan its signature richness. Cut it into small cubes or short strips so you get a little pork in every bite. I was lucky to find some pre-cut ones at the local Asian supermarket!

You can use skin-on or skinless pork belly.

Shallots

Shallots are one of the flavors I really associate with Taiwanese braised pork. As they cook in the rendered pork fat, they become sweet, aromatic, and slightly caramelized.

I'm using 1 large shallot, about 2 ounces or ¼ cup thinly sliced, in this recipe.

Garlic

Fresh garlic adds another layer of savory flavor to the braise.

Soy Sauces

Regular soy sauce, also known as light soy sauce, provides most of the salt and umami in the sauce.

Dark soy sauce adds deeper color and a little extra richness. You only need a small amount.

Rice Wine

Taiwanese rice wine is perfect here as it is traditionally used, but Shaoxing wine will also work.

Sugar

A little sugar balances the salty soy sauce and gives the braising sauce that subtle sweet-savory flavor found in many Taiwanese braised dishes.

You can use regular sugar or rock sugar.

Five-Spice Powder

You only need a small amount of five spice powder.

I recommend starting with ¼ teaspoon because five-spice can easily overpower the pork and shallots. The spice should be in the background rather than becoming the dominant flavor.

White Pepper

White pepper adds a gentle warmth that works especially well with Taiwanese and Chinese-style braised dishes.

Eggs

Braised eggs are optional, but highly recommended!

Hard-boiled eggs can be added directly to the pork braising liquid so they absorb some of that delicious sauce.

Personally, I was sad to skip them this time because my ice maker broke, so I couldn't ice the eggs and peel them like I normally do.

How to Make Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Rice

Render the pork belly

Cut the pork belly into small cubes or short strips.

Place the pork in a pot over medium heat and cook for about 5 to 8 minutes.

As the pork cooks, some of the fat will render out. Let the edges of the pork brown slightly.

You usually won't need to add additional cooking oil because pork belly releases plenty of its own fat. However, if the fat doesn't render enough, add a small amount of cooking oil to prevent sticking.

Cook the shallots

Add the sliced shallots to the rendered pork fat.

Cook for about 4 to 6 minutes, stirring frequently, until the shallots are softened and beginning to turn golden.

Don't rush this step!

The shallots cooking in the pork fat add a ton of flavor to the finished braise.

Add the garlic and seasonings

Add the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds.

Then add the soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rice wine, sugar, five-spice powder, and white pepper.

Stir everything together so the pork is well coated.

Braise the pork

Pour in the water and bring everything to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and partially cover the pot.

Let the pork simmer for about 45 to 50 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add eggs (Optional)

If you're serving your Lu Rou Fan with eggs, add peeled hard-boiled eggs about 15 to 20 minutes after the pork begins simmering.

This gives the eggs plenty of time to soak up the braising liquid.

Turn them once or twice while they cook so they develop an even color.

Reduce the sauce

Remove the lid and continue simmering for another 10 to 15 minutes.

The sauce should reduce slightly and become darker and glossy.

You still want plenty of sauce left in the pot... Lu Rou Fan should be saucy enough that you can spoon both the pork and braising liquid over your rice!

Serve over rice

Add hot steamed white rice to a bowl and spoon the braised pork belly generously over the top.

Don't forget the sauce!

Serve with a braised egg and vegetables if desired. This time, I skipped the eggs and served mine with Taiwanese Cabbage Stir Fry on the side!

What to Serve With Lu Rou Fan

Because Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Rice is rich and savory, I like serving it with something lighter on the side.

Some good options include:

• Blanched bok choy (very common)
• Taiwanese cabbage (one of my faves)
• Chinese broccoli
• Pickled mustard greens
• Cucumber salad
• Braised eggs
• A simple soup, like egg drop soup or daikon soup

A simple green vegetable and a light soup make this feel like a complete Taiwanese-style meal.

Tips for the Best Lu Rou Fan

Cut the pork small.
This isn't meant to be several giant slabs of pork belly over rice. Small pieces distribute the pork and sauce throughout the entire bowl.

Let the shallots get golden.
Cooking the shallots in rendered pork fat builds a lot of the flavor before the braising liquid is even added.

Don't overdo the five-spice.
Five-spice should be subtle. Start with ¼ teaspoon, especially if you have a strong blend.

Keep the braise at a gentle simmer.
A low simmer gives the pork belly time to tenderize without reducing the liquid too quickly.

Don't reduce all the sauce.
That braising liquid belongs on your rice! 🤤

Can I Make Lu Rou Fan Ahead of Time?

Yes! Lu Rou Fan is actually fantastic made ahead.

Once the pork has cooled, transfer it with the sauce to an airtight container and refrigerate it.

As it chills, the pork fat may solidify on top. That's completely normal.

Reheat everything gently on the stovetop. If the sauce has thickened too much, add a splash of water while reheating.

The flavor is often even better the next day because the pork has had more time to absorb the braising sauce.

How to Store Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly

Store leftover braised pork belly in an airtight container in the refrigerator for about 3 to 4 days.

I recommend storing the pork and sauce separately from the cooked rice so the rice doesn't absorb all of the liquid while sitting.

Reheat the pork on the stovetop or in the microwave until thoroughly heated, then spoon it over fresh hot rice.

Also, if you want to switch things up for leftovers, try serving the braised pork with cooked noodles instead. Just toss it all together and eat - You can thank me later!

Frequently Asked Questions

Is Lu Rou Fan made with pork belly?

Pork belly is commonly used because its combination of meat and fat creates a particularly rich and flavorful braising sauce.

Different cooks use different cuts and textures of pork, so you'll find Lu Rou Fan made in a variety of ways throughout Taiwan.

What is the difference between Lu Rou Fan and Hong Shao Rou?

Both are soy-braised pork dishes, but the presentation and texture are different.

Lu Rou Fan is generally made with much smaller pieces of pork and served with its braising sauce spooned directly over rice.

Hong Shao Rou, or red braised pork, typically features larger pieces of pork belly served more like a main meat dish.

Can I use regular soy sauce instead of dark soy sauce?

Yes.

Dark soy sauce mainly contributes deeper color and a slightly richer flavor. If you don't have it, you can leave it out and add a little additional regular soy sauce if needed.

Your Lu Rou Fan may simply be lighter in color.

Can I make Lu Rou Fan without five-spice?

Yes.

There are many variations of Lu Rou Fan, and you can definitely leave out the five-spice if you don't like it.

If you do use it, I recommend using only a small amount so it doesn't overpower the pork and shallots.

What kind of rice should I serve with Lu Rou Fan?

Steamed white rice is traditional and works best because it absorbs the rich braising sauce.

I especially like serving it with Taiwanese-style short or medium-grain white rice.

More Delicious Taiwanese Recipes

If you enjoyed this Taiwanese Braised Pork Belly Rice, here are some more Taiwanese recipes to try!

• Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup - Tender braised beef, a rich savory broth, and chewy noodles make this another Taiwanese comfort food favorite.
• Easy Three Cup Chicken (三杯雞) - A classic Taiwanese chicken dish with bold savory flavor and fragrant basil.
• Taiwanese Cabbage Stir Fry with Garlic and Dried Shrimp - This quick, savory cabbage stir fry would also make a delicious vegetable side for Lu Rou Fan.
• Taiwan Style Rice Noodles - Stir-fried rice vermicelli with pork, dried shrimp, shiitake mushrooms, and cabbage.
• Red Braised Pork Belly with Bamboo Shoots - If you love pork belly, try this tender soy-braised version with bamboo shoots next!

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