These Thai-inspired pork sliders feature juicy, umami-rich pork topped with a crunchy Asian peanut slaw and spicy peanut dressing. Fresh ginger, jalapeno, fish sauce, and cilantro create a balanced, crave-worthy bite you’ll quickly fall in love with.
Sweet & Savory Thai Pork Sliders with Asian Slaw
I’m a hardcore bacon cheeseburger lover, but sometimes I just need something different and delicious. These Thai-inspired burgers are exactly that. They are packed with a savory, umami-rich ground pork that just explodes with so much flavor.
Using fish sauce, freshly grated ginger, some jalapeno for a bit of heat, and bright cilantro, you end up with a bite that’s satisfying and savory, feeling bold and comforting. Topping it with a crunchy Asian peanut slaw adds such depth of flavor and texture, making you instantly fall in love in just one bite!
Easy Thai Pork Sliders Ingredients
If you’re like me, you already have these ingredients on hand, but if you don’t have, say, fish sauce or fresh ginger, your local supermarkets should carry it. FYI Fish sauce is typically found in the same aisle as other Asian bottled sauces.
- Ground Pork
- Vegetables: minced jalapenos, garlic, and green onions
- Fresh Ginger
- Seasonings
Chef Lori Explains What Fish Sauce Is
Fish sauce is such an underutilized ingredient in “American” cuisine. It’s a staple ingredient in Thai, Vietnameses and other Asian cuisines for centuries. It’s made from fermenting salted fish (typically anchovies) in barrels for at least a year.
The longer the fermentation, the less fishy it becomes and takes on a more nutty flavor, which is the umami we love. It’s a flavor I love and do use quite often, as it adds an incredibly delicious flavor to dishes.
How to Make Thai-Style Pork Sliders
I think the longest part of making this dish was mincing up the veggies and grating the ginger.
- To a large bowl, add the ground pork, vegetables, grated ginger, fish sauce, seasonings, and mix until combined. You can use your hand or a spatula. Try not to overwork the mixture to avoid it from being tough.
- Divide the mixture into 6 portions, shape into slider patties, and place on a parchment paper-lined rimmed sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour in the fridge.
- When you’re ready to fry these up, very lightly oil a non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes, flip, and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Remove from the skillet and assemble the sliders, or allow to cool completely before transferring to a covered container in the refrigerator.
Assembling Asian Pork Sliders
Normally, when I have a slider, it has to have copious amounts of cheese; however, the exception to the no-cheese rule would be these Thai pork sliders.
Simply put, it doesn’t need it. In fact, I think cheese detracts from the incredible flavors we’ve built up in these sliders.
- To a slider bun, add a cooked Thai pork slider, then some Asian Slaw, and drizzle on more of that spicy peanut sauce.
Asian Pork Sliders FAQs
- What makes these Thai pork sliders authentic in flavor? They are inspired by classic Thai flavor balance – savory, salty, fresh, and spicy. By using ingredients like fish sauce, fresh ginger, jalapenos, and cilantro, we create a deep umami flavor without overpowering the dish.
- Can I make Thai Pork sliders ahead of time? Yes! The pork sliders can be made ahead of time,e and you can either freeze them raw or fry up the batch and reheat them gently before topping with the Asian slaw and serving.
- Are these gluten-free? No, but you can make them that way by using a gluten-free bun AND using a gluten-free soy sauce for the Asian slaw.
- Are these Thai-inspired pork sliders spicy? Not really, as they have a mild to medium heat from the jalapeno and peanut dressing, but you can easily modify that by using less jalapeno or sriracha in the peanut dressing.
- Can I substitute the peanut slaw? Of course! A simple lime, herb, and cabbage slaw works well.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Why I love a juicy cheeseburger like the next person, sometimes I want something different. These Thai-inspired pork sliders are bold with umami flavor, fresh herbs, and crunchy texture, making them a crowd favorite.
- BOLD FLAVOR, SIMPLE INGREDIENTS: Fish sauce, ginger, jalapeno, and cilantro deliver deep, savory umami flavor
- PERFECT BALANCE: Savory pork, crunchy salad, and spicy peanut dressing hit that sweet-salty-fresh balance Thai food is known for.
- WEEKNIGHT FRIENDLY: These come together in minutes and are a great dish to make when you’re short on time. They are perfect for meal prep!
- EASILY CUSTOMIZABLE: Add extra herbs, lime, or adjust the heat or reduce it. Make them truly your own!
- MAKE AHEAD FRIENDLY: The sliders themselves can be cooked ahead of time and reheated.
- PERFECT FOR ANY MEAL: Great for dinner, lunch, game day, or a casual weekend cookout.
What to Serve With Thai Pork Sliders
As you can see, I’m a chip girl through and through; however, there are a ton of other great options to serve with these sliders.
Other Ways to Make Thai Pork Sliders
Air Fryer
- Form the sliders, then chill for at least 1 hour. Preheat the air fryer to 375°F.
Grill
- Form the sliders, then chill for at least 1 hour. Prepare the grill for medium-hot cooking (this includes oiling the grates before grilling).
- Add the sliders to the grill and cook for 3-5 minutes per side until the internal temp reads 160°F.
Juicy Thai Pork Sliders with Crunchy Asian Slaw
These Thai-inspired pork sliders feature juicy, umami-rich pork topped with a crunchy Asian peanut slaw and spicy peanut dressing. Fresh ginger, jalapeno, fish sauce, and cilantro create a balanced, crave-worthy bite you’ll quickly fall in love with.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- chilling: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 6 sliders
- Category: sliders
- Method: air fryer, bbq, skillet
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 3 green onions, chopped
- 1 medium jalapeno, seeded and minced
- 3 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 Tablespoon freshly grated ginger
- 3 cloves of garlic, minced
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes
- 1–2 cups Asian Slaw
- 6 slider buns
- Peanut sauce for serving
Instructions
- To a large bowl, add the ground pork, vegetables, grated ginger, fish sauce, seasonings, and mix until combined. You can use your hand or a spatula. Try not to overwork the mixture to avoid it from being tough.
- Divide the mixture into 6 portions, shape into slider patties, and place on a parchment paper-lined rimmed sheet pan. Cover with plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour in the fridge.
- When you’re ready to fry these up, very lightly oil a non-stick pan over medium heat.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes, flip, and cook for another 3-5 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 160°F.
- Remove from the skillet and assemble the sliders.
- To a slider bun, add a cooked Thai pork slider, then some Asian Slaw, and drizzle on more of that spicy peanut sauce. Store the leftover slider patties, covered, in the fridge for up to 4 days.
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