Bún Thịt Nướng (Vietnamese Rice Vermicelli Noodle Bowl)

Name: Bún Thịt Nướng (Vietnamese Rice Vermicelli Noodle Bowl)
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 5
Cuisine: asian
Ingredients: 1 lb pork shoulder/butt (sliced thin); 8 oz shrimp (peeled and deveined, with tails); 1 large shallot (minced); 2 large garlic cloves (minced); 1 small stalk lemongrass (about 2 tablespoons minced); 2 tablespoons light brown sugar; 2 tablespoons fish sauce; ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper; 14 oz medium dried rice vermicelli noodles; Egg rolls/fried spring rolls; Pickled carrots and daikons (Đồ chua); Lettuce and fresh herbs; English or Persian cucumbers; ¼ cup toasted peanuts (roughly chopped); Scallion oil; Vietnamese Dipping Sauce (nuoc cham)

Published:

February 25, 2023

5 comments on Bún Thịt Nướng (Vietnamese Rice Vermicelli Noodle Bowl)

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Vietnamese Rice Noodles with Grilled Pork, Shrimp and Egg Rolls (Bún Tôm Thịt Nướng Chả Giò)

What is Bun Thit Nuong?

If you’re looking for something light and refreshing, try this popular Vietnamese noodle dish, Bún Thịt Nướng. This dish is the southern version of Bún Chả Hanoi, a Northern version that is essentially the same thing but with grilled pork meatballs and the use of papaya in the sauce.

Bún Thịt Nướng consists of rice noodles, grilled pork, and fresh vegetables. If you don’t eat pork, substitute with beef, chicken or even tofu.

When fried spring rolls or egg rolls (Chả Giò) and shrimp (Tôm) are added, the dish is called Bún Tôm Thịt Nướng Chả Giò.

This dish is topped off with a mix of fresh vegetables and herbs, crushed peanuts, and the iconic Vietnamese mother sauce, made from a blend of lime juice, sugar, and bottled fish sauce.

This dish has many components so I only make it when I have some of the components on hand. For instance, I would make this dish when I already have egg rolls/spring rolls in my freezer and Vietnamese dipping sauce in the fridge. Otherwise, it’s just too much work for a weeknight dinner. I make this noodle dish often in the summer time when it’s too hot for noodle soup and when there’s plenty of summer herbs in the garden that need to be used up.

How to Make Bún Thịt Nướng

Step 1: Prepare and Cook Pork & Shrimp

To make this dish, you’ll start by seasoning thin slices of pork shoulder or butt in a mixture of lemongrass, garlic, shallots, fish sauce, and sugar. There’s no need to wait. You can cook right away.

Traditionally, the pork and shrimp are cooked on a charcoal grill for that smoky flavor. But you can also pan-fry the pork and shrimp in a skillet, roast them in the oven, or use your air fryer. You want to cook them on high heat to get that charred caramelization on the outside without drying them out.

If you are grilling, make sure you skewer them so they don’t fall through the wide grates. If you have those small charcoal stoves with metal baskets to keep the meat inside like in Vietnam, that’s even better.

Slice pork shoulder thin, against the grain if possible.

Finely chop the aromatics (garlic, shallots and lemongrass) by hand or in a food processor

Marinate pork and shrimp with fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, shallots, and lemongrass.

Step 2: Cook the Noodles

Bún Thịt Nướng is made with rice noodles, which you can find at most Asian grocery stores. Above is a picture of my favorite brand. These are medium-sized rice noodles. Unfortunately, they usually aren’t labeled medium so it’s hard to tell. If they are not labeled bean-thread, thick, large, or extra large, then you can safely assume they are medium-sized rice noodles.

Cook the noodles according to the package instructions. For this particular brand, I had to cook them for a tad longer than the package instructions. Instead of 6-8 minutes per the cooking instructions on the back, I cooked it for about 10 minutes. To be definitely sure, carefully grab a noodle from the pot and pinch them between your fingers. If it breaks apart with a tiny bit of resistance, it’s good to go. Drain the noodles into a colander placed in the sink. Rinse well with cold water to prevent them from sticking. Drain then set aside.

My favorite brand of noodles for Vietnamese Noodles with Grilled Pork, Shrimp and Egg Rolls (Bún Tôm Thịt Nướng Chả Giò)

Step 3: Prepare the Vegetables

Bún Thịt Nướng is typically served with a variety of vegetables. You can use bean sprouts, shredded lettuce, and thinly sliced cucumber.

You can also use a collection of traditional Vietnamese herbs, known as rau thơm. These include but not limited to peppermint (húng cây), spearmint (húng Lủi), cilantro (ngò), perilla (tía tô), fish mint (dấp cá or what I like to call death herb because the smell of this herb will bring me to my knees).

Make the pickled daikon and carrot, if using.

Step 4: Prepare the Sauce

The sauce, nước chấm, is an essential part of Bún Thịt Nướng.

To make the sauce, you will need bottled fish sauce, water, sugar, lime juice, garlic, and chili peppers. I like to use coconut water or coconut soda as my secret ingredient but that is not required. Mix all the ingredients in a bowl and stir well to combine.

How to Assemble Bun Thit Nuong

Once you have all the components ready to go, it’s time to assemble.

To assemble, divide the cooked rice noodles among four to five bowls. Add your pork and shrimp. Brush the noodles, pork and shrimp with scallion oil. Add your choice of vegetables and herbs, then garnish each bowl with toasted peanuts for extra texture and nuttiness. Serve the dipping sauce on the side. When ready to eat, drizzle the sauce over the rice noodles, mix it all up and enjoy.