Lemongrass Pork Vermicelli Noodle Bowl (Bún)
A Vietnamese vermicelli noodle bowl with caramelised lemongrass pork, cool rice noodles, fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables and tangy nước chấm dressing.
By Tasty Nest Recipes Editorial TeamPublished
1 hr 5 min total 4 bowlsIntermediate
Photo: Carl Mikoy · CC BY 2.0. Illustrative photo; your results may look different.
About this recipe
Bún is a Vietnamese noodle salad of cool rice vermicelli, crisp lettuce, fresh herbs and pickled or raw vegetables, topped with grilled meat and doused in nước chấm, a sweet, sour, salty and spicy dipping sauce.
It is a wonderful contrast of hot and cold, soft and crunchy. Everything can be prepared ahead, making it an excellent packed lunch.
Equipment you'll need
- Large pot
- Large skillet or grill pan
Tips for success
- Slice the pork as thinly as possible so it caramelises quickly; partially freezing it helps.
- Taste the nước chấm and adjust it to balance sweet, sour and salty.
- Pack the dressing separately for lunches and add it just before eating.
Substitutions and variations
- Use chicken thighs, shrimp or tofu instead of pork.
- Top with crispy spring rolls for bún chả giò.
- Use pickled carrot and daikon from our bánh mì recipe for extra tang.
Storage and reheating
To store: Refrigerate components separately for up to 3 days; nước chấm keeps for up to 1 week.
To reheat: Reheat the pork briefly in a hot skillet; serve the noodles and vegetables cold.
Recipe
Lemongrass Pork Vermicelli Noodle Bowl (Bún)
A Vietnamese vermicelli noodle bowl with caramelised lemongrass pork, cool rice noodles, fresh herbs, crunchy vegetables and tangy nước chấm dressing.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 10 min
- Marinate
- 30 min
- Total
- 1 hr 5 min
- Yield
- 4 bowls
- Level
- Intermediate
Ingredients
Tick off ingredients as you gather them.
Lemongrass pork
Nước chấm
Bowls
Instructions
Step 1: Marinate the pork
Toss the pork with the lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, brown sugar and oil. Marinate for at least 30 minutes, or overnight in the fridge.
Step 2: Make the nước chấm
Stir the fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and warm water until the sugar dissolves, then add the garlic and chilli.
Step 3: Cook the noodles
Cook the vermicelli according to the package, then rinse under cold water and drain well.
Step 4: Cook the pork
Heat a little oil in the skillet over high heat and cook the pork in a single layer, in batches, for 1 to 2 minutes per side until caramelised and cooked through.
Step 5: Assemble
Divide the lettuce, noodles, cucumber, bean sprouts and herbs among bowls. Top with the pork and peanuts, and spoon over nước chấm to taste.
Cuisine: Vietnamese · Course: Lunch
Estimated nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 470
- Protein
- 28 g
- Fat
- 12 g
- Carbs
- 63 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
- Sugars
- 13 g
Approximate values estimated from typical nutrition data for the listed ingredients, excluding optional toppings and serving suggestions. Actual values vary with brands, portion sizes and substitutions. Not verified by a dietitian or laboratory analysis.
tastynestrecipes.com/recipes/vermicelli-noodle-bowl
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