Bun bowl with lemongrass pork and fresh herbs
Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowl
Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowl
30 minMedium
Prep Time
20 min
Cook Time
10 min
Total Time
30 min
Servings
4
4 bowls
Difficulty
Medium
Cost
Budget
$
Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowl
Bun bowl with lemongrass pork and fresh herbs
Caramelized lemongrass pork over cool rice vermicelli with shredded lettuce, pickled carrots, fresh herbs, crushed peanuts, and nuoc cham dipping sauce. Refreshing and deeply flavorful.
20m
Prep Time
10m
Cook Time
30m
Total Time
4
Servings
Medium
Difficulty
Budget $
Cost
Sarah Chen
(Updated )
Bun bowls are the quintessential Vietnamese one-bowl meal—cool noodles topped with sizzling meat and a rainbow of fresh herbs, all brought together by tangy-sweet nuoc cham.
Ingredients
- 1 lb ground pork or thinly sliced pork marinated in lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, and sugar
- 8 oz rice vermicelli noodles, cooked and cooled
- 2 cups shredded lettuce, 1 cup shredded carrots pickled in vinegar, 1 cucumber sliced
- 1 cup mixed fresh herbs: mint, cilantro, and Thai basil
- 3 tbsp fish sauce, 2 tbsp lime juice, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 clove garlic, chili for nuoc cham
- Crushed roasted peanuts and fried shallots for garnish
Instructions
- 1
Marinate pork with minced lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, and oil for at least 30 minutes.
- 2
Cook rice vermicelli according to package, rinse with cold water, and drain well.
- 3
Sear marinated pork in a hot skillet until caramelized and cooked through, about 5 minutes.
- 4
Make nuoc cham: dissolve sugar in warm water, then stir in fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, and chili.
- 5
Build bowls with noodles, lettuce, herbs, pickled carrots, cucumber, pork, peanuts, and nuoc cham.
Serving Suggestions
Ways to Serve This Dish
Serve over steamed jasmine or sticky rice
Pair with a side of pickled vegetables or kimchi
Add a drizzle of sesame oil and toasted sesame seeds for extra flavor
Substitutions
Ground porkGround chicken or sliced beef
Both work with the lemongrass marinade
Rice vermicelliRice paper rolls (wrap everything inside)
Turn it into fresh spring rolls instead
DepthPantry
Test Kitchen Pick
Fish Sauce
Helpful Pantry Staple
Why the fish sauce matters
This dish leans on fish sauce for a lot of its savory depth, so the bottle you use has more impact than most pantry upgrades.
This is one of the few ingredients here that noticeably changes the final dish.
- Builds the backbone of the sauce
- Useful well beyond this recipe
A better bottle makes a real difference here and pays off across Vietnamese and Thai cooking.
Shop fish sauce for this recipeTips & Storage
Pro Tips
Use the tender inner stalk of lemongrass, minced very finely, for the best flavor.
Nuoc cham can be made in a big batch and refrigerated for up to 2 weeks.
Storage
Store noodles and toppings separately for up to 4 days. Assemble before eating.
Reheating
Reheat pork in a skillet to re-caramelize. Noodles and vegetables are served cold.
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (60mg) · 4 servings
Calories440
LowModerateHigh
A moderate-calorie serving · based on a 2,000 cal daily diet
Protein10g
Carbohydrates54g
Fat26g
Fiber860mg
Sugar2g
Sodium6g
Nutritional values are approximate and may vary based on specific ingredients and preparation methods.
Frequently Asked Questions
- What is nuoc cham?
- A Vietnamese dipping sauce made from fish sauce, lime, sugar, garlic, and chili.
- Can I use chicken instead?
- Yes, use boneless chicken thighs sliced thin with the same marinade.
About Sarah Chen
Sarah Chen is a professional recipe developer and food editor with over a decade of experience in test kitchens and food media. She trained at the Culinary Institute of America before spending six years developing and testing recipes for national food publications, where she honed her ability to translate restaurant techniques into approachable home cooking. At RecipePool, Sarah leads recipe development, ensuring every dish is tested at least three times for clarity, accuracy, and genuine deliciousness. When she is not in the kitchen, she is browsing farmers markets and collecting vintage cookbooks.
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