Bún Chả
Bún chả is one of Hanoi's defining dishes, considered by many locals to be more representative of the Vietnamese capital than pho. The recipe likely emerged in the 19th century, when rice noodles and charcoal-grilled pork were already staples of northern cuisine, and combining them in a bowl of sweet-sour-spicy sauce quickly became a beloved lunch. The name describes the dish's very structure: "bún" is the rice noodles, "chả" is the grilled meat. What sets bún chả apart from other Vietnamese noodle dishes is how it's served deconstructed — the meat, sauce, noodles and herbs all sit apart, and each diner assembles their own bowl, dipping noodles and herbs into the meaty sauce. The key is the contrast of textures and temperatures: the meat needs to be hot and slightly smoky off the grill when it hits the cool sauce, so the flavors merge without the noodles going too soft.
The sliced pork and the patties marinate separately
They need different grill times, so they're kept apart from the start
The hot grilled pork goes straight into the sauce
It picks up the smoky char and juices, making the broth richer
Quick-pickled carrot and daikon, sweet and tangy
Cuts through the richness of the pork and freshens the whole bowl
Served deconstructed, not tossed together
Everyone builds their own bowl from noodles, herbs, meat and sauce
Ingredients 4 servings
- 400g pork shoulder, thinly sliced
- 300g ground pork
- 4 shallots, minced, divided
- 4 garlic cloves, minced, divided
- 5 tbsp fish sauce, divided
- 3 tbsp sugar, divided
- 300g rice vermicelli (bún)
- 1 carrot, julienned
- 100g daikon radish, julienned
- 2 limes, juiced
- 1 red chili, thinly sliced
- Lettuce and fresh herbs for serving (mint, perilla, cilantro)
How to make it
- 1MARINATE THE PORK: mix the sliced pork and ground pork separately, each with half the shallot, garlic, fish sauce and sugar, let sit at least 30 minutes.
- 2SHAPE THE PATTIES: form the ground pork into small flat patties, about 4cm wide.
- 3QUICK-PICKLE THE VEGETABLES: toss the julienned carrot and daikon with a little sugar and lime juice, let sit until softened and sweet-tangy.
- 4MAKE THE DIPPING SAUCE: stir the fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and water together in a bowl until the sugar dissolves, then add the remaining garlic, chili and pickled vegetables.
- 5GRILL THE PORK: grill the marinated slices and patties over high heat or in a very hot pan, until charred at the edges and cooked through, turning once.
- 6COOK THE NOODLES: boil the rice vermicelli until tender, then drain and rinse under cold water.
- 7ASSEMBLE: drop the pork into the dipping sauce while still hot, so it picks up flavor.
- 8SERVE: serve the pork and sauce alongside the noodles, lettuce and fresh herbs, letting everyone build their own bowl.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
