Prepare your taste buds for Vietnamese Bún Chả, a dish of delectable pork patties, rice noodles, veggies, and sauce!
If you’ve never made Vietnamese dishes at home, now is the time to start. Bún chả are Vietnamese meatballs, and wow, this dish is packed with flavor. Visitors to Vietnam will find bún chả, a specialty of Hanoi, at many street vendors. These delectable grilled pork patties are served with rice vermicelli, fresh herbs and vegetables, and a sweet and savory sauce.
This recipe for bún chả is easier than you think. It requires only 30 minutes of preparation and 20 minutes of cooking, and the preparation is simple; all the ingredients for the grilled pork patties are mixed in one bowl, and it only takes a few minutes to mince the mixture of garlic, lemongrass, and shallots.
The sauce is mixed in another bowl, and you can mince the garlic for the sauce at the same time you mince the garlic for the patties. Before you begin prepping the sauce, put a pot of water on the stove to boil. That way, while everything cooks, you can prepare the veggies, lettuce, mint, and cilantro leaves. You’ll be amazed at how quickly it all comes together.
Is Bún Chả Healthy?
Thanks to the abundance of nutritious and fresh vegetables, bún chả could be considered somewhat healthy; however, fish sauce can be high in sodium, pork, although high in protein, can also be high in fat, and vermicelli noodles can be high in carbohydrates, so I don’t recommend it all the time. It is dairy-free and can be gluten-free if you ensure the fish sauce is GF. You can reduce the carbohydrates by substituting zoodles (zucchini noodles) or my favorite, shirataki noodles (made from konjac root). In this recipe, you can also substitute ground turkey or chicken, preferably dark meat.
Perfectly-Sized Patties Every Time
Have you ever wondered how some people and restaurants always get patties the same size? The secret is using a sizing scoop, such as a cookie dough or ice cream scoop. I recommend using an ice cream-sized scoop for these patties if you are grilling them outside. If using a grill pan, you can make the patties small or large depending on how you plan to serve them.
Apply your favorite cooking spray to the scoop before starting and then reapply as needed to keep the meat mixture from sticking. You will have uniformly sized patties that cook in the same amount of time, without worrying about some being well-done and dried out while others are undercooked.
How do I store leftovers?
Once the pork patties cool to room temperature, they can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to 3 days. The sauce, noodles, and vegetables can be stored in separate containers in the fridge and assembled for serving.
Serving Suggestions
Bún chả is a complete dish that needs nothing more to accompany it. However, I highly recommend including some Pickled Daikon with all Vietnamese meals. It’s nice to serve an assortment of entrées when preparing Vietnamese foods, and Vietnamese Grilled Chicken and Bò Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew) are some excellent options. I recommend some simple and refreshing Fruit Kabobs for dessert.
Ingredients
For the Pork Patties:
- 1 pound ground pork 85% lean
- 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 1/2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 tablespoons lemongrass minced
- 1 shallot finely chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
For the Dipping Sauce:
- 3/4 cup warm water
- 2 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons lime juice about 2 limes
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 clove garlic minced
- 1 red chili pepper thinly sliced (optional)
For Serving:
- 8 ounces rice vermicelli noodles
- 1 head leaf lettuce leaves separated
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 cucumber sliced
- 1 carrot sliced
- 1 cup bean sprouts optional
Instructions
- In a large bowl, combine all of the ingredients for the pork patties and mix well.
- Shape the pork mixture into small patties about 2 inches in diameter.
- Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat. Grill the patties for approximately 2-4 minutes per side until they are fully cooked and have a slight char.
- In a bowl, mix all of the ingredients for the dipping sauce until sugar dissolves.
- Cook rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse under cold water. Set aside.
- Arrange noodles, lettuce, mint, cilantro, cucumber, carrots, and bean sprouts on serving plates.
- Top the noodles and vegetables with grilled pork patties.
- Serve the dish with dipping sauce on the side. To eat, combine noodles, herbs, and pork in a bowl and drizzle with the sauce.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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