Bun Thit Nuong
Vermicelli bowl with grilled pork, herbs, and nuoc cham.
Ingredients
- 400 g Pork shoulder
- 250 g Rice vermicelli
- 2 Lemongrass
- 3 cloves Garlic
- 4 tbsp Fish sauce
- 2 Lime
- 3 tbsp Sugar
- 1 Carrot
- 1 Cucumber
- 1 bunch Mint (optional)
- 40 g Peanuts (optional)
Method
- Mince the lemongrass and garlic. Slice the pork shoulder into thin strips and toss with the lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, and sugar until evenly coated.
- Whisk a nuoc cham in a small bowl from fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and a splash of warm water until the sugar dissolves, then stir in the shredded carrot.
- Soak the rice vermicelli in hot water until tender, then drain.
- While the vermicelli soaks, slice the cucumber and pick the mint leaves.
- Grill or pan-sear the marinated pork over high heat, turning, until charred at the edges and caramelised through.
- Build bowls of vermicelli topped with herbs, cucumber, and the grilled pork, then scatter with peanuts and spoon over the nuoc cham.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Bun Thit Nuong
Bun thit nuong is the classic Vietnamese vermicelli bowl, a room-temperature assembly of grilled pork over cool rice noodles that showcases how Vietnamese cooking balances a dish rather than blending it. Strips of pork shoulder are marinated in lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, and sugar, then grilled over high heat so the edges char and the sugars caramelize into a savory-sweet crust.
The bowl comes together as a study in contrast: warm smoky pork, chilled springy vermicelli, crunchy cucumber and shredded carrot, cooling mint, and toasted peanuts scattered over the top, all dressed with nuoc cham that ties the salty, sour, and sweet notes together. It's meant to be tossed at the table so every mouthful catches a bit of everything. Light but filling, it's an ideal warm-weather meal and a good way to feed a small table without turning on the oven.
Bun Thit Nuong: frequently asked questions
How many calories are in Bun Thit Nuong?
A serving has about 687 calories — 37.1g protein, 96.3g carbs, 16.1g fat, 4.3g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 37.1g of protein, roughly 22% of its calories.
Is Bun Thit Nuong gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Bun Thit Nuong has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Bun Thit Nuong take to make?
About 40 minutes start to finish, but only around 29 of those are hands-on — the rest is cooking time. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Bun Thit Nuong?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out mint, peanuts — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Bun Thit Nuong make?
This recipe makes 3 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.