Bun Cha
Dive into the vibrant flavors of *Bun Cha*, an iconic Vietnamese dish that brings together smoky grilled pork patties, caramelized pork belly slices, tender rice vermicelli noodles, and a zesty, umami-packed dipping sauce. This harmonious recipe is rounded out with fresh herbs like mint and coriander, crisp lettuce, and tangy pickled vegetables, creating a refreshing yet hearty meal. Perfectly balanced with the sweet, sour, salty, and spicy notes that Vietnamese cuisine is known for, this recipe is easy to replicate at home with just 40 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking. Whether it's a casual weeknight dinner or an exotic addition to your culinary repertoire, Bun Cha is a crowd-pleaser that celebrates authentic flavors and textures.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 500 grams ground pork
- 200 grams pork belly
- 200 grams rice vermicelli noodles
- 60 ml fish sauce
- 40 grams sugar
- 1 large lime
- 4 units garlic cloves
- 1 unit red chili
- 1 medium carrot
- 1 small daikon radish
- 1 head lettuce
- 30 grams mint leaves
- 30 grams coriander leaves
- 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Peel and finely chop 3 garlic cloves. Reserve the last clove for the dipping sauce.
Slice the pork belly thinly and set aside. In a large bowl, mix the ground pork with half of the chopped garlic, 20 ml fish sauce, 1 teaspoon of sugar, and black pepper. Form into small patties.
In another bowl, mix the sliced pork belly with 10 ml fish sauce, 1 garlic clove, a pinch of sugar, and black pepper.
Cover both types of marinated pork and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
Peel and julienne the carrot and daikon radish. Mix them in a bowl with 1 tablespoon of sugar, a pinch of salt, and the juice of half a lime. Set aside to pickle slightly.
Boil water in a pot, then cook the vermicelli noodles per package instructions (usually about 4 minutes). Drain and rinse with cold water.
To make the dipping sauce, finely chop the remaining garlic clove, deseed and chop the red chili, and mix with 30 ml fish sauce, 20 ml water, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and the juice of the remaining half lime. Stir until the sugar dissolves.
Wash and tear the lettuce leaves into bite-sized pieces. Wash the mint and coriander leaves.
Heat a grill or a pan over medium-high heat with 2 tablespoons vegetable oil. Grill the pork patties until cooked through and slightly charred, about 4-5 minutes per side.
In another pan, heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil and grill the pork belly slices until golden and cooked through, about 2-3 minutes each side.
Arrange the vermicelli, grilled pork patties, and pork belly slices on a plate. Serve with the fresh herbs, lettuce, pickled vegetables, and the dipping sauce on the side.
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
772 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 63.7 g | 82% | |
| Saturated Fat | 20.2 g | 101% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 7.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 126 mg | 42% | |
| Sodium | 210 mg | 9% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 22.0 g | 8% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 5.3 g | 19% | |
| Total Sugars | 14.1 g | ||
| Protein | 29.9 g | 60% | |
| Vitamin D | 0.0 mcg | 0% | |
| Calcium | 112 mg | 9% | |
| Iron | 3.5 mg | 20% | |
| Potassium | 989 mg | 21% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
