Introducing Bun Cha, the famous caramelised pork meatballs from the stress of Hanoi. Traditional Vietnamese food, made at home! This is an easy Vietnamese recipe that anyone can make that’s full of flavour. No need to hunt down obscure ingredients at an Asian store!
Serve it over vermicelli noodles with Vietnamese Nuoc Cham Sauce and your fresh vegetables of choice.
Bun Cha – traditional Vietnamese street food!
Any self respecting foodie visiting a new country will be armed with a list of “Must Try Foods!!“. And for visitors of Vietnam, Bun Cha should be right up there, alongside Pho, fresh rice paper rolls, and Banh Mi, to name a few favourites.
It was certainly one of the first foods I hunted down when I visited Vietnam. A top-priority!
These are photos of a Bun Cha speciality place in Hanoi that we visited. The Bun Cha was as great as we expected, and I’m happy to report the flimsy stools you spy held up for the whole meal. (Flimsy plastic stools are the norm everywhere, and we were seriously concerned every time we planted our butts down on them!)
What is Bun Cha?
Bun Cha is a traditional Vietnamese pork dish that’s a speciality of Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam. Seasoned pork patties (I call them squished meatballs) and caramelised pork belly slices are served in a broth alongside rice noodles, fresh vegetables and herbs.
How to eat Bun Cha – The idea is to use the broth for dunking the noodles, vegetables and herbs. So you dunk, slurp noodles, bite into juicy pork, try to cram in a few sprigs of herbs – and that moment when you succeed, when you get a mouthful with a bit of everything…
THAT my friends, is a big, fat mouthful that epitomises all that is great about Vietnamese food. That perfect balance of fresh, savoury, sweet, herb, citrus, tender noodles, and that juicy caramelised pork….. YES!!!
About this Bun Cha recipe
This Bun Cha recipe I’m sharing today is a simple home version that’s a style more familiar to those of us outside of Vietnam. On point with flavour, but presented differently.
To make this a simple dinner recipe, I’ve skipped the pork belly and made noodle bowls with the sauce for spooning over, rather than serving it “soup” style. This Noodle Bowl way of serving Vietnamese food is increasingly popular here in Sydney, especially with the work lunch crowd.
How to make Vietnamese Meatballs
You’ll love how you won’t need to take a trip to an Asian store for this! You’ll also love how versatile this recipe actually is.
The Vietnamese (squished) meatballs are just made with pork, garlic, sugar, fish sauce*, salt, pepper and scallions/green onions. Fish sauce is the key seasoning here, and the touch of sugar that makes the surface beautifully caramelised.
The Vietnamese Sauce is a version of Nuoc Cham, a version of which is served with “everything” in Vietnamese cuisine (and that’s no exaggeration).
The sauce for Bun Cha is made with fish sauce*, rice wine vinegar, lime juice, sugar, garlic and chilli (hot or not hot, or even skip it). It’s diluted with water to make it more like a soup broth. In a nod to the authentic way Bun Cha is served, the idea with this recipe is to use lots of sauce. You need it, to slurp up the noodles!
* I know there are people who aren’t a fan of fish sauce. But fish sauce is as Vietnamese as Banh Mi, so I really do urge you to use it if you can. This recipe is in no way “fishy” tasting like some Vietnamese foods. It’s just a savoury seasoning that has more depth of flavour than soy sauce.
Essential Sides
To complete the bowl, these Vietnamese Meatballs are served traditional Bun Cha style with noodles, fresh vegetables and herbs.
The noodles are rice vermicelli noodles, found “everywhere” nowadays in Australia. Simply soak in boiling water for a couple of minutes, then drain.
Fresh vegetables and herbs are an essential part of Vietnamese food, and you’ll get large bowls served alongside almost every meal. Bean sprouts, mint and coriander/cilantro are the most common, as well as pickled vegetables.
But this is the sort of recipe that’s terrifically versatile that will work well with many types of vegetables. Shredded cabbage or lettuce, or other leafy greens. Finely sliced cucumber, green beans, red radish, cherry tomatoes, even asparagus. Most fresh vegetables will work great in this!
In today’s recipe, I’ve also provided a quick Asian pickled vegetables recipe which is ideal to serve with this Bun Cha recipe. But pickling is optional.
The length of the list of ingredients is actually quite deceptive because there’s a handful of repeat ingredients. So don’t be turned off just because this isn’t a 5 ingredient recipe. 🙂
It’s worth it, I promise. If you love Vietnamese food (and I don’t know anyone who doesn’t!), this one will really hit the spot! – Nagi x
Get your Vietnamese fix!
- Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls
- Lemongrass Chicken – one of my favourite things to grill!
- Vietnamese Caramel Pork – another iconic Vietnamese food! Also see the Chicken version.
- Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls – the super quick version of the above
- Vietnamese Noodle Salad
- Vietnamese Chicken Salad
Bun Cha – Vietnamese Meatballs
Watch how to make it
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Bun Cha – Vietnamese Meatballs
Ingredients
Meatballs:
- 250 – 300 g/8 – 10 oz pork mince (ground pork)(Note 1)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce (Note 2)
- 2 tsp white sugar
- 1/3 cup finely chopped green onions / scallions
- 1 clove garlic , minced
- Pinch of white pepper and salt
- 2 tsp lemongrass paste or fresh finely chopped , optional (Note 4)
- 1 1/2 tbsp oil , for cooking
Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dressing / Sauce – Note 2):
- 3 tbsp white sugar
- 3 tbsp fish sauce (Note 2)
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 birds eye chilli , seeded and finely chopped (Note 3)
- 3 cloves garlic , finely chopped
Serving (Note 4):
- 100 g / 3.5 oz vermicelli noodles , dried
- Big handful beansprouts
- Few lettuce leaves , folded or shredded
- Julienned carrot and white radish (daikon), optional quick pickle (Note 5)
- Handful of coriander/cilantro sprigs , mint
- Sliced red chilli , lime wedges (optional)
Instructions
- Sauce: Mix ingredients. Set aside 10 minutes+.
- Noodles: Pour over boiling water and soak per packet directions. Drain, set aside.
Meatballs:
- Mix all ingredients except oil until combined.
- Shape into 6 mini hamburger patties with your hands.
- Heat oil in a skillet over medium high heat. Add patties and cook for 2 1/2 minutes or until golden. Flip, cook 2 minutes then remove.
Assemble Bowls:
- Place noodles in bowl. Top with a handful of beansprouts, wedge in lettuce, carrots and radish in.
- Place meatballs on top, top with coriander and mint.
- Spoon over a generous amount of Sauce (it’s supposed to be like a soup broth), eat and be happy!
Recipe Notes:
8. Adapted from a few Vietnamese cookbooks, including My Vietnamese Kitchen by Uyen Luu and Hanoi Street Food by Luk This and Tom Vandenberghe. 9. Nutrition is for meatballs and sauce only, assuming all sauce is consumed.
Nutrition Information:
Life of Dozer
Title says it all – this is the Life of Dozer.
Don Sutherland says
Absolutely amazing. Will definitely make this one of my regular meals. Easy to make and super tasty.
Anna says
Delicious! I made this when entertaining and they asked me to send them the recipe 🙂
Therese says
My family loved this recipe! How long can we keep the pickles in the fridge for? I made way too much.
Nagi says
Hi Therese, I snack on them all the time – perfect up to 2 weeks in the fridge (probably even longer) N x
Therese says
Thank you 💗
Jennifer Landgraff says
This dish is a fantastic summer dish over cold noodles! Very easy to sub in veggies with what is in the garden. Thank you Nagi!
Pam says
Never heard of these before I stumbled across your recipe….but Wow it’s fantastic..
So quick and easy and soooo tasty. The sauce is to die for !
Thanks a lot
Elly Vergunst says
I would give this 10 stars if I could. Made this for dinner and I think I’ve died and gone to Vietnamese heaven!!!
Nagi says
Thanks so much Elly!! N x
Loonchick says
90 degree day, tough news regarding Covid-19 here in US. Another great recipe to lift us up from the doldrums. Thanks Nagi, Thisbwas perfect: cool and hot, light yet richly flavored. We loved it!
Moisy says
Delicious! Love this recipe!
Alyson says
I am making a vegetarian version of this. I know fish sauce is amazing but do you have an idea of what could be the best substitute? I know nothing is really the same but I’d love to make a dipping sauce recipe that doesn’t require the fish sauce. Thankyou 😊
Alaine says
This is months late, but might benefit others. Lots of grocery stores in the US sell vegan fish sauce! It’s not a perfect sub but it is pretty good.
Alyson says
Thankyou for your comment. I have managed to find vegan fish and oyster sauce in Aus so that has made life a lot easier.
Nagi says
Hi Alyson, you can use soy in its place (it’s not quite the same but it’s the closest sub) N x
Andrew says
I have tried a few versions of this recipe, and this one is by far the best. Thank you very much!
Lynda says
Love the meatball recipe! Thank you so much! The nuoc cham recipe, however, was inedible. I followed it exactly but did you mean 2 tsp vs tbsp of fish sauce? It was so salty that even after diluting it with water, limes, sugar, and more vinegar, it still was not edible so it went in the trash =(
MariaDB says
This recipe made me feel that I was back in Vietnam! All those flavors wore amazing!! And my husband loved it, first time tries this kind of food!
Donna Shields says
We totally enjoyed this recipe. Made it up for tonight’s dinner. The sauce was phenomenal. Will definitely make again.
LINDA K DROKER says
Ok, this is the third recipe of yours I have made and I have not been disappointed by any of them. This was so full of flavors I could not stop eating. I loved it and cannot wait to try your next recipe.
I may not have ever discovered you had it not been for Covid-19 so at least something good came out of this vicious virus. Thank You Nagi
Julia says
I am in the process of making this recipe. The photo looks like there is some finely chopped cilantro in the mix. I don’t see it in the ingredients list. Is that what I see? It is it just a lot of scallion tops? I’m excited to try these up!
Alyssa says
Can I grill the pork meatballs instead of frying in the skillet or will that alter the flavor?
Nagi says
It will alter it for sure…it will make it BETTER!! Do it Alyssa! N x
Kavita says
Ok this was another hit! Super delicious! And a great summer meal! I used lemon zest instead of lemongrass and chili flakes instead of the thai bird chilies – turned out fabulous!
Jenny Nguyen says
Hi Nagi, thanks for sharing. We grilled ours on the charcoal Weber and it was heavenly. What would you suggest if I made them ahead of time and froze them? Should I freeze them raw or cooked? Cheers
Anjou Bengzon says
My husband pronounced this a home run recipe!! A simple to make recipe that was incredibly delicious!
Dana says
Just cooked your recipe and loved it!!!! Very tasty, fresh flavor, we will cook it again and again!
We pimped the Nuoc Cham with a little apple juice and sweet chili sauce for our taste.
Thanks for sharing
Elizabeth Foga says
I just made this recipe, but a burger, and with ground chicken breast. For the burger sauce, I used mayo, fish sauce, Splenda, garlic, bird’s eye chili, and lime zest. BEST BURGER EVER!
Nagi says
Sound perfect Elizabeth! N x