Description
Bún Chả is a delicious Vietnamese dish featuring juicy, char-grilled meatballs, vermicelli noodles, fresh veggies, and a tangy dipping sauce (nước chấm). It’s the perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty, and savory flavors, making it a satisfying meal that’s easy to prepare and full of vibrant flavors.
Ingredients
For the Meatballs:
- 500g ground pork (or a mix of ground pork and beef)
- 1/4 cup minced shallots
- 3 garlic cloves (minced)
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil (for grilling)
- For the Noodles and Dipping Sauce:
- 200g vermicelli noodles
- Fresh lettuce leaves
- Fresh herbs (mint, cilantro, and Thai basil)
- Sliced cucumber
- Pickled carrots and daikon (optional)
- For the Dipping Sauce (Nước Chấm):
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 1/4 cup lime juice
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 garlic clove (minced)
- 1 small chili pepper (sliced, optional for spice)
Instructions
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Prepare the Meatballs: In a large bowl, mix together the ground pork, minced shallots, garlic, fish sauce, sugar, salt, black pepper, and cornstarch. Use your hands to combine until smooth. Form into 1 to 1.5-inch meatballs.
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Grill the Meatballs: Heat a grill or grill pan over medium-high heat and brush it with vegetable oil. Grill the meatballs for 6-8 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and cooked through.
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Cook the Noodles: Boil water in a large pot and cook the vermicelli noodles for 4-5 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking.
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Prepare the Dipping Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and water until sugar dissolves. Add garlic and chili (optional), and stir.
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Assemble the Dish: In bowls, layer noodles, grilled meatballs, fresh lettuce, herbs, cucumber slices, and pickled carrots and daikon (optional). Serve with the dipping sauce on the side, and pour over the dish as desired.
Notes
- You can prepare the meatball mixture a day in advance.
- Vermicelli noodles can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the fridge.
- If you don’t have a grill, pan-fry the meatballs or bake them at 375°F for 15 minutes.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 400
- Sugar: 7g
- Sodium: 700mg
- Fat: 18g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 12g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 24g
- Cholesterol: 50mg