Vietnamese pork noodle bowls in a skillet bring together lemongrass-marinated pork, cool rice vermicelli, crunchy vegetables, herbs, and nuoc cham. This bun thit nuong adaptation is a complete dinner for six, with 25 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of cooking. Start the pork at least 2 hours ahead so it has time to marinate.
The pork is cooked in small batches on the stovetop. Drain the noodles thoroughly and keep the vegetables cold until assembly; the warm pork and fresh toppings are served together, with dressing added at the table.
What Is Bun Thit Nuong?
Bun thit nuong is a Vietnamese rice-vermicelli dish usually served with grilled pork, fresh vegetables, herbs, peanuts, and a fish sauce dressing. It is a noodle bowl rather than a broth-based soup. This recipe uses a skillet for the pork and includes a homemade nuoc cham with lime, garlic, and chile.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
The bowl offers a full meal with contrasting temperatures and textures. The pork and sauce can be prepared ahead, while the vegetables and herbs keep the finished bowl fresh. Each person can add dressing and hot sauce to taste.
Recipe at a Glance
Serves: 6. Prep: 25 minutes. Cook: 20 minutes. Marinate: at least 2 hours. Minimum total: 2 hours 45 minutes. The pork is savory and lightly sweet; the dressing is salty and tart. Freeze the pork and sauce separately, keeping fresh toppings out of the freezer.
About This Skillet Version
Bun thit nuong is associated with Vietnamese grilled-pork vermicelli bowls. The skillet method here adapts the cooking equipment while keeping the rice noodles, marinated pork, vegetables, herbs, peanuts, and fish sauce dressing central to the meal. The ginger and sriracha belong to this tested version; the recipe is not presented as the only traditional preparation.
Ingredients
Pork shoulder or pork butt: Thin slices cook quickly while the fat helps keep the pork moist. Cut the meat about ¼ inch thick so the pieces cook evenly.
Brown sugar: Sweetens the marinade and helps the pork develop browned edges in the skillet.
Fish sauce and soy sauce: Season the pork with savory, salty flavor. Fish sauce also forms the savory base of the nuoc cham.
Sesame oil: Adds a nutty flavor to the pork marinade.
Lemongrass, ginger, garlic, and green onions: Give the pork its aromatic seasoning. Finely chop or grate them so they spread evenly through the marinade.
Sriracha and Thai chile: Sriracha adds heat to the pork, while the fresh chile seasons the dressing. Adjust the chile to suit your preference.
Vegetable oil: Lightly coats the skillet for cooking the pork in batches.
Water and granulated sugar: Form the diluted, sweetened base of the dressing. Dissolve the sugar before cooling the mixture and adding the remaining ingredients.
Fresh lime juice and rice vinegar: Give the nuoc cham its tart flavor and balance the sugar and fish sauce.
Thin Rice Noodles: These thin rice noodles form the base of the bowls. Rinse them after cooking and drain well before assembly.
Romaine lettuce and baby cucumber: Add a cool, crisp layer beneath and alongside the noodles and pork.
Matchstick carrots and bean sprouts: Bring crunch to the bowls. A separate small portion of carrots goes into the nuoc cham.
Fresh mint and cilantro: Add fresh herb flavor. Keep them chilled and add them when you assemble the bowls.
Roasted peanuts: Finish each bowl with a nutty crunch. Chop them before serving.
Hoisin sauce and extra sriracha: Optional condiments to offer at the table with the nuoc cham.
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Tools
Large mixing bowl: Gives you room to coat the pork evenly in the marinade. Cover it for the refrigerated marinating time.
Sharp knife and cutting board: Use these to slice the pork thinly and prepare the vegetables and herbs. Clean them thoroughly after handling raw pork.
Measuring cups and spoons: Keep the sweet, salty, and tart ingredients in the right proportions for the marinade and dressing.
Whisk: Blends the marinade and combines the cooled nuoc cham ingredients.
Saucepan: Use it to dissolve the sugar in the water and vinegar for the dressing.
Large pot and colander: The pot holds the cooking water for the vermicelli; the colander lets you rinse and thoroughly drain the noodles.
Large skillet: A wide cooking surface gives the pork room to brown. Work in small batches so liquid does not collect around the slices.
Tongs and a clean platter: Turn the pork with the tongs and transfer each cooked batch to the platter.
Serving bowls: Choose bowls with enough room for the noodles, pork, vegetables, and dressing to be mixed at the table.
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Buy Now → How to Make the Bowls
Prep the Pork
- Whisk the brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, lemongrass paste, ginger, sriracha, and green onions in a bowl large enough to hold the pork. Separate the slices as you add them, then turn them through the marinade. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight.
Prep the Nuoc Cham
- While the pork marinates, heat the water, granulated sugar, and rice vinegar in a saucepan just until gently simmering and the sugar has dissolved. Let the mixture cool completely. Add the fish sauce, lime juice, chile, garlic, and carrots. Cover and refrigerate the nuoc cham.
Prep the Toppings
- Wash and prepare the lettuce, cucumber, carrots, sprouts, and herbs. Keep these chilled in separate containers. Chop the peanuts and set them aside.
Cook the Noodles
- Prepare the rice vermicelli according to its package directions, allowing about 8 minutes in boiling water if specified. Stir occasionally, then drain and rinse under cold water. Leave the noodles in the colander until excess water has drained away.
Cook the Pork
- Lift the pork out of its marinade and blot off surface moisture. Discard the used marinade. Heat a large skillet over high heat and add a portion of the vegetable oil. Lay in a small batch of pork with space between the pieces. Allow the underside to brown before turning; finish cooking through, then transfer to a platter. Repeat with the remaining pork and oil. If liquid collects, reduce the batch size; adjust the heat if the sugar darkens before the meat is done.
Assemble
- Divide the lettuce and drained noodles among six bowls. Add pork, cucumber, carrots, sprouts, mint, and cilantro, then finish with peanuts. Serve with nuoc cham for dressing each bowl and optional hoisin and sriracha.
Helpful Tips Before You Start
Slice the pork evenly so each batch cooks at a similar rate. Separate folded pieces before they go into the marinade and again before placing them in the skillet. Make the sauce while the pork marinates so it has time to cool without delaying assembly.
A Few Easy Mistakes to Avoid
Crowding the skillet allows moisture to collect around the meat. Cook fewer slices at once if liquid pools, and let the skillet regain its heat between batches. Brown sugar can darken quickly, so reduce the heat if the outside colors before the pork finishes cooking.
A Few Things That Make the Bowl Better
Drain rinsed noodles well before placing them over the lettuce. Water carried into the bowl weakens the dressing. Keep the peanuts separate until the end so they stay crisp, and spoon on nuoc cham gradually as you mix the bowl.
Keeping Leftovers Fresh
Refrigerate the components separately in covered containers. Use cooked pork within 4 days, noodles and prepared vegetables within 2 to 3 days, and nuoc cham within 1 week. Reheat only the pork in a skillet before combining it with the cold components.
Freeze cooked pork or nuoc cham in separate airtight freezer containers for up to 2 months. Thaw in the refrigerator; warm the pork in a skillet and stir the sauce before serving. Keep the noodles, lettuce, cucumber, sprouts, and herbs out of the freezer for better texture. Freeze neither a fully assembled bowl nor its fresh toppings.
Can You Make It Ahead?
Yes. Marinate the pork overnight and keep the sauce, prepared vegetables, herbs, and peanuts separate. Cook the pork close to serving when possible. If using cooked leftovers, warm the pork separately and assemble only the bowls you plan to eat.
What to Serve with Vietnamese Pork Noodle Bowls
Serve these bowls on their own, or add pork egg rolls with sweet and sour sauce. Thai cucumber apple salad is another optional side for a larger menu. Fresh spring rolls or cha gio also pair well.
Pork Egg Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce
Thai Cucumber Apple Salad
Thai Chicken Satay, Peanut Sesame Noodles and Peanut Sauce
FAQs
Can I make bun thit nuong without a grill?
Yes. This tested version cooks thin pork slices in a hot skillet in small batches. It does not require outdoor grilling equipment.
What sauce goes on the noodles?
Use the nuoc cham included here: a fish sauce dressing with lime juice, rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, chile, and carrots. Hoisin and sriracha are optional table condiments.
Should the noodles be hot or cold?
Rinse the cooked rice vermicelli under cold water and drain it well. Serve the cool noodles with warm pork and chilled vegetables.
Are the fried spring rolls part of the recipe?
No. Fried spring rolls are an optional serving accompaniment shown in some of the photos. They are not included in the six-serving ingredient quantities, prep time, or cook time.
Tried It?
Leave a rating and a comment with the recipe card below. Let other cooks know which vegetables and herbs you served with your bowls.
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Vietnamese Pork Noodle Bowls (Bun Thit Nuong)
Vietnamese Bun Thit Nuong layers caramelized lemongrass pork, cool rice noodles, crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, peanuts, and tangy nuoc cham.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Marinating Time: 2 hours
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner, Main Dish
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients
Pork and Marinade
1 ½ pounds pork shoulder or pork butt, sliced about ¼-inch thick
¼ cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons soy sauce
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemongrass paste
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
1 tablespoon Sriracha
4 green onions, finely chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil, for cooking
Nuoc Cham
1 ½ cups water
6 tablespoons granulated sugar
6 tablespoons rice vinegar
8 tablespoons fish sauce
6 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 fresh red Thai chile, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup matchstick carrots
Noodle Bowls
1 (14-ounce) package rice vermicelli
4 cups coarsely chopped romaine lettuce, chilled
1 English cucumber, seeded and cut into matchsticks
1 cup matchstick carrots
1 cup bean sprouts
¼ cup coarsely chopped fresh mint
½ cup coarsely chopped fresh cilantro
½ cup roasted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Hoisin sauce, for serving, optional
Sriracha, for serving, optional
Instructions
Prep
- Combine the brown sugar, fish sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, garlic, lemongrass, ginger, Sriracha, and green onions in a large bowl.
- Add the sliced pork and toss thoroughly until every piece is coated with marinade.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Prepare the lettuce, cucumber, carrots, bean sprouts, mint, cilantro, and peanuts. Keep the vegetables and herbs refrigerated until serving.
Make the Nuoc Cham
- Combine the water, sugar, and rice vinegar in a medium saucepan.
- Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat, stirring until the sugar has completely dissolved.
- Remove from the heat and allow the mixture to cool completely.
- Stir in the fish sauce, lime juice, chopped Thai chile, garlic, and ¼ cup matchstick carrots.
- Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Cook the Noodles
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
- Add the rice vermicelli and cook for about 8 minutes, or according to the package directions, until tender.
- Drain immediately and rinse thoroughly under cold water until the noodles are completely cool.
- Drain well and set aside.
Cook the Pork
- Remove the pork from the marinade and lightly blot away excess liquid with paper towels. Discard the remaining marinade.
- Heat a large skillet or sauté pan over high heat.
- Add enough vegetable oil to lightly coat the bottom of the pan.
- Cook the pork in small batches so the pieces have room to brown rather than steam.
- Let the pork sear briefly before turning, then continue cooking until browned and caramelized around the edges and cooked through.
- Transfer each finished batch to a platter and repeat with the remaining pork, adding more oil as needed.
Assemble
- Divide the chopped romaine among large serving bowls.
- Add a portion of cooled rice vermicelli over the lettuce.
- Arrange the cooked pork, cucumber, carrots, bean sprouts, cilantro, and mint over the noodles.
- Sprinkle each bowl with chopped roasted peanuts.
- Serve immediately with nuoc cham for spooning over the bowl. Offer hoisin sauce and additional Sriracha on the side, if desired.
Notes
Substitutions
- Pork tenderloin or boneless pork chops can be used in place of pork shoulder, although leaner cuts should be watched closely so they do not overcook.
- Fresh minced lemongrass may be substituted for lemongrass paste.
- If Thai chiles are unavailable, use a small serrano or Fresno chile and adjust the amount according to your preferred heat level.
- Butter lettuce, green leaf lettuce, or shredded cabbage can replace the romaine.
- Chopped cashews may be substituted for peanuts.
Serving Suggestions and Pairings
Serve these pork noodle bowls as a complete meal with plenty of nuoc cham at the table. They pair well with fresh spring rolls, Cha Gio (Vietnamese Fried Spring Rolls), Vietnamese pickled vegetables, sliced jalapeños, lime wedges, or extra fresh herbs.
For even more texture, add thinly sliced radishes or additional bean sprouts just before serving.
Storage
Store the cooked pork, noodles, vegetables, herbs, peanuts, and nuoc cham separately in airtight containers.
The cooked pork will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Cooked rice noodles are best within 2 to 3 days. Prepared vegetables and herbs are best used within 2 to 3 days.
Nuoc cham can be refrigerated in a tightly covered container for about 1 week.
Freezing
Freeze the cooked pork in an airtight freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat gently in a skillet.
The nuoc cham may also be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw completely in the refrigerator and stir well before serving.
Do not freeze the assembled bowls, cooked rice vermicelli, lettuce, cucumber, bean sprouts, or fresh herbs because their textures deteriorate after thawing.
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