Bun Cha Hanoi Recipe (Vietnamese Grilled Pork & Noodles)
Bun cha Hanoi (bún chả Hà Nội) is a Vietnamese dish of grilled pork, rice vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs and a sweet-sour fish sauce dip. The combination brings together smoky meat, soft noodles and crisp greens, with garlic and chili adding heat to the sauce.
This recipe makes a simplified version with sliced pork shoulder or belly and a grill or grill pan. It serves four and uses a quick dipping sauce made with fish sauce, rice vinegar, sugar and water.
Origin & Cultural Significance
Bun cha is closely associated with Hanoi, where it is a familiar lunchtime street food. Its precise origins are uncertain, so it is difficult to assign the dish a reliable invention date. The MICHELIN Guide’s account of bun cha describes both the city’s charcoal-grilling tradition and the dish’s enduring place in local food culture.
Hanoi-style servings often include pork belly slices and small minced pork patties. The recipe below uses sliced pork only, making it a simpler introduction to one of the best-known traditional Vietnamese dishes.
Ingredient Notes
Pork: Choose pork shoulder or belly and slice it thinly and evenly so the pieces cook at a similar rate. Belly gives a richer result, while shoulder offers a balance of lean meat and fat.
Noodles: Use rice vermicelli, rather than wheat noodles or glass noodles. Pack sizes vary, so check the label and use enough for four servings. Follow the packet’s cooking instructions, then drain and rinse as directed in the recipe.
Herbs and greens: Mint, coriander and lettuce provide freshness alongside the pork. Vietnamese perilla is optional; use it if available, but the recipe can still be made with the other listed herbs.
Dipping sauce: Fish sauce supplies saltiness, rice vinegar adds acidity and sugar balances the two. Stir until the sugar dissolves, then taste before serving. If it is too concentrated, add water a little at a time. Adjust the chili to suit your preference.
Tips for Grilling the Pork
Heat the grill or grill pan before adding the meat, and cook in batches if necessary so the slices have room to brown. Watch fatty pieces carefully on an outdoor grill, since dripping fat can cause flare-ups. The cooking time in the card is a guide: thicker pieces will take longer than very thin slices.
The pork in this simplified recipe is brushed with oil and seasoned before grilling. It does not include the separate pork marinade used in many Hanoi versions. Keep the prepared dipping sauce separate from raw meat.
How to Serve and Eat Bun Cha
The card below serves the pork over a noodle-and-herb mixture with sauce alongside. For a dipping-style presentation, keep the noodles and greens on separate plates, and divide the sauce between individual bowls. Add cooked pork to the sauce, then dip small portions of noodles and herbs as you eat.
For another Vietnamese dish built around rice noodles and fresh herbs, try our goi cuon spring rolls.
Vietnamese Bun Cha Hanoi Recipe
Bun cha Hanoi is a traditional Vietnamese dish that is prepared using grilled pork, usually accompanied by fresh herbs, vermicelli noodles and a dipping sauce.
Ingredients
- Pork shoulder or pork belly, thinly sliced - 1 lb
- Vermicelli noodles - 1 pack
- Lettuce leaves, thinly sliced - 2 cups
- Bean sprouts - 1 cup
- Fresh mint leaves - 1 cup
- Fresh coriander leaves - 1 cup
- Vietnamese perilla leaves (optional) - 1 cup
- Green onions, thinly sliced - 1/2 cup
- Roasted peanuts, crushed - 1/2 cup
- Sugar - 1/4 cup
- Fish sauce - 1/4 cup
- Rice vinegar - 1/4 cup
- Garlic, minced - 2 cloves
- Thai chili peppers, thinly sliced - 2
- Vegetable oil - 1 tbsp
- Salt and pepper - to taste
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together sugar, fish sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, chili peppers, and 1/4 cup of water. Stir until the sugar is dissolved to make the dipping sauce.
- Preheat a grill or a grill pan to medium-high heat. Brush the pork slices with vegetable oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Grill the pork slices for 3-4 minutes on each side or until they are cooked through and slightly charred. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook the vermicelli noodles according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked noodles, lettuce, bean sprouts, mint leaves, coriander leaves, perilla leaves (if using), and green onions. Toss to combine.
- To serve, divide the noodle mixture among four serving bowls. Top with the grilled pork slices and sprinkle with crushed peanuts.
- Serve with the dipping sauce on the side and enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 403Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 1610mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 5gSugar: 17gProtein: 19g
Nutrition is provided and calculated by Nutritionix. It is for general information purposes and is only a rough estimation.
Can I Make Bun Cha Without a Barbecue?
Yes. The recipe includes a grill-pan option. Preheat the pan and avoid crowding it; you can brown the pork indoors, although it will not have the same charcoal-smoked flavor as an outdoor version.
Is Bun Cha Spicy?
The chili is in the dipping sauce, so you can reduce it or serve it separately. Fish sauce, vinegar and sugar still give the sauce its salty, tangy and sweet balance.
