Bun Thit Nuong is the most-ordered vermicelli bowl in Vietnamese restaurants — charred, caramelized lemongrass pork piled over cool rice noodles with fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, crunchy peanuts, and a generous drizzle of nuoc cham. If you walk into a Vietnamese restaurant and order "bun" without specifying, this is what you will get.

Ingredients

Pork and Marinade

  • 900 g (2 lb) pork shoulder, sliced into 1/8-inch pieces
  • 2 stalks lemongrass, minced (tender inner parts only)
  • 1 shallot, minced
  • 2 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp oyster sauce
  • 1 tbsp light brown sugar
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 1 tsp black pepper

Bowl Assembly

  • 450 g (1 lb) dried vermicelli rice noodles
  • 4 cups shredded lettuce
  • 1 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1 cup fresh cilantro
  • 1 English cucumber, sliced
  • 1 cup pickled carrot and daikon (do chua)
  • 1/2 cup fried shallots (mo hanh)
  • 1/2 cup crushed roasted peanuts
  • 1 cup nuoc cham

Instructions

1

Marinate the pork

Slice the pork shoulder into 1/8-inch pieces — partly freeze it for 30 minutes to make slicing easier. In a large bowl, combine the minced lemongrass, shallot, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, oyster sauce, brown sugar, oil, and pepper. Add the sliced pork and toss to coat thoroughly. Cover and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, ideally overnight.

2

Cook the pork

Heat a grill, grill pan, or large saute pan over high heat for 5-10 minutes until very hot. Working in batches to avoid crowding, lay the pork slices in a single layer. Cook for 1-2 minutes on the first side until charred lines appear. Flip and cook for 1-2 minutes on the second side. Transfer to a bowl and repeat with the remaining pork.

3

Prep the noodles and toppings

Cook the vermicelli according to package directions — typically soak in boiling water for 2-3 minutes. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking. Arrange the lettuce, mint, cilantro, cucumber, and pickled vegetables in serving bowls. Crush the peanuts if they are not pre-crushed.

4

Assemble

In each bowl, layer the vermicelli on the bottom, then pile the grilled pork on one side. Surround with the lettuce, herbs, cucumber, and pickled vegetables. Top with fried shallots and crushed peanuts. Drizzle generously with nuoc cham — or serve it on the side for dipping. Toss everything together at the table before eating.

VNomy Notes

  • Marinate overnight. The 1-hour minimum works in a pinch, but overnight is the difference between good and great. The lemongrass, fish sauce, and sugar need time to penetrate the pork.
  • Slice thin, slice thin, slice thin. One-eighth of an inch is the sweet spot. Too thick means under-marinated centers and overcooked outsides. Too thin means the pork overcooks on the grill. Partly freezing the pork for 30 minutes firms it up for easy thin slicing.
  • Pork shoulder has the fat. Do not substitute loin or tenderloin — they dry out. The fat is what keeps the pork juicy on high heat.
  • Lemongrass prep matters. Only the tender inner part — discard the tough outer leaves. Mince it very fine, as large pieces are unpleasant to bite into. If you cannot find fresh, 2 teaspoons of lemongrass paste works.
  • High heat is non-negotiable. You need actual char. A medium-heat pan will steam the pork and give you sad gray meat. A screaming-hot grill pan or saute pan is the difference.
  • Fried shallots are the signature topping. They are not optional for the authentic experience. Vietnamese fried shallots (hanh phi) are sold in jars at any Asian grocery. They add an oniony crunch that is not the same as Western fried shallots.
  • Nuoc cham goes on, not beside. Drizzle it directly on the bowl — it soaks into the noodles and herbs and creates flavor unity.
  • Make-ahead strategy: The pork can marinate for 24-48 hours. Cook the noodles the day of. Prep the vegetables the morning of. Bowl assembly takes 5 minutes.