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- Simple Vietnamese Bun Rieu

Simple Vietnamese Bun Rieu
Ingredients
- 1 tbspcooking oil
- 1shallot
thinly sliced
- 4tomatoes
quartered
- 4 quartswater
- 2cartons of chicken broth
- 1 tbspsalt
- 1 lbpork
ground
- 1 lbshrimp
ground
- 1jar of shrimp paste
- 1jar of crab paste
- 2shallots
minced
- 2eggs
- 2 tbspsalt
- 1 tbspsugar
- 1 tbspblack pepper
- 1 tbspfish sauce
- 1 packagevermicelli noodles
- lime wedges
- thai bird's eye chilis
- 1 bunchcilantro
chopped
- 1 bunchgreen onion
chopped
- 1 bunchwater spinach stems
split
- 1 smallhead of lettuce
julienned into thin strips
- ½ headgreen cabbage
julienned into thin strips
- ½ headpurple cabbage
julienned into thin strips
- ½ headpurple cabbage
julienned into thin strips
- 1 cbean sprouts
Directions
- 1
Cook the vermicelli noodles per package instructions.
- 2
When it done boiling, drain and rinse with cold water to remove the excess starch. THis will prevent the noodles from sticking together.
- 3
Take a handful of noodles and wrap them around your hand. Place them in a storage bowl wrapped in a moistened towel. Do it again for the noodles. This will allow the noodles to be prepared while the broth is being cooked.
- 4
Mix the pork, shrimp, shrimp paste, crab paste, shallots, and eggs together.
- 5
Add in the salt, sugar, black pepper, and fish sauce.
- 6
Heat up the cooking oil in a pot. Add the shallots. Saute until light brown.
- 7
Add in tomatoes, saute until the tomatoes are soft.
- 8
Next, add in the water and chicken broth. Allow it to boil for 3 minutes.
- 9
Reduce to medium heat.
- 10
Scoop 1 tablespoon of the crab and pork mixture into the pot while the broth at a low rolling boil. Allow it to cook for 15 minutes.
- 11
Break the meatball in half to make sure that the pork and crab has cooked all the way through.
- 12
To serve, divide the prepared vermicelli among the serving bowls.
- 13
Top with green onion and cilantro.
- 14
Ladle the soup broth over the noodles. Serve with extra crab meat on top and a handful of herbs, lime wedges, and Thai chilis. You can customize the toppings to what you want. Often, authentic Bun Rieu is topped with bean sprouts, shredded cabbage, mint, bean sprouts, and green onions.

Simple Vietnamese Bun Rieu
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About this Recipe
Craving a vibrant, flavor-packed Vietnamese noodle soup that feels like a warm embrace? Discover the joy of Simple Vietnamese Bun Rieu, a traditional crab and pork noodle soup, right in your own kitchen. This recipe stands out with its incredible depth of flavor, marrying the richness of crab and pork into a savory, slightly sweet, and tangy broth. It’s a truly comforting dish that delivers the complex, authentic taste of Vietnamese cuisine, making a hearty meal that feels both special and satisfying. Prepare for a delightful journey for your taste buds. This bun rieu offers a rich, aromatic broth brimming with the distinct flavors of crab paste and shrimp paste, creating a savory foundation that is balanced beautifully with hints of sweet and sour. The hearty ground pork and shrimp elements provide a satisfying texture, reminiscent of tender crab cakes, while delicate vermicelli noodles soak up all the deliciousness. You'll finish each bowl with a refreshing crunch from the fresh herbs and vegetables, making for a truly balanced and comforting meal. With just 10 minutes of prep and 50 minutes of cooking, this satisfying noodle soup comes together for a rewarding experience. While traditional Bun Rieu features both pork and shrimp, you can easily adjust it to your liking. For a different twist, consider adding more varieties of crisp vegetables like additional water spinach stems, green and purple cabbage, or extra bean sprouts to amp up the freshness. You can also adjust the heat with more or less Thai bird's eye chilis, or add extra lime wedges for an intensified tang. Serve this Simple Vietnamese Bun Rieu as a standalone, hearty meal, garnished generously with fresh cilantro, green onions, water spinach, crisp lettuce, and crunchy bean sprouts. Don't forget the essential lime wedges and fiery Thai bird's eye chilis on the side to allow everyone to customize their bowl to perfection.