Bun Cha (Vietnamese Grilled Pork Noodles)

Name: Bun Cha (Vietnamese Grilled Pork Noodles)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 20 min
Total time: 50 min
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 1 lb ground pork; 1/2 lb pork belly, sliced thin; 3 tablespoons fish sauce; 2 tablespoons sugar; 4 cloves garlic, minced; 2 shallots, minced; 1 tablespoon vegetable oil; 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; 8 ounces rice vermicelli; 1/4 cup fish sauce; 1/4 cup sugar; 1/2 cup warm water; 3 tablespoons lime juice; 2 cloves garlic, minced; 1 Thai bird chile, sliced; Pickled daikon and carrot; Fresh herbs: mint, Thai basil, cilantro, perilla; Lettuce leaves

Bun cha is the Hanoi dish Obama ate with Bourdain. Chargrilled pork patties and belly served with rice vermicelli, fresh herbs, and a sweet-sour dipping broth.

byKalle Bergman

Jump to Recipe

Bun cha is Hanoi’s signature dish, and one bite makes the reason obvious. It is a study in contrast: smoky charred pork against cool rice vermicelli, punchy dipping broth against soft fresh herbs. Richness balanced by acid at every turn. The dish gained international fame when Obama and Bourdain shared a meal at a tiny Hanoi restaurant. But it has been a lunchtime staple in northern Vietnam for generations. It is not complicated to make at home. But it does ask you to get comfortable with a few components coming together at the table rather than all being piled on one plate.

The dipping broth is the backbone of the dish, and getting the sweet, sour, salty, and spicy balance right is where the cooking really happens. Hard to beat. Fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, garlic, and Thai chile need to hit all four notes when you taste it. The pork has two textures: hand-shaped patties from ground pork, and thin slices of marinated pork belly. Both need real char from a grill or broiler. Serve everything separately so people can dunk noodles and pork into the broth, adding herbs and pickled daikon as they go. This interactive style of eating is part of what makes bun cha so satisfying. It is a great warm-weather dinner, and most of the components can be prepped hours ahead.

Marinating and Forming the Pork

Mix ground pork with fish sauce, sugar, minced garlic, minced shallots, oil, and black pepper in a bowl. Use your hands to combine everything thoroughly. Form the mixture into small flat patties, about two inches across and half an inch thick. These cook quickly and have more surface area for caramelization than meatballs would. Marinate the pork belly slices separately in fish sauce and sugar. Let both sit for at least thirty minutes, though longer is better.

Making the Dipping Broth

Dissolve sugar in warm water, stirring until completely dissolved. Add fish sauce, fresh lime juice, minced garlic, and sliced Thai bird chile. Taste and adjust the balance. It should be noticeably sweet and sour with a good hit of salt from the fish sauce and a gentle heat from the chile. This broth is served at room temperature, not hot. Make it ahead so the flavors have time to meld together.

Grilling and Serving

Grill or broil the pork patties and belly slices over high heat until charred and cooked through, about three to four minutes per side. Watch them closely because the sugar in the marinade can burn quickly. You want deep caramelization, not black carbon. Cook rice vermicelli according to package directions, then drain and rinse with cold water. Serve everything separately: grilled pork on one plate, noodles in a bowl, herbs and lettuce on another plate, and individual bowls of dipping broth. Eat by dunking noodles and pork into the broth and pairing with fresh herbs.

Frequently Asked Questions

What herbs should I use?

Traditional bun cha uses a mix of mint, Thai basil, cilantro, and perilla leaves. Use what you can find. The herbs add freshness and aroma that balance the rich grilled pork.

Can I skip the pork belly and just use patties?

You can, but using both gives you variety in texture and richness. The belly adds fatty, tender bites that contrast with the leaner patties.

How do I eat this properly?

Take some noodles with your chopsticks, dip them in the broth, then eat with a piece of pork and some herbs. Alternate between all the components. The broth is for dipping, not drinking, though finishing it at the end is common.

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About the Author

Kalle Bergman

Kalle Bergman is a food writer and media entrepreneur and the founder of Honest Cooking & Travel Magazine. His writing has been regularly featured in publications like Gourmet, Los Angeles Times, Huffington Post and Serious Eats. He is obsessed with simple food, more often than not from his native Scandinavia or Spain.