Bún Thịt Nướng (Vietnamese Grilled Pork with Noodles)

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Tender pieces of marinated pork, stir fried until crisp on a bed of rice noodles, bean sprouts, fresh herbs and Nuoc Cham, Bún Thịt Nướng, or Vietnamese Grilled Pork with Noodles, is delicious and super easy to make - perfect for those weeknight dinners!

Guys, listen to me. Bun Thit Nuong is the s***. Seriously. Because noodles bowls. Am I right? This Bun Bo Xao (Grilled Beef Noodle Bowl) was another one of our favorites.

Pork marinated in a combination of lemongrass, fish sauce, garlic, soy sauce and other flavor packed ingredients, then stir fried until caramelized on the outside. YUM.

Don't forget to check out these 20+ ways to use fish sauce!

Served over a bed of vermicelli rice noodles and fresh herbs and vegetables, then drizzled with the all too delicious (and easy to make) Nuoc Cham, or that famous Vietnamese dipping sauce we all love from the restaurants. Oh yeah, and served with these amazing crispy Vietnamese Egg Rolls.

It's like eating restaurant quality Bun Thit Nuong right at home. For real. And it's so easy you can have it any time. Even a busy weeknight!

What is Bun Thit Nuong?

Thit Nuong literally means barbecued meat, while bun means noodles. It is a rice noodle dish served with grilled meat, typically pork, fresh herbs, vegetables like cucumbers, carrots and lettuce and a Vietnamese dipping sauce (made of fish sauce).

Sometimes it's served with egg rolls, shrimp, chicken beef, etc. I've seen restaurants with vegan versions now too, but that's not what we're about around here!

While the meat it typically barbecued in authentic Bun This Nuong, I cook it in the wok for this recipe (learn how to season a wok if you haven't done it before). However, feel free to cook it on the grill or in the oven (instructions provided in the recipes card at the bottom).

Ingredients

This recipe calls for pork butt or shoulder, which I think is important. You want the extra fattiness of the pork to add flavor to your pork and keep it from drying out.

Vermicelli noodles are noodles made out of rice flour commonly used in Vietnamese dishes. Most grocery stores carry them now, but if you can't find them you can buy them HERE on Amazon (affiliate link).

You'll also want to stock up on fresh herbs such as mint, basil and cilantro. The fresh herbs complement the strong flavor and richness of the pork. These Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables are another good serving option. 

The nuoc cham is an important part of this dish. You're really going to want to make sure you have it. It's very easy to make your own, and it will last FOREVER in the fridge.

The rest of the ingredients are listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step By Step Instructions

Cut the pork into 1-2" pieces. **If you're planning on grilling the pork, you can leave it in larger pieces.**

Then place all your marinade ingredients in a bowl, add the pork and refrigerate overnight.

The next day, place the vermicelli noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water. Let sit until the noodles are tender, usually about 5 minutes.

Drain the noodles and set them aside. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large cast iron skillet and add about ⅓ of your pork. The pork should be cooked in 3 batches to avoid over crowding the pan. (affiliate links)

**it is important not to put too much food in your wok at once. Otherwise your food will steam and you won't get that beautiful crust!**

Stir fry for about 5 minutes, or until pork has a nice brown crust on the outside (by the time it gets a crust, it should be fully cooked).

You may need to add more oil between batches.

While the pork is cooking, prepare the noodle bowls. Add the vermicelli noodles in the bottom, then garnish with cucumbers, bean sprouts, pickled veggies, jalapenos and fresh herbs.

You can also serve the pork over Fried Rice, steamed rice, brown rice, steamed vegetables or just on it's own!

Place about ½ cup of pork on top and garnish with crushed peanuts. Pour ¼ cup of the Nuoc Cham over the whole dish.

What to Serve with Bun Thit Nuong

• Start your meal with these Chicken Summer Rolls;
• Like I said earlier, Vietnamese Egg Rolls are almost a must when serving this;
• These crispy Fish Sauce Wings or Baked Vietnamese Wings would both be incredible;
• Satisfy your sweet tooth with this Banh Bong Lan (Vietnamese Sponge Cakes).

You might also like this Banh Canh, Bun Bo Hue or Instant Pot Pho!

Expert Tips

1. Cook the pork in 3 batches to avoid over crowding the pan. Overcrowding the pan will cause the pork to steam instead of fry, and you won't get those beautiful caramelized edges.
2. If you want to grill your pork, leave it in larger pieces so it doesn't fall through the grates. Heat the grill to 500 degrees and cook for 3-4 minutes per side, until pork is cooked through.
3. You can also cook the pork in the oven. You will also want larger pieces for this as well. Place it on a grate over a lined baking sheet and bake it at 400F for 10-15 minutes. Finish it in the broiler to get the caramelized edges.
4. Add more or less nuoc cham to taste.
5. Marinade the pork for at least 3 hours. I highly recommend marinating overnight for the best results though.

Did you make this recipe? Leave a comment below and rate it - I want to know what you think!