Bun cha is Hanoi's signature noodle dish: charcoal grilled pork patties and pork belly slices served in a warm bowl of sweet, tangy fish sauce broth, alongside cold rice vermicelli and a plate of fresh herbs. You make it by marinating and grilling the pork, building the dipping broth, and serving everything separately for the diner to assemble.
Bun cha is northern Vietnamese, distinct from the sweeter, richer cooking of the south, and it's built around the smoky char of grilled pork against a broth that's more sour and savory than sweet. President Obama eating it in Hanoi in 2016 introduced it to a much wider audience, but it had already been a Hanoi lunch staple for generations.
The dish depends on the contrast between hot, smoky pork and cool noodles and herbs, all tied together by the broth rather than a sauce poured over the top.
What Actually Matters
Grill the pork over real charcoal or a very hot grill pan if you can. Real fire char, not just browning, is what gives the meat the smoky edge that the dipping broth is built to play against. Pan frying without high, direct heat gives you cooked pork with none of the dish's signature smokiness.
Vietnamese Bun Cha, Serves 4
Ingredients
- 1 pound ground pork
- 8 ounces pork belly, sliced 1/4 inch thick
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce, divided
- 2 tablespoons sugar, divided
- 2 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 clove garlic, extra, minced
- 1 small carrot, julienned
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 8 ounces dried rice vermicelli, cooked
- 1 cup fresh lettuce leaves
- 1 cup mixed herbs (mint, perilla, cilantro)
- 1 red chili, thinly sliced
Method
- Mix ground pork with 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, half the minced garlic, and the shallot. Form into 12 small patties.
- Marinate the pork belly slices in 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 teaspoon sugar, and the remaining garlic for 20 minutes.
- Toss the julienned carrot with rice vinegar and a pinch of sugar and set aside as a quick pickle.
- Grill the patties and pork belly over high, direct heat for 3 to 4 minutes per side until charred and cooked through.
- Whisk the remaining fish sauce, sugar, warm water, lime juice, and extra garlic into a dipping broth. Add the pickled carrot just before serving.
- Divide the vermicelli, lettuce, and herbs among 4 plates. Serve the hot grilled pork in the warm broth alongside, with chili on the side.
Prep time: 25 minutes (plus 20 minutes marinating). Cook time: 15 minutes. Total time: 1 hour.
Nutrition (per serving, estimated)
| Calories | Protein | Fat | Carbohydrates |
|---|---|---|---|
| 520 | 31g | 26g | 40g |
This is a calculated estimate based on standard ingredient values, not a lab verified figure.
Tips, Variations, and Storage
Grilled pork keeps 3 days refrigerated and reheats well in a hot skillet, though the char softens somewhat. The dipping broth keeps a week refrigerated and only improves as the garlic and chili steep. If you don't have a grill, a cast iron pan heated until smoking is the next best option.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use pork shoulder instead of belly?
Yes, thin slices of pork shoulder work, though you lose some of the richness the belly's fat brings to the char.
How warm should the dipping broth be?
Room temperature to lightly warm. It should never be served hot enough to wilt the herbs sitting beside it.
What herbs are essential here?
Mint and cilantro at minimum; Vietnamese perilla, if you can find it, adds a distinct anise note the dish is known for.
Can I make the patties smaller and skip the belly?
Yes, an all patty version is common and still authentic; just increase the ground pork to 1.5 pounds.
More From Wine Drop Cookery
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I'm Chef Alan. I have spent 35 years in professional kitchens, I have formal culinary education in New Hampshire, and I have been honored as a 6-Time 4-Diamond Chef. More about me here.
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