Name: Bún bò Nam Bộ — dry beef vermicelli bowl with herbs and peanuts
Prep time: 25 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 60 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 600 g intact sirloin steaks, about 2.5 cm thick; 20 ml fish sauce; 15 ml oyster sauce; 15 g tender inner lemongrass, finely minced; 10 g garlic, finely grated; 10 g granulated sugar; 5 g cornstarch; 15 ml neutral oil; 1 g ground black pepper; 240 g dried rice vermicelli (bún); 160 g mung-bean sprouts; 120 g lettuce, finely shredded; 150 g cucumber, julienned; 100 g carrot, julienned; 25 g mint and cilantro leaves, chopped; 30 g roasted unsalted peanuts, crushed; 20 g fried shallots; 45 ml fish sauce; 45 ml fresh lime juice; 120 ml water; 30 g granulated sugar; 5 g garlic, finely minced; 1 red chili, finely sliced (optional)

Dry Vietnamese rice vermicelli bowl with lemongrass beef, fresh herbs and vegetables, peanuts and fried shallots. (wide landscape arrangement with bowl offset right and gentle negative space left). — Cool rice noodles meet warm beef and crisp toppings in this Vietnamese bowl.

Yield 4 bowls

Cook 15 minutes

Passive 20 minutes marinating

Total 1 hour

Calories About 707 kcal per serving

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Bún bò Nam Bộ — dry beef vermicelli bowl with herbs and peanuts

Bún bò Nam Bộ is a dry rice-vermicelli bowl with beef, vegetables, herbs, crunchy toppings and a sweet-sour fish-sauce dressing. The name points to southern-style beef noodles, but a reported story places its early popularization on Nam Bộ Street in Hanoi in the 1980s. The origin account is not definitive, and related stir-fried bún dishes exist in other regions, so this recipe does not claim a settled birthplace.

The bowl balances cool noodles and greens with warm lemongrass beef. Bean sprouts, cucumber and carrot add freshness, while roasted peanuts and fried shallots bring crunch. Rather than cooking thin slices that are difficult to temperature-check, this home version sears intact steaks to a safe temperature, rests them, then slices them across the grain. The beef still lands warm on the noodles.

Cooked sprouts are used here instead of raw sprouts. Cook and cool the vermicelli ahead if useful, but keep it chilled and assemble shortly before eating. Dress each bowl at the table so the noodles stay springy and the greens remain fresh.

Practical

Keys to successMarinate the steaks in the refrigerator for 20 minutes; do not leave raw beef on the counter. Cook and rinse the noodles according to their package, then drain them well so the dressing is not diluted. Blanch the sprouts for 1 minute until hot, then drain and cool promptly. Use a thermometer: the thickest part of each intact steak must reach 63°C / 145°F, followed by a 3-minute rest. Slice the rested beef thinly across the grain and assemble just before serving.

Ingredients

Beef and marinade

600 g intact sirloin steaks, about 2.5 cm thick
20 ml fish sauce
15 ml oyster sauce
15 g tender inner lemongrass, finely minced
10 g garlic, finely grated
10 g granulated sugar
5 g cornstarch
15 ml neutral oil
1 g ground black pepper

Noodles and bowl toppings

240 g dried rice vermicelli (bún)
160 g mung-bean sprouts
120 g lettuce, finely shredded
150 g cucumber, julienned
100 g carrot, julienned
25 g mint and cilantro leaves, chopped
30 g roasted unsalted peanuts, crushed
20 g fried shallots

Sweet-sour fish-sauce dressing

45 ml fish sauce
45 ml fresh lime juice
120 ml water
30 g granulated sugar
5 g garlic, finely minced
1 red chili, finely sliced (optional)

Method

Whisk the marinade fish sauce, oyster sauce, lemongrass, grated garlic, sugar, cornstarch, oil and pepper. Coat the intact steaks, cover and refrigerate for 20 minutes.
Cook the dried vermicelli according to the package until tender. Drain, rinse under cold running water until cool, then drain thoroughly. Keep chilled while you prepare the toppings.
Whisk the dressing fish sauce, lime juice, water and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the minced garlic and optional chili; set aside.
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Add the bean sprouts and blanch for 1 minute until hot. Drain and cool promptly. Wash and dry the lettuce, cucumber, carrot, mint and cilantro with clean hands and tools.
Heat a heavy skillet over medium-high. Lift the steaks from the marinade and let excess drip off. Sear without crowding, about 3–4 minutes per side depending on thickness. Check the centre of the thickest steak with a clean thermometer; it must reach 63°C / 145°F.
Transfer the steaks to a clean plate and rest for 3 minutes. Slice thinly across the grain. Keep the cooked beef and its juices separate from the plate and tools that held raw beef.
Divide the cool noodles among four bowls. Arrange lettuce, cucumber, carrot, cooled sprouts and herbs around them. Top each bowl with sliced beef, peanuts and fried shallots.
Drizzle each bowl with dressing to taste and serve immediately. Refrigerate perishable leftovers within 2 hours (within 1 hour above 32°C / 90°F); reheat retained cooked beef to 74°C / 165°F.

Practical

Practical guidance

Use fresh bún if available or dried rice vermicelli cooked by its package directions. If the dressing tastes too sharp, add a little water; if it tastes flat, add lime or fish sauce a teaspoon at a time. Keep noodles and vegetables chilled until assembly. You can put the dressing on the table so everyone can season their own bowl.

Troubleshooting

Noodles clump: Rinse thoroughly with cool water and drain well; toss with a teaspoon of neutral oil if they will wait briefly. Beef is tough: Slice thinly across the grain and avoid cooking past the safe temperature. Steak is below temperature: Return it to the skillet and check again; rest for 3 minutes once it reaches 63°C. Sprouts are watery: Drain them well after blanching and cooling. Bowl tastes too salty: Add more noodles and vegetables and use less dressing.

FAQ

Is this a soup? No. Bún bò Nam Bộ is assembled as a dry noodle bowl and dressed with a light fish-sauce mixture rather than served in broth. Can I make the components ahead? Yes. Cook the noodles, prepare the vegetables and mix the dressing ahead; store them separately in the refrigerator. Sear and slice the beef and assemble shortly before serving.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: one quarter of the bowl with about 150 g raw-weight beef and one quarter of the dressing. Approximate values: 707 kcal; 70 g carbohydrate; 38 g protein; 29 g fat; 5 g fibre; 1,000 mg sodium. Values vary with noodle brand, steak trim, sauce and how much dressing is used.

Nutrition per serving

Serving sizeServing size: one quarter of the bowl with about 150 g raw-weight beef and one quarter of the dressing. Approximate values
Calories707 kcal
carbohydrate70 g
protein38 g
fat29 g
fibre5 g
sodium1,000 mg

Allergens and safety

Contains fish (fish sauce), molluscs (oyster sauce) and peanuts. Check labels for cross-contact or additional ingredients. Keep raw beef separate from vegetables and cooked noodles. Cook intact steaks to 63°C / 145°F and rest 3 minutes. Blanch sprouts rather than serving them raw. Keep prepared ingredients chilled until assembly; refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours (1 hour above 32°C / 90°F) and reheat cooked beef to 74°C / 165°F.

Finish each bowl at the table

Add dressing gradually so the noodles do not sit in excess liquid.
Keep extra herbs, lime and chili on the table for personal seasoning.

Bún bò Nam Bộ — dry beef vermicelli bowl with herbs and peanuts

Practical

Ingredients

Beef and marinade

Noodles and bowl toppings

Sweet-sour fish-sauce dressing

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

FAQ

Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

Allergens and safety

Finish each bowl at the table

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