Vietnamese Bún Chả (Meatballs in Fish Sauce)
Vietnamese bún chả features juicy pork meatballs served with vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs, and a light, flavorful fish sauce. In this classic dish, the fish sauce is the star, tying everything together with sweet, savory, and sour balance.
Ingredients
Meatballs
- ½ lb ground pork
- 1 Tbsp shallot, minced
- 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp fish sauce
- ½ Tbsp honey
- ½ Tbsp oil
- ½ tsp black pepper
Fish sauce
- 3 Tbsp fish sauce
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 1 Tbsp lime juice
- 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- 1 cup warm water
- ½ Tbsp garlic, minced
- 2-3 Thai chilis, minced (adjust to spice level)
- Pickled carrot and daikon
Sides
- Cucumbers
- Lettuce
- Vermicelli noodles, cooked
Instructions Start Cooking
- In a large bowl, combine the ground pork and seasonings. Mix well and marinate for at least 30 minutes.½ lb ground pork, 1 Tbsp shallot, 1 Tbsp garlic, 1 Tbsp fish sauce, ½ Tbsp honey, ½ Tbsp oil, ½ tsp black pepper
- Meanwhile, prepare the fish sauce base. In a medium bowl, mix together the fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and white vinegar until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.3 Tbsp fish sauce, 2 Tbsp sugar, 1 Tbsp lime juice, 1 Tbsp white vinegar
- Roll the marinated pork mixture into evenly sized meatballs.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over low to medium heat. Add the meatballs and sear gently, turning occasionally, for about 3–4 minutes per side, until browned all over and cooked through.
- Once the meatballs are cooked, add water, garlic, Thai chilis, and pickled carrot and daikon to the prepared fish sauce. Stir to combine, then add the meatballs to the fish sauce and toss gently to coat.1 cup warm water, ½ Tbsp garlic, 2-3 Thai chilis, Pickled carrot and daikon
- Serve with vermicelli noodles, lettuce, and cucumbers. Enjoy by dipping the noodles and meatballs into the fish sauce.Cucumbers, Lettuce, Vermicelli noodles
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