Made with simple everyday ingredients, Bun Thit Nuong, also known as Vietnamese Grilled Pork & Rice Noodles, comes together quickly and easily. This bowl features sweet caramelized pork over rice noodles. Packed with a ton of flavour, it’s also fresh and vibrant! You’ll want to reach for seconds.

Bun Thit Nuong, which literally translates to noodles and grilled meat is a popular Vietnamese dish that you’ve most likely seen on the menu at your local Vietnamese restaurant. Growing up, I would always inhale the whole bowl (minus the nuoc mam, sorry mom!) and it always hit the spot.

A plate of bun thit nuong (Vietnamese grilled pork with rice-vermicelli noodle).

Why You’ll Love This Vietnamese Grilled Pork & Noodles Recipes

It’s pack with so much flavour, thanks to the marinade. You will want to eat this every day.
This recipe can be grilled, baked, or cooked on the stove-top with a grill pan or cast-iron. I personally prefer placing my skewers in the oven as our grill gets tucked away once winter comes and I want to eat this yearound.
It’s easy and hands-off. The pork is marinated, skewered, and baked. While that’s happening, I just boil the rice noodles and the recipe is pretty much done.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Ingredients needed to make bun thit nuong (Vietnamese grilled pork).

onion — I usually prefer shallot but I usually have onions on hand whereas I’d have to run out to the store for shallots. Use whatever you have on hand!
garlic — I use a whole head of garlic.
sugar
fish sauce — this adds a savory umami element that is difficult to replicate. While I’m not a big fan of fish sauce, it works well in this recipe and you don’t even notice it.
soy sauce — I recommend using light sodium soy sauce.
olive oil — or a neutral oil of your choice.
lemongrass paste — or use fresh lemongrass if you have it on hand.
pork shoulder — I buy pre-sliced pork shoulder but you can use whatever cut of pork you have on hand.

rice vermicelli noodles — these are chewy, bouncy, and quick cooking noodles.
cucumbers
pickled carrots — you can prepare them ahead of time or while marinating the pork. It’s a quick pickle so it comes together quickly. If you don’t have rice vinegar to make pickled carrots, use regular white vinegar.
optional: fresh herbs (mint, perilla, cilantro, Thai basil), greens (ie lettuce), green onions, and/or crushed peanuts. These ingredients are nice to have but if you don’t have any on hand, feel free to skip it. An egg roll is also usually served alongside this dish at the resturant but again, its optional. I don’t always have egg rolls in the freezer so it’s easier for me to skip it.

How to Make Bun Thit Nuong

Mix together the onion, garlic, sugar, fish suace, soy sauce, olive oil, and lemongrass paste.
Add the mixture to the sliced pork shoulder and marinate it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
While the pork is marinating, soak the skewers.
Heat the oven to 400F.
Spray a sheet pan with non-stick and then skewer the pork slices on the skewers. Place the skewers onto the sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes, flipping at the halfway mark.
While the pork is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to the package’s direction. Mine requires 8 minutes of cooking before draining and running it under cold water.
When the pork has finished baking, broil for 2 to 3 minutes. Keep an eye on the pork as you want it to get lightly charred but not burnt.
Serve the pork on top of the noodles, sliced cucumbers, and pickled carrots. Garnish with crushed peanuts and green onions if desired.

Recipe Tips and Notes

This grilled pork noodle recipe can be cooked on the grill in less time. Grill the pork uncovered and keep rotating it to prevent the pork from charring too much on one side. You can skip the skewers and use a grilling basket if you’re worried the pork is too thin to grill without burning.
You can eat this bun thit nuong recipe as is or serve it alongside scallion oil (see my lemongrass chicken thighs recipe on how to make that) or nuoc mam. Made extra scallion oil? Serve it with this Vietnamese Pork Chops recipe the next day!
Don’t add the individual marinade ingredients into the meat directly. I’ve done this before and it’s a pain to mix to combine. Save yourself the struggle by mixing the marinate ingredients together before adding it to the meat.
Don’t skip soaking the skewers. This prevents them from burning in the oven or splintering as you skewer the meat.
Feel free to double or triple this recipe!

Two plates of bun thit nuong (Vietnamese grilled pork with rice-vermicelli noodle).

Bun Thit Nuong (Vietnamese Grilled Pork & Rice Noodles)

5 from 37 votes

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Prep Time: 40

Cook Time: 18

Total Time: 58

Servings: servings

Ingredients

½ small onion, minced
1 head garlic, minced
¼ cup sugar
2½ tbsp fish sauce
2½ tbsp soy sauce, low sodium
4 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemongrass paste
1 lb pork shoulder, sliced
non-stick spray

To Serve

150-200 grams rice noodles
pickled carrots
cucumbers, sliced
crushed peanuts
green onions

Equipment

skewers
sheet pan

Instructions

Mix together the onion, garlic, sugar, fish suace, soy sauce, olive oil, and lemongrass paste.
Add the mixture to the sliced pork shoulder and marinate it in the fridge for 30 minutes.
While the pork is marinating, soak the skewers.
Heat the oven to 400F.
Spray a sheet pan with non-stick and then skewer the pork slices on the skewers. Place the skewers onto the sheet pan and bake for 15 minutes, flipping at the halfway mark.
While the pork is cooking, bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to the package’s direction.
When the pork has finished baking, broil for 2 to 3 minutes. Keep an eye on the pork as you want it to get lightly charred but not burnt.
Serve the pork on top of the noodles, sliced cucumbers, and pickled carrots. Garnish with crushed peanuts and green onions if desired.

Notes

This grilled pork noodle recipe can be cooked on the grill in less time. Grill the pork uncovered and keep rotating it to prevent the pork from charring too much on one side. You can skip the skewers and use a grilling basket if you’re worried the pork is too thin to grill without burning.

Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥

Nutrition Per Serving

Author: Carmy

Course: Main Course

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Nutrition Disclaimer

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