Vietnamese Grilled Pork Vermicelli Bowl (Bún Thịt Nướng)

Bún Thịt Nướng is everything I want in a bowl: smoky lemongrass pork with caramelised edges, vermicelli noodles, a ridiculous amount of crunchy salad and herbs, and enough Nuoc Cham to bring the whole thing together.

It is fresh, savoury, sweet, a little spicy and properly satisfying without leaving you feeling as though you need to lie down afterwards.

This is not just a recipe for grilled pork that leaves you standing in the kitchen wondering what on earth to serve with it. We are building the entire bowl—the noodles, lettuce, cucumber, herbs, pork and all-important dressing.

If you have already read my Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowls guide, think of this as the grilled pork version of that master recipe. The pillar guide explains the whole mix-and-match system, including how to prepare the noodles, choose vegetables and herbs, and set everything out for the family to help themselves. This recipe focuses in on the star of this particular bowl: sticky, charred lemongrass pork.

And what a star it is.

Why you’ll love this grilled pork vermicelli bowl

• The pork has a proper delicious flavour. Paried with Fish sauce, sugar, lemongrass, garlic and chilli give it that sweet-savoury flavour after being grilled.
• Most of it can be prepared ahead. Marinate the pork, wash the salad, make the Nuoc Cham and cook the noodles before anyone arrives. Then all you have to do is quickly grill the meat and construct your vermicelli bowl.
• Everyone can build their own bowl. This makes it brilliant for families, fussy eaters and friends who have very strong opinions about coriander.

What is Bún Thịt Nướng?

Bún means rice vermicelli noodles, thịt means meat and nướng means grilled. In this bowl, that grilled meat is thinly sliced pork marinated with lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce and sugar.

The pork is cooked quickly over high heat until the fat begins to render and the marinade darkens around the edges.

The grilled pork is served over cool vermicelli noodles with lettuce, cucumber and Vietnamese herbs, then dressed (what I really mean is drowned) with Nuoc Cham.

If this is your first time making this style of meal, start with my Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowls guide. It covers the basic bowl structure and all the optional toppings. Then come back here for the pork—because that is where the fun starts.

The best pork for Bún Thịt Nướng

I use either pork shoulder or pork scotch fillet.

Pork scotch fillet is my first choice when I want the easiest, juiciest result. It has enough fat running through it to stay tender over a hot grill, and it is very forgiving if you leave it cooking for an extra minute while dealing with children, drinks or the one guest who arrived early.

Pork shoulder is usually cheaper and has loads of flavour, but it needs to be sliced thinly across the grain. If the pieces are too thick, the pork can be chewy rather than tender.

Whichever cut you use, do not reach for very lean pork loin. This recipe needs a little fat. Fat carries the lemongrass flavour, keeps the meat juicy and creates those caramelised edges. A dry, pale slice of pork has no business sitting on top of this bowl.

My trick for slicing pork thinly

Put the pork in the freezer for 30–45 minutes before slicing. You are not trying to freeze it solid; you just want to firm it up to give it some structure while the pork is being sliced thinly. Make sure your knife is sharp.

Slice across the grain into pieces about 3–5 mm thick. Keep them broad enough that they will not fall through the barbecue grill.

The lemongrass pork marinade

The marinade is short and punchy. No bottle of mystery sauce and no ingredient list long enough to require its own spreadsheet.

Lemongrass

Use the pale, tender lower section of the stalk. Peel away the tough outer layers, trim the dry end and mince the soft centre very finely. Large woody pieces of lemongrass do not soften on the grill. They simply attach themselves to the pork and wait to ambush somebody. The trick I use is keep chopping until you see the purple inner ring starting to disappear. That’s where you stop.

Fish sauce

Fish sauce gives the pork its salty, savoury backbone. It smells much stronger in the bowl than it tastes after cooking, so do not panic when you first mix the marinade.

Sugar

Sugar balances the fish sauce and helps the pork caramelise. Yes, some of it will darken quickly on a hot grill. That is the point. We want shiny, charred edges—not grey pork politely warmed through.

Garlic and chilli

Garlic adds savoury warmth, while fresh chilli gives the meat a gentle kick. Adjust the chilli to suit your family. I usually keep the pork fairly mild and put sliced chilli on the table so everyone can make their own questionable decisions.

Salt, pepper and optional MSG

A little salt sharpens the seasoning and black pepper adds warmth. MSG is optional, but I use a small pinch when I want an extra savoury boost. It does not make the recipe less homemade.

How long should I marinate the pork?

Give the pork at least 30 minutes, but 2–4 hours is better. That gives the lemongrass, garlic and fish sauce time to work their way across every slice.

You can marinate it overnight if that makes dinner easier, but I would not leave it much longer than 24 hours. The pork is thin and the fish sauce is salty; eventually “well seasoned” becomes “why am I so thirsty?”

Before cooking, take the pork out of the fridge for about 15 minutes and separate any slices that have clumped together.

How to cook Vietnamese lemongrass pork

On the barbecue

This is my favourite method. A very hot barbecue gives the pork smoky edges and cooks a large batch quickly. Everytime I bbq this pork, at least one neighbour messages asking when is dinner…

Preheat the grill until properly hot, then lightly oil it. I like to use a bbq mesh clamp to keep the pork pieces from falling through (also to not have to flip a thousand mini pork pieces).

On a grill pan or frying pan

A heavy grill pan or frying pan works beautifully indoors. Heat it over high heat, add a thin film of neutral oil and cook the pork in batches. Open a window—the sugary marinade can smoke a little as it caramelises.

Let the pork sit long enough to colour before turning it. Constantly poking and flipping it is emotionally satisfying but not especially useful.

Building the complete grilled pork vermicelli bowl

The trick is not to think of the bowl as “pork and noodles with a bit of salad.” The fresh ingredients are half the meal. They cool and lighten the rich grilled pork, while the herbs and Nuoc Cham wake everything up.

For a deeper guide to quantities, noodle preparation and extra toppings, use my Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowls recipe. For this pork version, here is the basic order I use.

1. Start with lettuce

Shred a mix of crisp and soft lettuce and add it to the bottom or one side of each bowl. I like to use Oak lettuce because it the perfect balance of soft and a bit crunchy.

2. Add cool vermicelli noodles

Cook the rice vermicelli according to the packet directions, rinse it thoroughly under cold water and drain it very well. Warm, wet noodles will make the whole bowl limp and watery. We have standards.

My Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowls guide has the full noodle method, including how to stop the strands clumping while you prepare everything else.

3. Add cucumber and plenty of herbs

Cut the cucumber into thin batons or half-moons. Add mint and perilla leaves, tearing any very large leaves into smaller pieces.

Perilla has a fresh, slightly peppery flavour that is fantastic with pork. If you cannot find it, use extra mint or add coriander and Thai basil.

4. Add pickled carrot and daikon

A small handful of Vietnamese pickled carrot and daikon gives the bowl an extra crunch and a sharp, slightly sweet bite that cuts straight through the rich pork.

You can make my pickled carrot and daikon recipe several days ahead and keep it in t]he fridge. It is an easy extra that makes a homemade vermicelli bowl taste much more complete, especially when the pork is sweet, fatty and properly charred.

5. Pile on the grilled pork

Add the pork while it is still warm. Make sure every bowl gets a mixture of tender slices and charred edges. This is not the time to give Dad all the best bits simply because he is holding the tongs. I say this as a dad who is often holding the tongs.

6. Spoon over Nuoc Cham

Nuoc Cham is what turns a collection of ingredients into Bún Thịt Nướng. It runs through the pork, noodles, salad and herbs, carrying smoky, sweet, salty and tangy flavour into every layer.

Use my four-ingredient Nuoc Cham recipe and make it ahead if you can. Every Vietnamese family has its own balance; mine uses the ratio my mum taught me. Start with a few spoonfuls, toss the bowl well and add more to taste.

Then eat immediately. This is not a bowl that improves while sitting around posing for 47 photos.

The best way to serve this for family and friends

Our family usually serves vermicelli bowls help-yourself style. I put the noodles, salad, cucumber, herbs and pork on a large platter, and bring it to the table with a large bowl of Nouc cham.

Everyone builds the bowl they actually want. My boys can keep their simple. I like to pile on the pork. My wife who claims “doesn’t want to eat too much” can make a small bowl and return for her 2nd and 3rd with any judgement.

For a bigger gathering, add a platter of crispy Vietnamese rice paper spring rolls or Better Than Takeaway egg-wrapper spring rolls. Cut the spring rolls into halves or thirds and pile them over the bowls. If you are feeding people with different preferences, cook a batch of lemongrass grilled chicken as well and let everyone choose.

That flexible, generous style of serving is exactly what my Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowl collection is designed for. Learn the base once, then change the grilled meat and toppings depending on the occasion.

Common questions