Today, I’m sharing another delicious non-soup noodle dish – Bún Bò Nam Bộ or Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad. The name of this dish has caused quite a bit of a debate, as “Nam Bộ” means “Southern”, yet it actually comes from Ha Noi. The confusion arose because the first shop selling this dish was located on Northern Road in Hanoi, leading to the misleading name.
This dish brings together tender, fragrant lemongrass stir-fried beef, crunchy fresh vegetables and soft noodles, all tied together with a sweet, sour and savoury dipping sauce dressing. Topped with crushed peanuts and crispy fried shallots, every bite is a perfect mix of flavours and textures. To enjoy it properly, you need to mix everything up before digging in, so each bite bursts with all the delicious elements.
A taste of Hanoi in every bite
I still vividly remember my visits to the famous Bún Bò Nam Bộ shop in Hanoi, where I would meet friends for lunch. It was a one-dish shop, yet every table was always full. The moment you stepped inside, you were greeted by the aroma of sizzling beef stir-fried with onions and bean sprouts, served on a bed of silky noodles and fresh salad.
Once the dipping sauce dressing was poured over, the magic happened – the sweet, sour and savoury flavours blended perfectly. Every bite was an explosion of textures – tender beef, crisp bean sprouts, crunchy vegetables and smooth noodles.
Now, let’s bring this taste of Hanoi to your own kitchen. The best part? It’s quick and easy to make!
How to make Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad
Marinate the beef
Start by slicing tender beef thinly and marinating it with finely chopped lemongrass, minced garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce and a splash of olive oil. Let it sit for 10-15 minutes so the flavours soak in.
Cook the noodles
While waiting, cook the dried round noodles. Place them in boiling water for 4 minutes with the lid on, then drain and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and keep them firm.
Prepare the vegetables
Get the vegetables and herbs ready:
- Thinly slice onions and prepare bean sprouts to stir-fry with the beef later.
- Use any crunchy salad vegetables you have in the fridge – I like julienned carrots, thinly sliced cucumber, lettuce and red pepper.
- Don’t forget fresh herbs like coriander and mint leaves.
For garnish, prepare fried shallots and crushed peanuts. You can use shop-bought fried shallots, but I prefer to fry mine fresh, so I can use the fragrant shallot-infused oil to stir-fry the beef.
Make the dipping sauce dressing
The sauce ties everything together. Simply mix equal parts of fish sauce, sugar, lime, or lemon juice, then dilute with four parts water. Add minced garlic and chopped red chilli for extra flavour.
Stir-fry the beef
Heat a couple of spoons of shallot-infused oil (or olive oil) in a pan over medium-high heat. Add finely chopped lemongrass and garlic, frying until fragrant. This takes about 2 minutes.
Turn the heat up to high and add the marinated beef, stir-frying quickly for a couple of minutes.
When the beef is halfway cooked, add sliced onions and bean sprouts and stir-fry for another couple of minutes before turning off the heat. Don’t overcook the beef, or it will become chewy.
Assemble the bowls
Now, it’s time to bring everything together:
- Place the cooked noodles in individual bowls.
- Add the fresh salad vegetables on top.
- Spoon a generous portion of stir-fried beef with onions and bean sprouts over the noodles.
- Pour the sweet and tangy dipping sauce dressing over the whole bowl.
- Sprinkle with crushed peanuts and crisp fried shallots.
Mix and Enjoy!
Before tucking in, give everything a good mix so that the sauce coats every ingredient. Now take a bite and enjoy the explosion of flavours and textures – the juicy beef, the fresh crunch of vegetables, the silkiness of noodles and the rich umami dressings.
Why you’ll love this dish
- Quick and Easy – Ready in just 30 minutes.
- Healthy and Fresh – Packed with crunchy vegetables and lean protein.
- Bursting with Flavour – A perfect balance of sweet, sour and savoury.
Bring a taste of Vietnam to your kitchen
Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad (Bún Bò Nam Bộ) is one of those dishes that once you try it, you’ll crave again and again. It’s light yet satisfying, fresh yet rich in deep, savoury flavours. Whether you need a quick weekday meal or a healthy, flavour-packed lunch, this is a perfect choice.
Give it a go and bring a little piece of Hanoi to your dinner table tonight! Let me know how it turns out – I’d love to hear your thoughts.
Happy cooking!
Craving more refreshing noodle salads? Why not give these a try:
Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken Noodle Salad
Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad (Bún Bò Nam Bộ)
Description
A vibrant Vietnamese noodle salad featuring tender lemongrass beef, crisp vegetables and silky noodles, all brought together with a sweet, tangy dipping sauce dressing. Topped with crunchy peanuts and crispy shallots for the perfect bite!
Ingredients
For the Beef
For the Noodles
For the Salad
For the Garnish
For the Dressing
Instructions
-
Marinate the Beef
- Mixed sliced beef with lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, oyster sauce and olive oil. Let sit for 10-15 minutes.
-
Cook the Noodles
- Boil noodles for a few minutes, then drain and rinse under cold water.
-
Prepare the Vegetables
- Slice onions and bean sprouts for stir-frying.
- Julienne carrots, slice cucumber, lettuce and red pepper.
- Chop coriander and mint leaves.
-
Make the Dressing
- Mix fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and water.
- Add minced garlic and red chilli.
-
Stir-fry the Beef
- Heat oil in a pan, fry lemongrass and garlic until fragrant.
- Add beef, stir-fry quickly, then add onions and bean sprouts.
- Cook for another couple of minutes and remove from heat.
-
Assemble the Bowls
- Place noodles in bowls, add fresh vegetables and top with stir-fried beef.
- Pour the dipping sauce over, then sprinkle with fried shallots and crushed peanuts.
-
Mix and Enjoy
- Toss everything together to coat in the sauce, then enjoy every bite!
Nutrition Facts
Servings 5
- Amount Per Serving
- Calories 564.37kcal
- % Daily Value *
- Total Fat 11.66g18%
- Saturated Fat 3.38g17%
- Trans Fat 0.29g
- Cholesterol 130.19mg44%
- Sodium 1763.27mg74%
- Potassium 942.47mg27%
- Total Carbohydrate 81.13g28%
- Dietary Fiber 5.27g22%
- Sugars 16.71g
- Protein 36.2g73%
- Vitamin A 147.01 IU
- Vitamin C 44.64 mg
- Calcium 95.54 mg
- Iron 7.01 mg
- Vitamin D 0.34 IU
- Vitamin E 1.29 IU
- Vitamin K 17.17 mcg
- Thiamin 1.06 mg
- Riboflavin 0.61 mg
- Niacin 12.85 mg
- Vitamin B6 1.05 mg
- Folate 76.1 mcg
- Vitamin B12 2.61 mcg
- Phosphorus 471.29 mg
- Magnesium 129.71 mg
- Zinc 7.57 mg
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
Note
- Beef selection: Use a tender cut like tenderloin, ribeye, or sirloin for the best texture. Slice thinly for quick cooking.
- Noodle top: Rinse the noodles under cold water after boiling to keep them from sticking and to maintain a bouncy texture.
- Dipping sauce balance: Adjust the sweetness, sourness or saltiness to your taste by tweaking the ratio of fish sauce, sugar and lime juice.
- Crunch factor: Fried shallots and crushed peanuts add the perfect crunch - don't skip them!
