Bun Cha Gio
Vietnamese Bun Cha Gio: A fresh, crunchy classic Vietnamese salad bowl. This healthy dish is loaded with noodles, vegetables, and protein!
Vietnamese Food
Let’s talk about Bun Cha Gio and Vietnamese food… In college, one of my dearest friends and I, often scheduled lunch dates at our favorite Vietnamese restaurant.
One day, we entered the restaurant and were intercepted by a young cute Vietnamese waiter who was still learning English. He led us to our table as we chatted and giggled away.
The waiter, who seemed to show a special interest in our dining experience, hovered over us, trying to make conversation. We felt a little embarrassed at the extra attention.
As he took our order, he asked me if I wanted my meal to be mild or spicy. I answered, “Spicy, please.” He smoothly winked and answered, “Ahhhh, spicy food for a spicy personality!” Yes, even with broken English, he had game. Some things cross all cultural boundaries.
Even though that was close to twenty years ago, my friend and I never miss an opportunity to slip that unforgettable line to each other, “Spicy food for a spicy personality.”
Bun Cha Gio Ingredients
The town I grew up in has a significant Vietnamese population with incredible restaurants and vast Asian markets. Exploring the Asian markets is a feast for the eyes, especially the produce department and meat counter.
Vietnamese Bun Cha Gio is a traditional pork noodle salad, served in a bowl with fresh veggies and nuoc cham, an acidic dressing/dipping sauce. Fresh Herbs, rice noodles, and other condiments make this recipe what it is.
Here’s what you need to make it…
For the Grilled Pork
- Boneless Pork Chops
- Fresh Grated Ginger
- Minced Garlic Cloves
- Fish Sauce
- Soy Sauce (gluten-free)
- Sugar
For the Nuoc Cham Dressing
- Warm Water
- Sugar
- Rice Vinegar or White Vinegar
- Fish Sauce
- Minced Garlic Clove
- Chili-Garlic Sauce
- Salt
- Shredded Carrot
For the Salad
- Cooked Rice Vermicelli Noodles
- Mung Bean Sprouts
- Shredded Carrots
- Sliced Cucumbers
- Chopped Cilantro, Basil, or Mint
- Chopped Peanuts
- Chopped Green Onions
- Frozen Spring Rolls (gluten-free)
How To Make Bun Cha
Let’s start out with the pork which is the main protein source for this Bun Cha Gio salad bowl recipe. My top suggestion for this step is to make sure you freeze your pork! It makes it so much easier to slice thin. Trust me!
- Freeze the pork for 30 minutes to firm it up. Then cut each chop in half length-wise and thinly slice (1 mm). If already frozen, thaw halfway before slicing.
- Mix the ginger, garlic, fish sauce, soy sauce, and sugar together. Then toss with pork in a bowl. Allow the pork to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Heat a large wok or skillet to high heat (medium/medium-high won’t do). Drain the pork well. Add peanut or vegetable oil to the wok. Stir fry the pork for 1-3 minutes.
Marinating your pork and then stir-frying in oil makes this part of the dish SO flavorful! If you’re looking to make this recipe gluten-free make sure to use gluten-free soy sauce.
Nuoc Cham
Nuoc Cham is normally made with sweetened lime juice and fish sauce, but I discovered that restaurants often make theirs with rice vinegar instead of lime. I find I actually prefer this method, as it cuts out a little of the “bite”.
- Mix the warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar is dissolved.
- Then add rice vinegar, fish sauce, garlic, chili garlic sauce, salt, and shredded carrots. Set aside the nuoc cham.
The nuoc cham is the only source of spicy heat in Vietnam’s Bun Cha Gio, so add as much or as little as you want to the noodle salad. You can also boost the heat by adding more chili-garlic sauce.
Vietnamese Gio
Gio’ is the Vietnamese word for fried spring rolls. Hot, chopped spring rolls are added to the top of the salad for crunch.
In order to speed up the prep time on this dish, I did not make our spring rolls from scratch. Instead, I bought good-quality frozen spring rolls and baked them in the oven. It provides the extra flavor and crunch without turning this meal into a 2-hour cooking affair.
- Preheat the oven to the necessary temperature provided on the spring roll package.
- Drizzle a little oil on a cookie sheet and roll the frozen spring rolls in it.
- Cook the spring rolls according to the provided instructions.
- Chop the spring rolls into 1/2-inch pieces.
If you prefer to make your own spring rolls, feel free to do so!
Vietnamese Noodle Salad Prep
Now assemble the whole salad bowl! Bun Cha Gio is pretty simple to put together…
- Place a large handful of noodles in the bottom of four bowls. Top each with sprouts, shredded carrots, cucumbers, cilantro, and green onions.
- Place the pork and spring rolls on top, and sprinkle with chopped peanuts.
- Serve with nuoc cham on the side, so each person can add as much as they desire!
Bold and healthy Vietnamese Bun Cha Gio is something I crave on a regular basis. My kids are crazy over it, and I bet yours will be too!
It’s so popular and delicious, that even Anthony Bourdain chose to treat President Obama to this Vietnamese street food recipe.
Recipe Variations
- Meat: You can use beef, pork, chicken, shrimp, or any combination that you would like!
- Herbs: Add even more herbs along with cilantro like Thai basil and mint! The more herbs, the more flavor here.
- Vegetables: You can add or omit vegetables as you would like!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can This Be Made Using Pork Shoulder?
Yes, you could cook it using the same instructions. Just make sure to slice it thin against the grain.
Could I Substitute The Vinegar?
If you are sensitive to vinegar, you can swap it for lime juice as well, or use half rice vinegar and half lime juice.
How Should I Store Leftover Bun Cha Gio Noodle Salad Bowl?
To store your leftover Vietnamese egg rolls and noodles, store the pork and egg rolls in a separate container in the fridge for 2-3 days. Reheat in the microwave and serve with the noodles and salad when ready to have more!
More Vietnamese Dishes to Try!
- Low Carb Vietnamese Chicken Pho Recipe
- Vietnamese Coffee Bread Pudding
- Vietnamese Spring Rolls
- Vietnamese Coffee Popsicles
- Som Tum Green Papaya Salad
- Bun Cha Hanoi by Carolines Cooking
- Banh Xeo Recipe from Hungry Huy
Bun Cha Gio Recipe
Ingredients
For the Pork:
- 1 pound boneless pork chops
- 1 1/2 tablespoon fresh grated ginger
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce (gluten-free)
- 2 tablespoons sugar
For the Nuoc Cham Dressing:
- 1/2 cup warm water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 1/2 cup rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon chili-garlic sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 cup shredded carrots
For the Salad:
- 1 package cooked rice vermicelli noodles
- 2 cups mung bean sprouts
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1 cup sliced cucumbers
- 1/2 cup chopped cilantro or basil
- 1/2 cup chopped peanuts
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 1 package frozen spring rolls (gluten-free)
Instructions
- Freeze the pork for 30 minutes to firm it up. Then cut each chop in half length-wise and thinly slice (1 mm). If already frozen, thaw half way before slicing. Mix the next five ingredients and toss with pork in a bowl. Allow the pork to marinate for 30 minutes.
- For the Nuoc Cham: Mix the warm water and sugar in a small bowl. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Then add the following six ingredients and set aside the nuoc cham.
- Preheat the oven to the necessary temperature provided on the spring roll package. Drizzle a little oil on a cookie sheet and roll the frozen spring rolls in it. Cook the spring rolls according to the provided instructions.
- Heat a large wok or skillet to high heat. Drain the pork well. Add 1 tablespoon of peanut or vegetable oil to the wok. Stir fry the pork for 1-3 minutes. Chop the spring rolls into 1/2-inch pieces.
- To plate: Place a large hand-full of noodles in the bottom of four bowls. Top each with sprouts, shredded carrots, cucumbers, cilantro, and green onions. Place the pork and spring rolls on top, and sprinkle with chopped peanuts. Serve with nuoc cham on the side, so each person can add as much as they desire!
Now, this is my kind of salad!! Love the pieces of spring rolls mixed in! It’s crisp & crunchy & the dressing brings so much flavor!
Pingback: Hanoi Food Guide - What to eat in Hanoi, Vietnam - Tours Blog
Omg 😳 did we go to the same restaurant lol ? I had a Vietnamese waiter, at local Vietnamese place, with broken English say the exact same thing to me 😂😂
Also thank you for the recipe it’s delicious :)
Pingback: 10 délicieuses recettes vietnamiennes pour les familles - Conseils Pour Nouvelles Mamans
Have A Good Day
Pingback: Hanoi Food Guide - What to Eat in Hanoi Vietnam
Wow. This was really delicious.
Outstanding. Been looking for the perfect Nuoc Cham recipe for ages. This is it. Thank you!!
Wow this did not disappoint! It was easier to make than expected and tasted so good!
This was so delicious! It tastes so fresh!
I love Asian food, but have not made many Vietnamese dishes. This looked perfect for my lunches this week and the results were super tasty and flavorful!
Pingback: Vietnamese or Mexican Salad | Multiculti Cooking
Can this be made with pork shoulder?
Yes, I think you could cook if by the same instruction. Just make sure to slice it thin against the grain.
Pingback: Replacing the Restaurant - A Home Made From Scratch
I have made this several times and my family is very excited with it. Thanks a lot!
Spot on from what I get at my favorite Vietnamese restaurant! Absolutely perfert( after I added more fish sauce, jalopenos and sriracha to my bowl!thanks so much for posting!
I made this!!! Thank you for sharing ❤ my family love it, our new favorite!
Hi Lori,
I’m so glad you liked it! It’s one of our favorites too. :)
Really simple and great for my strong craving when we don’t have a restaurant nearby!