Bún bò Nam Bộ (Vietnamese beef noodle salad), is an exotic version of Vietnamese noodle dishes without a broth. This specialty is a combination of well-marinated beef with lovely fresh vegetables.
With this article, you will be able to find out the history behind bún bò Nam Bộ. Additionally, I will guide you on how to create this tasty Vietnamese noodle dish at home.
Let’s jump right in!
What’s the History Behind Bún Bò Nam Bộ?
Bún bò Nam Bộ was invented in the 1980s and traces back to Ha Noi. Originally named “bún bò trộn”, meaning “mixed beef noodle,” locals eventually renamed it after Nam Bộ Street, where it first emerged. The dish even earned a spot on CNN’s list of 40 Vietnamese dishes.
Made of stir-fried beef slices served over a bed of rice vermicelli noodles and fresh vegetables, this combination is even better when accompanied by a diluted fish sauce mix.
Bún bò Nam Bộ and bún bò Huế, both Vietnamese dishes with beef and noodles, are often confused; let’s examine what distinguishes them.
How to Differentiate Bún Bò Nam Bộ from Bún Bò Huế?
Though bún bò Nam Bộ and bún bò Huế are confusing even for the locals who haven’t heard about the dish, you can easily identify these two specialties by the serving.
The most obvious is the broth, with bún bò Nam Bộ uses a mixture of fish sauce, while bún bò Huế has a savory and oily broth.
Bún bò Nam Bộ features thinner strands of rice vermicelli compared to the thicker noodles used in bún bò Huế.
What Utensils Are Needed for Bún Bò Nam Bộ?
This bún bò Nam Bộ only needs a few simple tools. Once you have the tools, the cooking process should be easy to comprehend.
What Ingredients Does Bún Bò Nam Bộ Have?
In terms of ingredients, you want to put a lot of effort into the marinating elements for the beef to form the highlight of bún bò Nam Bộ. Plus, accompaniments are essential to bring multiple flavor layers to the recipe.
For the Beef:
For the Noodles and Accompaniments:
For the Sauce:
How to Bún Bò Nam Bộ from Scratch?
To make this Vietnamese beef noodle salad, you need to go through 5 steps below:
Step 1: Prepare the Ingredients
Wash all the vegetables and let them drain. Grate 1 cucumber and 1 carrot into thin strips.
Then, use a sharp knife to slice 1.1 pounds of beef. Ideally, you don’t want the slices to be too thin, as the meat can be crumbled when stir-fried. Note that thick beef slices can also be chewy when overcooked.
Step 2: Marinate the Beef
After slicing the beef, marinate it with:
Mix the beef and let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes so the spices can penetrate the meat.
Step 3: Make the Sauce
Dissolve the sugar in a blend of 0.42 cups of warm water and 0.32 cups of fish sauce. Proceed to add minced garlic, chili, and lime juice, depending on your preference.
Step 4: Stir-fry the Beef
In a non-stick skillet, heat up your olive oil with minced lemongrass, garlic, and shallot until you get an aromatic taste. Transfer the marinated beef to the skillet.
Stir-fry for around 2 – 3 minutes until the meat is rare.
Step 5: Assemble the Beef Noodle Salad
Place the fresh rice noodles at the base of the bowl and top the surface with lettuce, bean sprouts, grated cucumber, and carrot. Next, place the stir-fried beef over the vegetables with sprinkles of peanuts and fried shallots.
To enjoy bún bò Nam Bộ, pour a sufficient amount of fish sauce mixture over the bowl and mix it all together before eating.
Secrets to Perfecting Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad
There are some tips and tricks you can try while making Vietnamese beef noodle salad:
Can Bún Bò Nam Bộ Become One of Your Favorite Dishes?
Bún bò Nam Bộ is undoubtedly a new candidate you can try making at home if you think phở or bún bò Mixing bowl or zip lock bag are too familiar. The dish is highly customizable, so you can always tweak the recipe to suit your needs.
That said, I hope you have fun cooking in the kitchen. Share this article with people around you, and show me some love by leaving your thoughts in the comment section. I hope to see you again in another tantalizing cooking recipe.
Bún Bò Nam Bộ Recipe (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad)
Equipment
- Skillet
- Knife
- Chopping Board
- Wooden Spoon
- Grater
- Mixing Bowl or Zip Lock Bag
Ingredients
For Marinating The Beef:
- 1.1 pounds of beef
- 1 teaspoon of garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon of ground pepper
- 1 teaspoon of soup powder
- 1 teaspoon of chili powder
- 1.5 teaspoons of brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons of roasted sesame seeds
- 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1 ounce of minced lemongrass, shallot, and garlic
For The Noodles And Accompaniments:
- Around 2.5 ounces of peanuts
- 1.8 ounces of fried shallot
- 3.5 ounces of bean sprouts
- 3.5 ounces of basils, peppermint, and lettuce
- 1 cucumber
- 1 carrot
- 1.1 pounds of fresh rice noodles (or dried noodles cooked according to the package)
For The Fish Sauce Mixture:
- 0.32 cups of fish sauce
- 0.42 cups of warm water
- 2.5 ounces of sugar
- Minced garlic and chili
- Lime juice
Instructions
- Grate the cucumber and carrot into thin strips using a grater.
- Cut the beef into slices. Don’t cut the beef too thin or thick, which can affect the meats texture after cooking.
- Proceed to marinate the beef slices with ground pepper, chili powder, garlic powder, sugar, salt, sesame seeds, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce. Mix thoroughly and let the mixture sit for at least 30 minutes.
- Make the fish sauce mixture with warm water, fish sauce, and sugar. Then add minced garlic, chili, and lime juice. Adjust the flavor accordingly.
- Stir-fry minced lemongrass, garlic, and shallot. Then add the beef and stir-fry to a medium rare in 2 – 3 minutes.
- Place rice noodles in your bowl, then add vegetables like bean sprouts, lettuce, cucumber, and carrot. Top with beef, peanuts, and fried shallots. Enjoy the dish by pouring the fish sauce mixture over the ingredient and mixing all elements.
Video
Notes
- The following recipe is based on 4 servings.
- Make sure you follow the recipe to ensure a balance of flavor. Depending on your taste buds, you can adjust the amount of spices for a better experience.
- For the sauce, you should adjust the flavor to be mildly salty, as the beef is already marinated with many salty elements.
Nutrition
Richie
Content Writer
Expertise
Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Food Styling, Food Photography, Cooking-video Maker, Beverage Evaluation Expert
Education
Saigon Culinary Arts Centre, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Vietnam Australia Vocational School (VAAC), Hanoi, Vietnam
Richie, based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is a dynamic Content Writer with a talent for capturing the essence of culinary art.
Richie specializes in creating visually appealing and tasty content, offering a new angle on Vietnamese and other culinary traditions. With a background in graphic design and a love for food styling and photography, he expertly combines beauty with food narratives, encouraging his audience to discover the culinary world through his imaginative perspective.