4.4 from 21 votes
Bun Cha: Vietnamese Pork Meatballs Recipe
Bun cha is a traditional Vietnamese dish of grilled pork meatballs served with a delicious golden broth, a variety of fresh herbs, greens, and rice noodles.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
45 mins
Servings: 4
Calories: 528 kcal
Course:
Main Course
Cuisine:
Vietnamese
Ingredients
- ½ lb rice noodles Prepare according to package instructions, drain and allow to cool.
Pork Meatballs
- 1 lb pork ground
- ¼ tsp five spice powder
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 2 tsp fish sauce
- 2 shallots minced
- 1 garlic clove minced minced
- ¼ tsp pepper
Accompaniments - greens served on the side:
- 1 cilantro
- 1 mint
- 1 red leaf lettuce
- 1 Thai basil
Broth
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 ¼ cup water
- 2 tsp lime juice, fresh sqeezed
- 2 tsp brown sugar
- 1 Tbsp rice vinegar
- ¼ cup kohlrabi sliced
Instructions
- Arrange all the greens on a tray.
- In a bowl place ground pork, five spice powder, salt, fish sauce, shallots, garlic, and pepper. Marinate for about one hour, and then form small, 1" meatballs. Flatten them out to form a patty.
- While the pork is marinating, slice the kohlrabi thinly, and place in a shallow glass dish. Each slice of kohlrabi should be cut into 3 wedge shaped pieces. Sprinkle with kosher salt and vinegar, and allow it to sit for about 1 hour.
- Cook meatballs/patties in a skillet, on both sides. When finished, transfer them to a baking tray and place them in the oven on broil for about two minutes on each side. (If you want to grill outdoors: Grill them from about 3 minutes per side until they run clear and hit an internal temp 145° F.)
- Prepare the broth by placing fish sauce, water, lime juice, brown sugar and rice vinegar in a small sauce pan. Bring to a boil, and remove from heat.
- Divide the broth evenly into 4 separate bowls.
- Place the sliced kohlrabi in the broth. You typically eat them by alternating dipping the meatballs, greens and noodles into the broth. It is very refreshing!
Cup of Yum
Nutrition Information
Calories
528kcal
(26%)
Carbohydrates
51g
(17%)
Protein
22g
(44%)
Fat
24g
(37%)
Saturated Fat
9g
(45%)
Cholesterol
81mg
(27%)
Sodium
1698mg
(71%)
Potassium
439mg
(13%)
Fiber
1g
(4%)
Sugar
2g
(4%)
Vitamin A
330IU
(7%)
Vitamin C
8.2mg
(9%)
Calcium
35mg
(4%)
Iron
1.7mg
(9%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 528
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 528kcal | 26% |
| Carbohydrates | 51g | 17% |
| Protein | 22g | 44% |
| Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Cholesterol | 81mg | 27% |
| Sodium | 1698mg | 71% |
| Potassium | 439mg | 9% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 2g | 4% |
| Vitamin A | 330IU | 7% |
| Vitamin C | 8.2mg | 9% |
| Calcium | 35mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1.7mg | 9% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.