
5.0 from 87 votes
Bún Riêu (Vietnamese Crab, Pork & Tomato Noodle Soup)
A traditional Vietnamese soup with a flavorful broth of tomatoes, shrimp paste, fish sauce, and meat broth, loaded with tofu, pork/crab meatballs (riêu), and topped with fresh herbs and veggies!
Prep Time
30 mins
Cook Time
1 hr 30 mins
Total Time
2 hrs
Servings: 5 bowls
Calories: 888 kcal
Course:
Soup
Cuisine:
Vietnamese
Ingredients
Soup
- 50 g shallots about four large cloves, thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil
- 2 lb tomatoes quartered (any type)
- 1 tsp fermented shrimp paste - Lee Kum Kee diluted in a small bowl w a bit of water for even dispersion
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp salt
- 1-2 tbsp rock sugar granulated is ok too
- 4 tbsp ketchup
- 43.5 .5 oz chicken broth or make your own broth with water and 1 lb pork ribs
- 43.5 .5 oz water
- 1-2 tsp monosodium glutamate seasoning
Riêu / Gach / Meatballs
- 25 g shallot sliced (about two large cloves)
- 1/8 /8 lb raw shrimp shells removed, deveined.
- 2/3 /3 lb ground pork
- 5.6 .6 oz canned minced prawn or minced crab with spices. Lee brand.
- 57 g steamed or canned crab optional. If using frozen or canned, lightly squeeze to remove excess moisture.
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp pepper
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 5 talks green onions cut into 1.5" pieces
Accoutrement (all optional)
- 1 lb deep fried tofu
- 1/2 /2 lb raw bean sprouts
- 1 bunch kinh gioi / Vietnamese balm
- 1 bunch mint
- 1 bunch tia to / purple perilla
- shrimp paste on the side
- Sliced limes
- 4 Thai chiles
Noodles
- 1 lb dried rice vermicelli sticks small noodle size. Thap Chua brand (but any will do)
Instructions
- Cook noodles according to package instructions, split between 4-5 bowls
Cup of Yum
Soup
- Thinly slice shallots, add oil to a pan and saute until light brown.
- Add quartered tomatoes, stir fry for 3-5 minutes until slightly soft.
- Add shallots, tomatoes, and all remaining soup ingredients into a large pot.
- Raise to high heat until it hits a boil, and boils for five minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium-low or low, so it maintains a low boil while you work on the Riêu.
Riêu / Gach / Meatballs
- Add shallots into a small food processor, pulse until finely chopped.
- Add shrimp, pulse 5-6 times.
- Add remaining ingredients (except crab and green onion) and pulse a few times until evenly mixed.
- Pour into a mixing bowl, add crab and lightly mix with a spoon.
- Using a soup spoon, scoop 1-2 tbsp size meat balls (your choice!) into the pot until you use it all
- Raise the heat to high and bring to a boil, then drop heat to a low boil. At most it should take 20 minutes to cook the meatballs all the way through. Check doneness by breaking a meatball in half to make sure its not soft or raw inside.
- During the last five minutes of cooking, drop in the chopped green onion so it slightly softens
Serving
- Evenly divide contents of the soup pot between your 4-5 bowls.
- Serve a communal accoutrement plate on the side so each guest can customize their own.
Nutrition Information
Calories
888kcal
(44%)
Carbohydrates
119g
(40%)
Protein
39g
(78%)
Fat
27g
(42%)
Saturated Fat
8g
(40%)
Cholesterol
305mg
(102%)
Sodium
3435mg
(143%)
Potassium
1129mg
(32%)
Fiber
6g
(24%)
Sugar
18g
(36%)
Vitamin A
1798IU
(36%)
Vitamin C
55mg
(61%)
Calcium
193mg
(19%)
Iron
5mg
(28%)
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 5bowls
Amount Per Serving
Calories 888
% Daily Value*
Calories | 888kcal | 44% |
Carbohydrates | 119g | 40% |
Protein | 39g | 78% |
Fat | 27g | 42% |
Saturated Fat | 8g | 40% |
Cholesterol | 305mg | 102% |
Sodium | 3435mg | 143% |
Potassium | 1129mg | 24% |
Fiber | 6g | 24% |
Sugar | 18g | 36% |
Vitamin A | 1798IU | 36% |
Vitamin C | 55mg | 61% |
Calcium | 193mg | 19% |
Iron | 5mg | 28% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.