Servings
Font
Back
Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Pork
4.6 from 231 votes

Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Pork

This Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Pork features marinated, thinly sliced pork tenderloin served atop rice noodles and crisp fresh vegetables including lettuce, carrot, cucumber, and bean sprouts. A tangy fish sauce-based dressing with rice vinegar, sugar, garlic, and a hint of crushed red pepper ties the ingredients together. The salad combines tender, flavorful pork with a refreshing, crunchy base, making it a light yet satisfying dish.

Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Additional Time
30 mins
Total Time
1 hr 25 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 470 kcal
Course: Salad
Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

for the pork:
  • 1 lb. pork tenderloin
  • 3 T. sugar
  • 1 T. fish sauce
  • 3 T. sesame oil divided
  • 1 T. soy sauce
  • 2 tsp. black pepper ground
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 garlic minced, large clove
for the sauce:
  • 1-1/2 c. water
  • ¼ c. rice vinegar
  • 1-1/2 T. fish sauce
  • 3 T. sugar
  • 1 garlic minced, medium clove
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 pinch crushed red pepper
for the noodle salad:
  • 12 oz. rice noodles thin white, use very thin vermicelli or ones that are a bit thicker
  • 4 to 6 c. romaine lettuce sliced, or iceberg lettuce
  • 1 to 2 carrot julienned (this julienne peeler works great, large
  • cucumber sliced into thin rounds, English, half of a large
  • 1 c. bean sprout
  • 1 cilantro coursely chop or tear, if desired, bunch fresh
  • 1 mint coursely chop or tear, if desired, fresh, bunch
  • lime fresh, wedges

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. for the pork: Place pork tenderloin in freezer to chill for 30 minutes. Remove from freezer and cut crosswise into very thin slices, about 1/8" thick. Then cut each slice in half lengthwise. Place pork pieces in a wide shallow bowl or large zip-top baggie.
  2. In a small bowl, stir together sugar, fish sauce, 1 tablespoon of the sesame oil, soy sauce, black pepper, salt, and garlic. Pour mixture over pork pieces and fold several times to ensure the marinade is thoroughly mixed in with the pork. Cover bowl and place in refrigerator to marinate for 1 hour. Meanwhile, prepare the sauce and noodles.
  3. for the sauce: In a small saucepan over medium to medium-high heat, stir together all sauce ingredients. Once sugar and salt have dissolved, remove from heat to cool to room temperature.
  4. for the noodle salad: Bring a large saucepan of water to a boil. Add rice noodles, stir, and turn off heat. Let noodles soften according to the package directions, then drain and rinse in cold water in a colander. Shake very well to remove water and leave sit in colander at room temperature.
  5. Divide noodles amongst four low wide bowls or plates. Top each with lettuce, carrots, cucumber, bean sprouts, cilantro, mint, and lime.
  6. Remove pork from refrigerator. Heat a large cast iron skillet over medium-high to high heat. When hot, add remaining 2 tablespoons of the sesame oil and swirl around the bottom of the skillet. When oil is shimmering, carefully add pork. Separate pork pieces to cover bottom of skillet. Let pork sit without stirring for about 1 minute, to caramelize. Fold and repeat until pork is cooked through, about 5 minutes. Total cook time will depend on how thin the pork is cut, etc.
  7. Divide hot pork amongst each of the four bowls. Serve with sauce to pour over individual bowls.

Notes

  • Marinate the pork for at least one hour to fully develop flavor.
  • Use very thin rice noodles to maintain a light texture and proper salad consistency.
  • The sauce should be cooled to room temperature before mixing with the salad ingredients to preserve freshness.
  • Fresh herbs like cilantro and mint add distinctive aroma and balance to the dish.

Nutrition Information

Serving 1 Calories 470kcal (24%) Carbohydrates 68g (23%) Protein 38g (76%) Fat 6g (9%) Saturated Fat 2g (10%) Polyunsaturated Fat 3g (18%) Cholesterol 83mg (28%) Sodium 1005mg (42%) Fiber 10g (40%) Sugar 25g (50%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4 servings

Amount Per Serving

Calories 470

% Daily Value*

Serving 1
Calories 470kcal 24%
Carbohydrates 68g 23%
Protein 38g 76%
Fat 6g 9%
Saturated Fat 2g 10%
Polyunsaturated Fat 3g 18%
Cholesterol 83mg 28%
Sodium 1005mg 42%
Fiber 10g 40%
Sugar 25g 50%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.