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4.6 from 231 votes

Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Pork

A fresh and easy recipe featuring rice noodles, crunchy vegetables, herbs, and quick-seared pork with big, bold flavor. Serve with a light, bright rice vinegar dressing to bring it all together. 

Prep Time
40 mins
Cook Time
40 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. ground black pepper
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 large clove garlic minced
for the sauce:
  • 1-1/2 c. water
  • ¼ c. rice vinegar
  • 1-1/2 T. fish sauce
  • 3 T. sugar
  • 1 medium garlic clove minced
  • ½ tsp. kosher salt
  • 1 pinch crushed red pepper
for the noodle salad:
  • 12 oz. thin white rice noodles (use very thin vermicelli or ones that are a bit thicker
  • 4 to 6 c. sliced romaine or iceberg lettuce
  • 1 to 2 large carrots julienned (this julienne peeler works great)
  • half of a large English cucumber sliced into thin rounds
  • 1 c. bean sprouts
  • 1 bunch fresh Cilantro coursely chop or tear, if desired
  • 1 bunch fresh mint coursely chop or tear, if desired
  • Fresh lime 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

  • Inspired by the Vietnamese noodle salad at Thanh Truc Restaurant.

Nutrition Information

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

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 4servings

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.