Bún Chả Cá
Fish Cake Noodle Soup
A light and savory noodle soup with chewy fish cakes, tomatoes, and fresh herbs, popular in coastal cities like Đà Nẵng and Nha Trang.
Other variations:
Bún chả cá Đà Nẵng, Bún chả cá Nha Trang, Bún chả cá Huế, Bún chả cá Quảng Nam
Category
Noodle Soup
Region
Popular Nationwide
Preparation Time
1h42
Servings
4–5
Difficulty
Medium
About this recipe
Bún Chả Cá is a coastal Vietnamese specialty, often made with mackerel or barracuda fish cakes. The broth is delicately flavored with fish bones and aromatics, balanced with tomatoes and pineapple for sweetness and acidity.
Ingredients List
300 g fish cakes (sliced) 500 g fish bones or head 400 g dried rice vermicelli 3 tomatoes (quartered) 150 g pineapple (chunks) 2 shallots (minced) 2 cloves garlic (minced) 1 tbsp annatto seeds 3 tbsp fish sauce fresh herbs (dill, cilantro, scallions) lime wedges
Materials & Tools
Large soup pot ladle strainer knife and chopping board mixing bowls
Preparation steps
Total Time :
1h42
Active Time :
42 min
Cooking Time
1h00
Make Broth
Simmer fish bones 45–60 min, strain.
1h00
Color Oil
Fry annatto seeds, sauté shallots, garlic, tomatoes until soft.
10 min
Flavor Broth
Add pineapple, fish sauce, tomato mix to broth.
10 min
Cook Fish Cakes
Slice fish cakes, simmer 5–7 min.
7 min
Cook Noodles
Boil vermicelli, drain.
10 min
Assemble Bowl
Noodles with broth, fish cakes, dill, scallions, cilantro.
5 min
Chef’s Tips
Use dill generously for authentic coastal flavor; avoid overcooking fish cakes to keep them springy.
Serving Suggestions
Fresh herbs, lime wedges, chili paste
Nutritional info
360kcal
24g protein
8g fat
48g carbs
You Might Also Like
Discover More Vietnamese Recipes
Explore our complete collection of Vietnamese Dishes, from Street Food favorites to traditional family recipes.