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
1h40
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 2 liters water 3 tomatoes (quartered) 150 g pineapple (cut into chunks) 2 shallots (minced) 2 cloves garlic (minced) 1 tbsp annatto seeds 2 tbsp oil 3 tbsp fish sauce 400 g dried rice vermicelli fresh herbs (dill, cilantro, scallions) lime (cut into wedges)
Materials & Tools
Large soup pot Ladle Strainer Knife and chopping board Mixing bowls
Preparation steps
Total Time
1h40
Cooking Time
1h35
Active Time
5 min
Make Broth
Rinse fish bones, cover with water and bring to a boil, skimming off foam. Simmer 45 - 60 minutes, then strain.
1h00
Color Oil
Fry annatto seeds in oil until red, then remove seeds. Sauté shallots and garlic until fragrant, add tomatoes and cook until soft.
10 min
Flavor Broth
Add tomato mixture, pineapple and fish sauce to broth and simmer until pineapple is soft.
10 min
Heat Fish Cakes
Add fish cakes and simmer 2 - 3 minutes until heated through.
5 min
Cook Noodles
Boil vermicelli, then drain.
10 min
Assemble Bowl
Put noodles in bowls, add fish cakes and ladle over hot broth with tomatoes and pineapple. Top with dill, scallions and cilantro, and squeeze in a lime wedge to taste.
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
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