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Grilled Pork Vermicelli Bowl

Vietnamese-style rice vermicelli bowl topped with caramelized lemongrass-marinated grilled pork, crisp lettuce, cucumber, pickled carrots, and a generous pour of nuoc cham dipping sauce. Plan ahead: the pork needs at least 30 minutes to marinate.

45 minMediumServes 4550 cal/serving

VietnameseLunchGrill and StovetopHigh ProteinDairy-FreeNut-FreeCorn-Free

Ingredients

  • 1.5 lbs pork shoulder or pork loin, thinly sliced
  • 2 lemongrass stalks, finely minced
  • 4 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 shallot, minced
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp granulated sugar
  • 2 tbsp neutral oil
  • 8 oz rice vermicelli noodles, cooked per package
  • 4 cups butter or green leaf lettuce, torn
  • 1 English cucumber, julienned
  • 2 carrot, julienned
  • 1/4 cup rice vinegar
  • 2 tbsp sugar (for pickling)
  • 1/2 tsp salt (for pickling)
  • 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce (for nuoc cham)
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 2 tbsp sugar (for nuoc cham)
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 2 fresh red chili or red pepper flakes, sliced
  • 2 cloves garlic (for nuoc cham), minced

Instructions

  1. 1

    Make the nuoc cham: whisk together 1/4 cup fish sauce (for nuoc cham), 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 2 tbsp sugar (for nuoc cham), 1/4 cup warm water, 2 sliced fresh red chili or red pepper flakes, and 2 cloves minced garlic (for nuoc cham) until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

  2. 2

    Quick-pickle the carrots: toss 2 julienned carrot with 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 2 tbsp sugar (for pickling), and 1/2 tsp salt (for pickling). Let sit for at least 15 minutes.

  3. 3

    Marinate the pork: combine 2 finely minced lemongrass stalks, 4 minced garlic cloves, 2 minced shallot, 3 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp granulated sugar, and 2 tbsp neutral oil in a bowl. Add 1.5 lbs thinly sliced pork shoulder or pork loin and toss to coat. Marinate for at least 30 minutes.

  4. 4

    Cook 8 oz rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions. Drain, rinse with cold water, and divide among 4 bowls.

  5. 5

    Heat the grill or a grill pan over high heat. Grill the pork slices for 2-3 minutes per side until charred at the edges and cooked through to an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C). Let rest briefly.

  6. 6

    Arrange 4 cups torn butter or green leaf lettuce and 1 julienned English cucumber over the vermicelli in each bowl. Add drained pickled carrots, grilled pork, 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves, and 1/2 cup fresh cilantro.

  7. 7

    Pour the nuoc cham generously over each bowl and toss lightly before eating.

Questions

How long does Grilled Pork Vermicelli Bowl keep?

Refrigerate leftovers within two hours and eat them within three days. Reheat in a hot skillet rather than the microwave to keep the char.

Can I halve or double Grilled Pork Vermicelli Bowl?

Yes. As written it serves 4. Every ingredient in this entry carries precomputed half and double quantities, and the app's batch dial rewrites them inside each step. When doubling on the stovetop, use your widest pan or work in two batches so the food sears instead of steaming.

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