Bun cha Hanoi is not your average meatball. These juicy Vietnamese meatballs are marinated, grilled to caramelized perfection, and served alongside grilled pork belly and pickled vegetables in a bowl of warm, sweet, tangy, savory fish sauce. It’s also served with vermicelli noodles and a plate of lettuce and herbs.

This Vietnamese dish is one of my favorite recipes. It’s intensely savory, comforting, and flavorful, yet light, bright, and fresh thanks to the veggies. If you’re looking for an easy, delicious grilling recipe for your next BBQ cookout, this one’s for you.

Ingredients

You can find all the ingredients for this bun cha Hanoi recipe at your local Vietnamese or Asian grocery market. Full measurements and links to everything I used are in the recipe card below.

Grilled Pork Patties and Pork Belly

• Ground Pork and Pork Belly: Be sure to use ground pork with at least 20% fat for the juiciest meatballs. Pork belly is optional. It adds more protein and is marinated with the same ingredients as the ground pork.
• Garlic and Shallots: are the main alliums that give the pork a savory aromatic flavor.
• Fish Sauce: adds a rich, salty, funky umami flavor.
• Soy Sauce: adds another salty umami layer.
• Brown Sugar: builds a deeper brown caramelization color for its signature charred edges and adds a toffee-like sweetness.
• Honey: helps the pork develop a beautiful glaze and adds a floral sweetness that balances out the salty fish sauce.
• Chicken Bouillon Powder: to enhance the flavor of the pork.
• Black Pepper: to add a smoky black peppery flavor.
• Neutral Oil: only for the ground pork to add more fat into the meat ball.

Quick Pickled Veggies

• Green Papaya and Carrot: add a nice crunch and gentle sweetness to balance out the rich savory flavor of the pork.
• Water: to dilute the vinegar.
• White Vinegar: the main pickling agent that creates a tangy flavor.
• Sugar: to balance out the acidity.
• Salt: draws out the moisture of the carrot and papaya to make them crisp.

Dipping Sauce

• Fish Sauce: the base of the dipping sauce. There is no substitute for fish sauce!
• Water: to gently dilute the fish sauce and add more volume to the broth.
• Sugar: to sweeten the broth.
• Lime Juice: to add acidity to the broth and lighten the deep savory flavor
• Garlic: for rich savory flavor
• Bird’s Eye Chili: for color and a hint of heat.

Substitutions and Additions

Substitutions

• Protein: instead of pork, you can always swap for beef, turkey, chicken, or even tofu for a vegan bun cha Hanoi.
• Soy sauce alternatives: tamari, coconut aminos, light soy sauce.
• MSG: an alternative to chicken bouillon powder.
• Daikon: a substitute for green papaya.
• Lime juice: alternatively, you can use lemon juice or white vinegar.
• Nuoc Cham: Nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce) is less sweet and contains more garlic and chili paste, but can be an alternative to this dipping broth.

Additions

• Chinese five–spice: for more warmth and spice in the mixture. Combining five spice and lemongrass will make the marinade taste more like bun thit nuong (Vietnamese Grilled Pork Noodles).
• Lemongrass: for more grassy, lemony herbal flavor.
• Toppings: fried shallots, roasted peanuts, or scallion oil.

How to Make

Here are the step-by-step instructions for how to make this bun cha Hanoi recipe.

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the ground pork with the marinade ingredients. Marinate for at least 1 hour.

2. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the sliced pork belly with the marinade ingredients. Marinate for at least 1 hour.

3. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the pickling ingredients until everything is dissolved and add the green papaya and carrot. Pickle in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.

4. In a mixing bowl, combine the dipping sauce ingredients until the sugar has completely dissolved.

5. Divide the ground pork into about 2 1/2 inch wide x 1/2 inch thick patties.
6. Preheat a grill over medium-high heat, about 450°F-500°F (232-260°C), and lightly oil the grates. Using a grilling basket, grill the patties about 3-5 minutes per side. Grill the pork belly for 2-3 minutes per side.

7. (Option 2) Stove cooking: Heat oil in a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the patties in a single layer and cook 3-5 minutes per side, and the pork belly 2-3 minutes per side.
8. In a bowl, add the pork patties, pork belly, pickled vegetables, and the dipping sauce. Serve with vermicelli noodles, lettuce and herbs.

Storage Instructions

You can store any leftover bun cha, with the pork, broth, and noodles separated, in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Reheat: Warm the grilled pork in a skillet over medium heat for 3-5 minutes, or cover it with a damp paper towel and microwave until heated through. Heat the dipping sauce separately on the stove or in the microwave until just warm; do not boil.

Freeze: You can freeze the pork and the dipping sauce separately in airtight containers for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

FAQ

Can I make this recipe without a grill?

Yes! You can easily cook the Vietnamese pork meatballs in a cast-iron skillet, a grill pan, or a nonstick skillet on the stove instead of on a grill.

What type of herbs are traditionally served with this dish?

Traditionally, this dish is served with lettuce, mint, cilantro, Vietnamese balm (kinh gioi), and perilla (tia to). These herbs are key to achieving the perfect bite of noodles and pickled vegetables.

What is the difference between bun cha and bun thit nuong?

Both dishes feature grilled pork and vermicelli noodles with herbs and pickled vegetables. However, bun cha consists of pork meatballs served in a warm fish sauce broth, while bun thit nuong features grilled pork shoulder served in a dry noodle bowl dressed with the classic nuoc cham.

Recipe