Bún Riêu Chay (Vegetarian Tomato Noodle Soup) | Wok And Kin

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This Bún Riêu Chay is a vegetarian noodle soup that’s light and fragrant with the most satisfying tangy flavor. The stock is beautifully sweetened from fruit and vegetables, then finished with tomato-infused toppings and a creamy tofu blend. It’s one of those dishes that feels like a warm hug!

Noodles in a bowl with chopsticks, quarted tomatoes, slied vegetarian ham and mushrooms with Thai basil

The most comforting noodle soup

Bún Riêu Chay is the first vegetarian noodle soup I fell in love with. If you thought you had tasted some pretty good Vietnamese meatless dishes in the past, I guarantee you this one will make you think again.

It’s not one of those recipes that packs an exciting punch like Mum’s Bún Bò Huế Chay. This is one of those meals you’d enjoy on any casual weekend, surrounded by your nearest and dearest.

It’s a dish that goes down delicately smooth, from the silky rice noodles to the luxurious tofu and mushroom fusion that is just pure harmony.

And when you reach the broth, you’ll find savouriness laced with a gentle tang, making it the perfect comfort meal.

Noodles and sliced vegetarian ham in a spoon over quartered tomatoes, mint and sliced mushrooms in a bowl of soup.

Why this recipe works

Using fresh tomatoes and tomato paste means the broth will be fragrantly rich with an exquisite tang.
Blending in vegetarian ham with tofu adds a wonderful springy texture and well-rounded flavor.
Stir frying the toppings in tomato paste ensures that every layer of the dish will be seasoned and mixed in with amazing aromas!

What you’ll need

The Vegetable Stock

Lemongrass, two bottles of coconut water, carrots, apples, ginger, chayote, pear and daikon

About the selection

Some of these fruits and vegetables can be easily found in the kitchen, but you can certainly use any others available in that season. Some alternatives might include:

Corn
Cauliflower
Nashi
Wintermelon
Celery

Stock Seasoning

Tomatoes, tomato paste in a container, rock sugar, vegetable stock powder, salt and rock sugar in dishes and bun rieu chay stock cubes in a box

About the seasoning

The tamarind paste and Bún Riêu Chay stock cubes can be found in Asian supermarkets.

The Toppings

king oyster and enoki mushrooms in a colander with lion's mane mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms in bowls along with eggs, tomato paste in a container, silken and fried tofu in a box, vegetarian ham on a plate and vegetarian ham and burdock gean in plastic bags

About the produce

All of the tofu varieties and vegetarian hams can be found in the fridge or freezer section of Asian vegetarian stores. If they’re not available, mushrooms are a great substitute.

The Garnish

Lemon, bean sprouts, water spinach, Thai basil, Vietnamese coriander, mint and lizard's tail

About the herbs

All of these greens can be found fresh at your local Asian supermarket. If there are some that are not available, you can simply leave them out.

The Noodles

Thin rice vermicelli in and out of the package

About the noodles

Bún Riêu Chay is traditionally eaten with thinner rice vermicelli noodles that have a milky white color when cooked. Be careful not to get it confused with vermicelli that is clear when cooked.

How to make this recipe

Quartered apples, pear and lemongrass mushrooms in a pot of boiling water

On medium to high heat, cook the stock fruit, vegetables, lemongrass, ginger and mushrooms in a large pot of water for 3 hours or until soft. Scoop them out when they have softened, separating the mushrooms for later.

While the stock is cooking, use a food processor to process the vegetarian ham and oyster mushrooms until well combined.

Blended vegetarian ham and tofu in a dish

Set up a steamer and mix in the tofu, 1 tbsp vegan fish sauce and eggs.

Blended vegetariam ham and tofu in a dish in a pot

Steam the dish for 15 minutes. Let it cool for 10 minutes to firm up.

Diced tomatoes in a bowl with slides mushrooms in a bowl

Roughly chop the tomatoes into chunks and slice the shiitake and lion’s mane mushrooms into 1/2 cm (0.2″) thick.

Heat up a pan with 2 tbsp cooking oil and simmer the tomatoes with 1 tbsp vegan fish sauce, 1 tsp vegetable stock powder and 4 tbsp tomato paste for 15 minutes or until they have consistency of fresh tomato sauce, then pour into the broth.

Note: During cooking, use a utensil to flatten each chunk.

Sliced mushrooms with a tomato past coat in a pan

Pour 1 tbsp cooking oil into the same pan over high heat and stir fry the mushrooms with 1 1/2 tbsp tomato paste and 1/2 tsp salt for 3 minutes.

Repeat the previous step with the remaining toppings.

Sliced mushrooms in a pot of bun rieu chay stock

Turn up the heat to high and transfer the cooked contents into the stock broth and season with the Bún Riêu Chay stock cube, vegetable stock powder, salt, rock sugar and vegan fish sauce.

When it boils, lower the heat to a simmer and add the coconut water in.

Mix the tamarind paste with water to dissolve it, then pour it into the vegetable broth.

Bring another pot of water to boil and cook the rice vermicelli noodles for 5 minutes or until al dente. Run the cooked noodles under cold water to cool, then set in a colander to drip dry.

Cook the water spinach in the broth and assemble your bowl with noodles, toppings and hot soup. Serve topped with fresh garnish and a squeeze of lemon!

FAQs

What if I can’t find tamarind paste?

Tamarind will give the soup a tangy kick, which can be achieved by using powdered tamarind soup base as well. If neither of those are available at the shops, then you can add more tomato paste for the tang.

What do I do if I don’t have vegetarian ham?

The vegetarian ham in the tofu is used for extra flavor and texture, but you can leave it out and use firm tofu instead. Just break it into smaller chunks using a fork rather than a food processor since it is much more delicate.

Tips for best results

Use softer, riper tomatoes for the broth and firmer tomatoes for serving. Ripe tomatoes have fuller flavor which is perfect to cook down and season your broth with. Save the firmer tomatoes for a quick boil and when you’re just about to eat.
Like all other noodle soups, the broth will taste better the next day. So this is the perfect dish to make ahead of time and can just be reheated the following day.
Don’t overseason it! You’ll have plenty of opportunities to season the toppings as you cook them, but go light to start. You can always taste and add more salt or sugar towards the end of cooking.

Pair it with a Vietnamese dessert!

Coconut Pandan Waffles (Bánh Kẹp) – Crispy on the outside and fluffy on the inside, these are the perfect snack for every occasion!
Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls with Ginger Syrup (Chè Trôi Nước) – Indulge in chewy and creamy rice balls in a sweet hot syrup that are drizzled with a rich pandan-infused coconut cream.

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Bún Riêu Chay (Vegetarian Tomato Noodle Soup)

Fall in love with Bún Riêu Chay, the most soothing Vietnamese vegetarian noodle soup! It's topped with a delicious assortment of tomatoes, mushrooms and tofu, which makes for a great weekend meal! 5 from 8 votes Print Pin Rate Prep Time: 1 hour Cook Time: 3 hours 30 minutes Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes Servings: 10 Calories: 292kcal Author: Jeannette

Equipment

▢ Food processor