Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad (Bun Bo Xao) - Delightful Plate

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Vietnamese beef noodle salad (bún bò Nam Bộ / bún bò xào) is packed with fresh herbs, flavorful beef, and refreshing lime fish sauce dressing. It takes only 30 minutes to make, and you can enjoy it either as a main or side dish.

Bún Bò Nam Bộ is a popular Vietnamese beef noodle salad in Hanoi and we used to eat it a lot during our university time there. This dish and bún chả are among the most beloved noodle street food dishes in the capital city. A bowl of this tasty noodle bowl is usually substantial enough to be a full meal by itself.

The Vietnamese name of this dish in Hanoi means a beef noodle dish from the South, while in the South of Vietnam, it is more commonly known as bún bò xào. I know, it sounds rather convoluted! There is also a pork version of this noodle salad in Saigon, called bún thịt xào which I equally enjoy.

It is super easy to replicate bún bò Nam Bộ at home. Stir-fried beef and colorful vegetables and herbs are placed on a bed of soft vermicelli noodles. To make it even more delicious, we sprinkle it with crunchy fried shallots and roasted peanuts. We then drizzle Vietnamese signature fish sauce dressing over the salad and give it a good mix before eating. Simple as it may sound, it is a feast to the eyes and stomach. I think this dish says quite a lot about Vietnamese cuisine which values a fresh, pure and clean taste.

Ingredients

My favorite beef cut for stir-frying is flank steak which is very flavorful. It becomes tender when marinated long enough. You can certainly choose another cut you like. The key here is to slice it against the grain thinly, marinate briefly, and stir-fry in small batches.

In terms of vegetables, I usually use at least two types of vegetables from this list: lettuce, micro greens, bean sprouts, carrots, and cucumber. As for herbs, I often choose mint and cilantro for their refreshing flavor and not too strong aroma.

If you cook Vietnamese food frequently, it is always a good idea to have a pack of rice vermicelli noodles in the pantry. My favorite brand is Bamboo Tree (Ba cay tre). After trying several brands, I can conclude that their vermicelli noodles are the best. If your local Asian grocery stores don’t carry Bamboo tree vermicelli noodles, the second best brand to try is Three Ladies Brand Rice Vermicelli.

Fried shallots and roasted peanuts add crunchiness and nuttiness to increase the deliciousness of the dish. You can use both or choose either of them. Fried shallots can usually be found packed in a jar at Asian grocery stores.

How to Serve

It may be a matter of preference, but I like to eat my Vietnamese beef noodle salad warm. To do that, everything else must be ready before stir-frying the beef.

The noodles can be warmed up by running them through hot water very briefly or microwaving them quickly. To warm up the dressing, you can microwave it for about 30 seconds. Put the noodles, veggies and herbs in the serving bowls, and then stir-fry the beef. Add the beef to the bowls, sprinkle peanuts and fried shallots, then serve immediately with the dressing.

⭐️ I’d love to hear what you think about the dish, so please feel free to leave a comment and a rating if you have tried it. New recipes are added every week so let’s connect on Facebook, Youtube, Pinterest and Instagram for the latest updates. You can find my collection of Vietnamese recipes here.

Bún Bò Nam Bộ (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad)

Bún Bò Nam Bộ (Vietnamese beef noodle salad, also called bún bò xào) is packed with fresh herbs, flavorful beef, and refreshing lime fish sauce dressing. It is easy to make, and you can enjoy it either as a main or side dish. Author: Sophie Pham 4.70 from 10 votes Print Pin Rate Prep: 20 minutes minsCook: 10 minutes minsTotal: 30 minutes minsServings: 2 people

Ingredients 1x2x3x

US Customary – Grams

For the beef

• 1 lb beef
• 1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• black pepper
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• cooking oil
• 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass, white parts only
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce

For the lime fish sauce dressing (adjust to taste)

• 3 tablespoons lime juice (about 1 juicy lime)
• 3 1/2 tablespoons warm water
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2-3 teaspoons sugar
• 1-2 teaspoons minced garlic

For serving

• rice vermicelli noodles, prepared according to package instructions
• lettuce or micro greens
• bean sprouts
• 1 carrot, julienned
• 1 cucumber, julienned
• cilantro, roughly chopped
• mint
• fried shallots
• roasted peanuts

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Instructions

• Slice beef thinly against the grain and marinate with oyster sauce, black pepper, garlic, for 15-20 minutes if you have time.
• Whisk together all ingredients to make the dressing and set aside. Adjust to taste.
• Prepare all the veggies: wash lettuce, micro greens and bean sprouts. Wash, peel and julienne carrot and cucumber. Prepare all the herbs.
• Place noodles in serving bowls and top with veggies and herbs.
• Place a pan over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add oil. Once the oil is hot, Add lemongrass and stir-fry for 30-40 seconds until lemongrass is fragrant and reduces in volume.
• Increase the heat slightly and add beef to the pan in one single layer and let it cook undisturbed for 20-30 seconds. Add fish sauce and stir-fry until just cooked through. Taste and add more seasonings if needed. Work in small batches if needed to avoid crowding the pan.
• Place the cooked beef over noodles and top with fried shallots and roasted peanuts. Drizzle dressing and serve. It is often good to start with a small amount of dressing and taste to see if you want to add more.

Notes

• The dish will still turn out delicious without lemongrass in case you cannot find this ingredient.
• To enjoy the beef noodle salad warm, prepare everything else before stir-frying the beef. The noodles can be warmed up by running them through hot water very briefly. To warm up the dressing, you can microwave it for about 30 seconds. Put the noodles, veggies and herbs in the serving bowls, and then stir-fry the beef.
• Work in small batches when stir-frying the beef if needed. I stir-fry 1 lb of beef in 2-3 batches.
• The recipe is enough for 2-3 people eating it as a main dish. If you serve it as a side dish, it is enough for 4 people.

Nutrition

Calories: 653kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 46g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 161mg | Sodium: 2314mg | Potassium: 1005mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 5203IU | Vitamin C: 16mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 5mg Course: Appetizers and Side dishes, Main Dish, Noodle and Soup, SaladCuisine: VietnameseKeyword: beef noodle salad, bun bo xao Tried this recipe?Comment & Rate below or Tag @delightfulplate on Instagram Liked our videos?Subscribe to our Youtube channel and cook along with us

This recipe first appeared on Delightful Plate on October 25th, 2017. It has been updated with improved recipe instructions in November 2024.

Other Classic Dishes of Hanoi

• Chả Cá Lã Vọng – Vietnamese Turmeric Fish with Dill and Noodles
• Bún Thang – Hanoi Vermicelli Noodles with Chicken and Eggs
• Beef Fried Rice with Pickled Mustard Greens (Cơm Rang Dưa Bò)
• Phở Bò
• Phở Gà