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Bunrieu Vietnamese Crab Noodle Soup by Authentic Food Quest

Bun Rieu Recipe

This easy bun rieu recipe is for an utterly delicious Vietnamese crab noodle soup. The star of the dish are crab meatballs swimming in a rich and savory tomato-based broth. Served with fresh Vietnamese herbs, each flavorful spoonful will leave you craving more.
5 from 7 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 4
Calories: 1086kcal
Author: Authentic Food Quest

Equipment

Ingredients 

For the broth

  • 4 chicken stock cubes
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp  fermented shrimp paste
  • 3 tbsp oil
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 8 cups water
  • 4 cloves garlic
  • 1 onion large, 140 g
  • 6 tomatoes large, 800 g
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • Bun rieu seasoning optional

For the crab meatballs

  • 400 g shrimp cleaned and shelled
  • 250 g  crab meat
  • 400 g ground pork
  • 1 onion finely chopped, 100 g
  • 2 chives finely chopped, 60 g
  • 1 egg large
  • 2 cloves garlic
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • Salt to taste
  • 2 tbsp wheat flour optional

Noodles

Additional

  • 150 g fresh tofu
  • mint leaves
  • Perilla leaves
  • Vietnamese balm or Thai basil
  • lemon slices

Instructions

For the broth

  • Peel and chop the onion into fine pieces. Wash tomatoes and cut them into quarters. Peel the garlic and crush it.
  • Place a large stock pot on the stove over medium-high heat. Add the oil, the minced onion, the chicken bouillon cubes, and the crushed garlic cloves. Sauté for about five minutes.
  • Next, add the cut tomatoes and mix, turning occasionally.
  • Add fish sauce, fermented shrimp paste, salt, sugar, and tomato paste. Mix for 1 -2 minutes.
  • Add the eight cups of water into the soup pot and cook over medium-high heat for 30-mins, uncovered. This allows the broth to develop its intense flavors.
  • As the broth is cooking, start preparing the meatballs.

For the meatballs

  • Wash and dry the fresh shrimp. Using a sharp knife cut the shrimp into very small pieces, almost like ground shrimp.
  • Place the chopped shrimp in a small bowl. Add crab, ground pork, chopped onions and chives, egg, crushed garlic cloves, fish sauce, and a pinch of salt to taste.
  • Mix all the ingredients together. If the consistency of the meatballs is too runny, add a little wheat flour.
  • Using two spoons, shape the mixture into meatballs and place them into the large pot of boiling broth. Reduce heat if the soup broth is bubbling too intensely.
  • Cook for about fifteen minutes over medium-low heat until the crab mixture meatballs float to the top. You can also break one meatball to make sure it is not raw on the inside.

For the noodles

  • Cook the rice vermicelli noodles according to the package instructions.
  • Drain excess water and set aside for serving.

Assemble the dish

  • Divide the noodles and place them in the bottom of a bowl. Add fried tofu and meatballs.
  • Using a ladle, pour the hot broth and tomatoes into a bowl.
  • Garnish with your choice of fresh herbs.
  • Serve immediately and enjoy.

Notes

If you want more intense flavor you can can serve the soup with a side of fish sauce

Nutrition

Serving: 1 | Calories: 1086kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 122g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 7g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Trans Fat: 0.05g | Cholesterol: 1365mg | Sodium: 7849mg | Potassium: 1144mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1766IU | Vitamin C: 38mg | Calcium: 597mg | Iron: 11mg
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