Elevate your taste experience with our Vegan Bún Chay Vietnamese Noodle Salad. It’s a tantalizing fusion of vibrant colors, bold flavors, and refreshing textures that promises a culinary adventure like no other.
Hey there, foodie friends! Let me spill the beans on my absolute obsession lately—Vietnamese Noodle Salad. We’re talking a mix of fresh herbs, crunchy veggies, and these silky noodles that just bring it all together. Trust me, it’s become my go-to when I need a burst of tasty goodness. Toss it all up with a zingy dressing, and boom! You’ve got a Vietnamese Noodle Salad that’s light, refreshing, and seriously addictive. If you want more Vietnamese culinary delights, consider trying Vietnamese Pepper Pork in 15 Minutes, Skinny Vietnamese Steak Salad, and Vietnamese Vermicelli Bowl (“Bun”).
Since I made this at home, I was able to keep the dressing/seasoning vegan by using mushroom soy sauce instead of fish sauce. Most of the places around here call this dish “bun chay”. Although I’ve also seen it called Vietnamese rice noodle salad, Vietnamese vermicelli noodle salad, Vietnamese bun recipe, bun Vietnamese salad, Vietnamese noodle salad, and about a thousand other things.
Table of Contents
Reasons to Love This Noodle Salad
- Packed with fresh vegetables and lean proteins, it’s a fresh and healthy nutritious choice that doesn’t compromise on flavor.
- Packed with fresh vegetables and lean proteins, it’s a fresh and healthy nutritious choice that doesn’t compromise on flavor. If you love veggies, you can explore another Vietnamese dish, my Vietnamese Chicken and Cabbage Salad recipe.
- It has the perfect blend of sweet, sour, salty, and spicy flavors.
- Suitable as a light lunch, side dish, or customizable main course, Vietnamese Noodle Salad is a versatile meal that caters to various meal preferences.
- The combination of soft noodles, crunchy vegetables, and chewy proteins offers a satisfying and diverse texture in every bite.
Recipe Ingredients
- Thin Rice Noodles (Vermicelli-style): These serve as the base of the salad which provides a soft and delicate texture.
- Carrots: Julienned carrots add a sweet and crunchy element to the salad.
- Bell Pepper: Thinly sliced bell pepper contributes a crisp texture and vibrant color.
- Cucumber: English cucumber half moons bring a refreshing and juicy crunch.
- Herbs (Cilantro, Thai Basil, Mint Leaves): These herbs add a burst of fresh, aromatic flavors that are essential to the salad’s flavor.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
Variations
- Brown Rice Noodles: Swap the thin rice noodles with brown rice noodles for a whole grain option that maintains the texture and complements the salad’s flavors.
- Maple Syrup for Sugar: Replace coconut or date sugar in the dressing with maple syrup for a natural sweetener that blends seamlessly.
- Tamari for Mushroom Soy Sauce: Use tamari instead of mushroom soy sauce for a gluten-free alternative that keeps the umami flavor intact.
- Almonds for Peanuts: Substitute chopped almonds for peanuts to add a different nutty crunch without altering the overall taste profile.
- Lime Zest in Dressing: Add a bit of lime zest to the dressing for an extra citrusy zing, enhancing the existing lime juice component.
How to Make Vietnamese Noodle Salad
Step #1: Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil for cooking the noodles.
Step #2: While the water is heating, whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside to infuse.
Step #3: After the water boils, cook the noodles according to the package directions; then rinse with cold water, drain well, and divide into four serving bowls.
Step #4: Heat one tablespoon of peanut oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the tofu pieces and fry until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes on each side.
Step #5: While the tofu is frying, stir the mushroom soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar together in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
Step #6: Once you brown the tofu, pour this mixture into the pan. Allow the sauce to cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it begins to thicken. Flip the tofu to ensure the sauce coats and sticks to each side. Cook for another minute or so until the tofu caramelizes and becomes sticky. Transfer the tofu to the noodle bowls.
Step #7: Top the noodle bowls with julienned carrot, sliced bell pepper, cucumber half moons, herbs, and peanuts.
Step #8: Pour a quarter of the prepared dressing over each bowl. Serve immediately.
Expert Tips
- Don’t Overcrowd the Pan: When frying or sautéing, avoid overcrowding the pan to ensure even cooking and proper browning.
- Control Heat Wisely: Understand your heat sources; sometimes a low and slow approach is better than high heat.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, use gluten-free soy sauce or tamari to make this recipe gluten-free.
Add a little more sugar or honey to balance the tanginess.
Definitely, it’s a crowd-pleaser and can be easily scaled up for larger gatherings.
Increase the amount of bird’s eye chilies in the dressing for extra heat.
Storage Info
For this Vietnamese Noodle Salad, store the components separately in airtight containers in the refrigerator. The dressed salad stays fresh for up to 2 days, but it’s best enjoyed fresh for optimal texture. Unfortunately, freezing is not recommended, as it will significantly diminish the quality and texture of the ingredients, especially the noodles and fresh vegetables. If you need to reheat the tofu, do so gently in a skillet over medium heat until it’s warmed through, but be mindful that reheating may alter its texture.
Vegan Bún Chay Recipe (Vietnamese Noodle Salad Recipe)
RECOMMENDED PRODUCTS
Ingredients
For the Dressing
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons coconut or date sugar*
- 2 tablespoons mushroom soy sauce - or low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons freshly grated lemongrass - white part only
- 1 clove garlic - grated
- 1 to 2 bird’s eye chilies - sliced (optional)
- 2 to 3 dashes Maggi seasoning
- 1 tablespoon water
For the Bún Chay
- 8 ounces thin rice noodles - vermicelli-style
- 2 carrots - julienned
- 1 large bell pepper - orange, yellow, or red, thinly sliced
- 1 cup English cucumber half moons
- 1 cup cilantro stems and leaves - remove tough stem ends if desired
- 1 cup Thai basil leaves
- 1 cup mint leaves
- 1 cup chopped peanuts
- Lime wedges for serving - optional
For the Caramelized Tofu
- 1 tablespoon peanut oil
- 14 ounces firm tofu - sliced into bite-sized rectangles
- 2 teaspoons mushroom soy sauce - or low sodium soy-sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon coconut or date sugar
Instructions
- Set a large pot of water on the stove to boil for cooking the noodles.
- While the water is heating, whisk the dressing ingredients together in a small bowl. Set aside to infuse.
- After the water boils, cook the noodles according to the package directions; then rinse with cold water, drain well, and divide into four serving bowls.
- Heat one tablespoon of peanut oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Add the tofu pieces and fry until golden brown, about 5 to 7 minutes on each side.
- While the tofu is frying, stir the mushroom soy sauce, sesame oil, and sugar together in a small bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
- Once you brown the tofu, pour this mixture into the pan. Allow the sauce to cook for 1 to 2 minutes until it begins to thicken. Flip the tofu to ensure the sauce coats and sticks to each side. Cook for another minute or so until the tofu caramelizes and becomes sticky. Transfer the tofu to the noodle bowls.
- Top the noodle bowls with julienned carrot, sliced bell pepper, cucumber half moons, herbs, and peanuts.
- Pour a quarter of the prepared dressing over each bowl. Serve immediately.
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NOTES
Nutrition
Is one serving really 655 calories?
Yes, it is. I reran the nutrition calculator and it is correct.
Step 1 – boil water for what? It’s not related to whisking the dressing. Bit confused here!
Hi Emma, boiling the water is for cooking the noodles. Sorry for the confusion, I have updated the instructions to make them clearer.
My husband and I have made this salad a few times now and we LOVE it. I have an aerogarden where we grow both Thai basil and mint, and this is a perfect dish to use it up. Before COVID, we would regularly order bun salads at local Thai restaurants, and this satisfies our cravings perfectly. Now that we have made it a few times, it only take us half an hour as well, with the use of our handy mandolin.
We loved this so much we had it two nights in a row! A real flavour explosion. I made no changes other than to use normal basil as I couldn’t find Thai. I couldn’t really time myself on the first night, as I was having ‘one of those nights’ where I was losing things and knocking things over and generally being hopeless. The second attempt was very smooth however, and all done in about 25 minutes (the dressing was already made from the night before however). Will definitely be making again – very soon 🙂
I’m making this tonight and am very excited. I live in the far west side of Portland and have been looking for Maggi for years and can’t find it. Where do you get it?
Also, I don’t know where you are located but Vivi’s Noodle House in Hillsboro is the best Vietnamese food I’ve had on the west side.
I Kyra,
I get my Maggi seasoning from Amazon. Here are several options: https://amzn.to/3f33Nb9
I cooked this for my boyfriend’s family (their standard for food is HIGH) and it was an absolute success and I must say extremely tasty. I did use all the ingredients apart from coriander as I could not find it in Turkey, and I used regular fish sauce. I must mention though that this took me about 1,5 hours, never 30 mins!
An absolutely delicious dish!