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Bún Riêu, a Vietnamese crab noodle soup, is a dish that beautifully captures the flavours of Vietnam‘s coastal and agricultural regions. Known for its vibrant broth, tangy tomato base, and delicate crab paste, Bún Riêu is a favourite among street food lovers and home cooks alike.
This soup brings together the lightness of fresh vegetables, the depth of crab and shrimp, and the tanginess of tomatoes, making it an unforgettable experience for the senses.
What Is Bún Riêu?
Bún Riêu is a traditional Vietnamese soup that combines thin rice noodles (bún) with a flavourful crab and tomato broth. This dish is commonly made with a blend of fresh crab meat, tomatoes, and other seafood, often enriched with the addition of fermented shrimp paste for a unique, savoury depth.
The soup’s most distinguishing feature is the crab paste mixture, which forms tender “crab cakes” as it cooks, giving the dish both substance and rich, natural flavour.
The soup is typically served with a plate of fresh herbs and greens, such as perilla, mint, shredded banana blossom, and water spinach, which diners add to their liking.
The interplay of flavours; sweet crab, sour tomato, and aromatic herbs, makes Bún Riêu a dish that feels both comforting and exciting, offering a range of tastes and textures in every bite.
Ingredients and Taste
The base of Bún Riêu is a light yet flavourful broth made from pork or seafood stock, to which tomatoes are added for a slight acidity and sweetness. Fresh or canned crab is a main ingredient, often combined with ground shrimp and egg to create a delicate mixture that adds a rich, oceanic flavor to the broth. This crab mixture is spooned into the soup as it cooks, forming fluffy, tender pieces that float atop the noodles.
Fermented shrimp paste, while optional, is a defining element in many traditional recipes. Its strong aroma and intense flavour bring an umami depth that makes the soup taste distinctively Vietnamese. The dish is seasoned with fish sauce, sugar, and sometimes a touch of vinegar, achieving a balance of savoury, tangy, and mildly sweet flavours.
The toppings are essential to the Bún Riêu experience. Fresh herbs, lime wedges, and sometimes a dash of chili are added by each diner to personalize the soup to their taste. The final result is a bright, tangy, and slightly briny soup, with the crab paste adding a touch of richness. Each bowl is a sensory journey, from the subtle sweetness of the tomatoes to the rich depth of the seafood.
A Taste of History
Bún Riêu has its roots in Vietnam’s rural kitchens, where freshwater crab and tomatoes were plentiful and affordable. Originally, this dish was considered a peasant meal, created by those living near rivers and fields, who would gather small crabs and grind them to make a protein rich base for the soup.
Over time, Bún Riêu became more popular, finding its way into city markets and street food stalls, where it gained a devoted following.
The dish reflects the resourcefulness of Vietnamese cooking, using ingredients that are fresh and local to build complex, layered flavours. It also speaks to Vietnam’s connection to the land and sea, where dishes are created based on what nature provides. Today, Bún Riêu is enjoyed not only as a comfort food but as a symbol of traditional Vietnamese flavours.
Vietnamese Bún Riêu (Crab Noodle Soup) Recipe
Serves: 4 people
Ingredients:
For the Broth:
- 1.5 litres of pork or chicken stock
- 200g pork ribs (optional, for extra flavour)
- 2 large tomatoes, chopped
- 1 onion, quartered
- 3-4 dried shrimp, rinsed and soaked in water for 15 minutes
- 1 tbsp shrimp paste (mắm tôm)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- Salt and pepper to taste
For the Crab Mixture:
- 200g fresh crab meat (or 1 jar of canned crab paste)
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp fish sauce
- 1/4 tsp pepper
For Assembly:
- 400g fresh rice noodles (bún)
- 1 block of firm tofu, cut into cubes and fried until golden
- Fresh herbs (perilla, cilantro, and green onions), chopped
- Bean sprouts
- Lime wedges
- Fresh chili slices and/or chili paste (optional)
Directions
In a large pot, bring the pork or chicken stock to a boil over medium-high heat. Add the pork ribs (if using), onion, and dried shrimp, letting everything simmer gently for about 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld. Skim any foam from the surface to keep the broth clear.
Add the shrimp paste, fish sauce, and salt to the broth, stirring well to blend the seasoning. The shrimp paste gives Bún Riêu its distinctive aroma and taste, but adjust to your preference if you prefer a milder flavour.
In a mixing bowl, combine the fresh crab meat with the eggs, fish sauce, and pepper. Stir well to make a smooth mixture. If fresh crab meat isn’t available, you can use a jar of canned crab paste, but adjust the seasoning as it may be more intense.
Reduce the heat to low, then gently pour spoonful’s of the crab mixture into the simmering broth. Allow the mixture to set for a few minutes without stirring, letting it form into tender, fluffy pieces.
Add the chopped tomatoes to the broth, and continue simmering until the tomatoes soften, about 10 minutes. The tomatoes will release a slight tanginess that balances the broth's richness.
Prepare the rice noodles by cooking them according to package instructions or rinsing them briefly in hot water. Drain and set aside, ready for serving.
Add the fried tofu cubes to the broth, allowing them to soak up the flavors for a few minutes. Taste the broth and adjust seasoning with salt or fish sauce if needed.
To serve, place a generous portion of noodles in each bowl, then ladle the hot broth, crab mixture, and tofu over the noodles. Garnish with fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and chili slices as desired. Serve with lime wedges and extra chili paste on the side to allow guests to adjust to taste.
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