Cooking Lucid
Bun Rieu
Tomato and crab noodle soup with fried tofu, pork, and a tangy broth. A Hanoi favorite — sour, savory, and deeply satisfying.
Prep 25 min
Cook 40 min
Total 1h 5m
Serves 6
Ingredients
Step 1 — Make the broth
- 2 cans (14 oz each) crushed tomatoes
- 6 cups pork or chicken broth
- 2 tbsp shrimp paste
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp annatto oil
- 1 block (14 oz) fried tofu (cubed)
Step 2 — Crab mixture
- 8 oz crab meat or crab paste
- 2 eggs (beaten)
- 1 lb ground pork
- 2 shallots (minced)
- Salt and pepper
Step 3 — Assemble
- 1 lb rice vermicelli (cooked)
- Shredded water spinach
- Mint
- Fried shallots
- Lime wedges
Instructions
- 1
Build the broth
Simmer tomatoes, broth, shrimp paste, fish sauce, sugar, and annatto oil 20 minutes. Add tofu cubes.
- 2
Add crab mixture
Mix crab, eggs, pork, and shallots. Drop spoonfuls into simmering broth to form soft meatballs. Cook 10 minutes.
- 3
Serve
Divide noodles among bowls. Ladle soup over. Top with water spinach, mint, and fried shallots. Serve with lime.
Nutrition per serving: 420 cal · 28g protein · 44g carbs · 16g fat · 3g fiber
For informational purposes only. Not medical or dietary advice. Verify ingredients for allergens, cooking times, and safe internal temperatures before serving.
