Bun Bo Xao Vietnamese Noodle Salad (Print Version)
Fresh Vietnamese rice noodles with marinated beef, vegetables, and herbs in tangy dressing.
# What You Need:
→ For the Beef
01 - 14 oz sirloin or flank steak, thinly sliced
02 - 2 tbsp soy sauce
03 - 1 tbsp fish sauce
04 - 1 tbsp oyster sauce
05 - 1 tsp sugar
06 - 2 cloves garlic, minced
07 - 1 tbsp vegetable oil
→ For the Salad
08 - 10.5 oz dried rice vermicelli noodles
09 - 1 small cucumber, julienned
10 - 2 carrots, julienned
11 - 1 cup bean sprouts
12 - 1 cup lettuce, shredded
13 - 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
14 - 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
15 - 1/4 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
16 - 2 scallions, thinly sliced
17 - 1 red chili, thinly sliced (optional)
→ For the Nuoc Cham Dressing
18 - 4 tbsp fish sauce
19 - 4 tbsp lime juice (about 2 limes)
20 - 3 tbsp sugar
21 - 4 tbsp water
22 - 1 clove garlic, minced
23 - 1 small red chili, minced (optional)
# How-To:
01 - Combine sliced beef with soy sauce, fish sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, minced garlic, and vegetable oil in a bowl. Mix thoroughly and let marinate for at least 15 minutes.
02 - Cook rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions. Drain well, rinse under cold water to stop cooking and prevent sticking, then set aside.
03 - Whisk together fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, water, minced garlic, and chili in a small bowl until sugar completely dissolves. Adjust seasoning to taste.
04 - Julienne cucumber and carrots into thin strips. Rinse bean sprouts and shred lettuce. Keep all vegetables and fresh herbs refrigerated until assembly.
05 - Heat a large skillet or wok over high heat until smoking. Add marinated beef and stir-fry rapidly for 2-3 minutes until just cooked through and slightly caramelized. Remove immediately from heat.
06 - Divide vermicelli noodles among four serving bowls. Arrange lettuce, cucumber, carrots, and bean sprouts on top. Add sautéed beef and garnish generously with mint, cilantro, scallions, peanuts, and sliced chili.
07 - Drizzle nuoc cham dressing over each bowl immediately before serving. Offer additional dressing on the side for guests to adjust flavor intensity.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- You get that perfect contrast between hot sautéed beef and cool crisp vegetables that makes Vietnamese food so addictive
- The nuoc cham dressing keeps for weeks in the fridge so you can whip this up whenever the craving strikes
02 -
- Overcooking the beef makes it tough, so pull it from the heat while it still looks slightly underdone
- The noodles must be rinsed thoroughly in cold water or they'll continue cooking and turn to mush
03 -
- Freeze your beef for 30 minutes before slicing to get paper thin strips every time
- Use a vegetable peeler to create quick uniform carrot ribbons instead of julienne