Traditional Bun Cha Hanoi (Vietnamese Pork Meatballs)

A bowl of vietnamese meatballs (bun cha hanoi), pickled papaya, and pickled carrots in Vietnamese dipping sauce.

5 from 7 ratings

Traditional Bun Cha Hanoi (Vietnamese Pork Meatballs)

Bun Cha Hanoi is a classic vermicelli noodle dish served with delicious Vietnamese meatballs made from ground pork and authentic Vietnamese seasonings. The meatballs are easy to make at home, and are traditionally served alongside pickled vegetables, vermicelli noodles, and nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce).

Prep Time1 30

Cook Time15

Course: Dinner, Main Course

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Diet: Gluten Free

Keyword: bun cha hanoi, bun cha hanoi recipe, Vietnamese grilled pork meatballs

Servings: people

Calories: 688kcal

Author: Becca Du

Equipment

Cast Iron Grill Pan

Ingredients

Vietnamese Pork Meatballs

2 lb ground pork
1 tsp pepper
2 tsp granulated sugar
1/2 tsp cinnamon
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tsp vegetable oil
1 stalk lemongrass minced
1 shallot minced

Pickled Vegetables

2 carrots thinly sliced
1/2 small green papaya thinly sliced
1 cup water
1 cup apple cider vinegar

Vermicelli Bowl Toppings

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pickle the green papaya and carrots. Combine all the ingredients for the pickled veggies in a large jar and set aside. Let sit for at least 3 hours or overnight. I would highly recommend leaving it overnight for the best results.
Marinate the pork . Combine all the ingredients for the pork meatballs into a large bowl. Let marinate for 20-30 minutes. Form pork into circular pieces with a 1.5 inch diameter. They should be the size and shape of slider patties.
After forming the meatballs, grill them on a grill pan or outdoor grill. Grill for 2-3 minutes on each side until brown on both sides. Set aside.
Add some of the pork meatballs and pickled veggies to a small bowl. Cover with Vietnamese dipping sauce until the liquid just covers both.
Serve with the pork meatballs, vegetables, and noodles separately. Each person should make their own vermicelli bowl using these components. See above section for how to eat this dish.

Notes

If you don't have a grill or grill pan, preheat the oven to 400 degrees F and bake for 10-15 minutes.
You will have pickled vegetables left over. Use them for banh mi or other vermicelli bowl recipes.

Nutrition