Vietnamese Crab Noodle Soup (Bun Rieu) Recipe
Vietnamese Crab Noodle Soup (Bun Rieu) is a flavorful traditional Vietnamese dish featuring a rich, aromatic broth made from pork neck bones and shrimp shells, infused with tangy tamarind and seasoned crab paste. Combined with tender shrimp and pork meatballs, fresh rice noodles, tomatoes, and an array of fresh herbs and toppings, this comforting soup balances umami, sweetness, sourness, and spice for a truly satisfying meal.
- Prep Time: 25 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 55 minutes
- Yield: 6-8 servings 1x
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients
Scale
Noodles & Broth
- 2 (8-ounce) packages rice noodles
- 1 1/2 pounds pork neck bones
- 2 pounds head-on shrimp
- 3 tablespoons seasoned crab paste
- 3 tablespoons sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon tamarind powder
- 2 teaspoons shrimp paste
- 4 large tomatoes, quartered
Meatballs & Assembly
- 2 pounds peeled shrimp (from the broth)
- 5 large eggs
- 1 white onion, half chopped, half thinly sliced
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 1 bunch scallions, chopped and divided
- 3 tablespoons seasoned crab paste
- 1 1/2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon shrimp paste
- 1 pound lump crab meat
- 1/2 pound ground pork
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup water
- Fried tofu (optional)
- Chopped cilantro, for garnish
- Chile sate (spicy chili oil), for garnish
- Bean sprouts, for garnish
- Limes, cut into quarters, for serving
Instructions
- Cook the Noodles: Bring a large pot of boiling water and cook the rice noodles until al dente, about 3-5 minutes depending on noodle thickness. Drain and rinse under cold water to stop cooking. Set aside.
- Prepare the Broth Base: Place the pork neck bones in a large stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and then discard the water to remove impurities. Refill with 5 quarts of fresh water and boil gently for at least 1 hour to develop the broth’s flavor.
- Add Shrimp Shells: Peel the shrimp, reserving the shrimp meat for meatballs. Add the shrimp heads and shells to the boiling broth and continue cooking for about 20 minutes until the broth develops a red hue from the shrimp shells. Strain out the shells and bones to leave a clear broth.
- Season the Broth: Stir in the seasoned crab paste, sugar, kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, tamarind powder, and shrimp paste. Add the quartered tomatoes and simmer gently while preparing meatballs.
- Make the Meatball Paste: In a food processor, combine peeled shrimp, eggs, half the chopped white onion, shallots, one portion of chopped scallions, crab paste, sugar, shrimp paste, and water. Process until smooth to form a uniform paste.
- Form Meatballs: Gently fold the lump crab meat and ground pork into the shrimp paste mixture until evenly combined. Shape into small meatballs by hand.
- Cook Meatballs in Broth: Gently lower the meatballs into the boiling broth. Add fried tofu if using. Meatballs are cooked when they float to the surface, about 5-7 minutes.
- Assemble the Soup: Divide noodles into serving bowls. Ladle hot broth with tomatoes and meatballs over the noodles. Garnish with chopped cilantro, chile sate, bean sprouts, remaining scallions, and thinly sliced white onion. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing over.
Notes
- The broth improves in flavor the longer it simmers; simmer for 2-3 hours if time allows.
- Using head-on shrimp shells is essential to developing the broth’s signature red color and flavor.
- Fried tofu adds texture and is optional based on preference.
- Adjust the amount of chile sate to control the heat level.
- This soup is best served immediately to enjoy the freshness of the toppings and noodles.
Keywords: Vietnamese crab noodle soup, Bun Rieu, crab paste soup, Vietnamese seafood soup, rice noodle soup, pork neck broth
