Vegan Bun Thit Nuong (Vietnamese Grilled Pork Noodles)

Vegan Bun Thit Nuong (Vietnamese Grilled Pork Noodles) is one of those Vietnamese dishes that has it all. Cold rice vermicelli noodles are topped with smoky, caramelised lemongrass skewers, pickled carrots and daikon, crunchy peanuts, and plenty of fresh herbs.

Everything comes together with a generous drizzle of savoury-sweet nước chấm, creating one of the most vibrant and satisfying noodle bowls in Vietnamese cuisine.

Jump to:

• 🤔What is Bun Thit Nuong?
• 💓Why You'll Love This Vegan Bun Thit Nuong
• 📝How To Make Vegan Bun Thit Nuong
• 🌿Final Thoughts
• 📖 Recipe
• 💬 Reviews

🤔What is Bun Thit Nuong?

Bún thịt nướng is a southern Vietnamese noodle dish that translates literally as 'noodles with grilled meat'. It is a cold noodle bowl served at room temperature, layered with grilled marinated pork, fresh and pickled vegetables, fried shallots, roasted peanuts, herbs, and a bowl of nuoc cham for pouring over the top.

The vegan version replaces the traditional grilled pork with skewers of vegan TVP slices and king oyster mushroom threaded alternately onto bamboo sticks, marinated in a deeply savoury lemongrass sauce, and air-fried until caramelised and smoky. The alternating pattern is not just for looks: the mushroom and vegan TVP cook at a similar rate, and the two textures together (tender mushroom, chewy vegan meat) make every skewer more interesting than either ingredient alone.

Unlike Phở or Bún Bò Huế, Bún Thịt Nướng has no hot broth. The dipping sauce is the liquid element, and it is poured over the assembled bowl just before eating, soaking into the noodles and bringing everything together. It is a dish built on contrast: hot and cold, crispy and soft, fresh and pickled, sweet and sour. Every bite is different from the last.

For a Northern Vietnamese version, check out my Vegan Bun Cha recipe!

💓Why You'll Love This Vegan Bun Thit Nuong

• The skewer presentation is stunning and makes this dish feel festive: alternating vegan pork and king oyster mushroom on bamboo sticks looks as good as it tastes.
• The lemongrass marinade is deeply flavourful and incredibly versatile: the marinated skewers are just as good served over rice or tucked into a bánh mì.
• Served at room temperature with cold noodles, it is a perfect warm-weather meal that doesn't require any reheating or timing precision.
• It scales up easily for a crowd, just lay everything out in separate bowls and let people build their own.

💡Small fun fact: Bún thịt nướng is often served with chả giò (fried spring rolls) alongside the grilled protein. The combination of the two is so popular that many menus list it as 'bún thịt nướng chả giò'. Check out my recipe for fried spring rolls if you want to experience everything this dish has to offer.

📝How To Make Vegan Bun Thit Nuong

Ingredients

Protein Skewer

• 80g vegan TVP slices
• 200g King oyster mushrooms

Marinade

• 2 stalks lemongrass, finely minced
• 3 garlic cloves
• 2 shallots
• 3 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon vegan oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon dark soy sauce (optional)
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil
• A pinch of black pepper
• ½ teaspoon five-spice (optional)

Bowl

• 200g Rice vermicelli
• Lettuce
• 1-2 cucumbers
• 1 carrot
• A handful of mint, Thai basil or cilantro

Vegan Nước Chấm (Vietnamese dipping sauce)

• 3 tablespoon warm water
• 2 tablespoon lime juice
• 1½ tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 Thai bird-eye chili

Garnishes

• Roasted peanuts
• Crispy shallots
• Scallion oil (optional)

Instructions

Prep:

• Soak the vegan TVP slices in hot water for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut the king oyster mushrooms into thick chunks (similar size as the TVP slices).
• Mince the lemongrass, garlic and shallot.
• Squeeze out the excess water from the TVP slices.

First step: Marinate the skewer ingredients

• In a large bowl, combine the minced lemongrass, garlic, shallot, soy sauce, vegan oyster sauce, sugar, oil, five-spice, and pepper. Then add the vegan slices and mushroom chunks and toss thoroughly to coat.
• Marinate for at least 30 minutes at room temperature, or up to 4 hours in the fridge.

Second step: Thread the skewers

• Remove the bamboo skewers from the water and pat dry. Then thread the marinated ingredients onto each skewer in an alternating pattern: vegan TVP, mushroom, vegan pork, mushroom, continuing until the skewer is filled, leaving a little space at each end for handling.

Third step: Air-fry the skewers

• Preheat the air fryer to 200°C.
• Arrange the skewers in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You may need to cook in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.
• Air-fry for 15-20 minutes, turning the skewers halfway through, until the vegan pork and mushrooms are deeply golden, slightly charred at the edges, and sticky with caramelised marinade.
• Brush with some of the leftover marinate.

While waiting, make the nước chấm (dipping sauce) and scallion oil

• Combine the vegan fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and warm water in a bowl. Stir until the sugar dissolves completely.
• Add the minced garlic and chilli, then taste and adjust. The sauce should be a bright, balanced blend of sweet, sour, salty and spicy.
• Next, chop the scallion and put in a bowl with a pinch of salt on top. This will neutralize the heated oil splatter which can cause burns (scallion is around 90% water).
• Proceed to heat the oil and pour over the scallion with cautions.

• If you're using dry vermicelli, cook them according to the packet instructions. Then drain and rinse under cold water until completely cool.

Assemble the bowls

• Divide the cold vermicelli noodles between bowls. Then lay one or two skewers across the top of each bowl, or slide the pieces off the skewers directly onto the noodles.
• Add a generous pile of drained pickled vegetables and sliced cucumber.
• Scatter fried shallots and crushed roasted peanuts over the top, then add a handful of fresh herbs alongside.
• Drizzle the scallion oil before pouring 3-4 tbs of nước chấm over the bowl, or serve the dipping sauce on the side and let everyone pour their own.
• Toss everything together nicely and then, bite. 😋

🎯Tips for success:

• No vegan TVP slices? Firm tofu (pressed and cut into chunks) or tempeh work well as substitutes. They absorb the marinade beautifully and caramelise in the same way.
• Don't pack the ingredients too tightly on the skewer: a small gap between each piece allows the hot air to circulate and caramelise all sides evenly.
• Brush the skewers with any remaining marinade halfway through cooking for an extra layer of flavour and a glossier finish.
• The beauty of bún thịt nướng is in the toss. Once the nước chấm goes in, mix everything together so every strand of noodle is coated and every ingredient is evenly distributed. Don't be shy about it.

🌿Final Thoughts

Vegan Bun Thit Nuong is a crowd favourite for reasons that become obvious the moment you put the bowl on the table. It looks spectacular! This is a dish with many components, but none of them are complicated. Make the marinade, thread the skewers, air-fry, and let the fresh ingredients do the rest.

Part of what makes it so crowd-friendly is how customisable it is. The components are all served separately, which means everyone can build their bowl exactly how they like it: more herbs, more pickles, extra nuoc cham, hold the chilli. It accommodates different tastes and dietary needs without any extra effort, which makes it one of the best dishes to cook when you're feeding a mixed group.

Then the lemongrass skewers are the real star. There is something about the alternating pattern of vegan pork and king oyster mushroom: golden, slightly charred, sticky with caramelised marinade, that makes people stop and reach for one before the bowl is even assembled. Make extra. You will want them again before the week is out.

If you have tried my recipe then please let me know what you think by leaving me a review on this page or tagging me on Instagram @veggieanh. I would love to see your creations!

Print

📖 Recipe