Bun Chay is a refreshing and versatile Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Lemongrass Tofu, Savory Mushrooms, tangy pickled carrots, refreshing herbs, and vibrant vegan fish sauce dressing.

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Bun Chay (Vegan Vietnamese Noodle Salad) is one of my favourite recipes when craving something refreshing, vibrant and delicious! It's also perfect for meal prepping, easy to make and quick to make.
One of the highlights of this recipe is the exquisite balance and diverse range of each component it offers, including the fragrant lemongrass tofu, the savory and irresistibly crispy mushrooms, the tangy pickled carrot and daikon (đồ chua), and a vegan fish sauce mix that brings everything together.
For similar recipes, check out Vegan Summer Rolls, Sesame Spring Roll Bowl and Lemongrass Tofu.
Check out Instant Pho Jar and Vegan Banh Mi with Mushrooms for more Vietnamese meal prep recipes.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for Meal Prep: This is one of my go-to recipes for meal-prepping, as I can prep components separately, and assemble the components into a noodle, rice bowl or banh mi.
- Easy to make: Bun Chay is relatively simple to prepare once the ingredients are ready. The noodles require minimal cooking, and the vegetables can be easily sliced or prepared beforehand. The dressing is also quick to make, and you can adjust the flavors according to your taste.
- Customizable: One of the great things about Bun Chay is its versatility. You can customize it to suit your preferences and dietary needs. You can opt for tofu or soy-based protein as your main ingredient if you're a vegetarian or vegan. You can also add extras like crushed peanuts, crispy shallots, or pickled carrots and daikon radish to enhance the flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Bun Chay recipe uses the following ingredients:
- Tofu
- Oyster mushrooms
- Carrot
- Daikon
Seasoning:
- Lemongrass (minced)
- Shallot (minced)
- Chili pepper (minced)
- Soy sauce
- Vegan oyster sauce
- Brown sugar
Instructions
Make the Lemongrass Tofu:
- Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces.
- Remove the tough outer part of the lemongrass. Finely mince the lemongrass and chili pepper. Alternatively, you can chop them into chunks and put them in a food processor.
- In a pan on medium-high heat, add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu cubes and fry them until golden and crispy on both sides. Then transfer them to a plate and set aside.
- Add the minced lemongrass, garlic and chili back to the pan with 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir fry for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the tofu and mix.
- Add the soy sauce, sugar and turmeric powder (for color). Stir fry for a couple of minutes until all flavors are incorporated then transfer to a plate.
- Serve the lemongrass chili tofu with rice or vermicelli noodles, cucumber, and coriander to balance the savory and spicy flavor.
Make the Marinated Mushrooms:
- Marinate the oyster mushrooms with lemongrass, shallot, garlic, soy sauce, vegan fish sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, brown sugar, and hot water for 30 minutes.
- Fry the mushrooms in oil until golden brown on all sides.
Pickled carrot and daikon:
- Add julienned carrot and daikon to a jar or a glass container. Add the rice vinegar, salt, and sugar to the jar.
- Shake the jar to allow the ingredients to marinate.
Vegan 'Fish' Sauce:
- Add all the ingredients to a jar. Mix well to combine.
Assemble:
- To a plate, add the lettuce, cilantro, mushrooms, lemongrass tofu, and pour over the sauce.
If you have tried my recipe, 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
Bun Chay (Vietnamese Noodle Salad)
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings 1x
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Bun Chay is a refreshing and versatile Vietnamese Noodle Salad with Lemongrass Tofu, marinated oyster mushrooms, pickled carrot, cucumber, refreshing herbs, and 'fish' sauce dressing.
Ingredients
Lemongrass Tofu:
- 400g firm tofu
- 2 stalks lemongrass
- 1 bird-eye Thai chili
- 3 cloves garlic
- 1 pinch of salt
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 1 tbsp sugar
Marinated Mushrooms:
- 200g oyster mushrooms
- 1 lemongrass (finely minced)
- 1 shallot (finely minced)
- 3 cloves of garlic (finely minced)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp vegan fish sauce
- 1 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 tbsp hot water
Pickled carrots and daikon: *
- 2 medium carrots (julienned)
- 1 daikon (julienned)
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp salt
- 2 tbsp sugar
- ½ cup hot water
Other toppings:
- 200g rice noodles
- Lettuce
- 25g cilantro
Vegan Fish Sauce Mix:
- 2 tbsp vegan fish sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 3 cloves garlic (finely minced)
- 1 chili (finely minced)
- 6 tbsp hot water
Instructions
Make the Lemongrass Tofu:
- Cut the tofu into bite-sized pieces.
- Remove the tough outer part of the lemongrass. Finely minced the lemongrass and chili pepper. Alternatively, you can chop them into chunks and put them in a food processor.
- In a pan on medium high heat, add the oil. Once the oil is hot, add the tofu cubes and fry them until golden and crispy on both sides. Then transfer them to a plate and set aside.
- Add the minced lemongrass, garlic and chili back to the pan with 1 tablespoon of oil. Stir fry for 2 minutes until fragrant.
- Add the tofu and mix with together.
- Add the soy sauce, sugar and turmeric powder (for color). Stir fry for a couple of minutes until all flavors are incorporated then transfer to a plate.
- Serve the lemongrass chili tofu with rice or vermicelli noodles, cucumber, and coriander to balance the savory and spicy flavor.
Make the Marinated Mushrooms:
- Marinate the oyster mushrooms with lemongrass, shallot, garlic, soy sauce, vegan fish sauce, vegetarian oyster sauce, brown sugar, and hot water for 30 minutes.
- Fry the mushrooms in oil until golden brown on all sides.
Pickled carrot and daikon:
- Add julienned carrot and daikon to a jar or a glass container. Add the rice vinegar, salt, sugar, and hot water to the jar.
- Shake the jar a couple of times to allow the ingredients to marinate.
Vegan 'Fish' Sauce:
- Add all the ingredients to a jar. Mix well to combine.
Assemble:
- To a plate, add the lettuce, cilantro, mushrooms, lemongrass tofu, and pour over the sauce.
Notes
* The pickled carrot and daikon could be store in the fridge for up to 3 weeks.
- Prep Time: 40 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: meal prepping,
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
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