Vegan Bun Riêu (Vietnamese Noodle Soup Recipe)

🍲 Bún riêu chay ingredients 

Daikon

Daikon is pretty crucial for the rich flavor of traditional Vietnamese bún riêu. But if your grocery store fails you, Korean radish (the same thing you would use to make Kkakdugi with) will work fine.

Dulse Flakes

Dulse brings that ocean-adjacent umami I also use for veg-seafood-flavor-on-demand in my vegan kewpie mayo. If the flakes are MIA, toss in some kombu or another sea veg.

Vegan Fish Sauce

You can make your own by following my vegan fish sauce recipe. Otherwise, if you are going to buy some, I love Ocean's Halo vegan fish sauce because it brings the salty-fermented oomph I want on for nuoc cham, khao pad, and bánh tráng trộn.

If neither homemade or store-bought is realistic, soy sauce with a touch of rice vinegar works surprisingly well, or use a spoonful of my vegan shrimp paste.

Coconut Sugar

Coconut sugar is important for sweetening and balancing the flavors in the broth. Brown sugar and palm sugar, are both totally fine swaps.

Shallot

Shallots are used in the soup (like after the initial broth is made). Red onion is the easy backup, and honestly, regular yellow onions are fine to use here too.

Annatto Powder

Annatto, also known as achiote, is the same stuff I use in my pancit bihon and it gives that signature red color. It unlocks best in hot oil. Kashmiri red chili powder or paprika can cover the color if you can't get your hands on annatto.

Tamarind Concentrate

Grab a tamarind concentrate with a smoothie-style consistency and avoid the dark, thick Tam Con tamarind paste stuff. It's a great ingredients to keep on hand to fling into Thai salad dressing, nam prik pao, and nam jim jaew. Lime juice or a little tart cherry juice will come close enough in a grocery crisis.

Dried Rice Noodles

Use the same thin vermicelli noodles as you would use to serve with ca ri chay because they nicely absorb broth and seasonings. Always check package instructions so you won't overcook them. If gluten is not an issue just about any noodles (yes, even spaghetti) can be used instead. Fresh rice noodles are an option but aren't super convenient to keep on hand.

Beech Mushrooms

Beech mushrooms hold their shape even when the broth is piping hot. Enoki or oyster mushrooms can take their place if you can't get beech.

Vegan Ham

Use my vegan ham recipe but grab the inner part that has not been maple glazed. Any mock meat works here though, including the canned stuff from Asian grocery stores.

Tofu Puffs

Tofu puffs are tiny flavor traps that soak up broth. If you have some left over after making this, you can toss them into mee rebus or vegan curry laksa. Air-fried or pan fried tofu cubes work (but itn't as absorbent) if you can't find them.

Perilla Leaves

Totally optional but they bring that minty herby extra flavor that shows up on basically every Vietnamese herb plate. I toss a little bit on coconut jasmine rice and green curry fried rice too.

📖 How to make vegan Vietnamese crab noodle soup

If you're hangry enough to jaywalk across a Saigon roundabout for a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup, the recipe card below is your fast lane, beb. But if you want the full auntie-in-your-ear commentary with messy wisdom and nonsense energy, come hang with me right here.

Step One

Stock Options:

Place the daikon, carrots, apple, scallions, onion, ginger, dulse flakes, vegan fish sauce, coconut sugar, water, and salt into a large stockpot. Bring it to a full boil over high heat, then lower the temperature and let it simmer steadily for 60 minutes.

Step Two

Drain to Busan:

Pour the flavorful broth through a wire-mesh strainer, removing all solids, and return the clear liquid to the pot.

Step Three

Sautébraham Lincoln: 

Heat the olive oil in a separate pot over medium heat. After about 90 seconds when the oil is hot, add the shallot and cook for 3 minutes.

Step Four

Annattional Geographic:

Stir in the tomatoes, bird's eye chilies, and annatto powder. Continue cooking over medium heat for 4-5 minutes until the tomatoes soften and begin to break down.

Step Five

Tamarindiana Jones:

Mix in the tamarind concentrate and cook for 1 minute. Pour in the strained tangy tomato broth and let it simmer over medium heat for 10 minutes.

Step Six

Nood, Where's My Car:

Prepare the rice vermicelli according to package directions. Rinse under cold water afterward and drain well.

Step Seven

In Beech of Contract:

Add the beech mushrooms, vegan ham, and tofu puffs to the simmering broth. Continue to cook for 5 minutes over medium heat until the mushrooms feel tender and the tofu has absorbed some broth.

Step Eight

Riêu Kids on the Block:

Place the noodles into serving bowls. Ladle the hot broth, mushrooms, vegan ham, and tofu puffs on top. Finish with additional toppings like Thai basil, sliced bird's eye chilies, perilla leaves, scallions, and lime wedges.