Classic Vietnamese Noodle Bowl

By Justin Townsend

In Vietnamese cooking, few dishes capture a balance of texture and flavor like a bowl of bún. At its heart, it’s a simple noodle salad featuring cool rice vermicelli layered with crisp vegetables, fresh herbs, grilled meat, and a tangy dipping sauce. But with a wild twist, such as skinless duck breast fillets, it becomes something else entirely: bold, earthy, and deeply satisfying.

This recipe draws inspiration from bún thịt nướng, a traditional Vietnamese dish of grilled pork over noodles. I use wild duck in place of pork and pound the meat flat for quick cooking and maximum marinade absorption. Lemongrass is the star, offering bright citrus notes that cut through the meat’s richness, while garlic, chili, and fish sauce bring balance and depth.

After a quick sear on the grill or in a skillet, the duck is sliced and placed over noodles with crunchy vegetables, fresh herbs like mint and cilantro, and a drizzle of nước chấm, Vietnam’s iconic dipping sauce. Keep extra sauce on the side for dipping. The result of this easy recipe is light yet hearty and complex.

Lemongrass Duck Noodle Bowl

Yields: 2 to 3 servings
Preparation time: 1 hour
Equipment needed: mortar and pestle or food processor, meat mallet, grill or skillet

INGREDIENTS

For the duck

• 2 skinless wild duck breast fillets pounded to 1/2 inch thick
• 2 stalks lemongrass (white parts only), minced or smashed, or 2 teaspoons lemongrass paste
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon coconut sugar or honey
• 1 small Thai chili, minced, or 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes
• 1 tablespoon lime juice
• 1 tablespoon neutral oil (such as canola, corn, or peanut oil)

For the bowls

• 8 ounces rice vermicelli noodles
• 1 cup shredded Napa cabbage or shredded cabbage mix
• 1 cucumber cut into long, thin strips
• 1 small carrot, shredded
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• Fresh mint, Thai basil, and cilantro
• Lime wedges

For the nước chấm dressing

• 4 tablespoons fish sauce
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1 1/2 tablespoons lime juice
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small Thai chili, minced (optional)

PREPARATION

1. Prepare a marinade by combining lemongrass or lemongrass paste, garlic, shallot, fish sauce, soy sauce, coconut sugar or honey, chili, lime juice, and oil in a mortar or food processor and grind until a chunky paste forms. Add the pounded duck breast fillets to a bowl and toss with the marinade to coat. Cover and place in the refrigerator to marinate for 1 to 2 hours.

2. Boil rice vermicelli per package directions. Rinse under cold water and set aside.

3. Whisk together all nước chấm dressing ingredients until the honey dissolves. Adjust to taste.

4. Preheat a grill to medium-high heat. Lightly oil the grates, then grill the duck breast fillets for 2 to 3 minutes per side or until the internal temperature reaches 130 degrees. (Alternatively, heat a skillet over medium-high heat, add a splash of oil, and sear the duck for the same amount of time.) Let the duck rest for 5 minutes, then slice thinly across the grain.

5. Layer noodles in serving bowls with cabbage, cucumber, carrot, sprouts, and herbs. Top with sliced duck and lime wedges. Serve with nước chấm for drizzling and dipping.

Suds on the Side: Appropriate beers to pair with this recipe saison, farmhouse ale, Belgian-style witbier, or pilsner. 

About the Author

A member of the Choctaw Nation of Oklahoma, Justin Townsend is a seasoned culinarian and storyteller who has been at the forefront of the wild food movement for over a decade. As the founder of Harvesting Nature, he has inspired thousands to embrace hunting, fishing, and foraging as a way of life. With more than 200 episodes of the Wild Fish and Game Podcast, two cookbooks (Eat Wild Game and The Art of Venison Sausage Making), and features in many outdoor publications, television shows, and websites, Townsend’s expertise in butchering and cooking wild game is widely respected and deeply rooted in experience.