Vietnamese · soup

Bun Rieu (Crab Vermicelli Soup)

Name: Bun Rieu (Crab Vermicelli Soup)
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 8 oz vermicelli noodles; 4 oz freshwater crab paste; 4 medium tomatoes, wedged; 1 lb pork bones; 8 oz shrimp, peeled; 8 oz fried tofu, cubed; 2 tbsp tamarind paste; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp fermented shrimp paste; 2 eggs; 4 scallions, sliced; 2 cups bean sprouts; 1 cup banana blossom; 1 cup fresh herbs

Bun Rieu (Crab Vermicelli Soup) reads umami 7.1, marine & briny 5.9 and funk & ferment 5.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Vietnamese soup, about 1 hr 30 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 8.8 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 6.0 / 10
Sour & Bright — 4.3 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 0.7 / 10
Rich & Fat — 3.7 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 3.5 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.1 · Marine & Briny 5.9 · Funk & Ferment 5.8 · Salinity 5.6 · Fruity 4.7 · Sweetness 4.4 · Sourness 3.7 · Richness 3.6 · Herbaceous 3.3 · Citrus 2.2 · Allium 1.6 · Floral 1.0 · Earthy 0.6

What's in it (14)

8 oz vermicelli noodles
4 oz freshwater crab paste
4 medium tomatoes, wedged
1 lb pork bones
8 oz shrimp, peeled
8 oz fried tofu, cubed
2 tbsp tamarind paste
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp fermented shrimp paste
2 eggs
4 scallions, sliced
2 cups bean sprouts
1 cup banana blossom
1 cup fresh herbs

Time & effort: about 1 hr 30 min (30 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 99.3 kcal, 6.2 g protein, 4.2 g fat, 9.8 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood · Contains egg — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

Simmer pork bones into a clear stock, then stir in crab paste and beaten eggs which will form fluffy crab dumplings in the broth.
Add tomatoes, tamarind, and season with fermented shrimp paste and fish sauce for a tangy depth.
Serve over vermicelli with fried tofu, fresh herbs, and bean sprouts.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup) — Vietnamese
Tinola (Ginger Chicken Soup) — Filipino
Sinigang (Tamarind Sour Soup) — Filipino
Goi Du Du (Green Papaya Salad) — Vietnamese
Thai Chili Garlic Shrimp Stir-Fry — Thai

Keep reading: what umami, marine & briny, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.