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Meat, South and Southeast Asian

Pork and shrimp hủ tiếu noodle soup

Hủ tiếu is a noodle soup from southern Vietnam, made with a clear pork broth, shrimp, and fresh herbs. This recipe serves 4, takes 40 minutes, rates easy, and costs €3.40 per serving. The key to success is keeping the broth at a gentle simmer, never a rolling boil, so it stays clear.

Tonight, hủ tiếu, the noodle soup from southern Vietnam, with a clear pork broth, shrimp, and fresh herbs.

Pork and shrimp hủ tiếu noodle soup
Total time
40 min
Difficulty
Easy
Cost per person
€3.40
Calories per person
470 kcalcalculated by Kiloach, your weight coach
Season
Winter, Fall, Summer

Hủ tiếu starts with broth, clear and fragrant, where pork slowly infuses with shallots and fish sauce. Rice vermicelli adds lightness, shrimp brings a briny sweetness, and fried garlic gives each spoonful a bit of crunch. Chives, cilantro, and lime finish the bowl with a burst of freshness.

This is a soup that asks for some attention while the broth simmers, but comes together in minutes once everything is ready, perfect for a weeknight dinner when you have a bit more time, or for a relaxed Sunday evening meal. Mon Chou suggests this hủ tiếu as a change from pasta night, using ingredients you can easily find at a fish counter or Asian grocery store.

The ingredients

4 people

Butcher

  • Pork shoulder 300 g

Fish counter

  • Peeled shrimp 250 g

Pantry

  • Rice vermicellioften in the pantry 300 g
  • Chicken or pork brothoften in the pantry 1.5 l
  • Fish sauceoften in the pantry 2 tbsp

Fruits and vegetables

  • Shallots 2
  • Garlic 2 cloves
  • Bean sprouts 150 g
  • Chives 1 bunch
  • Cilantro 1 bunch
  • Lime 1

Allergens Shellfish, Fish, Soy

The step by step recipe

  1. Simmer the whole piece of pork in the broth with the shallots and fish sauce. 25 min

    Poke it with a knife, when it's tender it slides in without resistance.

  2. Saute the minced garlic in a little oil until golden to make a crispy garnish.

    Watch closely, garlic goes from golden to burnt in just a few seconds.

  3. Cook the vermicelli and drop the shrimp into the broth for 2 minutes. 3 min

    Pull the shrimp out as soon as they turn pink.

  4. Slice the pork into thin strips.

    Cut against the grain so it melts in your mouth.

  5. Arrange vermicelli, pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts in bowls, pour over the broth, and top with fried garlic and herbs.

    A squeeze of lime in the broth, nothing beats it.

Our tips to get it right

  • Skim the broth regularly while the pork cooks, this keeps the liquid clear and bright.
  • Make the fried garlic ahead of time, it stays crisp for several hours in a bowl covered with a paper towel.
  • Cook the vermicelli only at the last moment and rinse them in cold water so they don't clump together while you assemble the bowls.

The variations

  • Swap the pork shoulder for pork tenderloin, leaner, for a slightly lighter broth.
  • For a meat and shellfish free version, use vegetable broth and replace the pork and shrimp with pan seared firm tofu.
  • To save time on a weeknight, use a store bought chicken broth and precooked shrimp, you'll easily save 15 minutes.

What to serve it with

  • Hot green or jasmine tea
  • Fresh spring rolls as a starter
  • Cold lime infused water

Storage

Keep the broth, pork, and shrimp separate from the vermicelli and fresh herbs, in sealed containers in the fridge, for up to 2 to 3 days. The broth freezes well for up to 2 months, but cooked vermicelli and fresh herbs don't freeze well. Reheat the broth gently and assemble the bowls just before serving.

Questions about this dish

Can you replace fish sauce with something else?

Light soy sauce can work in a pinch but it changes the flavor, saltier and less briny. Fish sauce remains the key ingredient that gives the broth its characteristic depth in Vietnamese cooking.

Can you make the broth ahead of time?

Yes, it's actually recommended, the broth tastes even better made a day ahead and gently reheated. The pork and shallots have time to fully infuse overnight in the fridge.

How do you keep the vermicelli from sticking together?

Rinse them in cold water right after cooking to stop the cooking and remove excess starch. Don't let them sit too long before assembling the bowls.

What pork cut works if you don't have shoulder?

Pork butt or tenderloin both work well, as long as the cut stays tender after a long, gentle simmer. Avoid cuts that are too lean, they can toughen up in the broth.

How long does it take to make a pork and shrimp hủ tiếu noodle soup?

Count 40 min in total, prep and cooking included. The recipe is rated “easy”.

How many calories are in a pork and shrimp hủ tiếu noodle soup?

About 470 kcal per serving, for a recipe meant for 4 people. Calories are calculated by Kiloach, your weight coach, the app that partners with Mon Chou.

How much does a pork and shrimp hủ tiếu noodle soup cost?

About €3.40 per serving, or €13.60 for 4 people, based on average supermarket prices.

What allergens does this recipe contain?

This recipe contains shellfish, fish, soy. Always check the labels of the products you buy.

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