Make your own restaurant-style Vietnamese Shrimp or Prawn Noodle Bowl and personalize it with your choice of crisp veggies, fresh aromatic herbs and a traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce, Nuoc Cham. This healthy power bowl recipe makes an easy 30-minute meal!
❤️Why you'll like this recipe
- Better than takeout. Why resort to Vietnamese take-out when you can make it at home? This Vietnamese vermicelli bowl with prawns makes pining for a bowl of Bún a thing of the past.
- Fresh and spicy. It's a shrimp noodle bowl, packed with fresh herbs and veggies and flavored with the most delicious dipping sauce made with a splash of fish sauce and a little fiery red chili pepper.
- Serve with nuoc cham. This homemade version that I've adapted from the classic gets its bold flavor from nuoc cham, a traditional dressing or dipping sauce you'll find on every menu in Vietnam. Like many Vietnamese or Thai foods, it's sweet, sour, salty, hot, and savory all at once.
Jump to:
A 30-minute dinner bowl
Creating dinner bowls is a great way to eat at any time of year. Assembling a dinner in a bowl with a source of protein, fresh fruit, and veggies is a favorite way to get a balanced meal.
For example, Greek Chicken Bowl with Watermelon and Chicken Avocado Watermelon Salad are two favorites I devour in the summertime.
At any time of the year, these Teriyaki Chicken Rice Bowls or Sesame Miso Salmon Bowls make a quick weeknight meal. So easy, so good!
🛒 Ingredients
Let's get started on this Shrimp vermicelli bowl. Here's what you'll need to make this easy 30-minute noodle bowl with prawns or shrimp. I've also included some suggestions for substitutions.
- prawns or shrimp: I use local spot prawns, but you can use any prawns or wild-caught shrimp that's available where you live. You can also change the protein and substitute grilled or shredded chicken or beef, pork or tofu for the prawns. Wondering how to buy shrimp? See A Complete Guide to Cooking Shrimp and Prawns.
- noodles: Thin rice vermicelli noodles cook in one minute and make this a quick recipe.
- veggies: I use sugar snap peas, carrots and avocado. You can also use snow peas or other naturally sweet edible pea pods. Spiralized or very thinly sliced carrots add lots of crunchy texture. Feel free to add sliced cucumbers or bean sprouts instead.
- herbs: fresh mint and cilantro add lots of fresh flavor and are traditional herbs in Vietnamese cuisine. Add a few Thai basil leaves if you have them.
- Nuoc Cham dipping sauce or dressing: traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce, Nuoc Cham is made with water, lime juice, fish sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, sweetener and Thai red bird chili. While you can buy it, it takes only 5 minutes to make.
- roasted peanuts or cashews: for garnish, optional
🔪 Instructions
Before making the components of this shrimp bowl, make the Nuoc Cham dressing to allow the flavors to blend. Whisk these Vietnamese dressing ingredients in a small bowl or shake in a small Mason jar and set aside.
- The Noodles: Place the vermicelli noodles in a large glass bowl, cover with boiling water and allow to stand for one minute. Drain and rinse under cold running water to stop them from softening and becoming mushy.
- The Veggies: Slice the pea pods thinly. Use a spiralizer, a julienne tool, or a sharp knife to thinly slice carrots. Wash and dry herbs, chop if you like, and set aside.
- The Fruit: Slice the mango into thin strips and cube the avocado flesh. Toss the avocado with a little lemon or lime juice to prevent browning if you're making this noodle bowl ahead of time.
- The Shrimp or Prawns: Heat a grill or large skillet over medium-high heat. Brush lightly with oil, then cook the prawns for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, just until they're no longer transparent. Keep an eye on them as it's easy to overcook shrimp. Remove from the heat promptly.
5. Arrange the bowls. Start with a bed of noodles, then arrange the prawns, peas, carrots, mango, avocado and chopped herbs on top. Sprinkle with chopped roasted cashews or peanuts. Serve with Vietnamese Nuoc Cham dressing and dig in!
👍🏼 Helpful tips
- You can prevent the rice vermicelli noodles from sticking together by tossing them with a teaspoon of sesame oil.
- If you don't have a spiralizer, use a vegetable peeler to cut carrots into ribbons and then slice into strips.
- Traditional Nuoc Cham sauce or dressing recipes call for sugar. You can easily substitute honey, maple syrup, coconut palm sugar, or 0-calorie sweeteners like Monkfruit.
- Once you make a basic Nuoc Cham sauce, you may find you want to experiment with the flavors a little. Some like it sweeter, some like it with more lime juice, and others like less (or more) heat from chili peppers.
⏰ Make ahead of time
This Vietnamese Prawn or Shrimp Noodle Bowl is fabulous either warm or cold. It's an ideal recipe if you're meal-prepping for easy dinners or lunches.
Make it early in the day, and cover and refrigerate until dinner time. Alternatively, prepare the dressing and veggies ahead and refrigerate. Then all you'll have to do is quickly soften the vermicelli noodles and grill the prawns.
Nuoc Cham dipping sauce will last in the fridge for up to a month if stored in an airtight container.
🗒 More recipes for 30-minute meals
When you make this Vietnamese Shrimp Bowl please leave a comment and a rating below. I love hearing when you've made one of my recipes. Thanks in advance!
Subscribe to my newsletter and have new recipes delivered straight to your inbox once a week.
📖 Recipe
Vietnamese Prawn (or Shrimp) Noodle Bowl
Ingredients
- 1 lb prawns or large shrimp
- 14 oz (400 gm) vermicelli rice noodles
- 8 oz sugar snap peas, or other edible pea pods
- 2 med carrots
- 2 mangoes
- 1 large avocado
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1 cup fresh cilantro
- ¼ cup roasted peanuts, or cashews, coarsely chopped
Nuoc Cham (Traditional Vietnamese Dressing and Dipping Sauce)
- ¼ cup water
- 2- 3 tablespoon sweetener (or more, depending on your taste) Use honey, maple syrup, Monkfruit or coconut sugar
- ¼ cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 3 tablespoon fish sauce
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 Thai red bird chili
Instructions
- Begin by making the Nuoc Cham (dressing) to allow the flavours to blend. Whisk the dressing ingredients in a small bowl or shake in a small Mason jar and set aside.
- Place the vermicelli noodles in a large glass bowl, cover with boiling water and allow to stand for one minute. Drain and rinse under cold running water to stop them from softening and becoming overcooked.
- Slice the sugar snap peas thinly. Use a spiralizer, a julienne tool, or a sharp knife to thinly slice carrots. Wash and dry herbs, chop if you like, and set aside.
- Slice the mango into thin strips and cube the avocado flesh. Toss the avocado with a little lemon or lime juice to prevent browning if you're making this noodle bowl ahead of time.
- Heat a grill or large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the prawns for 1 to 2 minutes on each side, just until cooked through. Do not overcook or they will become rubbery. Remove from the heat promptly.
- Start with a bed of noodles, then arrange the prawns, peas, carrots, mango, avocado and chopped herbs on top. Sprinkle with chopped roasted cashews or peanuts. Serve with Vietnamese dressing.
Dee
Oh wow--this was so good. I made it exactly the same as you described except I substituted peanuts. Got lots of compliments! Thanks
Flavour & Savour
You're welcome! Thanks for rating it!