Make your own restaurant-style Vietnamese Shrimp or Prawn Noodle Bowl and customize it with your choice of crisp veggies, fresh herbs and a traditional Vietnamese dressing. This healthy power bowl recipe is perfect for meal prep or easy summer dinners.
If you're missing dining out on Vietnamese food, this Vietnamese Prawn Noodle Bowl puts pining for a bowl of Bún a thing of the past. It's a rice noodle bowl, packed with fresh herbs and veggies and flavoured with a splash of fish sauce and a little fiery red chili pepper.
This homemade version that I've adapted from the classic gets its bold flavour from nuoc cham, a traditional dressing or dipping sauce you'll find on every menu in Viet Nam. Like many Vietnamese or Thai foods, it's sweet, sour, salty, hot, and savoury all at once.
Creating dinner bowls is a great way to eat at any time of year. When gardens and farmers' markets are overflowing with fresh produce in the summer, putting together a quick healthy bowl with some protein and fresh fruit and veggies is my favourite way to eat dinner.
For example, Greek Chicken Bowl with Watermelon and Chicken Avocado Watermelon Salad are two favourites we devour in the summertime. And when we have fresh shrimp or prawns and an abundance of zucchini, I make Fresh Veggie and Grilled Shrimp Zoodle Bowl.
But today Vietnamese flavours won!
Let's get started. Here's what you'll need to make this prawn noodle bowl. I've also included some suggestions for substitutions.
Vietnamese Prawn Noodle Bowl Ingredients
prawns or shrimp: I used 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.
noodles: Thin rice vermicelli noodles cook in one minute and make this a quick recipe.
veggies: I used garden 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 flavour. Add some Thai basil leaves if you have them.
dressing: traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce, Nuoc Cham is made with lime juice, fish sauce, rice vinegar, garlic, sweetener and Thai red bird chili.
How to make a Prawn Noodle Bowl
Time needed: 30 minutes.
- Make the dressing
Begin by making the Nuoc Cham (dressing) to allow the flavours to blend. Whisk the Vietnamese dressing ingredients in a small bowl or shake in a small Mason jar and set aside.
- Cook 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.
- Prepare 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.
- Slice the mango and avocado
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.
- Grill the prawns
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.
- 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 dressing.
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 early in the day, cover and refrigerate until dinner time. Alternatively, prepare the dressing and veggies ahead and refrigerate. Then all you'll have to do is cook the noodles and grill the prawns.
Helpful tips
You can prevent noodles from sticking by tossing them with a teaspoon or so 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.
More dinner bowl recipes
Healthy Quinoa Bowl with Spinach, Feta and Strawberries
Greek Chicken Bowl with Watermelon
Chicken Avocado Watermelon Salad
Fresh Veggie and Grilled Shrimp Zoodle Bowl
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
- 1/4 - 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, or cashews, coarsely chopped
Nuoc Cham (Traditional Vietnamese Dressing and Dipping Sauce)
- 1/4 cup water
- 2- 3 tbsp sweetener (or more, depending on your taste) Use honey, maple syrup, Monkfruit or coconut sugar
- 1/4 cup lime juice, freshly squeezed
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp 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.
Notes
Nutrition
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Dee says
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 says
You're welcome! Thanks for rating it!