Vietnamese Shrimp Vermicelli Bowls with Nuoc Cham

Nuoc cham, Vietnam’s beloved sweet-tart sauce of fish sauce and lime, turns shrimp and rice vermicelli into a lively lunch bowl. Crisp lettuce, cucumber, and carrots add cool crunch beside the garlicky seared shrimp.

Serves 4 · 25 min prep · 12 min cook

Estimate for one serving

• 420 cal
• 28g protein
• 52g carbs
• 11g fat
• 5g fiber

Every recipe here is free to read.

Ingredients

• 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 8 oz rice vermicelli noodles
• 3 Tbsp fish sauce
• 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 3 garlic cloves
• 1 Thai bird chili or jalapeño
• 1/3 cup warm water
• 1 Tbsp neutral oil
• 1 small head butter lettuce or romaine
• 1 English cucumber
• 2 medium carrots
• 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 1/3 cup crushed roasted peanuts
• 3/4 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp black pepper

Instructions

1. 1Make the nuoc cham first: in a small bowl whisk fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and warm water until sugar dissolves. Mince garlic cloves and thinly slice the chili; stir both into the sauce. Set aside so flavors bloom.
2. 2Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add rice vermicelli and cook according to package (usually 3–5 minutes) until just tender and springy. Drain, rinse under cold water to stop cooking, and drain thoroughly. Toss with a tiny drizzle of oil to prevent sticking.
3. 3Pat shrimp very dry. Toss with remaining minced garlic clove, salt, pepper, and the neutral oil. Heat a large nonstick or carbon-steel skillet over medium-high until shimmering, about 2 minutes.
4. 4Add shrimp in a single layer and cook 2 minutes without moving until the undersides turn pink and lightly curled. Flip and cook 1–2 minutes more until opaque throughout and just firm. Remove from heat immediately.
5. 5While shrimp cook, prep vegetables: shred the lettuce, cut cucumber into thin half-moons, and julienne or grate the carrots into long matchsticks. Roughly chop mint and cilantro, keeping a few pretty leaves whole for garnish.
6. 6Divide cooled noodles among 4 bowls. Arrange lettuce, cucumber, carrots, and herbs in neat sections the noodles for a colorful deconstructed look.
7. 7Top each bowl with equal portions of hot shrimp. Sprinkle generously with crushed peanuts.
8. 8Spoon 2–nuoc cham over each bowl right before eating, or serve the sauce on the side so everyone can adjust brightness and heat.
9. 9Toss everything together at the table so the noodles soak up the tangy-salty dressing and the herbs perfume every bite.
10. 10For work lunches, pack noodles, veggies, shrimp, peanuts, and sauce in separate containers; assemble and dress just before eating to keep textures crisp.