Vietnamese
Mì Quảng
A central Vietnamese turmeric-tinted noodle bowl with a small amount of deeply seasoned broth, tender pork, chicken, shrimp, herbs, peanuts, and crisp sesame rice cracker. It is served more like dressed noodles than soup, with bright lime and fresh greens on the side.
Watch it madeVành Khuyên Lê · 23:05
Ingredients
- Fresh wide Mì Quảng rice noodles400g
- Pork neck bones or chicken bones400g
- Bone-in chicken thigh300g
- Pork belly150g
- Medium shrimp, peeled with tails on150g
- Water1.2 liters
- Shallots, finely minced3
- Garlic cloves, finely minced3
- Fresh turmeric, grated1 tbsp
- Annatto oil2 tbsp
- Fish sauce3 tbsp
- Palm sugar1 tsp
- Fine sea salt1 tsp
- Ground black pepper1/2 tsp
- Roasted peanuts, crushed1/4 cup
- Sesame rice crackers2 small
- Banana blossom, thinly shaved1 cup
- Bean sprouts1 cup
- Mixed Vietnamese herbs such as mint, perilla, lettuce, and Thai basil2 cups
- Green onions and cilantro, chopped1/3 cup
- Lime, cut into wedges1
- Fresh red chili, sliced1
Method
- Blanch the pork or chicken bones in boiling water for 3 minutes, rinse them clean, then place them in a pot with 1.2 liters fresh water.
- Simmer the bones gently for 45 minutes, skimming as needed, until the broth is clear and lightly sweet.
- Cut the chicken thigh and pork belly into bite-size pieces, then marinate them with the shrimp, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, half the shallots, half the garlic, the turmeric, black pepper, and palm sugar for 20 minutes.
- Heat the annatto oil in a heavy pot over medium heat and fry the remaining shallots and garlic until fragrant.
- Add the marinated chicken and pork belly and cook until the edges are sealed and stained golden.
- Strain in about 600ml of the hot bone broth, add the remaining fish sauce and salt, and simmer for 15 minutes until the meat is tender and the broth is richly seasoned.
- Add the shrimp and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until firm and pink.
- Taste the broth; it should be savory, slightly sweet, turmeric-fragrant, and stronger than a soup broth because only a little is served with the noodles.
- Briefly rinse or blanch the fresh Mì Quảng noodles until warm and supple, then divide them between two shallow bowls.
- Spoon the chicken, pork, shrimp, and a small ladle of broth over each bowl so the noodles are moistened but not submerged.
- Top with crushed roasted peanuts, green onions, cilantro, and broken sesame rice cracker.
- Serve immediately with banana blossom, bean sprouts, mixed herbs, lime wedges, and sliced chili on the side.
Common questions
Can I substitute chicken bones or pork bones if I only have one kind on hand?
Yes. Use either pork neck bones or chicken bones alone. Pork gives a fuller, sweeter broth; chicken is lighter and faster. Keep the simmer gentle and skim well so the broth stays clear and clean-tasting.
How long does each part of the cooking actually take, and can I prep ahead?
Plan for about 1 hour 30 minutes total: 45 minutes for the broth, 20 minutes marinating, and about 20–25 minutes for the meat sauce. You can marinate the meat 4–6 hours ahead, but add shrimp only near the end.
What are the most common mistakes when making Mì Quảng?
The biggest mistakes are boiling the broth hard, overcooking the shrimp, and making the sauce too soupy. Keep the broth just simmering, cook shrimp only until opaque, and reduce the sauce enough that it coats the meat, not floods it.
How should I store leftovers and reheat them without ruining the noodles?
Store broth, meat, shrimp, and noodles separately in airtight containers for up to 3 days in the fridge. Reheat the broth and meat gently on the stove, then add noodles only when serving so they stay chewy, not mushy.
What’s the best way to serve it for the right texture and flavor?
Serve Mì Quảng with just a small ladle of broth over the noodles, not a full bowl of soup. Top with the meat, shrimp, and broth, then add herbs, lettuce, peanuts, and rice crackers if you have them for crunch and balance.