ramyaramesh3007This fresh Bun Cha includes juicy & flavourful vietnamese tofu meatballs with vermicelli noodles, crispy rice paper spring rolls, herbs & a tangy nuoc cham dressing.
Bún chả, a popular Vietnamese dish from Hanoi, features grilled meat served with rice vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs, and a sweet and tangy dipping sauce made with fish sauce & aromatics. In this recipe, we will be substituting the traditional meat for tofu to make easy vietnamese meatballs in an air fryer. Not only that, we will use that same filling to make crispy rice paper spring rolls for a bonus crunch!
Tofu is perfect for replicating the textures and flavours of meats like chicken and pork – it’s all in the herbs, spices and seasonings! For the tofu meatballs, we’ll be using aromatics like garlic, spring onions and lemongrass to create the perfect juicy meatball. You can also add some chopped chilies for a touch of heat. For fuss free frying, you can bake or air fry them. Pan frying is great too but it just takes longer and your attention while it cooks.
If there is excess filling, fret not! You can use them to make crispy rice paper spring rolls that are completely plant based and gluten free. Boil some extra rice vermicelli noodles, combine them with shitake mushrooms, the filling and wrap them up with a sheet of rice paper. Air fry them or bake them until crispy. Seriously, so good!
Another component of the Bun Cha is the sauce: Nước chấm! It’s a fish sauce based dressing for the Bun Cha. You can create an easy version with vegan fish sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, chilies and garlic. So simple!
Ingredients You Need
- air fryer meatballs
- extra firm tofu – pressed and drained.
- vegan fish sauce – you can substitute with soy sauce / tamari / coconut aminos
- agave syrup – for sweetener, you can also use maple
- aromatics – spring onions, garlic, lemongrass
- crispy spring rolls
- rice paper sheets
- shitake mushrooms
- nuoc cham
- vegan fish sauce – you can substitute with soy sauce / tamari / coconut aminos
- agave syrup
- rice wine vinegar
- aromatics – bird’s eye chili, garlic
- lime juice
- toppings
- thick rice vermicelli noodles – the thick kind works best for this recipe!
- cucumber
- pickled carrots & radish
- coriander, fried shallots
Gluten free substitutions: Use gluten free vegan fish sauce or soy sauce.
I had so much fun filming this recipe in The Meatmen Channel kitchen with Kelly. Full step by step instructions can be found in the video below! (Stay tuned)
Vegan Bún Chả
Ingredients
Air Fryer Meatballs
- 450 g extra firm tofu
- 1.5 tbsp vegan fish sauce
- 2 tsp agave syrup
- 1/3 cup spring onions
- 1.5 tsp minced garlic
- 1 stalk lemongrass purple part only
- pinch white pepper
- salt
- 2.5 tbsp corn starch (to be added to half of the mixture)
- olive oil for air frying
Crispy Rice Paper Spring Rolls
- 10 sheets rice paper
- 1/2 cup chopped shitake mushrooms
Nuoc Cham
- 2 tbsp vegan fish sauce
- 1.5 tbsp agave syrup
- 2 tbsp rice wine vinegar
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tbsp lime juice
- 1 small bird's eye chili
- 3 tbsp water
Pickled Vegetables
- 2 medium carrots
- 1 large radish
- 1.5 cups rice wine vinegar
- 6 cups water
- 1/4 cup agave syrup
- 1.5 tbsp salt
Toppings
- 4 servings thick rice vermicelli noodles
- julienned cucumber
- pickled carrot and radish
- coriander
- fried shallots
Instructions
Pickled Vegetables (Optional)
- Peel 2 medium carrots and 1 radish. Cut them into thin strips or matchsticks.
- In a small saucepan, combine rice vinegar, water, agave, and salt. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring occasionally until the agave and salt are completely dissolved. Remove from heat and let it cool to room temperature.
- Once the brine has cooled, place the julienned carrots and radishes into a clean jar or container. You can layer them, pressing them down a little to fit.
- Carefully pour the cooled brine over the vegetables in the jar, making sure they’re fully submerged. You may want to gently press the vegetables down with a spoon or the back of a chopstick to make sure they're all covered.
- Seal the jar and refrigerate the pickled vegetables for at least 1-2 hours before using. For the best flavor, let them sit overnight, though they’re usually great within a few hours. The longer they sit, the more flavorful they’ll become. You can keep them in the fridge for up to 1-2 weeks.
Noodles
- Cook rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions and drain. Rinse with cold water or soak in ice water to prevent them from sticking together.
Air fryer Meatballs & Spring Rolls
- Boil your extra firm tofu for 5 minutes and pat dry. Crumble into a bowl and add the rest of the ingredients – minced garlic, chopped spring onions and finely chopped lemongrass, agave, vegan fish sauce, white pepper and salt.
- Split the mixture into half – add 2.5 tbsp corn starch in one half of the mixture. Air fry at 190C for 30 minutes, flipping them halfway. Different air fryers may require slightly longer cooking times.
- For the other half, keep as is. Add ½ cup chopped shitake mushrooms and 1 serving cooked rice vermicelli noodles.
- Soak rice paper in water. Place the fillings in a log shape and fold in the sides of the rice paper, then roll it up tightly from the bottom to the top.
- Brush with oil and air fry at 190C for 20 minutes.
Nuoc Cham Sauce
- In a small bowl, combine vegan fish sauce, agave syrup, rice wine vinegar, minced garlic, lime juice, chili and water.
Assembly!
- Cut spring rolls into bite sized pieces.
- Divide noodles into 2 serving bowls. Place about 2-3 meatballs, 1 cut up spring roll, and toppings. Spoon over some of that sauce and serve.