Peanut Shallot Bánh Phở Noodle Bowl
A warm–cold Vietnamese noodle bowl with chewy bánh phở, glossy peanut–nước mắm sauce, herbs, and crispy fried shallots.
Equipment
- Medium pot (for boiling bánh phở)
- Colander (for draining + cold‑water rinse)
- Mixing bowl (for peanut sauce)
- Whisk or fork
- Cutting board & knife
- Small bowl (for herbs, peanuts, shallots)
- Tongs (for tossing noodles)
- Serving bowls (wide, shallow bowls photograph best)
Ingredients
Noodles & Bowl
- 8 oz bánh phở medium-width rice noodles
- 1 cup shredded cucumber
- ½ cup herbs mint + cilantro
- ½ cup quick-pickled carrots optional
- 1 cup protein of choice lemongrass chicken, tofu, or shrimp
- 2 –3 tbsp fried shallots
- 2 tbsp roasted peanuts crushed
- Lime wedges
- Neutral oil for tossing
Vietnamese Peanut Sauce
- ¼ cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 tbsp nước mắm
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1 –2 tsp sugar
- 1 clove garlic grated
- ½ –1 tsp chili garlic sauce or sambal
- ¼ –⅓ cup warm water to thin
Instructions
Cook the bánh phở
- Bring a pot of water to a boil.
- Add noodles and undercook by 1–2 minutes (they should still have chew).
- Drain and rinse under cold water until fully cool and springy.
- Toss with 1–2 teaspoons neutral oil to prevent sticking.
Make the peanut sauce
- In a bowl, whisk together peanut butter, nước mắm, soy sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and chili.
- Add warm water gradually until the sauce is pourable and glossy.
Prep the bowl components
- Slice cucumber into thin matchsticks.
- Roughly tear herbs.
- Prepare protein of choice.
- Crush peanuts.
Assemble
- Divide noodles into bowls.
- Spoon warm peanut sauce over the top.
- Add protein, cucumber, herbs, and pickled carrots.
- Finish with fried shallots, crushed peanuts, and a squeeze of lime.
Notes
- - Texture insurance: Rinsing in cold water + undercooking + tossing with a touch of oil keeps bánh phở from going soft.
- Meal prep: Store noodles and sauce separately. Reheat sauce only, then toss right before eating.
- Optional: A 10–15 second pan‑toss of the noodles before assembling adds extra firmness and helps the sauce cling