Fresh and delicious Vegan Banh Mi Noodle Bowl (aka Bun Chay) with Sriracha Tofu (or chicken or shrimp!), rice noodles, pickled carrots and radishes, crunchy cucumber, cabbage and a creamy vegan Banh Mi dressing!
So long as the inner life is enslaved to external conditions, it will remain in a precarious condition. ~Sadhguru~
Why you’ll love Bun Chay!
Here’s a Vietnamese-style bowl, called Bun Chay, inspired by our recent travels to Vietnam. Vietnam has the BEST food- punchy flavors, yet so light and refreshing.
I got a hankering for Vietnamese food yesterday and decided to make a vegan version of Bun Chay. It has all the flavors of Banh Mi but uses noodles instead of bread. Made with spicy sriracha tofu, rice noodles, pickled carrots and radishes, shredded cabbage, crunchy cucumber, fresh mint and jalapeño slices.
How to make Bun Chay
Step 1: The first thing to do is pour boiling water over the rice noodles. Then you don’t have to really think about them. Just drain when tender and rinse.
Step 2: Pickle the shredded carrot and radishes. These are essential and make the bowl! Heat this up on the stove for a couple of minutes in a mix of vinegar, water, salt and sugar, then place them in a bowl in the freezer, to chill them fast. These are watermelon radishes, but regular radishes and daikon radish, all work well too! TIP: A good Banh Mi, always has something pickled. Remember that. 🙂
Step 3: Prep the tofu. Today, I’m trying out this Baked Sriracha tofu. But regular plain tofu will do, and I’ll show you how to spice it up. Or make our Crispy tofu recipe! Cute into cubes.
Step 4: Make the Bun Chay dressing. The spicy creamy dressing is made with vegan mayo and sriracha hot sauce. Just whisk in a bowl.
Step 5: Assemble the Bowls. Divide everything among two bowls and sprinkle with freshly torn mint leaves and thinly sliced jalapeño, and be sure to serve with a lime wedge! A nasturtium is a nice touch. 😉 Colorful and full of healthy crunchy veggies the flavors really satisfy!
Step 6: Pour the dressing over top and start mixing. The more you mix, the better it will taste!
Storing your Bun Chay Bowls
These will keep in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the refrigerator. Keep the dressing on the side until ready to serve. Perfect for meal prep!
What to Serve with Bun Chay
For a heartier meal, serve with Lemongrass Chicken, or our Hot and Sour Vietnamese Soup!
More Favorite Vietnamese Recipes!
I hope you enjoy these fresh, flavorful Banh Mi Noodle Bowls!
Happy week,
Print
Banh Mi Noodle Bowl (aka Bun Chay)
- Prep Time: 30
- Cook Time: 15
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2
- Category: Vegan, Bowl, Main, Gluten-free
- Method: Stove Top
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Flavorful healthy Banh Mi Noodle Bowl (aka Bun Chay) bursts with Vietnamese flavors! Packed FULL of healthy veggies, sriracha tofu, rice noodles & herbs with a tasty Sriracha Dressing.
Ingredients
- 2 ounces dry rice noodles
- Boiling water
Quick pickled veggies:
- 1/3 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1/3 cup water
- 1 cup matchstick carrots (or grated)
- 1/2 cup sliced radishes (or try daikon or watermelon radish-like in the photos)
- 1 teaspoon sugar (or alternative equivalent, honey, maple, coconut sugar)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Creamy Sriracha Dressing: ( or make Peanut Sauce)
- 4 tablespoons Veganaise or vegan mayo (or use regular)
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha sauce (or Sambal, or Chili Garlic Sauce)
- 1 teaspoon sugar or alternative sweetener
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or vegan fish sauce (or regular fish sauce)
Bowl ingredients
- 6 ounces tofu, patted dry, cut into 1/2 inch cubes ( or chicken, see notes)
- 1 cup thinly sliced cucumber
- 1 cup thinly sliced cabbage
- 1/2 a red bell pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup fresh torn mint leaves
- 1/2 a jalapeno, very thinly sliced
- lime wedges
- optional additions- sprouts, avocado, daikon, grated beet, cilantro,
Instructions
- Cook the Noodles: Pour boiling water over rice noodles and let sit 5-6 minutes, or until softened, drain, rinse and set aside. (I use a shallow baking dish for this)
- Make the Pickles (don’t skip!) At the same time heat ⅓ cup water and 1/3 cup vinegar on the stove in a small pot, add sugar, salt, radishes, and carrots and bring to a simmer, and toss to coat well. Turn heat off. Place them in a bowl and chill ( I’ll put this in the fridge or freezer for few minutes)- these can be made ahead.
- Make the Creamy Sriracha Dressing: place ingredients in a small bowl and whisk.
- Make the Crispy Tofu: Heat oil in a skillet, and season the oil with salt and pepper. Add the tofu and sear over medium heat until all sides are crispy. Stir in a little sriracha for heat at the end.
- Prep your veggies. Slice the cucumber, bell pepper and cabbage (using a mandolin is nice, or just very thinly slice).
- Assemble the Bowls: divide the noodles and arrange all the veggies around it. Grab the chilling pickled veggies and divide. Add the tofu to the bowls and Spoon the flavorful dressing overtop.
- Garnish the bowls with fresh mint, jalapeño slices and lime wedges.
Notes
You could use leftover rotisserie chicken in this, or quickly sauté cubed chicken or shrimp, seasoned with salt and pepper until golden and cooked through, then toss with a little sriacha.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 2 Bowls
- Calories: 403
- Sugar: 13.6 g
- Sodium: 1030.9 mg
- Fat: 21.1 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 45.5 g
- Fiber: 4.7 g
- Protein: 11.2 g
- Cholesterol: 9.2 mg
Sylvia, this recipe was oh so delicious!!! I loved the creamy dressing, the kick of spicy over slightly tart and creamy was just decadent!! This banh mi bowl was just phenomenal!!! I made another one of your dressings for a the miso mushroom bowl and was also in love!! Your recipes are amazing!! You have such a great palate! Please keep the (vegan, healthy, and plant-based) recipes coming, we’re loving them! Your recipes are positively gourmet and beyond, thanks again for sharing!!
Great to hear Casey! And thanks, appreciate this!
So tasty! I doubled the rice noodles
Great to hear!
Mine wasn’t as pretty as yours but it was delicious. I was a bit afraid it would have too much heat for me, but it didn’t.
thanks Laurie!
Hi – can you make the pickles ahead of time?
Yes absolutely- just don’t forget to use them, Andrea! I did that once and forgot them in the fridge and kept wondering why the bowls didn’t taste as good. 😂
I have made this many times and it is ALWAYS a hit. Quick question though, if you have leftover pickled veggies how long can they last in the fridge? Just in case I want to increase the pickled veggies to use in other dishes.
Hi Hannah, I’m so happy you enjoyed this! The pickled veggies should be fine 10-14 days. If you would like to extend them a bit, just increase the vinegar.
This was SO GOOD. I can’t believe how well it came out first try. I used brown rice instead of rice noodles, and didn’t have the full array of vegetables, but it was still delicious.
Glad you liked it Jonathon!
This was delicious! We added avocado and sesame seeds. Great balance of flavors!
Awesome Maddie~!
I made this today for lunch. I didn’t have tofu on hand so I poached some chicken in water with fresh ginger, onion and salt. Don’t skip the mint, it’s magic, I also added cilantro. The Sriracha dressing is perfect. This bowl was delicious, my husband said “I could eat this every day.” So could I. Thank you Sylvia! I’m so happy I discovered your blog.
So glad you liked it!
Please consider doing print on demand books of all your recipes. I’d buy them all!!!!
You are a life saver, literally!
Gabrielle Shannon
Awwww thanks~!
This bowl was so flavorful and beautiful. My picky 12 year old son loved it so much he ate the whole bowl. Thank you so much for sharing this delicious recipe, will definitely make it again.
Wow, I made this tonight and it was absolutely incredible! My dish wasn’t as pretty as Sylvia’s (they never are!), but the flavor and freshness made up for that! I agree the pickled veggies are important, but (please!) be sure to include the fresh mint, this is crucial and think that’s what put this dish over the top for me! Very impressed with this healthy dish and will be making it again!
Found this on a whim.
Absolutely delicious!!
Saving this recipe as a new favourite 👌
Thank you for sharing this, would you mind telling how many calories is this, thank you!!
The nutrition label is right below the recipe!
Delicious! I’ll definitely make this again. I also added a hard boiled egg to each dish for some extra protein. Yum!
Love it Sally!
Absolutely incredible – I was a little nervous starting because I’d never made a dish like this before, but it blew me away! It was absolutely perfect, I used some extra green onions and avocado I had, plus some plain baked tofu, and it came together like a dream. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Perfect Serena!
Overall dressing not very balanced, too strong mayo flavour even after adding extra sirracha, soy sauce and sugar. Looks great in the photo but taste is bland, even with the dressing. Wouldn’t recommend. Instructions at some points weren’t overly clear either.
Sorry about that. I updated the recipe to make it more clear, which it needed. Quick question on the dressing- what kind of Mayo did you use?
I used veganaise for the dressing.
Thanks, and one last question, did you add/make the pickled veggies too?
This looks awesome. One question, do you chill the Carrots and radishes in the liquid or drain and chill?
Thanks . Cant wait to make this!!
Chill in the liquid.
Tried this and it is delicious. I believe I could make this for my family and they wouldn’t care that it was vegan.
Another wonderful recipe! At first it wasn’t quite up to Sylivia’s excellent level until I remembered the pickled veggies I put in the freezer. Then… oh amazing! Everyone is right, the mint takes it over the top! The left overs make great spring rolls. I think a peanut sauce would be wonderful on this as well.
Yes, Heidi- the pickled Veggies make it! Peanut Sauce would be good here too!
what is the pink fruit next to the red cabbage? it doesnt say it in the ingredients but looks yummy!!
Watermelon radish- you could sub regular radishes!
This was great! Made it with chicken. Even the husband who had his doubt ended up grabbing the leftovers for lunch.
Awesome Amber, Glad you both liked it!
This was lovely! Topped with lots of cilantro and mint, and the crushed peanuts another reviewer suggested the mint was that extra special touch. The contrasting flavors and textures and heat and coolness were all perfect. So light and delicious on a warm night. And super easy and fast to make.
Sylvia this dish was DELICIOUS!! I’ve never left a comment before, but I have made many of your dishes and they are wonderful. I love that the recipes are typically for 2 people, and I love the international focus of your food. Also – the quotes are wonderful. Keep inspiring us!
Thanks so much Lauren! Glad you liked it and yes, I’m starting to make smaller recipes.
I totally love food with all those colors. Looks delicious. I’d make some if I could get some Sriracha.
You make me want to go to Vietnam! This sounds so so yummy. I love a good Bahn mi. We made a Bahn mi burger, we liked the flavor so much!
You forgot an important ingredient that brings that fish completely together. Crushed plain roasted peanuts. That is an essential finish.
Sorry, typo. DISH not fish.
Thanks, I totally did.