Hu Tieu Nam Vang (Southern Vietnamese Pork and Prawn Noodle Soup)
A clear, savoury noodle soup from southern Vietnam with pork, prawns, chives and crisp garlic, light yet full of flavour.
Made with Nuoc cham (Vietnamese dipping sauce) and Pho broth. Make a batch of the base first, then this takes minutes. Skip to the method
- Time40 min
- LevelMedium
- Costabout £4.75 a head
Cost is worked out from Aldi and Tesco shelf prices in October 2026. Your shop and brands will differ.
Ingredients
Tick what you need to buy. It goes on your shopping list.
Method
- 1
Heat the oil in a small pan over a medium heat. Fry the sliced garlic for 1 to 2 minutes until pale gold, then lift it out and drain on kitchen paper.
1 min 30 s - 2
Soak the rice noodles in warm water for 15 minutes, then boil in a pan of water for 2 to 3 minutes until just tender. Drain and divide between 4 bowls.
3 min - 3
Bring your ready made pho broth (see the base recipe) to a simmer. Add the pork and cook for 3 minutes, then add the prawns and cook for 2 minutes until pink and curled.
5 min - 4
Blanch the beansprouts in the broth for 20 seconds with the chives, then lift them out onto the noodles with the lettuce.
- 5
Ladle the hot broth, pork and prawns over each bowl. Scatter with the crisp garlic.
- 6
Serve with lime wedges and a small dish of nuoc cham (see the base recipe) on the side for dipping the pork and prawns.
Tips
- Cook the pork and prawns only briefly. Overcooked prawns turn rubbery and pork goes tough.
- Fry the garlic gently and take it out as soon as it turns pale gold. Dark garlic tastes bitter.
- Keep the noodles in cold water until the last moment so they do not clump in the bowl.
- Add a splash of nuoc cham to the soup itself for a sweeter, sharper bowl.
Storing and freezing
Best eaten fresh. Keep leftover broth, noodles and meat separately in the fridge for up to 2 days and reheat the broth until steaming hot all the way through before adding the noodles.
Questions
What is hu tieu nam vang?
It is a clear noodle soup from southern Vietnam, with Cambodian roots, topped with pork, prawns and garlic chives. It is usually lighter than pho and eaten with a dipping sauce on the side.
Can I leave out the prawns?
Yes. Use extra pork or sliced chicken breast instead. If you have a shellfish allergy, leave the prawns out and cook the pork in a clean pan and pot.
Is it gluten free?
Yes, as written. The rice noodles, pho broth and nuoc cham are gluten free. Use rice noodles labelled gluten free if you have coeliac disease.
More made with nuoc cham (vietnamese dipping sauce)
Tom Nuong Xa (Lemongrass Grilled Prawns)
GFDFEFMuc Chien Gion (Vietnamese Crispy Squid with Lime)
GFDFEFGoi Du Du Tom (Green Papaya and Prawn Salad)
GFDFEFThai Red Curry Chicken Wings with Lime Dipping Sauce
GFDFEFSee every dish made with nuoc cham (vietnamese dipping sauce)
Double check before you cook. Recipes can contain mistakes. Any diet labels come from the ingredients as written in this recipe and are a guide, not a guarantee. Always check every ingredient and the packet label for allergens and cross contamination, and ask your doctor or dietitian what is right for you, especially with coeliac disease, diabetes or a serious allergy. This is not medical advice.
