Easy and Quick to Make
I love all Vietnamese vermicelli noodle bowls. Something about how the meat is sweet and salty and the noodles are soft but not soggy just makes it the perfect mix. So of course, I had to try to make my own noodle bowl at home. Not all fish sauce or soy sauce is gluten free so it can be hard to find a place that has gluten free options for these amazing Vietnamese dishes.
However, Thai Kitchen products have become very mainstream and easy to find. They make a gluten free fish sauce and soy sauce as well as rice noodles. There are several brands of vermicelli that are gluten free, but if you have a hard time finding them all of the rice noodles taste awesome in this dish.
The key to getting a lot of flavor in the meat is to marinade it overnight if you can. That way the sauce really soaks in. There is a lot of sugar in the sauce, but since it is only a marinade you will not be actually consuming all of that sugar.
I am using chicken, but this noodle bowl is great with pork, beef, tofu, pretty much anything. It does taste amazing grilled. However I don’t usually have a grill available so I cook it in my cast iron pan. It works great getting that little char on the meat.
A traditional recipe calls for pickled vegetables. If you have the time for this you can follow the instructions on how to do that. I personally don’t like pickled things and prefer my veggies just fresh.
Also, the sauce that you can pour over the noodles has little kick to it, so it makes for plenty of flavor without the pickling.
I was inspired by the site recipetineats.com to make a gluten free version. I knew it could be done easily. Now that I have made it a few times I have made the changes that work for my taste buds as well.
The only downside is the cost of the gluten free products. They always cost more than the regular kind. Most days, I am just happy to have more options though. So happy to have found away to make Vietnamese food at home!
Ingredients
- Sauce to Marinade the Meat In
- I use 1-1.5 lbs of meat of choice boneless. I used boneless chicken thighs. I have also made it with pork and it was equally tasty
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons of fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons of tamari
- 2 tablespoons of lime juice
- 2 tablespoons of dark brown sugar
- 1 stalk of lemon grass
- Noodles and Veggies
- 1/2 tablespoon of olive oil
- 1 package of rice noodles gluten free vermicelli style
- 2 small carrots sliced very thin
- 1 large cucumber sliced very thin
- 5 cups of lettuce (I prefer dark leafy greens)
- Cilantro and mint leaves for garnish
- Chilis and limes are optional
- Crushed peanuts for garnish and taste
- Sauce for Dipping or Topping Noodle Bowl with aka Nuoc Cham
- 3 tablespoons of fish sauce
- 1/4 cup rice win vinegar
- 2.5 tablespoons of sugar
- 1/3 cup of water
- 1/2 tablespoon of garlic
- 1 chile de arbol finely chopped (optional)
- 2.5 table spoons of lime juice
- Pickling Liquid
- 1 cup of gluten free vinegar, rice wine vinegar preferred
- 1/2 cup of sugar
- Sprinkle with sea salt
Instructions
- (If you want to quickly pickle your veggies take the carrots and cucumber and put them in the pickling liquid at least 30 minutes before serving.)
- First create the marinade and let the meat marinade over night if possible, but if not one hour will do. If you want pickles start the veggies you will pickle at the same time. I prefer cucumbers and carrots.
- Cook the meat on the grill or even a pan. Follow instructions carefully on your rice noodles. Most only require being cooked for 5 minutes or so. Rinse them with cold when done so that they don't stick together. Then make yourself a beautiful bowl. Top with mint, clinatro, and peanuts.
- You can either eat it with the sauce on the side for dunking or pour it over the top like a salad dressing.
