Bún Riêu Cua (Vietnamese Field Crab Noodle Soup)

Bún riêu cua đồng is a traditional Northern Vietnamese noodle soup made from hand-pounded field crabs, tomatoes, tofu, and vermicelli. Light yet flavorful, it's a humble countryside dish that captures the soul of rural life and the warmth of homemade cooking.

Nguyên liệu

1 kg ground freshwater crab (cua đồng)
400 g fresh rice vermicelli (bún tươi)
100 g pork paste (giò sống)
200 g pork blood curd (huyết heo)
50 g dried shrimp
30 g dried squid
2 egg yolks
100 g pork fat (for rendering)
150 g tofu (fried or fresh)
500 g tomatoes
300 g mixed herbs and greens (e.g. Vietnamese balm, water spinach, perilla)
100 g shallots
20 g scallions
150 ml cooking oil
1 tbsp annatto oil (or red oil for color)
20 g fermented shrimp paste (mắm tôm)
20 ml fish sauce
Salt, sugar, MSG, pepper to taste

How to Choose Fresh Field Crabs (Cua Đồng) for Cooking

Look for field crabs (cua đồng) with a muddy grayish-purple shell and a slightly lighter-colored carapace. To get meatier crabs, choose male crabs, which have a small, pointed apron (the underside flap). For more crab roe (used in dishes like bún riêu), select female crabs, which have a larger, rounded apron, often called “yếm bông” in Vietnamese.
Choose crabs that are still active and move quickly, with all legs and claws intact and responsive. Press lightly on the apron; if bubbles appear, the crab is fresh and alive.
For the best bún riêu cua (Vietnamese crab noodle soup), the crabs should be hand-pounded. This traditional method helps the crab paste rise into a soft, smooth, and flavorful curd. Using a blender is faster but often results in grainy or foamy textures that lack the signature richness.
Avoid crabs with red eyes, hairy undersides, or star-shaped spots on their backs — these are signs of poor quality or possible contamination.

Thành phần dinh dưỡng

For: Omnivore, high-protein, traditional Vietnamese cuisine
Calories per serving (1 bowl): ~350–450 kcal

Key Nutrients

1. Protein (20–25g per bowl)

Source: Ground freshwater crab, pork paste, pork blood curd, dried shrimp, tofu
Benefits: Builds and repairs tissues; supports immune function; diverse protein sources add depth to flavor.

2. Healthy Fats

Source: Pork fat (rendered), cooking oil, egg yolk
Benefits: Aids vitamin absorption (especially fat-soluble vitamins like A, D, E, K); contributes to satiety and mouthfeel.

3. Complex Carbohydrates

Source: Fresh rice vermicelli
Benefits: Provides sustained energy; pairs well with protein for balanced digestion.

4. Iron & B12 (from animal sources)

Source: Pork blood curd, crab, dried shrimp
Benefits: Supports red blood cell production and cognitive function; particularly beneficial in traditional diets low in supplements.

5. Antioxidants & Anti-inflammatory Compounds

Source: Tomatoes, shallots, annatto oil, herbs (perilla, balm, etc.), garlic, mắm tôm
Benefits: Tomatoes are rich in lycopene (good for heart health); herbs and spices aid digestion and reduce inflammation.

6. Fiber (3–4g per bowl)

Source: Tofu, herbs, tomatoes
Benefits: Promotes gut health; helps regulate cholesterol and blood sugar levels.

Chế biến

1. Prepare the Field Crabs

Soak field crabs in water for about 1 hour to remove dirt and sand, then rinse well. Remove the apron and carapace, keeping the roe (crab fat) aside.

Scoop out the roe using a small spoon and place it in a bowl. Season it with a pinch of ground pepper and seasoning powder. Pound or blend the crab body until fine.

Place the ground crab into a large bowl, mix with a little salt and add water. Gently massage with your hand to extract the meat into the water. Filter the mixture through a fine sieve or cloth to remove shells and collect about 3.5 liters of crab broth.

Bước 1 Sơ chế cua đồng Bún riêu cua đồng

2. Prepare the Other Ingredients

Wash and dice pork fat into small cubes, then fry until golden and crispy. Reserve the rendered pork fat to cook other ingredients. Cut tofu into small pieces and fry until golden.

Chop half of the scallions and cut the rest into 3cm segments. Peel and slice the shallots. Wash and quarter the tomatoes. Parboil pork blood, then cut into bite-sized pieces.

Soak dried shrimp and dried squid for 30 minutes. Cut the squid into small pieces and pan-fry them together with the shrimp until fragrant.

Bước 2 Sơ chế các nguyên liệu khác Bún riêu cua đồng

3. Fry the Shallots

In a deep pan, heat 150ml of oil (or leftover pork fat). Add sliced shallots and fry until golden brown.

Once the shallots are crispy, add the pork cracklings, fry briefly, then remove and drain.

Tips for crispy shallots without oil splatter:

Add 3–4 drops of lime juice and a pinch of salt to the oil before it gets hot.
Use enough oil (about 600ml for 500g of shallots) so the shallots are fully submerged and cook evenly.
Add shallots in batches and stir gently to avoid clumping or breaking.

4. Sauté the Crab Roe

Place the seasoned crab roe in a pan with 1 tablespoon of rendered pork fat and sauté until cooked and fragrant.

5. Make and Steam the Crab Patty

Mix 100g of raw pork paste (giò sống) with 2 egg yolks, 1 teaspoon MSG, chopped scallions, and a bit of crab broth.

Pour the mixture into a mold with about 100ml of crab broth and steam for 30–40 minutes. For a nice golden finish and enhanced flavor, spread a bit of sautéed crab roe on top of the patty before serving.

6. Sauté the Tomatoes

In a pan with some pork fat, sauté the quartered tomatoes with 1 tablespoon of annatto oil for 5 minutes until soft and colorful.

7. Cook the Broth

Place the fried shrimp, squid, and the leftover crab shells (wrapped in cheesecloth or a cloth pouch) into a pot with 1.5 liters of water. Simmer for 30–40 minutes to extract flavor.

Remove the shells, then add the reserved 3 liters of filtered crab broth. Simmer gently until the crab curd forms and floats to the surface.

Add the sautéed tomatoes, tofu, pork blood, chopped scallions, remaining crab roe, and steamed crab patty into the pot. Season with:

60g sugar
A pinch of MSG
20ml fish sauce
A bit of seasoning powder, pepper, and
20g fermented shrimp paste (mắm tôm) – for that iconic bún riêu aroma (optional if you’re not used to it).

8. Serve

Add cooked rice vermicelli to a bowl. Cut the steamed crab patty into portions, and ladle in the rich broth with tomatoes, tofu, pork blood, crab curd, scallions, and crab roe.

Serve hot with fresh herbs and shredded water spinach (rau muống bào). The light yet flavorful broth, creamy crab curd, and rich toppings make bún riêu cua a deeply satisfying and uniquely Vietnamese dish.

Câu chuyện

Bún Riêu Cua Đồng – A Bowl of Countryside Soul

Bún riêu cua đồng is a beloved Vietnamese noodle soup that originates from the rural heartlands of the Red River Delta, especially the northern and north-central provinces. Unlike many broths made from bones, this dish draws its flavor from humble field crabs (cua đồng) — small freshwater crabs found in rice paddies, deeply tied to the daily rhythm of Vietnam’s agrarian life.

Traditionally, crabs were pounded by hand using a stone mortar, extracting their sweet, briny essence to create a light but deeply flavorful broth. As the soup simmers, a delicate raft of crab curd forms and rises — soft, fluffy, and aromatic. Alongside this are bright red tomatoes, fried tofu, congealed pork blood, and sometimes a steamed crab cake, all ladled over soft vermicelli noodles (bún).

More than a comfort food, bún riêu cua đồng is a dish of memory. It recalls summer lunches in the countryside, the rhythmic sound of pestles in quiet kitchens, and the resourcefulness of rural cooks who turned the simplest ingredients into something soulful and nourishing.

Today, whether sold in street-side stalls or made at home for family gatherings, bún riêu remains a vivid expression of northern Vietnamese cuisine — humble, hearty, and full of life.

Hàng bún riêu cua đồng vỉa hè mà sạch sẽ như nhà hàng 5 sao, chủ rất dễ thương tỉ mỉ từng cộng rau Bí quyết nấu bún riêu cua ngon như ngoài tiệm đơn giản - dễ làm.

(Bún Riêu Cua is a familiar dish in Vietnamese traditional cuisine)

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