Vegan Bun Rieu (Vietnamese Crab Noodle Soup)
Vegan Bun Rieu (Bún riêu chay) is a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup prepared with a sweet and tangy tomato broth and served with rice noodles, mushrooms, tofu, and fresh herbs. This unique noodle soup is a symphony of flavors and texture.
Ingredients
Tamarind Juice
- 1 tbsp tamarind paste
- 1/3 cup hot water
Bun Rieu
- 4 cups homemade soy milk
- 3 tbsp annatto oil
- 3 medium ripe tomatoes quartered
- 5-6 cremini mushrooms quartered or sliced
- 1 cup water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vegan fish sauce
- 1/8 tsp mushroom seasoning optional
- 3-4 pieces fried tofu
For Serving
- 6 ounces uncooked rice noodles
- 3 tbsp chopped green onions
- chopped cilantro
- lettuce leaves
Instructions
Tamarind Juice
- Cover the tamarind paste with water. Add the tamarind paste to a small bowl and cover with 1/3 cup of boiling water. Use a spoon to break down the tamarind into small pieces. Let the mixture rest for about 5 minutes.
- Strain. Use a fine-sieve mesh to strain the tamarind juice. Discard the pulp and set the tamarind juice aside.
Bun Rieu
- Curdle the soy milk. Add the soy milk to a deep pot and heat it over medium heat until it comes to a simmer.Stir in the tamarind juice. Add the tamarind juice and give it a quick stir to combine.
- Let simmer. Let simmer gently for another 3 minutes. Do not bring it to a high boil. After 3-4 minutes, the curds will have separated from the soy milk. You will end up with curds and soy milk juice.
- Strain. Use a slotted or large wooden spoon to remove the bean curds from the soy milk juice.
- Press the curds. Transfer the bean curds to a fine-sieve mesh and press them using a spoon until almost no water remains. The goal is to create a mass that holds together, although it will be a bit crumbly (like tofu). Important note: keep the soy milk juice, as we will use it later.
- Set aside. Transfer the bean curd to a bowl and set aside while you prepare the broth.
- Sauté the tomatoes and mushrooms. Heat the annatto oil in a deep pot over medium heat. Once hot, add the quartered tomatoes and mushrooms. Sauté for 3-5 minutes or until the tomatoes soften.
- Pour in the soy milk juice. Add the soy milk juice, water, sugar, salt, vegan fish sauce, mushroom seasoning, and fried tofu to the pot.
- Let simmer. Bring the broth to a boil and reduce the heat to a simmer. Let it simmer for 10-15 minutes covered.
- Add the bean curds. Crumble the bean curds into large pieces and add them to the broth (it is okay if it crumbles into small chunks too). Let simmer for 2-3 more minutes.
- Taste. Once the broth has simmered, give it a try and adjust the sweetness and saltiness to your liking.
To Assemble
- Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil and cook the noodles according to the package’s instructions. Drain them well.
- Divide into bowls. Divide the cooked noodles between three deep serving bowls.
- Cover with the broth. Using a ladle, pour the hot broth with some mushrooms, bean curds, tomatoes, and tofu into each bowl.
- Garnish. Before serving, garnish with chopped scallions and cilantro!
Notes
-
- Use homemade soy milk. While this recipe also works with store-bought soy milk, we had the best results using homemade soy milk. If using store-bought, ensure you pick soy milk containing only two ingredients: soybeans and water. Be aware that each brand gives different results.
- Press the bean curds tightly. Doing this will prevent it from crumbling too much when added to the broth.
- Add shallots. For extra flavor, feel free to sauté one minced shallot with the tomatoes and mushrooms.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 552 kcal | Carbohydrates: 66.8 g | Protein: 20.3 g | Fat: 23.7 g | Saturated Fat: 3.1 g | Sodium: 1430 mg | Potassium: 509 mg | Fiber: 6.3 g | Sugar: 13.9 g | Calcium: 95 mg | Iron: 2 mg