All About Bún Đỏ

Fact: A bowl of bún đỏ is around 15,000 to 30,000 Vietnam Dong (approximately 0.6 to 1.2 USD).

#113 in Vietnam

Bún Đỏ: Basic Information

Pronunciation

/bun də̌ː/

Alternative Name(s)

Dish Type

Noodle soups

Course

Main Course

Mealtime

Lunch, Dinner

Popular Variations

Bún Đỏ: Origin and Region

Origin

Vietnam

Continent’s Region

Southeast Asia

Country’s Region

Central Highlands (Vietnam)

Associated Region

Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak

Bún Đỏ: Ingredients and Preparation

Main Ingredients

Thick noodles, annatto oil, pork bone, pork meat, crab meat, dried shrimp

Main Cooking Method

Simmering

Preparation Process

Simmering pork bones for broth, preparing crab paste, assembling a bowl with noodles and toppings, then pouring broth over.

Bún Đỏ: A Deep Dive

Cultural Significance

Buon Ma Thuot’s specialty

Taste

Savory

Texture

Thick, chewy noodles, crunchy vegetables, and tender crab paste

Aroma

Fragrant

Color

Red-orange noodles, green vegetables, and light red-orangish broth

Serving Style

In a bowl

Serving Temperature

Hot

Accompaniment

Shrimp paste, lime wedges, or chili.

Occasions

On any occasions

Seasons

Year-round

Special Diets

Gluten-free

Calories

Unspecified

Popularity

Vietnam, particularly in Dak Lak

Popular Similar Dishes

Canh Bún
Bún Riêu Cua
Bánh Canh

Popular Dining Area

Street food stalls, local eateries in Buon Ma Thuot

Bún đỏ is a specialty from Buon Ma Thuot city of Dak Lak Province in Vietnam’s highland region. It stands out with thick noodles, originally white and turning red during the cooking process with annatto oil.

Bún đỏ literally means red noodle, where “red” is “đỏ,” and “noodle” is “bún.” The noodle itself in bún đỏ is similar to the noodles used in bánh canh, a Vietnamese thick noodle soup.

Besides the distinctive color of noodles, bún đỏ includes crab paste made from minced crab, dried shrimp, and pork, seasoned with local spices. The broth is simmered from pork bones and crab juice, resulting in a rich and savory broth.

Bún đỏ is served with slightly blanched water celery, leaf mustard, and bean sprouts, often topped with quail eggs, fried shallot, and pork greaves. For more flavor, some enjoy it with shrimp paste, lime wedges, and a bit of chili.

Overall, bún đỏ is an affordable and humble dish, easy to spot on the streets and local markets. Plus, this tasty dish from Buon Me Thuot is rarely sold in the morning. Instead, vendors typically sell it around 3 to 4 PM until late at night. Some remain open until 1 to 2 AM.

Above is a general view of Buon Ma Thuot’s red noodle soup. So keep scrolling for more insights about its pluses and minuses and similar dishes.

Key Points

Bún đỏ hails from Buon Ma Thuot city, Dak Lak Province, Vietnam.
Bún đỏ consists of thick noodles turning red from annatto oil, crab paste, and served in savory soup.
Traditional toppings are water celery, leaf mustard, bean sprouts, quail eggs, fried shallots, and pork greaves.
It is a famous and affordable street food in the region.

Where To Try Bún Đỏ?

When you find yourself on the streets of Buon Ma Thuot, don’t miss out on the three addresses below to experience the authentic flavor of the region’s famous bún đỏ.

In Buon Ma Thuot

Bún Đỏ Buôn Ma Thuột, Trần Phú
Address: 65 Tran Phu, Thang Loi, Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak
Opening Time: 14:30–19:00
Bún Đỏ Thuý
Address: 75 Le Hong Phong, Tan Tien, Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak
Opening Time: 16:00–00:00
Bún Đỏ Bà Chanh
Address: 38 Nguyen Xuan Nguyen Street, Tan An, Buon Ma Thuot City, Dak Lak
Hours: 15:00–18:00

Next, let’s see what the pros and cons of this Buon Ma Thuot red noodle soup are.

Pros and Cons of Eating Bún Đỏ

Below is a list of benefits and drawbacks of consuming bún đỏ.

Pros

Rich Culinary Experience: Bún Đỏ is a delightful dish from Buon Ma Thuot, Dak Lak, from the Highlands region.
Fresh Ingredients: The use of fresh crab, meat, and vegetables contributes to the nutritional value

Cons

Limited Availability: Authentic Bún Đỏ is hard to find outside of its region of origin.

Bún Đỏ FAQs

Bún đỏ and canh bún are similar in that they are both Vietnamese noodle soups featuring thick rice noodles and rich broths. However, bún đỏ is distinguished by its red-colored noodles and topping veggies, including water celery and bean sprouts, while canh bún typically comes with boiled morning glory.

Bún đỏ uses thick noodles, while bún riêu uses thinner rice noodles and a tomato-based broth with minced crab. Bún đỏ is often accompanied by blanched veggies, whereas bún riêu is typically garnished with fried tofu and served with fresh vegetables and herbs.

Bún Đỏ is typically a hearty meal best enjoyed in the evening when the weather is cooler. It also caters to local eating habits and the demand from night-shift workers.

Traditionally, Bún Đỏ is not suitable for vegetarians as it contains pork and crab. However, a vegetarian version could be made by replacing the meat and seafood with tofu and mushrooms and a vegetable-based broth instead of the typical pork bone broth.

Similar Dishes of Bún Đỏ

Canh Bún

Canh bún is a Vietnamese noodle soup with thick rice noodles, rice paddy crab broth, and often served with boiled water spinach.

Bún Riêu Cua

Bún riêu cua is a Vietnamese noodle soup consisting of rice vermicelli, a clear crab-based broth, crab cakes, and other toppings.

Bánh Canh

Bánh canh is a Vietnamese noodle soup with thick strands of tapioca or rice noodles, meat toppings, herbs, and broth.

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Truc Tran (Kris)

Senior Food Editor

Expertise

Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Recipe Development, Baking and Pastry, Food Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Vietnamese Food Evaluation Expert

Education

Hospitality (Commercial Cookery) at TasTAFE
Culinary Arts at Kendall College (Australia Branch in Sydney)
Vietnamese Cuisine Head Chef at HNAAu School (Vietnam, International Joint Training Program)

Truc Tran (Kris), an experienced food writer and editor, is great at exploring and describing global cuisines, from simple street food to fancy dining. In her writing, she skillfully mixes different flavors, cooking methods, and culinary traditions, showing the unique character of various cultures through their food and drinks. On azcuisines.com, Kris highlights her knowledge, especially in Asian cuisine and worldwide traditional dishes.