Banh Canh Cua Vietnamese Crab Noodle Soup (Printable)
Rich Vietnamese noodle soup with thick tapioca noodles, crab meat, shrimp, and savory aromatic broth in a comforting bowl.
# What You’ll Need:
→ Broth
01 - 5 cups chicken stock
02 - 14 oz pork bones, blanched
03 - 1 yellow onion, halved
04 - 2 cloves garlic, smashed
05 - 1 tsp salt
06 - 1 tsp sugar
07 - 1 tbsp fish sauce
→ Crab & Seafood
08 - 10 oz fresh crab meat or cooked crab claws
09 - 5 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined
10 - 7 oz fish cakes or surimi, sliced
→ Noodles
11 - 14 oz banh canh (thick tapioca noodles), fresh or frozen
→ Garnishes
12 - 2 spring onions, finely sliced
13 - 2 tbsp fried shallots
14 - 1 small bunch cilantro, chopped
15 - 1 red chili, sliced (optional)
16 - Lime wedges
17 - Fresh ground black pepper
# How to Prepare:
01 - Combine chicken stock, pork bones, halved onion, smashed garlic, salt, and sugar in a large soup pot. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduce to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes. Skim off any foam that rises to the surface periodically.
02 - Stir in fish sauce and taste for balance. Remove and discard the pork bones and onion halves from the broth using a slotted spoon or strainer.
03 - Add peeled and deveined shrimp to the simmering broth. Cook for 2–3 minutes until just pink and opaque. Remove shrimp with a slotted spoon and set aside on a plate.
04 - Gently add crab meat and sliced fish cakes to the broth. Simmer for 5–7 minutes over medium-low heat to allow flavors to meld. Avoid boiling vigorously to prevent breaking up the crab meat.
05 - Cook banh canh noodles according to package directions (typically 3–5 minutes in boiling water). Drain well and rinse briefly with cool water to stop cooking and prevent sticking.
06 - Divide cooked noodles evenly among 4 serving bowls. Arrange cooked shrimp, crab meat, and fish cake slices on top of the noodles.
07 - Pour hot broth generously over each bowl, covering the noodles and seafood. Top with sliced spring onions, fried shallots, chopped cilantro, and fresh black pepper. Serve immediately with lime wedges and sliced chili on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The broth develops an incredible depth that tastes like it simmered all day even though it comes together in under an hour
- Those bouncy tapioca noodles are so satisfying to slurp, holding onto every drop of flavor
02 -
- The noodles will continue to absorb broth as they sit, so serve immediately after assembling to keep that perfect soup to noodle ratio
- Adding shrimp too early will make them rubbery and tough, so timing is everything with this delicate seafood
03 -
- Blanching the pork bones before adding them to the broth removes any impurities and keeps your soup crystal clear
- Letting the broth cool slightly before reheating the next day allows the flavors to meld even more deeply