Low Carb Bun Thit Nuong may not be something you’ve ever heard of, but you’ll be so glad you found this recipe! It’s a low carb version of a classic Vietnamese cold noodle dish with crispy Vietnamese grilled caramelized pork strips, cold rice noodles, fresh herbs, and crunchy peanuts. The traditional dish is heavy in carbs, so I decided to make a Keto version in my Air Fryer!
What is Bun Thit Nuong?
Every time we go to a Vietnamese restaurant, what I really want is the bun thit nuong. That crispy, slightly sweet pork, the peanuts, the cucumbers! But restaurants give you LOTS Of noodles—and not as much meat. Which is yummy, but not exactly low carb. So I decided to make my own Low Carb Bun Thit Nuong.
Bun refers to the noodles, thit nuong is barbecued meat.
What is the Best Way to Cook Low Carb Bun Thit Nuong?
The air fryer is perfect for Thit Nuong because you’re looking at fairly thin slices of pork that need to crisp up at the edges. You can marinate this ahead of time if you like, and cook it just before you’re ready to eat.
How Do You Serve this Dish?
Typically, you’d serve this with:
- Cold rice noodles (omit noodles or use zucchini noodles for low carb!)
- Chopped fresh cilantro
- Chopped roasted peanuts
- Fresh mint
- Quick-pickled cucumbers and carrots
- Fish sauce poured over the top
Is Low Carb Bun Thit Nuong High in Calories?
While you would think something this full of flavor would be high in calories, you would be wrong. With a little over 230 calories per serving, you can enjoy this dish virtually free of guilt.
Tips and Tricks for Making Low Carb Bun Thit Nuong:
- Cut pork strips thin so they crisp easily in your Air Fryer.
- For the most flavor, marinate your pork for up to 24 hours.
- You can omit Lemongrass paste if it is not available at your grocery store.
Looking for more Air Fryer Recipes?
- AIR FRYER SESAME GINGER BROCCOLI– A low carb broccoli side dish that is bursting with Asian Flavor.
- SALADE NI̤OISEРA salad of cooked vegetables and tuna.
- GERMAN ROULADEN– A crispy flank steak roll, with all of the flavors of a classic rouladen, but not the hours-long braise times.
Every one of the recipes in this book can be made in an hour or less, and many are on the table in as little as 30 minutes. You won’t find “cream of anything” cans in the ingredient list: instead, you’ll start with fresh ingredients–healthful meats and vegetables–and let the air fryer do the hard work.
If you’re looking for more adventurous ways to use your Air Fryer, this Low Carb Bun Thit Nuong recipe will delight your tastebuds. If you’re simply looking for a new delicious low carb recipe this should be at the top of your list.
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Ingredients
For the Marinade
- 1/4 cup Chopped Onion
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 1 tablespoon splenda or 2 tablespoons sugar
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon Minced Garlic
- 1 tablespoon Fish Sauce
- 1 tablespoon minced lemongrass paste
- 1/2 teaspoon Ground Black Pepper
- 1 pound thinly sliced pork shoulder
For Finishing
- 1/4 cup crushed roasted peanuts
- 2 tablespoons chopped cilantro or parsley
Instructions
- In a bowl, whisk together the onions, sugar, soy sauce, oil, garlic, fish sauce, lemongrass, and pepper.
- Thinly slice the pork shoulder into 1/2 in slices, and then cut crossways into 4-inch pieces.
- Add the pork to the marinade and let it rest for 30 minutes or for up to 24 hours.
- Remove the pork slices from the marinade, and place in single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Set the air fryer to 400ºF and cook the pork for 10 minutes, flipping over halfway.
- Test with a meat thermometer to ensure the pork has reached an internal temperature of 165ºF.
- Remove pork to a serving tray, sprinkle with the roasted peanuts and cilantro or parsley, and serve.
Sarah
If you used a NuWave convection oven instead of an air fryer for the pork, would you use the 2 inch rack or the higher rack? How long would you estimate cook time? The recipe looks great, can’t wait to try it out!
URVASHI PITRE
I think I might try to hire rack and see how it goes. Unfortunately I cannot speak to the time, I suspect it will be a little bit shorter in the Nuwave.
Sarah
Thanks, I’ll try cooking for 8 minutes on the high rack and see how it goes!