Vietnamese Snail and Tomato Rice Noodle Soup

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A beloved Hanoi street food specialty, this bright noodle soup pairs tender freshwater snails with a tangy-sweet tomato broth, slippery rice vermicelli, and a generous mound of fresh herbs. Each bowl is balanced, light, and deeply savory with a gentle sour edge from ripe tomatoes and a final squeeze of lime.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 430 kcalCalories
• 11 gFat
• 1.8 gSaturated Fat
• 62 gCarbs
• 4 gFiber
• 7 gSugar
• 24 gProtein
• 820 mgSodium
• 520 mgPotassium
• 110 mgCalcium
• 4 mgIron
• 22 mgVitamin C
• 90 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the broth

• 6 cups water or low-sodium pork bone broth
• 1 small yellow onion, halved
• 1 tbsp Vietnamese shrimp paste (optional)
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt

For the snail and tomato base

• 1 lb cooked canned freshwater snails, drained and rinsed
• 4 ripe Roma tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1 large shallot, minced
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 stalk lemongrass, bruised and tied
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp palm or granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce

For the noodles and toppings

• 14 oz dried rice vermicelli (bún)
• 8 oz fried tofu, sliced into rectangles
• 2 cups fresh bean sprouts, rinsed
• 1 cup Vietnamese mint (rau thom) leaves
• 1 cup perilla (tía tô) leaves
• 1/2 cup sawtooth herb (ngò gai) or cilantro
• 2 green onions, thinly sliced
• 1 lime, cut into wedges

Directions

1. In a medium pot, combine the water, halved onion, shrimp paste, and salt; bring to a gentle simmer and keep warm while you prepare the rest.
2. Cook the rice vermicelli in a large pot of boiling water for 3-4 minutes until just tender; drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
3. Heat the vegetable oil in a heavy pot over medium heat. Add the shallot, garlic, and lemongrass; sauté for about 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
4. Stir in the chopped tomatoes and sugar. Cook for 6-8 minutes, mashing gently with a spoon, until the tomatoes break down into a thick, glossy sauce.
5. Add the drained snails to the tomato mixture and toss gently for 2-3 minutes so they absorb the flavor; take care not to overcook them since they are already tender.
6. Pour the warm broth into the snail-tomato pot, stir in the fish sauce, and simmer for 5 minutes. Taste and adjust salt, sugar, or fish sauce as needed; the broth should be savory with a gentle tang.
7. Divide the cooked noodles among 4 deep bowls. Top with sliced fried tofu and a handful of fresh bean sprouts.
8. Ladle the hot snail and tomato broth over the noodles and tofu, making sure each bowl gets plenty of snails and tomato pieces.
9. Pile the mint, perilla, sawtooth herb, and green onions over each bowl. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side for squeezing over the top.

Cook’s Notes

• Canned pre-cooked freshwater snails are widely available at Asian markets and online; they save hours of cleaning and pre-cooking fresh snails.
• Do not simmer the snails longer than 3-4 minutes total in the broth since they are already fully cooked and can turn rubbery.
• For a deeper sour note, add 1 tablespoon of tamarind paste or a squeeze of fresh lime juice directly into the broth at the end of cooking.
• If snails are unavailable, substitute with cooked clams or sliced cooked pork for a similarly satisfying bowl.
• Serve the herbs on a separate platter so each diner can tear their own leaves over the hot broth, preserving their bright flavor and aroma.

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