Mì Quảng (Quảng-style noodle soup) is a must-try dish when you visit Hội An ancient town and Đà Nẵng city. I made Mì Quảng for my parents while I’m in Vietnam this time, and my dad even asked me to make it again.

So, here’s the authentic recipe for Mì Quảng. I tried to gather all the local ingredients to make the best version for my dad and mom, but I’ll also provide tips on substitutions to make the recipe easier to cook.

Mi Quang (Vietnamese turmeric noodles)

What is Mì Quảng?

Mì Quảng is an iconic noodle dish of Đà Nẵng city and Quảng Nam province (home to the ancient town of Hội An). Historically, Đà Nẵng and Quảng Nam were part of the same larger province in the past.

When in Hội An, besides Mì Quảng, don’t forget to try Cao Lầu (noodles with five-spice braised pork) and Hoi An Chicken Rice.

Hoi An Ancient Town
Hoi An ancient town

Local people say that Phú Chiêm Village (Điện Bàn, Quảng Nam) is where Mì Quảng originated. Therefore, when visiting Hội An and Đà Nẵng, make sure to try Mì Quảng from Mì Quảng Phú Chiêm vendors.

Some interesting facts about Mì Quảng

In Vietnamese, “Mì” often refers to wheat-based noodles like in Mì Khô (dry egg noodles with sauce) and Mì Xào Giòn (crispy bird’s nest egg noodles). Mì Quảng is the only exception.

Mi Quang (Vietnamese turmeric noodles)

Sometimes you might hear about Phở Hà Nội, Phở Sài Gòn, or Bún Chả Hà Nội. It’s still okay to just call them Phở or Bún Chả. However, for Mì Quảng and Bún Bò Huế, the regions in their names are integral parts of their identities.

In Vietnam, rice noodles are often served in two popular ways:

Mì Quảng falls somewhere in between; the rice noodles are served with just a small amount of broth but packed with intense flavor.

Ingredients

1

Local Must-Have Ingredients

To craft an authentic Mì Quảng in Vietnam, two essentials are indispensable: the aromatic pearl onions from Quảng Nam (củ nén) and rich, extra-virgin peanut oil (dầu phộng). These local ingredients bring the dish its distinctive flavor and depth.

Cu Nen (pearl onions) & Peanut Oil
  • Củ Nén lends a unique aroma that sets them apart from shallots or garlic. If you can’t find them, white pearl onions make a good substitute. In a pinch, regular onions can work.
  • If you have peanut oil on hand, I highly recommend using it for cooking Mì Quảng. Alternatively, regular cooking oil will be enough.
2

Mì Quảng Noodles

The noodles for Mì Quảng are made from rice. They’re wide, flat, and slightly thicker and chewier than the rice noodles in Northern Phở.

Mi Quang Rice Noodles

In Vietnam, the color of Mì Quảng noodles could be white or yellow. So if you can’t find yellow noodles, flat rice noodles for Phở or Pad Thai are great substitutes.

As a last resort, you could use Ho Fun (Chow Fun). These noodles, often used to cook Cantonese Beef Chow Fun and Thai Pad See Ew, are available in most Asian markets. They are thinner and more delicate than Mì Quảng Noodles.

3

Protein

Traditional toppings for Mì Quảng are chicken with shrimps and quail eggs, or pork with shrimps and quail eggs.

However, today in Vietnam, you’ll find variations with both local staples and exotic ingredients such as beef, frog, snakehead fish, and even jellyfish.

Mi Quang (Vietnamese turmeric noodles)

My Mì Quảng today is with chicken and shrimps. I skipped the quail eggs this time because I forgot to buy 😂.

In Vietnam, we often break down a whole chicken to cook Mì Quảng because the bones impart more umami flavors. You can use chicken drumsticks or boneless chicken thighs. Moreover, adding chicken broth enhances the broth’s flavor even further.

I don’t recommend chicken breast since it tends to dry out when braised.

For the shrimps, in Vietnam, we use shell-on shrimps (ones that are not too big and have thin yet crunchy shells), but you could use peeled shrimps.

4

Other Ingredients

  • Herbs: Mints and lemon basils (lá é trắng) are the popular herbs in Mì Quảng, but you could use other Vietnamese herbs like perilla and Thai basil.
  • Aromatics: củ nén (pearl onions or onions), shallots, and garlic.
  • Coloring: fresh turmeric (or turmeric powder) and annatto oil (or paprika powder and some cooking oil). Be cautious with your cooking utensils as turmeric and annatto oil can stain.
Mi Quang Aromatic Ingredients
  • Vegetables: Baby mustard greens, bean sprouts and shredded banana blossom are the typical vegetables served with Mì Quảng.
    • You could substitute them with salat or shredded cabbage. In Germany, I found Arugula also works great.
  • Sesame crackers & roasted peanuts: These add extra crunchiness.
  • Seasonings: fish sauce, chicken powder, and granulated sugar. The broth of Mì Quảng is richer and saltier than the broth of other Vietnamese noodle soups. It gains a lot of flavor from the marinated chicken and shrimps.
  • Optional accompaniments: Hội An chili sauce (substitutable with Vietnamese lemongrass chili oil) and local green chilies (substitutable with jalapeños).
Hoi An Chili Sauce
Hoi An Chili Sauce
Quang Nam Green Chili
Quang Nam Green Chili

More authentic Vietnamese recipes

Bánh Xèo - Vietnamese sizzling crepes with shrimp, pork, and mung bean sprouts, served with fresh herbs and dipping sauce.
Bánh Xèo
(Vietnamese Sizzling Pancakes)
Delicious and refreshing Gỏi Cuốn - Vietnamese fresh spring rolls filled with succulent shrimp, tender slices of pork belly, crisp lettuce, rice vermicelli, and fragrant fresh herbs. Wrapped in translucent rice paper, these vibrant rolls are served with a tantalizing dipping sauce.
Gỏi Cuốn
(Vietnamese Spring Rolls)

Thanks a bunch for giving my recipe a shot! If you enjoyed it, I’d truly appreciate a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating or a comment to let me know your thoughts.

And don’t forget to stay in touch with me on InstagramFacebookPinterest, and YouTube 🥰.

Mi Quang (Vietnamese turmeric noodles)

Very Authentic Mì Quảng | Vietnamese Turmeric Noodles

Cielle
Mì Quảng (Vietnamese Turmeric Noodle Soup) is a must-try dish when you visit the ancient town of Hội An or Đà Nẵng city. It's not difficult to make at home, and I'll show you how to cook it.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Course Family meal, Main Course
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

Chicken Marinade & Broth

  • 1.5 pound chicken thighs (700g) (see note 1)
  • 1 tbsp chicken powder
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 8 boiled quail eggs (optional)
  • 2 tbsp annatto oil (or 2 tbsp cooking oil + 1 tsp paprika)
  • 4 cup water (1 liter) (see note 2)
  • 4 tbsp fish sauce (for the broth) (to your taste)
  • 1 tbsp chicken powder (for the broth) (to your taste)
  • ½ tbsp sugar (for the broth) (to your taste)

Shrimp Marinade

  • 8 shrimps (with head and shells on) (see note 3)
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • ½ tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp annatto oil (or 1 tbsp cooking oil + 1/2 tsp paprika)

Aromatics

  • 3 tbsp minced shallots
  • 1.5 tbsp minced garlic
  • 5 tbsp minced Vietnamese pearl onions (Củ Nén) (or regular pearl onions / onions) (see note 4)
  • 2 thumb-sized pieces turmeric root (or 1 tsp turmeric powder)

Other ingredients

  • Extra-virgin peanut oil (or cooking oil) (see note 5)
  • 1 package Mì Quảng Noodles (see note 6)
  • Vegetables (salads, baby mustard greens, bean sprouts, shredded banana blossoms)
  • Herbs (mint, lemon basil, perilla, Thai basil…)
  • Sesame crackers
  • Roasted peanuts
  • Lime
  • Chili (optional)

Instructions
 

Marinating

  • Finely chop (or crush) the garlic, pearl onions, shallots, and turmeric together.
    crush the aromatics
  • Marinate the chicken with fish sauce, chicken powder, sugar, 1/3 the aromatics, and annatto oil. Mix well and let it marinate for 30 minutes.
    marinated chicken
  • Peel and devein the shrimps (if your shrimps are small with thin, soft shells, this step may not be necessary). Combine the shrimps with 1/3 the aromatics, fish sauce, sugar, and annatto oil. Mix well and allow it to marinate for 30 minutes.
    Marinated shrimps

Cooking

  • Heat some peanut oil in a sauté pan and stir-fry the remaining aromatics until fragrant. Then, add the chicken along with its marinade. If you like boiled quail eggs, you can add them at this point.
    Braise the chicken
  • Adjust the seasoning with more fish sauce and stir-fry over medium-high heat until the chicken and quail eggs have absorbed the flavors.
  • Pour in water and let it simmer over medium-low heat for about 30 minutes. Adjust the seasoning by adding more fish sauce and chicken powder as needed. Mì Quảng is traditionally served with a moderate amount of broth, so the broth should be saltier than your preferred taste.
    Broth for Mì Quảng
  • In another saucepan, heat some peanut oil and add the shrimps. Cook the shrimps over medium-low heat with the lid closed, stirring occasionally to ensure even cooking. The shrimps are done when most of the liquid has evaporated, leaving only a small amount of sauce.
    Cook the shrimps

Assemble

  • Prepare the flat rice noodles according to the instructions on the package, then rinse and drain them thoroughly.
  • Arrange the noodles in a bowl and layer them with vegetables and herbs. Add the chicken and shrimps, then pour the chicken broth over the noodles.
  • Top the bowl with roasted peanuts and cracked sesame crackers, and optionally, squeeze some lime juice over it. Mix everything together and enjoy.
    Mi Quang (Vietnamese turmeric noodles)
  • For those who like spicy flavors, add some chili. Authentic Mì Quảng is often served with Hoi An chili sauce and local green chilies.

Notes

  1. Chicken thighs are more friendly to the Western palate, but in Vietnam, we typically use a broken-up whole chicken to cook Mì Quảng. You could also use drumsticks.
  2. You could use chicken broth instead of water to shorten the cooking time.
  3. In Vietnam, we use shrimps with heads and shells on, but you could remove them before cooking.
  4. Củ Nén are the local pearl onions used to make authentic Mì Quảng. They can be substituted with pearl onions or even regular white onions.
  5. Extra-virgin peanut oil is also an essential ingredient for cooking authentic Mì Quảng, but you can adapt with neutral cooking oil.
  6. The flat wide rice noodles for Mì Quảng in Vietnam can be either white or yellow. Therefore, feel free to use rice noodles for Phở or Pad Thai as substitutes. As a last resort, you could use Ho Fun, which is thinner and more delicate.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
0 0 votes
Article Rating
5 from 2 votes (2 ratings without comment)
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
Anonymous
Anonymous
8 months ago

5 stars