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Vietnam · Noodle soup · Crab and shrimp

Bánh Canh Cua — Vietnamese Crab Thick Noodle Soup

Bánh canh cua is a comforting Vietnamese noodle soup featuring thick, chewy tapioca-rice noodles, sweet crab, shrimp and a savory pork-bone broth. This home-style version includes mushrooms and an optional lightly thickened broth.

Bánh canh cua with crab, shrimp, thick noodles, and scallions

AI-generated food image when available. Recipe has not been independently kitchen-tested by Asian Table Atlas.

Prep: 25 minCook: 65 minTotal: 90 minServes: 4

Ingredients

  • 500 g crab meat (cooked, picked over for shells)
  • 500 g pork bones or pork neck bones
  • 300 g shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 400 g fresh bánh canh thick tapioca-rice noodles
  • 150 g shiitake or straw mushrooms, sliced
  • 1 medium onion, halved
  • 3 shallots, minced
  • 3 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 tbsp annatto oil or neutral oil
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce, plus more to taste
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
  • 2 tbsp tapioca starch mixed with 3 tbsp cold water (optional)
  • 1.8 L water
  • Scallions, cilantro, lime wedges, and chili for serving

How to make bánh canh cua

  1. Rinse the pork bones and blanch them in boiling water for 3 minutes. Drain, rinse, and return to a clean pot with 1.8 L water and the halved onion.
  2. Simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, skimming foam, until the broth is fragrant. Strain the broth and discard the bones and onion. Add water to return to roughly 1.5 L if needed.
  3. Heat annatto oil in a pan over medium heat. Sauté shallots and garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the mushrooms and cook 2–3 minutes.
  4. Add the shrimp and cook until pink and opaque. Gently fold in the cooked crab meat just to warm it; do not overcook.
  5. Return the strained broth to a simmer. Season with fish sauce, sugar, and pepper. Add the sautéed seafood and mushrooms. If a lightly silky broth is desired, stir in the tapioca-starch slurry and simmer for 1–2 minutes.
  6. Cook the bánh canh noodles according to package directions; fresh noodles generally need only a few minutes. Drain and portion into bowls.
  7. Ladle the hot crab-and-shrimp broth over the noodles. Top with scallions and cilantro. Serve immediately with lime and chili.

Cooking and storage tips

Crab: Check cooked crab meat carefully for shell fragments. Noodles: Fresh and dried bánh canh noodles cook differently; follow the package. Broth: Add starch slurry gradually; it thickens further as it cools. Safety: Cook shrimp until firm and opaque, and refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours.