Bánh canh cua is the Vietnamese noodle dish featuring crab meat, pork, and thick tapioca-rice noodles in a savory broth.
Bánh canh refers to thick, round noodles made from tapioca flour, rice flour, or a combination of the two. The noodles are softer and chewier than the thin rice noodles used in many Vietnamese soups.
The cua version centers on crab and commonly includes pork, shrimp, fish cake, or quail egg depending on the cook. Its broth is often thicker and more concentrated than the clear broths associated with other noodle soups.
Bánh canh cua should not be confused with bún riêu, whose characteristic broth contains crab paste and tomatoes with thin rice vermicelli. The noodle shape and broth style are important distinctions.