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Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup)

If pho is Vietnam's gentle classic, bun bo hue is its bold, spicy sibling from the old imperial city of Hue. The broth is heady with lemongrass, layered with chilli oil and shrimp paste, and it packs a punch that soup lovers find seriously addictive.

Thick, spaghetti-like round rice noodles hold up beautifully in the rich broth, alongside slices of slow-simmered beef and pork. Every spoonful is savoury, spicy and a little bit funky in the best possible way.

It looks like a restaurant-only dish, but the method is really just a long, lazy simmer followed by a quick chilli-lemongrass oil. Make it on a weekend and you'll have one of Vietnam's greatest bowls on your own table.

Servings
6
Prep Time
25
mins
Cook Time
110
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Ingredients
16
Total Time
135
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Pantry bits

  • Large stockpot (at least 8 litres)
  • Small frying pan or saucepan
  • Fine sieve
  • Sharp carving knife
  • Ladle and large noodle bowls

Ingredients

  • 1kg beef brisket, in one piece
  • 500g pork hock or pork belly, in one piece
  • 4 lemongrass stalks, bruised, plus 1 extra finely chopped
  • 1 brown onion, halved
  • 1 large knob ginger (60g), sliced
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp rock sugar or white sugar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp fine shrimp paste (mam ruoc), optional but authentic
  • 3 tbsp neutral oil
  • 2 tbsp chilli flakes
  • 1 tbsp sweet paprika
  • 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
  • 500g thick round rice noodles (bun bo hue noodles)
  • 1 small red onion, very thinly sliced
  • Bean sprouts, mint, coriander and lime wedges, to serve

Instructions

  1. Place the brisket and pork in a large stockpot, cover with cold water, bring to the boil for 3 minutes, then drain and rinse. This keeps the broth clean.
  2. Return the meat to the pot with 3.5 litres of fresh water, the bruised lemongrass, onion and ginger. Bring to a gentle simmer and skim well.
  3. Add the fish sauce, sugar and salt, then simmer gently for about 1.5 hours, removing the pork when tender (around the 1 hour mark) and the brisket when a skewer slides in easily.
  4. Meanwhile, make the chilli oil: heat the oil in a small pan over medium heat and fry the chopped lemongrass and garlic for 2 minutes, then stir in the chilli flakes and paprika and remove from the heat.
  5. Dissolve the shrimp paste in a ladleful of broth, let it settle, then pour the liquid back into the pot, leaving any grit behind. Stir in half the chilli oil and simmer 10 minutes more. Taste and adjust the seasoning.
  6. Cook the noodles according to packet directions, rinse briefly and divide between bowls.
  7. Thinly slice the beef and pork and arrange over the noodles with the sliced red onion.
  8. Ladle over the hot broth, drizzle with the remaining chilli oil, and serve with bean sprouts, herbs and lime wedges.

Other recipes

Bo Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew)
Pho Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup)
Crying Tiger Beef (Suea Rong Hai)

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