Vietnamese National Dishes

Bún bò Huế truyền thống — Huế-style beef and pork noodle soup

Thick round rice noodles, tender beef and pork, and a red-orange broth scented with lemongrass and fermented shrimp paste make this Huế soup distinctive.

Vietnamese National Dishes
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a wide Vietnamese table scene with the soup and plates of herbs, sprouts, lime and chili oil; Huế-style beef and pork noodle soup.
A bowl of Bún bò Huế with lemongrass broth, beef, pork and fresh garnishes.
Yield 6 bowls
Cook time About 2 hours 45 minutes
Passive time None; simmering is included in cook time
Total time About 3 hours 30 minutes
Calories About 780 kcal per bowl
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Bún bò Huế truyền thống — Huế-style beef and pork noodle soup

Bún bò Huế is a richly seasoned noodle soup associated with Huế in central Vietnam. Its broth brings together beef, pork, lemongrass and mắm ruốc, a fermented shrimp paste; annatto oil gives this home version a warm red-orange color, while chili adds adjustable heat. Fresh thick round rice noodles give the bowl its characteristic shape. Beef shank and pork hock make a generous, layered broth and provide tender slices for serving. Some bowls also include pork blood or Vietnamese pork sausage, but those ingredients vary and are not part of this measured recipe.

Practical

Practical

  • Tips for successBlanching the meat and bones first removes surface scum and helps keep the main broth clearer. Keep the broth at a gentle simmer. A rolling boil can make it cloudy and reduce it too quickly. Strain the dissolved mắm ruốc before adding it so sediment stays out of the broth. Heat annatto seeds gently in oil; discard them before they darken or burn. Cook the noodles separately and assemble each bowl just before serving so they do not soak up the broth while stored. Adjust chili at the table if diners prefer different heat levels.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Meat and broth

  • 800 g boneless beef shank, in one piece
  • 1 kg bone-in pork hock
  • 500 g pork bones
  • 5 L fresh water for the main broth, after blanching
  • 200 g yellow onion, peeled and halved
  • 50 g fresh ginger, sliced and lightly bruised
  • 3 lemongrass stalks, trimmed, bruised and tied together
  • 12 g fine salt

Annatto and lemongrass chili oil

  • 60 ml neutral oil
  • 15 g annatto seeds
  • 70 g shallots, finely chopped
  • 25 g garlic, finely chopped
  • 3 lemongrass stalks, tender inner parts finely minced
  • 15 g fresh red chilies, finely chopped; use less for milder oil
  • 30 g fermented shrimp paste (mắm ruốc)
  • 60 ml fish sauce, added gradually to taste
  • 20 g granulated sugar

Noodles and garnishes

  • 1.5 kg fresh thick round rice noodles (bún bò Huế style)
  • 50 g scallions, thinly sliced
  • 30 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
  • 300 g bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
  • 150 g banana blossom, thinly sliced and held in acidulated water until serving
  • 30 g Thai basil leaves
  • 3 limes, cut into wedges
Method

Method

Method

  1. Prepare the aromatics and garnishes. Keep raw meat separate from ready-to-eat ingredients, and wash your hands and tools after handling it.

  2. Put the beef shank, pork hock and pork bones in a large pot. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil and blanch for 5 minutes. Drain, rinse the meat and pot, and discard the blanching water.

  3. Return the meat and bones to the clean stockpot with 5 L fresh water, onion, ginger, bruised lemongrass and salt. Bring to a gentle simmer, skim, partly cover and cook for 2½–3 hours. Remove the beef and pork when fork-tender and at least 74°C / 165°F in the thickest part; keep covered. Strain the broth and discard the solids.

  4. Dissolve the mắm ruốc in about 150 ml hot broth. Leave it for 10 minutes so grit settles, then strain the clear liquid into the broth. Add fish sauce and sugar gradually, tasting for balanced savory seasoning. Keep the broth hot.

  5. Warm the oil and annatto seeds over low heat for 2–3 minutes until the oil turns orange-red. Do not let the seeds burn; strain them out. Add shallots, garlic, minced lemongrass and chilies, then cook gently for 4–5 minutes until fragrant. Stir most of the oil into the broth and reserve a little for serving.

  6. Slice the beef across the grain and slice the pork hock, removing its bone. Cook the fresh noodles according to the package directions and drain. Keep the meat covered and hot; clean and sanitize the raw-meat work area and tools.

  7. Divide noodles among six warmed bowls. Add beef and pork, ladle about 500 ml hot broth into each bowl, and finish with scallions, cilantro, bean sprouts, banana blossom, Thai basil, lime and reserved chili oil. Serve immediately.

Practical

Practical

Practical guidance

Make ahead: Simmer and strain the broth and cook the meat a day ahead. Chill them promptly in separate shallow containers, then reheat thoroughly before serving. Serving: Set out lime and extra chili oil so each person can season their bowl. Pork blood or Vietnamese pork sausage appears in some versions, but is not included in this ingredient list. Storage: Store broth and cooked meat separately from noodles and fresh garnishes. Refrigerate within 2 hours at or below 4°C / 40°F and use within 3 days. Reheating: Reheat broth and meat once until steaming hot throughout. Cook fresh noodles for each serving; stored noodles soften and absorb broth.

Troubleshooting

Broth tastes too strong or salty: Add hot water a little at a time, then recheck the balance. Mắm ruốc and fish sauce brands vary. Broth is cloudy: It may have boiled hard. Keep a gentle simmer and skim early next time. Broth tastes muddy: Strain the dissolved shrimp paste after its sediment settles instead of tipping the whole mixture in. Annatto oil is bitter: The seeds may have scorched. Keep the heat low and strain them out as soon as the oil turns orange-red. Pork hock or beef is still firm: Continue simmering gently and check again; tenderness depends on cut size and the individual piece. Noodles turn soft in the bowl: Cook and drain them separately, then assemble immediately before serving.

Frequently asked questions

What makes this soup different from phở? Bún bò Huế uses thick round rice noodles and a broth prominently seasoned with lemongrass and fermented shrimp paste; its chili level varies. Can I make the broth less spicy? Yes. Use fewer chilies in the oil and serve extra chili separately. Can I skip the mắm ruốc? It is a defining savory note in this style. Skipping it changes the broth substantially; if unavailable, make a different soup rather than treating a substitute as identical. Why cook the noodles separately? They stay springier and do not absorb the broth during storage. Is pork blood required? No. It is a documented addition in some bowls, but this measured version leaves it out.

Nutrition per serving

These rounded estimates assume six equal bowls, boneless beef shank, about 45% edible yield from bone-in pork hock, plus 1.5 kg fresh rice noodles and the measured oil and seasonings. Noodle type, broth fat and condiment brands can change the values, especially sodium.

Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

  • Serving sizeApproximately 900–1,100 g including broth, meat, noodles and measured garnishes
  • CaloriesAbout 780 kcal
  • CarbohydrateAbout 70 g
  • ProteinAbout 47 g
  • FatAbout 35 g
  • FibreAbout 4 g
  • SodiumAbout 2,200 mg
Allergens and food safety

Allergens and food safety

Contains crustacean from fermented shrimp paste and fish from fish sauce. Check product labels for other ingredients and cross-contact statements. Keep raw beef and pork cold and separate from ready-to-eat garnishes; clean hands, tools and surfaces after contact. Blanch the meat and discard that water, then simmer the cuts until fork-tender and at least 74°C / 165°F in the thickest part. Keep broth and meat hot for service. Cool leftovers in shallow containers and refrigerate within 2 hours at or below 4°C / 40°F. Store noodles separately, use within 3 days and reheat broth and meat once until steaming hot throughout. Discard perishable food left at room temperature for over 2 hours.

Enjoy

Enjoy

  • Serve each bowl very hot, with the herbs and lime added at the table.
  • Keep extra chili oil nearby so everyone can choose their own heat level.
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