Vietnamese National Dishes

Hủ tiếu Mỹ Tho — chewy noodles in clear pork broth

A bowl of Hủ tiếu Mỹ Tho brings together chewy, translucent noodles, a clear pork broth with a gentle seafood depth, and a generous finish of pork, shrimp and fresh greens. This home version uses tapioca hu tieu noodles, daikon and dried seafood in the broth, then adds lettuce directly to the bowl. Keep the broth at a quiet simmer so it stays light and clear.

Vietnamese National Dishes
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A bowl of Hủ tiếu Mỹ Tho with clear pork broth, chewy translucent noodles, sliced pork, shrimp, lettuce and fresh herbs. Wide shared-table view with herbs and lime.
A bowl of Hủ tiếu Mỹ Tho with clear pork broth, chewy translucent noodles, sliced pork, shrimp, lettuce and fresh herbs. Wide shared-table view with herbs and lime.
Yield 4 bowls
Cook 2 hours 25 minutes
Passive 0 minutes
Total 3 hours
Calories About 690 kcal per serving
Ingredients ↓
Overview

Hủ tiếu Mỹ Tho — chewy noodles in clear pork broth

Hủ tiếu Mỹ Tho is associated with Mỹ Tho in the Mekong Delta. Its noodles, broth and toppings vary among cooks and shops. Local descriptions distinguish it from other hủ tiếu styles through thinner, firmer noodles and a lighter, pork-forward broth; lettuce may be added right in the bowl, with pickled daikon or carrot as a garnish. Some diners order a dry version with broth on the side, while satay-style bowls are another variation.

This recipe makes a clear soup version. Pork bones and a piece of bone-in pork shoulder simmer with daikon, onion, dried shrimp and dried squid. The cooked pork is sliced for the bowls; shrimp are poached separately so they stay tender. Chewy tapioca hu tieu noodles are traditional in many Mỹ Tho bowls, though rice noodles are also used. This is one practical home formulation, not a single canonical recipe.

For serving, bean sprouts and sliced lettuce go into each bowl before the noodles and toppings. Pour over the hot broth to warm the greens. Chives, scallion, cilantro, fried shallots, lime and chili let each person adjust their bowl at the table.

Practical

Practical

  • Keys to successBlanch the bones and pork briefly, then rinse the pot to help the finished broth look clear. Keep the stock at a gentle simmer; a hard boil can make it cloudy. Lift the pork shoulder out once it reaches 63°C / 145°F and let it rest for 3 minutes before slicing. Cook shrimp only until firm, pearly and opaque; they finish quickly. Cook noodles to the package directions and assemble bowls just before serving so they do not soften in the broth.
Ingredients

Ingredients

Broth and pork

  • 900 g pork neck bones
  • 500 g bone-in pork shoulder or country-style ribs
  • 25 g dried shrimp, rinsed
  • 20 g dried squid, rinsed
  • 180 g yellow onion, halved
  • 250 g daikon, peeled and cut into large chunks
  • 3 L cold water
  • 30 ml fish sauce
  • 8 g fine salt
  • 12 g rock sugar or granulated sugar

Bowls

  • 600 g fresh hu tieu tapioca noodles
  • 300 g raw medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
  • 200 g bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
  • 160 g lettuce, thinly sliced
  • 40 g Chinese chives, cut into 4 cm lengths
  • 30 g scallions, thinly sliced
  • 20 g cilantro leaves and tender stems
  • 20 g fried shallots
  • 1 lime, cut into wedges
  • 1 fresh chili, sliced
Method

Method

Method

  1. Rinse the pork bones and pork shoulder. Put them in the stockpot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse the bones and pot to remove scum. Discard this blanching water.

  2. Return the blanched bones and pork to the clean pot. Add 3 L fresh cold water, dried shrimp, dried squid, onion and daikon. Bring just to a boil, skim, then simmer gently uncovered for 2 hours. Keep the broth clear rather than at a rolling boil.

  3. After 40–50 minutes, check the thickest part of the pork with a thin-tip thermometer. Continue simmering the pork with the broth until tender; before removing it, confirm it has reached at least 63°C / 145°F. Transfer it to a clean plate and rest for 3 minutes before slicing. Continue simmering the bones and aromatics. Refrigerate sliced pork if it will wait more than 2 hours.

  4. While the broth simmers, rinse and prepare the bean sprouts, lettuce, chives, scallions, cilantro, lime and chili. Keep raw shrimp refrigerated and separate from ready-to-eat garnishes. Bring a separate saucepan of water to a boil for the noodles and shrimp.

  5. After 2 hours, strain the broth into a clean pot, discard the bones and aromatics, and return the broth to a gentle simmer. Stir in fish sauce, 8 g salt and sugar. Taste; the broth should be savoury and light, not heavily sweet. Keep it hot.

  6. Cook the noodles according to the package directions, then rinse briefly with hot water if needed to separate the strands. Divide bean sprouts and sliced lettuce among four warmed bowls. Add the noodles and sliced pork.

  7. Poach the shrimp in the simmering broth or in the separate boiling water just until firm, pearly and opaque throughout, usually 2–3 minutes depending on size. Transfer with a clean utensil. Do not return utensils that touched raw shrimp to cooked toppings.

  8. Divide shrimp, chives, scallions and cilantro among the bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the ingredients. Finish with fried shallots, lime and chili to taste. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours; reheat the broth to a boil and heat the pork and shrimp thoroughly before serving.

Practical

Practical

Practical guidance

Make the broth a day ahead if convenient; cool it promptly, refrigerate, then bring it to a boil before serving. Tapioca hu tieu noodles are chewy and translucent; if unavailable, use thin rice hu tieu noodles and follow the package cooking time. Keep the noodles separate from the broth until serving. Set extra lime, chili and fresh herbs at the table.

Troubleshooting

Cloudy broth: Lower the heat to a quiet simmer and skim foam early; avoid stirring the stock. Broth tastes flat: Check salt first, then add a small splash of fish sauce; avoid making it overly sweet. Noodles clump: Loosen them briefly in hot water just before portioning and drain well. Shrimp turn rubbery: Poach them separately and remove as soon as they are opaque and firm. Pork is difficult to slice: Let it rest, then use a sharp knife and cut across the grain.

FAQ

Can I make the broth ahead? Yes. Cool it promptly, refrigerate, and bring it to a boil before serving. Keep noodles and toppings separate until assembly. Can I use rice noodles instead of tapioca noodles? Yes. Thin rice hu tieu noodles are used in some bowls and are a practical substitute. Follow their package directions so they stay springy. Can I make a dry hủ tiếu bowl with this recipe? The dish also has a dry format, usually with sauce on the noodles and broth served alongside. This recipe is written for soup; use a tested dry-style sauce recipe rather than simply omitting the broth.

Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

  • Serving sizeOne bowl with one quarter of the noodles, pork, shrimp, vegetables and broth
  • CaloriesAbout 690 kcal
  • Carbohydrate78 g
  • Protein42 g
  • Fat21 g
  • Fibre4 g
  • SodiumAbout 1,500 mg
Allergens and safety

Allergens and safety

Contains crustaceans (shrimp and dried shrimp), molluscs (dried squid) and fish (fish sauce). Check package labels for additional allergens and cross-contact. Keep raw pork and shrimp refrigerated and separate from ready-to-eat produce. Cook the pork until tender and to at least 63°C / 145°F, measured at the thickest point with a thin-tip thermometer, then rest it for 3 minutes. Cook shrimp until firm, pearly and opaque throughout. Use separate utensils for raw and cooked proteins, wash hands and clean food-contact surfaces. Refrigerate cooked pork, shrimp, broth and noodles within 2 hours; reheat leftovers thoroughly and bring broth to a boil.

Finish the dish

Finish the dish

  • Set out extra lime, chili and herbs so everyone can season their bowl to taste.
  • Serve as soon as the hot broth is poured over the noodles and greens.
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