Name: Huế-Style Bún Bò Huế (Spicy Beef and Pork Noodle Soup)
Prep time: 40 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 250 min
Cuisine: Vietnam
Ingredients: 1.2 kg beef soup bones, marrow or knuckle bones; 700 g beef shank, one trimmed piece; 700 g fresh pork hock, cross-cut into thick rounds by a butcher; 4 L cold water, for blanching and simmering; add only enough to keep the ingredients covered; 2 yellow onions, halved; 8 lemongrass stalks (about 250 g), trimmed, bruised and tied in a bundle; 15 g fine salt, divided and adjusted to taste; 25 g rock sugar or granulated sugar; 30 g fermented shrimp paste (mắm ruốc); 45 ml fish sauce, added gradually; 75 ml neutral oil; 2 tsp (about 4 g) annatto seeds; 50 g shallots, finely minced; 15 g garlic, finely minced; 25 g tender inner lemongrass, finely minced; 2 tsp (about 5 g) mild-to-medium chilli flakes; 600 g dried round rice vermicelli, bún bò Huế-style; 300 g bean sprouts, rinsed and drained; 80 g Thai basil leaves, washed; 50 g scallions, thinly sliced; 30 g cilantro, roughly chopped; 2 limes, cut into wedges

A wide table setting with bún bò Huế on the right and Thai basil, bean sprouts, lime and chilli oil arranged to the left. — Huế-style bún bò Huế with beef, pork hock, round rice noodles and lemongrass broth.

Yield 6 servings

Cook 30 minutes active

Passive 3 hours simmering

Total 4 hours 10 minutes

Calories About 890 kcal per serving

Ingredients ↓

Overview

Huế-Style Bún Bò Huế (Spicy Beef and Pork Noodle Soup)

Bún bò Huế is a bold central Vietnamese noodle soup associated with Huế. This home version combines beef shank and pork hock in a clear, savoury broth scented with lemongrass and fermented shrimp paste, then serves it with round rice noodles and fresh herbs.

The broth is warming and aromatic, while a separate annatto chilli oil lets each person choose how spicy to make the bowl. Lime, Thai basil, bean sprouts, scallions and cilantro add brightness and freshness at the table.

Meat cuts, garnishes and seasoning vary among households and vendors. This recipe follows a documented pattern without claiming it is the single definitive formula or relying on an uncertain origin story.

Huế-style bún bò is known for a robust broth that brings beef and pork together with lemongrass, chilli and mắm ruốc, a fermented shrimp paste. The broth should taste savoury and fragrant, with enough depth to stand up to the noodles and generous fresh accompaniments.

This home version uses beef shank for slices and pork hock for tender, gelatin-rich meat. Beef bones simmer in the same pot to build the stock. Dissolving the shrimp paste in hot broth and straining it before it goes into the pot keeps the flavour while leaving most of the settled solids behind.

Annatto seeds tint the chilli oil a warm orange-red. They are strained out before the aromatics and chilli are cooked, and the finished oil is served on the side. Add it gradually: the soup's lemongrass and fermented-shrimp character should still come through.

Practical

Keys to successBlanch and rinse the bones and meat before simmering for a cleaner-tasting broth. Keep the stock at a gentle simmer and skim foam as it forms; a hard boil can make it cloudy. Strain the dissolved shrimp paste and serve the chilli oil separately so the broth stays balanced and each person controls the heat.

Ingredients

Broth and meat

1.2 kg beef soup bones, marrow or knuckle bones
700 g beef shank, one trimmed piece
700 g fresh pork hock, cross-cut into thick rounds by a butcher
4 L cold water, for blanching and simmering; add only enough to keep the ingredients covered
2 yellow onions, halved
8 lemongrass stalks (about 250 g), trimmed, bruised and tied in a bundle
15 g fine salt, divided and adjusted to taste
25 g rock sugar or granulated sugar
30 g fermented shrimp paste (mắm ruốc)
45 ml fish sauce, added gradually

Annatto chilli oil

75 ml neutral oil
2 tsp (about 4 g) annatto seeds
50 g shallots, finely minced
15 g garlic, finely minced
25 g tender inner lemongrass, finely minced
2 tsp (about 5 g) mild-to-medium chilli flakes

Noodles and fresh accompaniments

600 g dried round rice vermicelli, bún bò Huế-style
300 g bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
80 g Thai basil leaves, washed
50 g scallions, thinly sliced
30 g cilantro, roughly chopped
2 limes, cut into wedges

Method

Blanch and rinse the meat. Put the bones, beef shank and pork hock in the stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil and blanch for 8 minutes. Drain, rinse the meat and bones under cool running water, then wash the pot to remove the grey foam.
Build the broth. Return the bones and meat to the clean pot with 4 L fresh water, the onions and bundled lemongrass. Bring just to a boil, skim, then keep at a gentle uncovered simmer. Remove the beef shank when tender, usually after 90–120 minutes; check the thickest part reaches 63°C, then rest it for 3 minutes before slicing. Simmer the pork hock until tender and at least 63°C, usually 2–2½ hours; rest it for 3 minutes. Keep the bones simmering for 3 hours total, topping up with boiling water only if needed to keep them covered.
Season the stock. Dissolve the shrimp paste in 150 ml hot broth and leave it for 10 minutes. Strain the clearer liquid into the stock. Add the fish sauce, sugar and salt gradually. Keep the broth at a gentle simmer and taste for a savoury, lemongrass-rich balance.
Make the annatto chilli oil. Warm the oil and annatto seeds over low heat for about 2 minutes, until the oil turns orange-red. Do not let the seeds burn. Strain them out. Return the oil to the pan and gently cook the shallot, garlic and minced lemongrass until fragrant. Stir in the chilli flakes and remove from the heat. Serve separately.
Cook the noodles. Prepare the rice vermicelli in a separate pot according to the package directions. Drain well and keep it out of the broth until serving so it does not soften too much.
Prepare the meat and garnishes. Lift the meat, bones and aromatics from the stock. Slice the beef across the grain and separate tender pork hock meat from the bones. Discard the bones and lemongrass. Keep the meat hot in the broth. Wash and drain the bean sprouts and herbs; set out the lime.
Assemble and serve. Divide the noodles among six bowls and add beef and pork. Ladle over steaming broth, then finish with scallions and cilantro. Serve bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime and chilli oil alongside.

Practical

Practical guidance

Ask the butcher to cross-cut the hock into thick rounds so the bone is exposed and the pieces fit the pot. If your pot is smaller, use less water while keeping the meat covered, then adjust the final seasoning to the resulting broth. Keep the simmer gentle and add boiling water if the bones become exposed. The beef shank may become tender before the pork hock. Remove it as soon as it is tender and has met the temperature and rest control, then cover and keep it warm in a little broth. Cook the noodles separately and portion them just before adding the hot stock. The chilli oil can be made while the broth simmers; keep it covered at room temperature until serving. For less heat, use 1 tsp chilli flakes or omit them. If you cannot find annatto seeds, leave them out rather than substituting a seasoning that changes the soup's flavour. A little extra fish sauce or salt can be added at the table, but taste before adding more because shrimp paste and fish sauce are both salty.

Troubleshooting

The broth is cloudy: Keep it at a gentle simmer instead of a rolling boil, and skim foam during the first part of cooking. The broth tastes flat: Check salt first, then add fish sauce in small increments. Give it a few minutes to simmer before tasting again. The shrimp paste flavour is too strong: Strain it carefully and add the liquid gradually; you do not have to use every drop. The noodles turn soft: Cook them separately and keep them out of the broth until the bowls are assembled. The chilli oil tastes bitter: The annatto seeds or aromatics got too hot. Use low heat and remove the pan as soon as the oil is coloured and the aromatics smell fragrant.

Nutrition per serving

Serving size: 1 of 6 bowls, with about 100 g dry-noodle equivalent and one-sixth of the cooked meat and broth

Nutrition per serving

Serving size1 of 6 bowls, with about 100 g dry-noodle equivalent and one-sixth of the cooked meat and broth
Calories890 kcal
Carbohydrate94 g
Protein44 g
Fat38 g
Fibre6 g
Sodium2,000 mg

Allergens and food safety

Mắm ruốc is made from shrimp and fish sauce contains fish. Check product labels for additional ingredients and cross-contact statements. Rice noodles are usually made from rice; check the package for other allergens. Keep raw meat, its utensils and work surfaces separate from herbs and other ready-to-eat garnishes. Cook beef shank and pork hock to at least 63°C and rest each for at least 3 minutes; use a food thermometer and do not rely on colour alone. Refrigerate leftovers within 2 hours in shallow containers and reheat broth and meat to 74°C. Store noodles and fresh garnishes separately.

To finish

Serve the meats and round noodles in steaming lemongrass broth, with herbs, lime and chilli oil for each diner to add.
Keep the stock at a gentle simmer and season gradually; fermented shrimp paste, fish sauce and salt all contribute savoury intensity.

Huế-Style Bún Bò Huế (Spicy Beef and Pork Noodle Soup)

Practical

Ingredients

Broth and meat

Annatto chilli oil

Noodles and fresh accompaniments

Method

Practical

Practical guidance

Troubleshooting

Nutrition per serving

Nutrition per serving

Allergens and food safety

To finish

Vietnamese National Dishes

Gỏi Cuốn Tôm Thịt (Vietnamese Fresh Shrimp and Pork Rolls)

Southern-Style Bánh Xèo (Crispy Vietnamese Rice Pancakes)

Cơm Tấm Sườn Bì Chả (Saigon Broken Rice with Pork)