Spicy Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (Print)
Spicy Vietnamese noodle soup with tender beef, bold lemongrass broth, and thick rice noodles from Hue.
# What You Need:
→ Broth
01 - 3.3 lbs beef shank, bone-in
02 - 1.1 lbs pork hock
03 - 12 cups water
04 - 2 stalks lemongrass, bruised
05 - 1 large yellow onion, halved
06 - 4 cloves garlic, smashed
07 - 1 thumb-sized piece ginger, sliced
08 - 2 tablespoons fish sauce
09 - 1 tablespoon salt
10 - 2 teaspoons sugar
11 - 1 tablespoon rock sugar
12 - 1 tablespoon shrimp paste
→ Aromatic Chili Oil
13 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
14 - 1 tablespoon annatto seeds
15 - 2 tablespoons minced shallots
16 - 2 tablespoons minced garlic
17 - 2 tablespoons chili flakes
→ Noodles & Proteins
18 - 1.3 lbs thick round rice noodles
19 - 10 oz cooked beef brisket, thinly sliced
20 - 10 oz cooked pork blood cubes
21 - 6 Vietnamese pork sausage patties, sliced
→ Garnishes
22 - 1 small red onion, thinly sliced
23 - 2 limes, cut into wedges
24 - 1 cup bean sprouts
25 - 1 cup shredded banana blossom
26 - 1 cup fresh herbs (cilantro, mint, Thai basil)
27 - 3 scallions, thinly sliced
28 - Sliced birds eye chili to taste
# How To Make It:
01 - Place beef shank and pork hock in a large pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse the meat thoroughly to remove impurities.
02 - Refill the pot with 12 cups water. Add cleaned meat, lemongrass, onion, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a boil while skimming off scum. Lower heat to a simmer. Add fish sauce, salt, sugar, rock sugar, and shrimp paste. Simmer for 2 hours until meat is tender.
03 - Remove meats from broth. Slice beef shank and pork hock into serving pieces. Strain broth through a fine mesh, discarding solids. Season broth to taste.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a small pan. Add annatto seeds and cook for 1-2 minutes until oil turns red, then discard seeds. Add shallots and garlic; sauté until fragrant. Stir in chili flakes and cook briefly. Set aside.
05 - Cook rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. If using pork blood cubes, simmer in gently boiling water for 10 minutes. Slice beef brisket and cha lua.
06 - Place a portion of noodles in each serving bowl. Top with beef shank, pork hock, brisket, pork blood cubes, and cha lua slices. Ladle hot broth over the top and drizzle with aromatic chili oil.
07 - Add red onion, lime wedges, bean sprouts, banana blossom, fresh herbs, scallions, and chili slices as desired. Serve immediately with extra fish sauce or shrimp paste on the side.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- The broth develops layers of flavor that restaurants spend days perfecting, but you can achieve at home with patience
- That signature spicy kick wakes up your palate while the lemongrass keeps everything fragrant and bright
- Everyone around your table will customize their bowl exactly how they like it, making dinner feel interactive and fun
02 -
- Simmer the broth gently rather than boiling hard, or it will turn cloudy and lose that restaurant quality clarity
- Let the chili oil cool slightly before drizzling, otherwise it will sink instead of floating prettily on top
- The garnishes are not optional, they balance the richness and bring everything together into something complete
03 -
- Fry your shrimp paste in a little oil before adding it to the broth, this transforms the funky raw smell into something deep and savory
- Make the chili oil at least a day ahead, the flavors meld together and it becomes even more vibrant