Bún bò Huế
Bún bò Huế comes from the former imperial capital of Huế in central Vietnam, where it is one of the city's defining dishes. Unlike pho — clear, mild, and subtle — bún bò Huế is deeply spiced: lemongrass and fermented shrimp paste give the broth a complex, savoury depth, and chilli oil produces a colour and warmth that sets it apart from other Vietnamese noodle soups. The round rice vermicelli are thicker than flat pho noodles and hold their texture in the hot broth. The broth requires both pork hock and beef shank — the pork contributes collagen and body while the beef adds a cleaner meaty flavour. Charring the shallots and garlic on a dry pan before adding them is a step borrowed from pho technique: it removes sharpness and adds a sweet smokiness that rounds out the broth.
Rich in protein
Filling and nutritious
Slow simmered
Low and slow cooking
Fermented
Contains fermented ingredients
Traditional recipe
Authentic taste
Ingredients 4 servings
- 600 g bone-in pork hock, cut into 4 cm pieces
- 500 g beef bones, blanched
- 400 g beef shank, thinly sliced
- 400 g dried round rice vermicelli (bún)
- 3 lemongrass stalks, bruised and cut into 5 cm pieces
- 3 shallots, halved and charred
- 4 garlic cloves, bruised
- 2 tbsp fermented shrimp paste (mắm ruốc)
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tbsp chilli oil or 1 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp salt
- To serve: 200 g bean sprouts, fresh herbs (mint, perilla or Vietnamese coriander), 2 limes cut into wedges, and 2 red chillies sliced
How to make it
- 1Blanch the pork hock and beef bones in boiling water for 5 minutes, drain and rinse under cold water.
- 2Char the shallots and garlic cut-side down in a dry pan over high heat for 3–4 minutes until lightly blackened.
- 3Place the pork hock, bones, lemongrass, charred shallots, and garlic in a large pot, add 2.5 litres of cold water, bring to a boil, skim well, then simmer over low heat for 1 hour.
- 4Dissolve the shrimp paste in 100 ml of hot broth, stir into the pot, then add fish sauce, sugar, salt, and chilli oil, adjusting until the broth is savoury, lightly spicy, and fragrant.
- 5Add the beef shank slices and poach over gentle heat for 15–20 minutes until just cooked through and tender, then remove and slice thinly.
- 6Cook the rice vermicelli according to packet instructions (usually 3–5 minutes), drain, and divide among 4 deep bowls.
- 7Ladle the hot broth over the noodles, top with slices of pork hock and beef shank, and serve immediately with bean sprouts, fresh herbs, lime wedges, and sliced chilli on the side.
Nutritional info
per serving (~350 g)
Estimated nutritional values.
Pairs perfectly with
