Vietnamese Spicy Beef Noodle Soup

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A bold and aromatic Vietnamese noodle soup from the imperial city of Hue, featuring a deeply spiced beef and pork broth tinted with annatto oil and thickened with fermented shrimp paste. The dish balances heat, citrus, and umami in a way that has made it a beloved staple across Vietnam.

Nutrition Facts

Per serving (estimated)

• 580 kcalCalories
• 22 gFat
• 7 gSaturated Fat
• 65 gCarbs
• 3 gFiber
• 6 gSugar
• 32 gProtein
• 1450 mgSodium
• 720 mgPotassium
• 95 mgCalcium
• 5.5 mgIron
• 18 mgVitamin C
• 280 mcgVitamin A

Ingredients

For the broth

• 1.5 kg beef shank bones, parboiled
• 500 g pork knuckle, halved
• 2 large yellow onions, charred
• 1 whole head garlic, halved and charred
• 120 g lemongrass, smashed
• 5 tablespoons annatto seed oil
• 3 tablespoons Vietnamese shrimp paste (mam ruoc)
• 2 tablespoons sugar
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons kosher salt
• 3 liters water

For the meat and noodles

• 300 g beef brisket, thinly sliced
• 200 g cooked pork hock, sliced
• 450 g thick round rice noodles (bun bo Hue style)
• 2 tablespoons chili oil, plus more to serve

For the garnish platter

• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts, rinsed
• 2 cups thinly sliced banana blossom or green cabbage
• 1 cup chopped Thai basil
• 1/2 cup chopped cilantro
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• 4 sliced red Thai chilies
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced white onions soaked in cold water

Directions

1. Char the onions and garlic directly over a gas flame or in a dry skillet until blackened on the outside to build smoky depth. In a large stockpot, combine the parboiled bones, pork knuckle, charred aromatics, lemongrass, and water; bring to a boil and skim the foam.
2. Whisk the shrimp paste with 1 ladle of hot broth until smooth, then return it to the pot. Add the annatto oil, sugar, fish sauce, and salt. Reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 75 minutes, skimming occasionally, until the pork knuckle is tender and the broth turns a deep reddish-orange.
3. Remove the pork knuckle and beef brisket pieces from the broth and slice them thinly across the grain. Strain the broth through a fine sieve and taste for seasoning, adjusting salt and fish sauce as needed.
4. Bring a separate pot of water to a boil and cook the thick rice noodles for 6 to 8 minutes until tender but still chewy. Drain and rinse under cool water; divide among four large bowls.
5. Return the sliced brisket and pork to the simmering broth just to heat through, about 1 minute. Ladle the hot broth generously over the noodles, then top with the meats and a drizzle of chili oil.
6. Serve immediately with the garnish platter on the side, encouraging diners to add bean sprouts, herbs, banana blossom, lime, and chilies to taste.

Cook’s Notes

• Charred onions and garlic are non-negotiable; they give the broth its signature smoky backbone that mimics Hue's traditional cooking style.
• Mam ruoc (Vietnamese fermented shrimp paste) is thicker and more pungent than Thai shrimp paste; look for it at Asian markets or substitute with a smaller amount of Thai shrimp paste plus extra salt.
• For a deeper red color, increase the annatto oil to 6 tablespoons, but do not skip it—it carries the dish's iconic hue and a subtle earthy note.
• Slicing the brisket while slightly frozen makes it easier to achieve restaurant-thin pieces that stay tender in the hot broth.
• Leftover broth keeps for 3 days refrigerated and actually tastes better the next day as the flavors meld.

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