Bún bò Huế
Bún bò Huế
A central Vietnamese beef-and-lemongrass noodle soup — thicker noodles, a redder broth, and more chilli than phở.
Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen. Native name preserved: Bún bò Huế.
0 people cooked this in the public kitchen yet. Kitchen-tested by I Want Some Food. Not a purchased rating.
- Prep
- 30 min
- Cook
- 3 hr
- Total
- 3 hr 30 min
- Difficulty
- A bit of work
- Spice
- Hot
- Cost
- A bit special$16–28 USD · indicative, not a store price
About
Bún bò Huế is not phở with chilli. The broth is beef (and often pork), lemongrass, fermented shrimp paste if you can face it, and a chilli-oil that should stain the soup. The noodles are round and thicker. Hue is proud of it. We will not flatten it into 'spicy pho'.
Ingredients
- Beef, shank and brisket1.2 kg
- Lemongrass4 stalk
- Onion2
- Ginger40 g
- Fresh chilli, flakes, bloomed in oil44 ml
- Fish sauce44 ml
- Sugar15 ml
- Rice noodles, thick round bún bò if you can500 g
- Lime2
- Mixed herbs1 bunch
- Water3½ l
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
Step 1
Parboil bones and meat 10 minutes, rinse. Simmer with smashed lemongrass, charred onion and ginger 2.5–3 hours. Skim.
180 minStep 2
Lift the meat, slice. Season broth with fish sauce, sugar and chilli oil. It should smell of lemongrass first.
10 minStep 3
Noodles, meat, broth, herbs, lime. Banana blossom if you can find it.
Adapt this recipe
The canonical recipe stays intact. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are maths, not AI.
Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 24 August.
Substitutions
Beef shank → Oxtail plus brisket
Different cut, same long simmer.
Tips
- A teaspoon of shrimp paste in the broth is the Hue note. Start small.
- Sate chilli oil on the table lets each diner finish the heat.
History & culture
Hue breakfast and lunch. A louder bowl than Hanoi phở. Herbs and lime still finish it.
Royal-city cooking that became a street bowl. Shrimp paste (mắm ruốc) is the disputed soul.
Regional variation
Provenance: Editorial adaptation. Original editorial adaptation for I Want Some Food. Not copied from another recipe site. Official recipe photography is pending. Photograph: Minh28397 via Wikimedia Commons (CC BY-SA 4.0). https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:B%C3%BAn%20b%C3%B2%20Hu%E1%BA%BF%20minh28397.jpg
Questions about this recipe
Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips — not a chatbot.
How long does Bún bò Huế take?
3 hr 30 min all in — 30 min prep, 3 hr cook. That is the time on this recipe, not a guess.
How many does it serve?
The recipe is written for 6 bowls. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.
How hard is it?
A bit of work.
How spicy is it?
Hot.
What allergens should I watch?
This recipe is labelled for Fish, Shellfish. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.
Does it fit a diet?
The published recipe is labelled Gluten-free, Dairy-free, Nut-free.
What does it cost to cook?
A bit special — about $16–28 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.
What equipment do I need?
Stockpot.
How much salt do I put in?
This recipe does not list salt as its own ingredient. Saltiness comes from Fish sauce — 3 tbsp. Taste at the end rather than adding a number we did not write.
How much fish sauce?
3 tbsp of Fish sauce.
How much sugar?
1 tbsp of Sugar.
What can I use instead?
Beef shank → Oxtail plus brisket. Different cut, same long simmer.
Any tips from this recipe?
A teaspoon of shrimp paste in the broth is the Hue note. Start small. Sate chilli oil on the table lets each diner finish the heat.
Can I use an air fryer?
This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.
Similar dishes
Phở bò
Phở bò
Vietnamese beef noodle soup: a long, clear-ish broth, rice noodles, herbs, and a table full of finishing flavours.
4 hrA bit of work🌶️
Khao soi
ข้าวซอย
Northern Thai curry noodles — coconut broth, boiled noodles, fried noodles on top, pickle on the side.
55 minMedium🌶️🌶️
Jjamppong
짬뽕
A Korean-Chinese seafood noodle soup so red and briny it fogs your glasses.
45 minMedium🌶️🌶️🌶️