Bun Bo Hue
Spicy lemongrass beef noodle soup from central Vietnam.
Ingredients
- 1000 g Beef shank
- 500 g Flat rice noodles (he fen)
- 4 Lemongrass
- 3 Shallot
- 5 cloves Garlic
- 2 tbsp Red pepper flakes
- 5 tbsp Fish sauce
- 3 tbsp Neutral oil
- 1 tbsp Salt
- 200 g Bean sprouts (optional)
- 2 Lime (optional)
Method
- Bruise the lemongrass and simmer the beef shank with it in a large pot, skimming, for 2 hours.
- Fry the shallot, garlic, and chili flakes in the oil into a fragrant chili paste.
- Stir the chili paste and fish sauce into the broth and simmer 20 more minutes.
- Cook the noodles in boiling water until tender, then drain.
- Divide the noodles into bowls with the sliced beef.
- Ladle the boiling broth over and serve with the sprouts and lime.
Tap “Start cooking” for live timers that flag what to get ahead on while something simmers.
About Bun Bo Hue
Bun bo Hue is the fiery, aromatic beef noodle soup of Hue, the old imperial capital of central Vietnam, and it stands apart from the gentler pho of the north. Its identity comes from lemongrass and chili: beef shank simmers for hours to build a full-bodied broth, which is then charged with a fried paste of shallot, garlic, and chili flakes and seasoned assertively with fish sauce.
The bowl is bold and layered, at once savory, spicy, and citrus-fragrant, with round rice noodles that are thicker than pho's flat ribbons and slices of tender beef carrying the broth. Bean sprouts and a squeeze of lime added at the table cut the richness and add freshness and crunch. This is a weekend project rather than a weeknight one, given the long simmer, but the depth it yields makes it a rewarding centerpiece for a crowd.
Bun Bo Hue: frequently asked questions
What's the difference between bún bò Huế and phở?
Both are Vietnamese noodle soups, but they differ in region, noodles, and broth character. Phở (northern in origin) uses flat rice noodles in a clean, subtly spiced beef or chicken broth flavored with charred onion, ginger, star anise, and cinnamon. Bún bò Huế comes from the central city of Huế and uses thick, round rice noodles (bún) in a bolder, spicier broth built on beef and pork bones, lemongrass, fermented shrimp paste (mắm ruốc), and chili oil, giving it a hotter, more pungent profile.
How many calories are in Bun Bo Hue?
A serving has about 441 calories — 28.9g protein, 54.2g carbs, 11.2g fat, 2.8g fiber. Figures are estimated from the ingredient amounts and will shift with your portions and brands.
Is it high in protein?
Each serving has about 28.9g of protein, roughly 26% of its calories.
Is Bun Bo Hue gluten-free?
Based on its ingredients, Bun Bo Hue has no gluten-containing components, so it's naturally gluten-free — as always, check that any packaged ingredients you use are certified gluten-free to be safe.
How long does Bun Bo Hue take to make?
About 180 minutes start to finish, but only around 19 of those are hands-on — the rest is largely unattended cooking time you can step away from. In the Homecooked app the timers and parallel steps are sequenced for you so the hands-on part feels even shorter.
Do I need every ingredient to make Bun Bo Hue?
The core ingredients are essential, but you can leave out bean sprouts, lime — they're optional and mainly there for extra flavor or finish.
How many servings does Bun Bo Hue make?
This recipe makes 9 servings. In the app you can scale it up or down and the ingredient amounts adjust automatically.