Spicy Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (Printable)
Aromatic Vietnamese beef noodle soup with bold lemongrass flavors, tender meats, and thick rice noodles in a spicy, rich broth.
# 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
# Steps:
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, skimming off scum as needed. Lower heat to simmer. Add fish sauce, salt, sugar, rock sugar, and shrimp paste. Simmer for 2 hours until meat is tender.
03 - Remove beef shank and pork hock from broth. Slice into serving pieces. Strain broth through a fine mesh, discarding solids. Season broth to taste and keep hot.
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, sautéing 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 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 Hints:
01 -
- The broth develops this incredible depth that literally can't be rushed, but the result is worth every minute of simmering
- Unlike pho, the thick rice noodles and chili oil give each bite this satisfying chew and slow-building heat
02 -
- I once skipped blanching the meat and ended up with cloudy broth that tasted fine but looked nothing like restaurant quality
- The shrimp paste smells intense going in but somehow becomes subtle and earthy after two hours of simmering
03 -
- Add a piece of fresh pineapple to the broth for subtle sweetness and brightness
- Toast your lemongrass in a dry pan before adding to the broth for deeper flavor