Today, let’s make one of my all-time favorite Vietnamese soups: Bún Bò Huế. This bold, spicy, and aromatic beef noodle soup comes from the heart of Vietnam—Huế, the former imperial capital.
If you were to ask most Vietnamese whether they prefer Bún Bò Huế or Phở, I’d wager 7 out of 10 would choose Bún Bò Huế for its rich, complex flavors.
So here it is—the authentic recipe, along with some local tips straight from a native Vietnamese kitchen, to help you cook this iconic dish to perfection!

Bún Bò Huế – A Symbol of Central Vietnamese Cuisine
Vietnam is home to three distinct regions—North, Central, and South—each with its own signature dishes that instantly come to mind:
- Northern cuisine is all about Phở, the iconic noodle soup, and Bún Chả, a flavorful mix of grilled pork, rice noodles, and fresh herbs, served with a tangy dipping sauce.
- Southern cuisine features Cơm Tấm (broken rice), often paired with grilled pork, and Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang, a rich and hearty noodle soup with a fragrant broth and a variety of toppings.
- Central cuisine is famous for the bold, spicy flavors of Bún Bò Huế, a beef noodle soup with a kick, and Mì Quảng, a turmeric-infused noodle dish that’s light on broth but full of vibrant ingredients.
Bún Bò Huế originates from Huế, the former imperial capital of Vietnam during the Nguyễn Dynasty.

“Bò” means beef, and “Bún” refers to the round rice noodles, unlike the flat noodles used in Phở. It’s also commonly known as Bún Bò Giò Heo, where “Giò Heo” refers to pork knuckle, another key ingredient in the dish.

Huế is like the Kyoto of Vietnam, known for its royal delicacies and humble street food like Bún Bò Huế, Chè (sweet soup), and even Cà Phê Muối (salt coffee).
In Vietnamese cuisine, another popular dish called “Bún Bò” is Bún Bò Xào, a rice noodle salad topped with stir-fried beef.

Across Asia, you’ll find many versions of beef noodle soup, from Taiwanese Beef Noodle Soup to Thai Boat Noodles. Asian cuisine often pairs flavorful beef with aromatic herbs and spices like cinnamon, star anise, and lemongrass to create a hearty and satisfying bowl of soup.
Even in Vietnam, there are several variations. While Phở Bò (Beef Pho) and Bún Bò Huế are the most famous, there are also hidden gems like Phở Bò Sốt Vang (Vietnamese Red Wine Beef Stew with Pho noodles) or Hủ Tiếu Bò Kho (Vietnamese Beef Stew with tapioca noodles).
What make an authentic Bún Bò Huế
Making Bún Bò Huế is actually quicker and easier than Phở, and the best part is you don’t need any special seasoning packets for the authentic flavor.
In Vietnam, we don’t rely on premixed seasonings for Bún Bò Huế or Bún Riêu (crab noodle soup). Instead, we use fresh, natural ingredients like shrimp paste, lemongrass, and freshwater crab.
Making it the traditional way really brings out the true, vibrant flavors that make the dish taste so much better!
To cook authentic Bún Bò Huế, you will need two key ingredients:

Lemongrass: The more, the better! Fresh lemongrass gives the best flavor, but frozen stalks work too—just avoid frozen minced lemongrass, as it doesn’t pack the same punch.
Mắm Ruốc Huế (Hue shrimp paste): Don’t settle for any random shrimp paste from the Asian market. Hue shrimp paste has a distinct flavor that’s essential for this dish, so be careful not to confuse it with Mắm Tôm, the Northern-style shrimp paste, as they taste completely different.
- Later, I’ll share a local tip on using shrimp paste to season the broth—it adds a subtle fragrance without overpowering the aroma of lemongrass.
For the noodles, you can use either thin or thick round rice noodles. While many believe that thick, chewy noodles are essential for Bún Bò Huế, that’s only partially true. In Hue, locals often opt for regular thin round noodles. Thick noodles provide more texture, while thin noodles soak up the broth better.
One final tip for the broth: pineapple. In Vietnam, there are two camps—those who use pineapple in their broth and those who don’t. I prefer adding pineapple because it naturally sweetens the broth, meaning I don’t need to add extra sugar.
Ingredients
MAIN BROTH
Beef: Choose stew-friendly cuts like beef shank or brisket. Today, I’m using beef shank and beef ribs.
Pork Knuckle: A popular ingredient in Bún Bò Huế, pork knuckle adds rich umami flavor to the broth. If you don’t eat pork, you can substitute it with beef ribs.
Additional Toppings (optional): For extra texture and flavor, you can add Huyết (blood pudding), Giò sống (pork paste), Chả lụa (Vietnamese pork sausage).
Lemongrass, Shallots, Ginger: These ingredients help reduce the strong smell of the beef while creating the distinct aroma of Bún Bò Huế.
Onion and Pineapple: Both add sweetness to the broth.
Mắm Ruốc Huế (Hue Shrimp Paste): An essential ingredient for authentic Bún Bò Huế.
Ớt Sa Tế (Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Oil): You can use store-bought or homemade. However, I prefer to make a quick version with minced lemongrass, shallots, chili, red chili pepper (or dried chili flakes) and annatto oil (or paprika powder).
Salt and Fish Sauce: Adjust to your taste.
OTHER INGREDIENTS
“Bún” Rice Noodles: You can use thick round noodles (look for “Bún Bò Huế” on the label) or regular thin round rice noodles—both are authentic.
Vegetables: In Saigon, people commonly enjoy Bún Bò Huế with water spinach and banana blossom. In other central cities, the soup is often served with lettuce and mung bean sprouts. In the Vietnamese diaspora, you might find it paired with red cabbage. It’s all up to your preference!
Herbs: Popular Vietnamese herbs served with Bún Bò Huế include Vietnamese coriander (rau răm), perilla leaves (tía tô), and Thai basil (húng quế).
Helpful Tips

Lemongrass and Huế shrimp paste are essential for authentic Bún Bò Huế’s flavor.
Season the broth slightly saltier, as the flavors balance with noodles and veggies.
Substitute pineapple with rock sugar for sweetness if needed.
Only use the clear liquid from the shrimp paste, never add it directly to the soup.
Both thick round or thin Bún noodles work well.
In Vietnam, Bún Bò Huế is served with fish sauce, not shrimp paste, which is for seasoning.
For a plant-based diet, give my Bún Bò Huế Chay (vegan Bún Bò Huế) recipe a try!
More tasty Vietnamese recipes

(Vietnamese Spring Rolls)

(Vietnamese rice noodle salad)

(Vietnamese Sandwich)

(Cà Phê Trứng)

Authentic Bún Bò Huế (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup from Huế)
Ingredients
Meat
- 2 pound beef shank (about 1 kg)
- 1 pound beef ribs (about ½ kg)
- 1 pork knuckle (about 1.7 pound/0.8 kg)
- Blood pudding (optional)
- 1 thumb-sized piece ginger (sliced) (for parboiling the meat)
- 1 tbsp salt (for parboiling the meat)
- 3 stalks lemongrass (bruised) (for the marinade)
- 3 shallots (sliced) (for the marinade)
- 1 tbsp Hue Shrimp Paste (mắm ruốc Huế) (for the marinade)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce (for the marinade)
Aromatics & Seasonings for the Broth (for 12.5 cups / approx. 3 liters of broth)
- 6 stalks lemongrass (bruised)
- 1 thumb-sized piece ginger (sliced)
- 1 bulb onion
- ¼ pineapple (peeled)
- 2 tbsp shrimp paste
- 1 cup water (240ml) (for dissolving the shrimp paste)
- 3 tbsp fish sauce (adjust to your taste)
- 1 tbsp chicken powder (adjust to your taste)
- ½ tbsp salt (adjust to your taste)
Sa Tế Sauce
- 1 tbsp minced shallot
- 3 tbsp minced lemongrass
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 tbsp annatto oil (or 1 tbsp paprika powder)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ tbsp granulated sugar
Rice noodles, vegetables and herbs
- ½ bulb onion
- 1 pound Lettuce / water spinach / red cabbage / banana blossom (about 450g)
- ½ pound Mung bean sprouts (about 250g)
- Herbs (Vietnamese coriander, perilla leaves, and Thai basil)
- 1 package "Bún" rice noodles
Instructions
Marinate the meat
- Parboil the beef shank, beef ribs, and pork knuckle with salt and ginger slices. Rinse well under water.
- Marinate the meat with shrimp paste, fish sauce, shallots, and lemongrass for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
Prepare the broth
- Dissolve the shrimp paste in water, letting it sit for 1-2 hours until it separates into liquid on top and paste at the bottom. We will use only the liquid to season the broth.
- Heat cooking oil in a pot. Sauté the shallots and lemongrass from the marinade until fragrant. Add the beef and brown on all sides, then stir-fry the pork knuckles.
- Add water, onion, pineapple, ginger, and salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 40 minutes to 1 hour. Check the meat by pricking it with a chopstick—if it goes through easily, it’s done. The pork knuckle will cook faster than the beef shank. Remove the meat and let it cool. Discard the onion and pineapple. If you need more broth, you can add water, but don’t add too much—too much water will weaken the rich, savory flavor.
- In a small pan, heat oil and sauté minced shallots until fragrant. Add minced lemongrass and cook until fragrant, then stir in annatto oil, fish sauce, and sugar. Cook for one more minute.
- Add this lemongrass chili oil to the broth (or just the oil for a smoother broth). Pour in the liquid from the shrimp paste, discard the bottom layer, and simmer on low heat. Season the broth with salt and fish sauce to taste—it should be a bit saltier than usual.
- If you enjoy blood pudding (huyết), add it now and cook for 3 minutes. If using raw blood pudding, cook it separately first.
Serve
- Wash and rinse the vegetables and herbs, shred the veggies, finely chop the herbs, and thinly slice the onion.
- Cook the rice noodles as instructed on the package.
- Slice the beef shank into 1-inch (3cm) slices. In a bowl, add the noodles, beef, and pork knuckle. Sprinkle with herbs and onion, then pour the hot broth over.
- Serve Bún Bò Huế with fresh vegetables and enjoy!
Thank you for this amazing recipe, I really appreciate that you always put so much effort into every post 🥰
I’m flattered. Your feedback really lightened up my day <3.