Phở Áp Chảo, or Phở Xào Giòn, is how Hanoi shows that even a classic like phở can still surprise you.
Instead of the soft noodles you’d find swimming in broth, here they’re pan-fried until golden and crispy, pressed into a single round “cake” that you can slice like a pizza. No wonder people call it “Phở Pizza.”
What is Phở Áp Chảo?
In Vietnamese, Phở Áp Chảo simply means “pan-fried phở,” while Phở Xào Giòn translates to “crispy stir-fried phở noodles.” It’s Hanoi’s clever way of giving our beloved phở noodles a crunchy new life.
This version comes with golden, crispy rice noodles topped with savory stir-fried beef and veggies. If you’ve ever fallen for Mì Xào Giòn (those crispy “bird’s nest” egg noodles), this dish will feel like a long-lost cousin you’ll love just as much.
Hanoi, the beating heart of Vietnam, is a paradise for phở lovers. Sure, everyone knows the classics like Phở Bò (beef phở) or Phở Gà (chicken phở), but if you wander around the capital long enough, you’ll discover creative twists you won’t want to miss:
- Phở Bò Sốt Vang – tender beef braised in red wine, swimming in a fragrant broth.
- Phở Trộn – phở noodles tossed like a refreshing salad with a tangy soy-based dressing.
- Phở Cuốn – delicate phở sheets rolled up with savory fillings, like spring rolls but softer.
- Phở Chiên Phồng – deep-fried phở sheets puffed up like pillows, served with stir-fried beef and veggies.
I have a soft spot for all kinds of phở, not just the traditional Northern bowls. Southern gems like Phở Sa Tế (with that peanutty, spicy broth) or Phở Bò Kho (hearty beef stew phở) also win me over.
Fun Fact: In Southern Vietnam, Phở Áp Chảo is really just another name for Hủ Tiếu Áp Chảo (or Hủ Tiếu Xào)—a Chinese-influenced stir-fried noodle dish popular in Saigon. Think flat rice noodles tossed in a savory, soy-based sauce until they soak up all that flavor.
It’s in the same family as Beef Chow Fun, Pad See Ew, or Pad Kee Mao (Thai Drunken Noodles).
Ingredients
1
For the crispy phở base
- Fresh flat phở noodles – Go for the type made for Northern-style phở. Follow the package directions to soak, boil, and drain until they’re soft and ready to use.
- Cornstarch – The secret to getting that golden, crispy crust.
- Egg yolks – They add a richer flavor and a lovely color, but using a whole egg works too.
- Chicken powder & cooking oil – Just enough to season and help the noodles crisp up.
2
For the toppings
- Sliced beef – Top round, flank, sirloin, strip, or even rib-eye all work.
- Cornstarch – Not just for thickening the sauce—it’s also what makes the beef tender (just like in Bún Bò Xào, that stir-fried beef noodle salad).
- Vegetables – Bean sprouts, green beans, carrots, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and scallions. My must-haves are cilantro, onions, and scallions. The rest is flexible—bok choy or napa cabbage are great swaps.
- Seasonings – Soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, garlic, and a splash of cooking oil.
3
Dipping sauce
- A small bowl of Nước Chấm (classic sweet-tangy fish sauce), Hanoi-style fish sauce dip, or simply soy sauce works perfectly.
Instructions
Step 1: Prep the Ingredients
- Slice the beef and marinate with oyster sauce, soy sauce, minced garlic, sugar, a splash of cooking oil, and cornstarch. Let it rest for 20 minutes.
- Prepare the vegetables: thinly slice onion and tomato, julienne carrot, chop cilantro and scallions, and cut green beans into 1-inch (3 cm) pieces. If using bok choy or napa cabbage, cut them into 2-inch (5 cm) pieces.
Step 2: Make the Crispy Phở Base
- Toss phở noodles with chicken powder, egg yolks, and cornstarch until evenly coated.
- Deep-frying: Heat enough oil to cover the noodles. Shape them into a round “cake,” fry until crispy, then drain on a rack.
- Pan-frying: Heat 3 tbsp oil in a non-stick pan. Press the noodles into a round shape, crisp one side, flip, and crisp the other side.
Step 3: Stir-Fry the Beef and Veggies
- In a hot pan with 1 tbsp oil, sear the beef until medium-rare, then transfer to a bowl.
- Add another 1 tbsp oil, sauté onion until slightly translucent, then add green beans and carrots with a pinch of salt. Stir-fry for 2 minutes.
- Add mung bean sprouts and tomatoes, stir for another 2 minutes, then toss in cilantro and scallions. Return the beef to the pan and season with soy sauce and chicken powder.
Step 4: Finish and Serve
- Pour ¼–⅓ cup water into the stir-fry. Mix 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water, add it to the pan, and cook over high heat until the sauce thickens.
- Spoon the beef and vegetables with the sauce over your crispy phở base. Serve with Nước Chấm, soy sauce, or Hanoi-style dipping fish sauce.
Helpful Tips
- Rehydrate dry phở noodles by soaking, boiling, and draining them according to the package instructions.
- Prepare all ingredients in advance so the beef can be served hot and fresh from the pan.
- Cook in small batches – about 300 g (2/3 lb) of beef and 250 g (0.5 lb) of noodles per batch – to prevent overcrowding.
- Add bok choy or napa cabbage right after the onions when stir-frying.
- Use alternative starches like tapioca or potato starch if you don’t have cornstarch.
Northern Vietnamese Dishes You’ll Love
(Cà Phê Trứng)
(Northern rice noodles with grilled pork)
(Rice noodles with fried tofu and shrimp paste)
(Rice noodle soup with meatballs)
Phở Áp Chảo – Crispy Pan-Fried Noodles with Beef (30 mins)
Phở Áp Chảo (Or Phở Xào Giòn) is an inventive Hanoian twist on Pho. Easy and delicious with full of textures, it features a platter of crispy fried Pho noodles with delectable stir-fried beef and veggies.
Equipment
- 1 nonstick pan
Ingredients
For the Pho base:
- 1 lb fresh flat pho noodles (500g) (read note 1 for about dry noodles)
- ½ tbsp chicken powder
- 2 egg yolks (or 1 egg)
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- Cooking oil
For stir-fried beef and vegetables:
- ⅔ lb sliced beef (300g) (top round steak, flank steak, sirloin, strip, or rib-eye cuts)
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1½ tbsp soy sauce (to your taste)
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce (to your taste)
- ½ tbsp sugar (to your taste)
- ½ tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- 2 cup mung bean sprouts (200g)
- 1 tomato (cut into wedges)
- 1 onion (cut into wedges)
- 3½ oz carrot (100g) (julienned)
- 6 oz green bean (170g, 6-7 green beans) (trimmed and chopped into 1-inch / 3 cm long pieces)
- 1 handful cilantro (chopped)
- 2 sprigs scallion (chopped)
- 1 pinch salt (to your taste)
- Chicken powder (to your taste)
For the slurry
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 tbsp water (to mix with cornstarch)
- ¼ cup water (60ml)
Dipping sauce
- Hanoi-style dipping fish sauce
- Nước Chấm (dipping fish sauce)
- Soy sauce
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients
- Marinate the beef with oyster sauce, soy sauce, minced garlic, sugar, cooking oil, and cornstarch for about 20 minutes.
- Thinly wedge the onion and tomato. Julienne the carrot. Chop the cilantro and scallions. Trim and chop the green beans into 1-inch (3 cm) long pieces. If you are using Bok Choi or Napa Cabbage, cut them into 2-inch (5 cm) long pieces.
Cook the pho base:
- Mix the Pho noodles with chicken powder.
- Add egg yolks to the noodles and mix until the noodles are well coated. Then gently mix in the cornstarch to ensure it coats the noodles evenly.
- Option 1 (Deep-frying for a crispy Pho base) – In a pan, heat a sufficient quantity of cooking oil, ensuring it covers the rice noodles entirely. Once the oil reaches the desired temperature, add the Pho noodles, making sure they are separated and molded into circular shapes. – Submerge the noodles in the hot oil and fry until they become crispy. After achieving the desired crispiness, delicately remove them from the oil and place them on a rack to drain and remove any excess oil.
- Option 2 (Pan-frying for a healthier version, crispy outside, soft inside): – Heat 3 tbsp cooking oil in a non-stick pan. Arrange the rice noodles in the pan, separating and shaping them into a round form. – Pan-fry the noodles until the bottom side becomes crispy. Gently use a spatula to flip the Pho pizza and cook the other side until it turns crispy also. Finally, transfer the rice noodles from the pan to a plate.
Stir-fry beef and vegetables:
- In the same pan, heat 1 tbsp cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, stir-fry the beef until it reaches medium-rare. Then, transfer the beef to a bowl.
- In the same pan, add another 1 tbsp cooking oil. Sauté the onion until it becomes slightly translucent. Next, add the green beans and carrots, seasoning them with a pinch of salt. Stir-fry the vegetables for about two minutes, or until they are halfway cooked.
- Incorporate the mung bean sprouts and tomatoes, and stir-fry for an additional 2 minutes. When the vegetables are cooked, add the cilantro and scallions. Reintroduce the cooked beef and mix until well combined. Season to your taste with chicken powder and soy sauce.
- Pour in roughly 1/4 – 1/3 cup of water (60-80ml) into the stir-fry. Prepare the slurry by mixing 1 tbsp cornstarch with 2 tbsp water, and add this mixture to the pan. Cook over high heat until the sauce thickens.
- Place the stir-fried beef and vegetables with the sauce on top of the fried Pho noodles. Enjoy it as is, with a drizzle of Nước Chấm, soy sauce, or with Hanoi-style Nước Chấm.
Notes
- If using dry Pho noodles, follow the package instructions to soak, boil, and drain them for rehydration.
- Ensure that all other components are ready before stir-frying the beef since the beef should be served hot.
- To prevent overcrowding the pan, cook the beef and Pho noodles in small batches. I typically stir-fry 2/3 lb (300g) of beef and pan-fry 0.5 lb (250g) of Pho noodles at a time.
- If you’re incorporating bok choy or napa cabbage, add them to the pan after the onions.
- You could substitute cornstarch with potato starch or tapioca starch.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!
