Phở Áp Chảo (Or Phở Xào Giòn) is a creative Hanoian twist on Phở. It is a plate of crispy fried Pho noodles that can be cut into pizza-like slices.

Just as Bánh Tráng Nướng is often dubbed the Vietnamese rice paper pizza , this noodle dish earns the nickname Pho Pizza.

a plate of Pho Xao Gion, a Vietnamese dish featuring crispy fried Pho noodles topped with stir-fried beef and a medley of fresh herbs and vegetables

What is Phở Áp Chảo?

In Vietnamese, Phở Áp Chảo literally means “Pan-fried Phở,” while Phở Xào Giòn means “Crispy Stir-fried Phở Noodles”.

Hanoi is not just the capital of Vietnam; it’s also the capital of Phở. A food tour in Hanoi wouldn’t be complete without trying at least two kinds of Phở.

a bowl of Pho Ga (Chicken Pho)
My Instant Pot Chicken Phở in Germany (with Hanoi style)

Besides the classic Beef Phở (Phở Bò) and Chicken Phở (Phở Gà), there’s also:

This recipe is the Hanoi-style Phở Áp Chảo, the stir-fry beef served with crispy fried rice noodles. If you’re a fan of Mì Xào Giòn (Crispy Birds Nest Egg Noodles), you’ll likely love this dish too.

In the South, Phở Áp Chảo is just another name for Hủ Tiếu Áp Chảo (Hủ Tiếu Xào), a dish influenced by Chinese immigrants in Saigon.

It’s quite similar to Beef Chow Fun, Pad See Ew (Thai Stir-fried Noodles), or Pad Kee Mao (Thai Drunken Noodles).

Why you will love this recipe

  • Exceptionally delicious, brimming with a variety of textures (crispy Phở noodles and succulent stir-fried beef – quite intriguing, isn’t it?).
  • Easier to make than traditional Phở.
  • Gluten-free: Like many traditional Vietnamese dishes such as Bánh Cuốn (steamed rice rolls), Vietnamese spring rolls or Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Sizzling Pancakes) , this recipe is totally gluten-free.

Ingredients

You can find the ingredients at Asian markets. For precise measurements, refer to the recipe card at the end of this post.

1

For theo crispy Pho base

Ingredients for Pho Xao Gion: sliced beef, fresh pho noodles, eggs, garlic
  • Fresh Flat Pho Noodles: Choose the type made for Northern Phở. Follow the package instructions to soak, boil, and drain for rehydration.
  • Cornstarch: the key ingredient for a crispy Pho base.
  • Egg yolks: they give a nice color and richer flavor to the dish, but you can also use a whole egg.
  • Chicken powder & cooking oil
2

For the toppings

Ingredients for Pho Xao Gion: carrot, onion, tomato, green beans, mung bean sprouts, cilantro, scallion
  • Sliced beef: you could use top round steak, flank steak, sirloin, strip, or rib-eye cuts.
  • Cornstarch: Used both for tenderizing the beef (like in Bún Bò Xào – Rice Noodle Salad with Stir-fried Beef) and thickening the slurry.
  • Vegetables: bean sprouts, green beans, carrots, tomatoes, onions, cilantro, and scallions.
    • I highly recommend cilantro, onions, and scallions, other vegetables are flexible. You could use bok choy or napa cabbages also.
  • Seasoning: soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar, garlic and cooking oil.
3

Dipping sauce

Close-up of a bowl filled with Hanoi-style dipping fish sauce, garnished with sliced carrots, kohlrabi.
Hanoi-style dipping fish sauce

Instructions

1

Prepare the ingredients

  • Marinate the sliced 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.
Ingredients for Pho Xao Gion: carrot, onion, tomato, green beans, mung bean sprouts, cilantro, scallion
2

Make the crispy Pho base

  • Toss 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 the noodles are coated evenly by the starch.
pho noodles and egg yolks in a bow
Pho noodles mixed with egg yolks

You have two cooking options:

Deep-frying for a crispy Pho base:

  • Heat a generous amount of cooking oil in the pan, enough to fully immerse the rice noodles. When the oil reaches the desired temperature, add the Pho noodles, ensuring they are separated and shaped into a round form.
  • Submerge the noodles in the hot oil and cook until they turn crispy. Once the rice noodles have achieved a crispy texture, carefully take them out and let them drain on a rack to remove any excess oil.

Pan-frying for a healthier version (crispy outside, soft inside):

  • Add 3 tablespoons of cooking oil to a non-stick pan. Place the rice noodles into the pan, separating and shaping them into a round form.
  • Pan-fry the rice noodles until the bottom side becomes crispy. Carefully use a spatula to flip the Pho pizza. Cook the other side until it turns crispy as well. Remove the rice noodles from the pan and place them on a plate.
pan-fry the pho noodles, separating and shaping them into a round form.
the crispy pho noodles in a pan
3

Stir-fry the beef

  • In the same pan, add 1 tbsp of cooking oil. Once the oil is hot, add the beef and stir-fry it until it reaches medium-rare. Transfer the beef to a bowl.
medium rare stir-fried beef in a pan
  • In the same pan, add another 1 tbsp of oil. Add the onion and sauté until it becomes slightly translucent. Then, add the green beans and carrots, seasoning with a pinch of salt. Stir-fry the vegetables for around two minutes, or until they are halfway cooked.
sliced onions in a pan
stir-fried carrrot, green beans and onions
  • Add the mung bean sprouts and tomatoes, and stir-fry for another 2 minutes. Once the vegetables are done, incorporate the cilantro and scallions.
  • Reintroduce the cooked beef and mix until well combined. Season with chicken powder and soy sauce.
stir-fried beef and vegetables for Pho xao gion in a pan
  • Pour in around 1/4 – 1/3 cup of water (60-80ml) into the stir-fry. Create a mixture of 1 tbsp of cornstarch with 2 tbsp of water, and add it 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. You can enjoy it as is, with a drizzle of Nước Chấm, soy sauce, or with Hanoi-style dipping fish sauce (the best).
a plate of Pho Xao Gion, a Vietnamese dish featuring crispy fried Pho noodles topped with stir-fried beef and a medley of fresh herbs and vegetables

Helpful Tips

  • With dry Pho noodles, simply follow the package instructions to soak, boil, and drain them for rehydration.
  • Ensure that you have all the other components prepared before stir-frying the beef. The beef should be served while it’s still hot.
  • Cook the beef and the Pho noodles in small batches to prevent overcrowding the pan. I usually stir-fry 2/3 lb (300g) of beef and pan-fry 0.5 lb (250g) of Pho noodles at a time.
  • If you’re using bok choy or napa cabbage, add them to the pan after the onions.
  • Besides cornstarch, you could use tapioca starch or potato starch.

More Northern Vietnamese Recipes

Vietnamese Egg Coffee (Ca Phe Trung)
Vietnamese Egg Coffee
(Cà Phê Trứng)
a bowl of Bun Cha Ha Noi
Bún Chả Hà Nội
(Northern rice noodles with grilled pork)
A plate of Bun Dau Mam Tom
Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm
(Rice noodles with fried tofu and shrimp paste)
Vietnamese Phở Trộn
Phở Trộn Gà
(Dry chicken pho)

Thanks a bunch for giving my recipe a shot! If you enjoyed it, I’d truly appreciate a 5-star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating or a comment to let me know your thoughts.

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a plate of Pho Xao Gion, a Vietnamese dish featuring crispy fried Pho noodles topped with stir-fried beef and a medley of fresh herbs and vegetables

Phở Áp Chảo (Crispy Pan-Fried Phở with Beef)

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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.
5 from 3 votes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 2 people

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:

  • lb sliced beef (300g) (top round steak, flank steak, sirloin, strip, or rib-eye cuts)
  • 1 tbsp minced garlic
  • 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)
  • 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
 

Marinate the beef:

  • Marinate the beef with oyster sauce, soy sauce, minced garlic, sugar, cooking oil, and cornstarch for about 20 minutes.

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

  1. If using dry Pho noodles, follow the package instructions to soak, boil, and drain them for rehydration.
  2. Ensure that all other components are ready before stir-frying the beef since the beef should be served hot.
  3. 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.
  4. If you’re incorporating bok choy or napa cabbage, add them to the pan after the onions.
  5. You could substitute cornstarch with potato starch or tapioca starch.
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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Anonymous
Anonymous
3 months ago

5 stars