Phở Bò Sốt Vang is Hanoi’s bold spin on classic phở – tender beef in a fragrant, spice-laden broth with a splash of red wine. Pile it over silky rice noodles and get ready to slurp every drop!
PHỞ BÒ SỐT VANG (VIETNAMESE BEEF STEW PHỞ)
Phở! This iconic noodle soup has conquered the globe. Beyond the classic beef (Phở Bò) or chicken (Phở Gà), Hanoi offers creative variations you won’t want to miss.
- Phở Bò Sốt Vang: A hearty beef stew braised with red wine, layered with the warm fragrance of phở spices.
- Phở Cuốn: Soft phở sheets rolled with fresh herbs, beef, and dipping sauce – like fresh spring rolls with a phở twist.
- Phở Áp Chảo: Crispy fried phở noodles tossed with tender stir-fried beef – crunchy, saucy, and satisfying.
- Phở Trộn: A bright, refreshing noodle salad with all the flavors of phở minus the broth.
If you’re in a hurry and just want to get cooking, feel free to jump into the recipe card.
“Bò Sốt Vang” vs. “Bò Kho”
Both Bò Kho and Bò Sốt Vang are comforting beef stews, each carrying the soul of Vietnam’s regional flavors.
Bò Sốt Vang – literally “red wine beef stew” – is where French influence meets Vietnamese tradition. Like Bánh Mì or Vietnamese coffee, it’s a reminder of our colonial past. But what makes it truly ours is the way the rich red wine sauce mingles with star anise, cinnamon, and classic phở spices, creating a deep, aromatic flavor that’s unmistakably Vietnamese.
Bò Kho, on the other hand, is the Southern favorite – bright and fragrant with lemongrass, five-spice, and coconut water. Its roots are tied to Chinese-Vietnamese cuisine, brought by Southern Chinese immigrants who also gave us dishes like Xôi Mặn, Bò Bía, and Bột Chiên that you’ll find in Saigon’s Chinatown.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need for this delicious Vietnamese red wine beef stew:
Traditionally, Phở Bò Sốt Vang marries the fragrant Northern-style phở broth with the rich, velvety gravy of red wine beef stew (Bò Sốt Vang). Today, I’m keeping things simple by cooking everything together in one pot – less fuss, all the flavor.
Besides the usual phở noodles (bánh phở), this stew is amazing with a warm bánh mì baguette or any crusty bread you love.
Best Beef Cuts for Stew: Beef shank, chuck, brisket, oxtail, or bone-in short ribs – all perfect for long, slow cooking.
Tomatoes: Add a tangy richness to the base of the stew.
Spices: Think phở spices – black cardamom, cinnamon, star anise – plus a few bay leaves for extra depth and warmth.
Aromatics: Garlic, shallots, ginger, and peppercorns – the soul of the broth’s fragrance.
Red Wine: Merlot, Cabernet, or Sauvignon all work beautifully here. No red wine? Rice wine makes a decent backup.
Seasonings: A mix of chicken powder, fish sauce, sugar, and salt to balance everything out.
Slurry: A touch of cornstarch mixed with water to thicken the broth slightly.
Serving: Finish with fresh Vietnamese herbs – cilantro, thinly sliced onion, or cleaved scallions.
Instructions
Step 1 – Prep ingredients:
Cut beef into 4 cm (1½-inch) cubes. Slice tomatoes into wedges.
Step 2 – Marinate beef:
Mix beef with chicken powder, paprika, sugar, red wine, shallots, garlic, ginger, and peppercorns. Marinate for 30 minutes.
Step 3 – Slow cook:
Place tomatoes in the slow cooker, add marinated beef with all marinade and spices. Pour in red wine (reserve 3 tbsp) and add water to just cover the beef. Cook on high for 3–4 hours (about 3.5 hours with Instant Pot’s slow cooker mode).
Step 4 – Season:
Once beef is tender, stir in fish sauce, sugar, chicken powder, and the reserved red wine. Make the broth slightly saltier than you prefer—it balances perfectly with noodles.
Step 5 – Thicken broth:
Mix cornstarch with water.
- For slow cooker: add slurry during the last 30 minutes.
- For Instant Pot: add slurry, then switch to Sauté (low) for 1–2 minutes.
Step 6 – Serve:
Cook phở noodles as per package instructions, rinse to remove starch. Divide noodles into bowls, ladle over beef and broth, and top with onion, cilantro, or scallions.
Helpful Tips
- Boost the flavor: Sauté the garlic, ginger, and shallots, then brown the beef before adding water and red wine. This extra step adds incredible depth.
- Stovetop method: Let the stew simmer gently over low heat until the beef is tender, then follow the same steps as the slow cooker version.
- Instant Pot shortcut: Pressure cook on high for 20 minutes, let it naturally release, then continue with the remaining steps just like the slow cooker method.
- Veggie twist: While traditional Bò Sốt Vang skips potatoes and carrots, you can add them if serving with a baguette. Add the veggies along with the beef.
- Season smartly: Make the broth slightly saltier than you prefer since it will mellow once paired with rice noodles.
More Hanoi Flavors to Try
(Cà Phê Trứng)
(Northern rice noodles with grilled pork)
(Rice noodles with fried tofu and fermented shrimp paste)
(Rice noodle salad with stir-fried beef)
Phở Bò Sốt Vang – The Rich, Red Wine Twist on Phở
Equipment
- 1 Slow Cooker (Or Instant Pot)
Ingredients
- 2 lbs stew-friendly beef (beef shank, beef chuck, beef brisket, oxtail, and bone-in short ribs) (1 kg)
- 3-5 tomatoes
- 1 tbsp paprika powder
- 1 cup red wine (250ml)
- 1 black cardamom
- 1 stick cinnamon
- 3 star anises
- 5 bay leaves
- 1 tbsp pepper corns
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- 1 tbsp minced shallot
- 1 tbsp minced ginger
- 2 tbsp chicken powder (to your taste)
- 4 tbsp fish sauce (to your taste)
- ½ tbsp sugar (to your taste)
- ½ tbsp salt (to your taste)
Slurry
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp water
Instructions
- Cut the beef into 4cm (1½ inch) cubes and the tomatoes into wedges.
- Marinate the beef with chicken powder, paprika powder, sugar, red wine, garlic, shallot, ginger and pepper corns. Let it marinate for about 30 minutes.
- In your slow cooker, place the tomato at the bottom of the pot. Then, layer the marinated beef on top, along with the marinade sauce and all spices. Pour red wine into the pot, leaving 3 tbsp for later seasoning. Add water until it just reaches the level of the beef.
- Cook the beef in the slow cooker on high heat for about 3 hours to 4 hours (depending on your slow cooker). If you're using the slow cooker mode of an Instant Pot, the cooking time will be around 3 hours and 30 minutes.
- Once the beef reaches your desired level of tenderness, season the stew with fish sauce, sugar, chicken powder, and the leftover red wine. P/s: the broth should be slightly saltier than your desired flavor, as this will complement the pho noodles.
- Add the slurry:– If using a slow cooker, add the slurry with a minimum of 30 minutes left in the cooking timee. This allows the raw flour taste to dissipate and the soup to thicken.– If using the slow cooker mode of an Instant Pot, add the slurry and switch to Sauté mode on low heat for 1-2 minutes.
- Follow the package instructions to prepare the pho noodles. After cooking, give them a rinse to remove excess starch.
- Transfer the cooked noodles to a bowl. Pour the delicious broth over the noodles. Complete the dish with a sprinkle of thinly sliced onions, cilantro, or cleaved scallions. Enjoy!!
Notes
- To amp up the flavor, start by sautéing garlic, ginger, and shallots, then proceed to brown the beef before introducing water and red wine. This simple step can significantly elevate the overall taste.
- If you’re using the stovetop method, just let the stew simmer gently on low heat until it reaches your desired level of tenderness. The subsequent steps closely resemble the slow cooker technique.
- Opting for the instant pot? Pressure cook the beef on “high-pressure” for around 20 minutes, and then let it release pressure naturally. Afterward, continue following the remaining steps similar to the slow cooker approach.
- While the traditional Bò sốt vang usually doesn’t include potatoes and carrots, you’re welcome to add these veggies if you’re planning to enjoy the stew with a baguette. Simply toss them in alongside the beef during the cooking process.
