Spicy Lemongrass Beef Noodle Soup (Printable)
Aromatic Vietnamese noodle soup with beef, lemongrass, and spicy chili oil.
# What You'll 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 or regular sugar
12 - 1 tablespoon shrimp paste (mam ruoc)
→ Aromatic Chili Oil
13 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
14 - 1 tablespoon annatto seeds, optional for color
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 (bun bo Hue noodles)
19 - 10 oz cooked beef brisket or beef flank, thinly sliced
20 - 10 oz cooked pork blood cubes, optional
21 - 6 Vietnamese pork sausage patties (cha lua), 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, optional
26 - 1 cup fresh herbs (cilantro, mint, Thai basil)
27 - 3 scallions, thinly sliced
28 - Sliced birds eye chili to taste
# Directions:
01 - Place beef shank and pork hock in a large stock pot. Cover with water, bring to a rolling boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse thoroughly to remove impurities.
02 - Refill the pot with 12 cups water. Add cleaned meat, lemongrass, onion, garlic, and ginger. Bring to 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 fork-tender.
03 - Remove beef shank and pork hock; slice into serving pieces. Strain broth through a fine mesh strainer, discarding solids. Season broth to taste with additional fish sauce or salt if needed.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a small frying pan. Add annatto seeds if using and cook 1-2 minutes until oil turns red, then discard seeds. Add shallots and garlic; sauté until fragrant. Stir in chili flakes and cook briefly. Set aside.
05 - Cook rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain well and set aside. If using pork blood cubes, simmer in gently boiling water for 10 minutes, then slice.
06 - Place a portion of noodles in each serving bowl. Top with beef shank, pork hock, brisket, pork blood cubes if using, and cha lua slices. Ladle hot broth over ingredients. Drizzle with aromatic chili oil.
07 - Add red onion, lime wedges, bean sprouts, banana blossom if desired, fresh herbs, scallions, and sliced chili. Serve immediately with extra fish sauce or shrimp paste on the side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The broth hits you with layers of heat and depth that pho simply cannot match, a vibrant symphony of lemongrass and chili that warms you from the inside out.
- Unlike restaurant versions that can feel one dimensional, this homemade version develops complexity over hours, letting each ingredient speak clearly.
02 -
- Shrimp paste smells intensely pungent raw but transforms into something magical in the broth, so do not be tempted to skip it or reduce the amount.
- The broth should taste slightly too strong and salty on its own because the noodles and garnishes will balance it out in the final bowl.
03 -
- Cook the meats the day before and refrigerate them, they slice much more cleanly when cold and you can skim any fat from the chilled broth surface.
- Toast the shrimp paste briefly in a dry pan before adding it to the broth to mellow the funkiness while keeping all the depth.