Spicy Vietnamese Lemongrass Beef Noodle Soup (Print version)
Spicy Vietnamese noodle soup with tender beef, aromatic lemongrass broth, and fresh herbs.
# 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
12 - 1 tablespoon shrimp paste
→ Aromatic Chili Oil
13 - 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
14 - 1 tablespoon annatto seeds
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
19 - 10 oz cooked beef brisket, thinly sliced
20 - 10 oz cooked pork blood cubes
21 - 6 Vietnamese pork sausage patties, 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
26 - 1 cup fresh herbs
27 - 3 scallions, thinly sliced
28 - Sliced birds eye chili
# Method:
01 - Place beef shank and pork hock in a large pot. Cover with water, bring to a boil for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse the meat thoroughly to remove impurities.
02 - Refill the pot with 12 cups water. Add cleaned meat, lemongrass, onion, garlic, and ginger. Bring to a 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 tender.
03 - Remove meats from broth and slice beef shank and pork hock into serving pieces. Strain broth through a fine mesh, discarding solids. Season broth to taste.
04 - Heat oil in a small pan. Add annatto seeds and cook for 1-2 minutes until oil turns red, then discard seeds. Add shallots and garlic, sautéing until fragrant. Stir in chili flakes and cook briefly. Set aside.
05 - Prepare rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside. If using pork blood cubes, simmer in gently boiling water for 10 minutes. Slice brisket and cha lua.
06 - Place a portion of noodles in each serving bowl. Top with beef shank, pork hock, brisket, pork blood cubes, and cha lua slices. Ladle hot broth over the top. Drizzle with aromatic chili oil.
07 - Add red onion, lime wedges, bean sprouts, banana blossom, fresh herbs, scallions, and chili slices as desired. Serve immediately while hot.
# Expert advice:
01 -
- The broth hits that perfect balance where spicy aromatic and savory dance together without any single flavor overwhelming your palate
- Thick chewy noodles make every bite satisfying unlike the slippery thin noodles in other Vietnamese soups
- Assembly style serving means everyone at the table can customize their bowl exactly how they like it
02 -
- The initial blanching and rinsing step is non negotiable for achieving a crystal clear broth
- Shrimp paste smells pungent raw but mellows beautifully into the broth during cooking
- Thinly slicing the meat against the grain makes each bite tender rather than chewy
03 -
- A piece of pineapple added to the broth during the last 30 minutes adds subtle sweetness that rounds out the spicy elements
- Toast your lemongrass stalks in a dry pan before adding them to the pot for even more aromatic depth