Vietnamese · soup

Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup)

Name: Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup)
Prep time: 30 min
Total time: 3 h 20 min
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 1.5 lbs beef shanks; 1 lb pork knuckle; 12 oz thick round rice noodles; 3 stalks lemongrass, bruised; 2 tbsp fermented shrimp paste; 3 dried chilies; 3 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp sugar; 1 cup banana blossom, shredded; 2 cups bean sprouts; 1 cup fresh herbs; 2 limes; 2 tbsp chili oil

Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup) reads umami 7.6, funk & ferment 6.0 and richness 5.8 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Vietnamese soup, about 3 hr 20 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

Umami & Savory — 9.3 / 10
Sweet & Fruity — 6.1 / 10
Sour & Bright — 5.8 / 10
Bitter & Earthy — 1.8 / 10
Rich & Fat — 5.9 / 10
Aromatic & Spice — 3.6 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 7.6 · Funk & Ferment 6.0 · Richness 5.8 · Salinity 5.6 · Marine & Briny 5.5 · Sweetness 4.8 · Citrus 4.7 · Fruity 4.4 · Sourness 3.8 · Heat 3.2 · Herbaceous 3.1 · Earthy 1.7 · Floral 1.4 · Warm Spice 1.0 · Bitterness 0.7

What's in it (13)

1.5 lbs beef shanks
1 lb pork knuckle
12 oz thick round rice noodles
3 stalks lemongrass, bruised
2 tbsp fermented shrimp paste
3 dried chilies
3 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp sugar
1 cup banana blossom, shredded
2 cups bean sprouts
1 cup fresh herbs
2 limes
2 tbsp chili oil

Time & effort: about 3 hr 20 min (30 min active) · effort: medium

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 162.3 kcal, 10.1 g protein, 7.2 g fat, 14.7 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (3 steps)

Simmer beef and pork in water with lemongrass until tender, about two to three hours.
Stir in fermented shrimp paste, chili oil, fish sauce, and sugar to create a deep, spicy, and fragrant broth.
Serve over thick round noodles with sliced meat, raw banana blossom, fresh herbs, and lime.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

Thai Red Curry with Shrimp — Thai
Kansi (Beef Shank and Jackfruit Soup Soured with Batwan) — Filipino
Laksa Sarawak (Sarawak Borneo Laksa) — Malaysian
Thai Green Curry Chicken — Thai
Bun Rieu (Crab Vermicelli Soup) — Vietnamese

Keep reading: what umami, funk & ferment, richness mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.