''Bún bò Huế'' (pronounced ) or ''bún bò'' () is a Vietnamese rice noodle (''bún'') dish with sliced beef (''bò''), chả lụa, and sometimes pork knuckles. The dish originates from

Huế Huế (formerly Thừa Thiên Huế province) is the southernmost coastal Municipalities of Vietnam, city in the North Central Coast region, the Central Vietnam, Central of Vietnam, approximately in the center of the country. It borders Quảng ...

, a city in central Vietnam associated with the cooking style of the former royal court. The dish has a mix of spicy, salty, and savory flavors. The predominant flavors are those of

lemongrass ''Cymbopogon'', also known as lemongrass, barbed wire grass, silky heads, oily heads, Cochin grass, Malabar grass, citronella grass or fever grass, is a genus of Asian, African, Australian, and tropical island plants in the grass family. Some ...

and

shrimp paste Shrimp paste or prawn sauce is a Fermentation, fermented condiment commonly used in Southeast Asian cuisine, Southeast Asian and Coastal Chinese cuisines. It is primarily made from finely crushed Shrimp and prawn as food, shrimp or krill mixed ...

. Compared to ''

phở Phở or pho (, , ; ) is a Vietnamese soup dish consisting of broth, rice noodles (), herbs, and meat – usually beef (), and sometimes chicken (). Phở is a popular food in Vietnam where it is served in households, street-stalls, and ...

'' or '' bún riêu'', the noodles are thicker and cylindrical.

History

''Bún bò'' hails from the city of

in central

Vietnam Vietnam, officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam (SRV), is a country at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of about and a population of over 100 million, making it the world's List of countries and depende ...

in the late 1500s and early 1600s, when the city was ruled by the

Nguyễn Lords The Nguyễn lords (, 主阮; 1558–1777, 1780–1802), also known as the Nguyễn clan (; ), were Nguyễn dynasty's forerunner and a feudal noble clan ruling southern Đại Việt in the Revival Lê dynasty. The Nguyễn lords were membe ...

. This city, once the capital of Vietnam, has a rich culinary legacy linked to the former royal court of Annam. Beyond its hometown and certain areas in central Vietnam, the dish is often labeled ''bún bò Huế'' to indicate its place of origin and to differentiate it from ''bún bò'' found in

Saigon Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...

(south) and

Hanoi Hanoi ( ; ; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of cities in Vietnam, second-most populous city of Vietnam. The name "Hanoi" translates to "inside the river" (Hanoi is bordered by the Red River (Asia), Red and Black River (Asia), Black Riv ...

(north). This classic dish is celebrated for its harmonious blend of spicy, sour, sweet, salty, and umami tastes. The scent of

prominently features. In comparison to dishes like ''

'' and '' bún riêu'', its vermicelli noodles are thicker and cylindrical. In its native

, ''bún bò'' is typically served only in the mornings as a main meal rather than a breakfast item. However, in other major Vietnamese cities, it can be found at various meal times.

Features

Outside the city of

, it is called ''bún bò Huế'' to denote its origin. Within Huế and surrounding cities, it is known simply as ''bún bò''. The broth is prepared by simmering beef bones and beef shank with lemongrass, and then seasoned with fermented shrimp sauce and sugar for taste. Spicy chili oil is added later during the cooking process. ''Bún bò'' usually includes thin slices of marinated and boiled beef shank, chunks of oxtail, and pork knuckles.Andrea Nguyen ''Into the Vietnamese Kitchen: Treasured Foodways, Modern Flavors'' Ten Speed Press 2006 p10 "people from the central region will at first demur and then counter that ''bún bò Huế'', a chile-and-lemongrass-seasoned beef and rice noodle soup from the former imperial capital, is equally good" full recipe p212-214 ''Bún bò'' is commonly served with lime wedges,

cilantro Coriander (), whose leaves are known as cilantro () in the U.S. and parts of Canada, and dhania in parts of South Asia and Africa, is an annual herb (''Coriandrum sativum'') in the family Apiaceae. Most people perceive the leaves as ha ...

sprigs, diced green onions, raw sliced onions, chili sauce, thinly sliced banana blossom, red cabbage, mint,

basil Basil (, ; , ; ''Ocimum basilicum'' (, )), also called great basil, is a culinary herb of the family Lamiaceae (mints). It is a hardiness (plants), tender plant, and is used in cuisines worldwide. In Western cuisine, the generic term "basil" r ...

, perilla, ''Persicaria odorata'' or

Vietnamese coriander ''Persicaria odorata'', with common names Vietnamese coriander, rau răm (from Vietnamese), laksa leaf (calque from Malay ''daun laksa''), Vietnamese cilantro, phak phai (from Thai language, Thai: ผักแพว), praew leaf, hot mint, Cambo ...

(''rau răm''), saw tooth herb (''ngò gai'') and sometimes mung bean sprouts. Thinly sliced purple cabbage is sometimes used as a substitute when banana blossoms are not available. Purple cabbage most resembles banana blossom in texture, though not in taste.

Fish sauce Fish sauce is a liquid condiment made from fish or krill that have been coated in salt and fermented for up to two years. It is used as a staple seasoning in East Asian cuisine and Southeast Asian cuisine, particularly Myanmar, Cambodia, L ...

and

are added to the soup according to taste. Ingredients might be varied by region due to their availability. File:Bún bò huê - Dakao Hoang.jpg, This version of bún bò Huế includes rice vermicelli, beef brisket, pork leg, pig blood curd, and other ingredients. File:Bún bò huê close-up - Dakao Hoang.jpg, Close-up of the same dish File:Pot of Bun Bo Hue.jpg, A pot of ''bún bò'' broth with rice noodles being cooked separately at a

Ho Chi Minh City Ho Chi Minh City (HCMC) ('','' TP.HCM; ), commonly known as Saigon (; ), is the most populous city in Vietnam with a population of around 14 million in 2025. The city's geography is defined by rivers and canals, of which the largest is Saigo ...

eatery Bún bò Huế - Chợ Đông Ba (2024) - img 05.jpg, A lady preparing ''bún bò Huế'' at Dong Ba Market,

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bun bo Hue Vietnamese soups Culture in Huế Noodle soups Vietnamese noodle dishes Vietnamese beef dishes Rice flour dishes