Vietnamese Beef Stew with Rice Noodles / Pho Bo Kho

Bò Kho is one of my go-to dishes during the colder months, thanks to its rich, hearty flavors and its ability to warm you from the inside out. While traditional bo kho is typically served with a Vietnamese baguette, my recipe pairs it with the same noodles you would find in pho. The rice noodles soak up all the delicious, savory, and aromatic broth, making it a deeply satisfying and undeniably comforting meal. While I love indulging in pho bo kho in the winter, its bold flavors and wholesome appeal make it a perfect meal any time of year!

What is Bò Kho?

Bò Kho is a classic Vietnamese beef stew simmered with a beautiful blend of spices, including star anise, cinnamon, and lemongrass. The beef is braised until it’s melt-in-your-mouth tender, making each bite rich and flavorful. Traditionally, Bò Kho is served with bánh mì, the famous Vietnamese baguette, but it can also be enjoyed with noodles or steamed rice. This dish’s versatility and depth of flavor make it a staple in many Vietnamese homes.

Why I Love Pho Bo Kho

There’s something incredibly cozy about a bowl of slow-cooked beef stew. The rich broth, infused with fragrant spices, fills your home with a comforting warmth even before you take your first bite. For me, Bò Kho is a must-have during the colder months. It’s rich, hearty, and has a magical ability to warm you up from the inside out. However, the beauty of this dish is that it’s just as enjoyable year-round, whether for a casual weeknight dinner or a weekend family meal.

The noodles soak up the flavorful broth, turning each bowl into a deeply satisfying meal. It’s hearty yet light enough that you won’t feel weighed down—perfect for when you want something filling but still fresh.

Protips:

Find this specific Bo Kho Seasoning blend. My mom has used it my entire life, and it gives the bo kho its distinctive flavor. If you can’t find it, it’s essentially just a blend of paprika, star anise, garlic, chili, onion, ginger, and cloves.

Use a cheesecloth bag for your aromatics. To remove them easily, put all of your aromatics into a soup filter bag.

Adjust the liquid amount to your liking! I prefer my bo kho to be more soupy, but traditionally, this has more of a stew-like consistency. I use 5 quarts of water, but you could reduce that to 4 quarts, and even add a cornstarch slurry if you like yours thicker!

Vietnamese Beef Stew with Rice Noodles / Pho Bo Kho

5.0 from 20 votes

Servings

6-8

servings

Prep time

1

hour 

30

minutes

Cooking time

2

hours 

Ingredients

• 4 lbs 4 Beef Shank

• 2 lbs 2 Beef Tendon

• 32 oz 32 Thick Rice Stick Noodles

• 6-8 6-8 Large Carrots

• Beef Shank Marinade:

• 2 tbsp 2 Bo Kho Seasoning

• 2 tbsp 2 Soy Sauce

• 2 tbsp 2 Annatto Seed Oil

• 1 tsp 1 Salt

• Broth:

• 4-5 Quarts 4-5 Water

• 2 tbsp 2 Annatto Seed Oil

• 1 Small 1 Minced Shallot

• 2 tbsp 2 Minced Garlic

• 2 tbsp 2 Tomato Paste

• 12 oz 12 Coco Rico

• 2 tbsp 2 Soy Sauce

• 2 tbsp 2 MSG

• 1 1 inch nub Rock Sugar

• 2 tbsp 2 Bo Kho Seasoning

• 3 tbsp 3 Fish Sauce

• Aromatics:

• 3 3 Stalks Lemongrass

• 1/2 1/2 Onion

• 2 2 inch Nub Ginger

• 1 1 Cinnamon Stick

• 2 2 Star Anise

• 3 3 Bay Leaves

• Garnishes:

• Green Onions

• Cilantro

Directions

• Beef Shank:
• Parboil beef shank in boiling water for 5-10 minutes to reduce odor and remove impurities. Drain and rinse with cold tap water. Cut into 1-inch pieces pieces.
• Add cut beef shank and marinade with bo kho seasoning, soy sauce, annatto seed oil, and salt in a mixing bowl. Marinate in the fridge covered for a minimum of one hour, but overnight for the best effect
• Beef Tendon:
• Parboil beef tendon in a pot of boiling water for 5-10 minutes. Drain and rinse in cold water. Add the cleaned tendon to a pot of boiling water with salt and precook the tendon for 60 minutes. Tendon takes longer to cook than the beef shank, so we’ll precook the tendon before adding it to the beef stew. Remove the tendon from the pot, let it cool down, and cut 1/2-3/4″ inch pieces. Tendon will expand when it cooks, so we want to cut these a little bit smaller than the cuts of beef shank
• Stew:
• In a big pot, add annatto seed oil, and sauté minced shallots and garlic until fragrant
• Add tomato paste, and cook for another 1-2 minutes. Add marinated beef shank and cut tendon to the pot. Add in a whole can of Coco Rico, and then 4-5 quarts of water
• Bring that up to a boil and skim off the impurities, and then lower the heat and simmer covered
• Aromatics:
• Char half an onion, ginger slices, cinnamon stick, and star anise in a dry pan
• Cut stalks of lemongrass in half, remove the woodsy outer layer, and using the blunt end of your knife or cleaver, bruise the lemongrass
• Add charred onion, ginger, cinnamon, star anise, lemongrass, and bay leaves to a spice bag/sachet. Then, add the bag of aromatics to the pot
• Seasoning and Final Touches:
• Once you’ve put the aromatics into the pot, add soy sauce, rock sugar, MSG, and more bo kho seasoning. Let this simmer on low for 60-90 minutes or until the beef shank is mostly tender
• Add in peeled and cut carrots, and simmer for another 10-15 minutes, or until the carrots reaches your desired doneness
• At the end, season with fish sauce and adjust any other seasonings to taste
• Serve:
• Blanch rice stick noodles in boiling water for 10 seconds. Add to a bowl
• Ladle over beef shank, tendon, carrots and broth
• Garnish with sliced green onions and cilantro. Enjoy!

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