Bo Kho is a comforting Vietnamese beef stew recipe with aromatic lemongrass, an intoxicating blend of spices, and tender beef slowly simmered, a favorite.
Bo Kho Recipe (Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew)
Ready for your next favorite beef stew recipe, my friends? Let me introduce to you a new favorite in the Chili Pepper Madness kitchen.
It's called Bò Kho, and I think you're going to love it as much as we do.
What is Bò Kho?
Bo kho is a spicy beef stew from Vietnam known for it's wonderful blend of aromatic seasonings. It is made with tender chunks of beef simmered in a flavorful broth that features lemongrass, fish sauce, 5-spice powder, and more.
The beef is marinated, then browned before being added to broth for a low and slow simmer that makes any tougher cuts of beef incredibly tender.
After one bite of this dish, I think you'll be addicted, and will definitely want to add it to your regular recipe rotation.
Let's talk about how to make bo kho, shall we?
Bo Kho Ingredients
The full ingredients list with measurements is listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- FOR THE BEEF & MARINADE
- Beef Chuck. You can also use short ribs, brisket, beef shank, or other stew beef. For a splurge and extra flavor boost, use USDA Choice Short Ribs from Snake River Farms (affiliate link, my friends). Super tender!
- Fish Sauce.
- Chinese 5-Spice Powder. Try my Homemade Chinese 5-Spice Powder recipe. Fresh flavor!
- Salt and Pepper. To taste.
- FOR THE BEEF STEW (Bo Kho)
- Vegetable Oil. For cooking.
- Vegetables. Onion, Thai chilies, garlic, ginger, lemongrass, carrots.
- Tomato Paste. You can also use fresh tomatoes.
- Spices. Star anise, ground annatto.
- Beef Stock. Or beef broth.
- Coconut Water.
- Chili Oil. Try my homemade chili oil recipe. I like to make it spicy.
- Soy Sauce.
- Fish Sauce.
- For Garnish. Torn Thai basil or fresh chopped herbs spicy chili flakes.
How to Make Bo Kho - the Recipe Method
Marinate the Beef. Mix the fish sauce, 5-spice powder, salt and pepper, then pour it over the beef chunks and marinate in a baggie or a bowl.
(Marinate at least 30 minutes, though longer is better.
Brown the Beef. Brown the marinated beef chunks in a large pot or Dutch oven. Set them aside to add in later.
Onions, Peppers, Garlic. Next, brown the onion and peppers in the pot, then cook the garlic quickly.
Lemongrass and Spices. Stir in the lemongrass, ginger, tomato paste, star anise, and ground annatto. Mix well in the bottom of the pot.
Add Liquids and Simmer. Stir in the beef stock and coconut water, then cover and simmer for 1.5 hours, or until the meat is tender, stirring as needed.
NOTE: If using more tender cuts of meat, you don't need to simmer as long.
Carrots and Extras. Add the carrots, chili oil, and soy sauce, then simmer another 30 minutes, or until the carrots are cooked through.
Finish it Up. Stir in the fish sauce and serve with Thai basil or fresh chopped herbs.
Boom! Done! Your bo kho is ready to serve. Doesn't it smell amazing? You will absolutely love the incredible mix of seasonings and flavors with this dish.
Recipe Tips & Notes
- Feel free to use other root vegetables, like potato, parsnip, radish, or any of your favorites.
- Like any beef stew, Bo Kho tastes even better the next day. When it's done cooking, cool the pot, then refrigerate overnight, which lets the flavors meld even more. Reheat it the next day and enjoy!
Serving Bo Kho
Bo Kho can be served on it's own in a bowl, but is popularly served with rice noodles or glass noodles for more of a noodle soup.
It's also delicious with steamed rice or with crusty bread on the side for soaking up the rich stew broth.
Storage & Leftovers
Leftover bo kho (beef stew) will last up to 5 days in the refrigerator in a sealed container. You can easily warm it up again in a pot on the stove top to enjoy again.
You can also freeze it for 3 months or longer in freezer containers. I freeze batches all the time.
That's it, my friends. I hope you enjoy this Vietnamese bo kho recipe. Let me know if you make it. I'd love to hear how it turned out for you, and if you decided to spice it up!
Try Some of My Other Popular Recipes
- Yukgaejang (Spicy Korean Beef And Vegetable Soup)
- Bo Luc Lac Recipe (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)
- Classic Beef Stew
- Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
- Hungarian Goulash
- Ropa Vieja (Cuban Shredded Beef Stew)
- Rendang (Indonesian Beef Stew)
- Galbi Jjim Recipe (Korean Braised Short Ribs)
- Sancocho (Latin American Stew with Beef and Pork)
- Birria (Mexican Beef Stew)
- Texas Chili (Southern Beef Stew)
- Beef Vindaloo (Indian Beef Stew Curry)
- Oxtail Soup
Got any questions? Ask away! I’m happy to help. If you enjoy this recipe, I hope you’ll leave a comment with some STARS. Also, please share it on social media. Don’t forget to tag us at #ChiliPepperMadness. I’ll be sure to share! Thanks! — Mike H.
Bo Kho Recipe (Spicy Vietnamese Beef Stew)
Ingredients
FOR THE BEEF
- 3 pounds beef chuck cut into 1.5 inch pieces (you can also use short ribs, brisket, or other stew beef)
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1-2 tablespoons 5-spice powder
- Salt and pepper to taste
FOR THE BEEF STEW (Bo Kho)
- 3 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large yellow onion
- 2-3 Thai chilies minced
- 5 cloves garlic minced
- ¼ cup minced lemongrass
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 3 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 whole star anise pods
- 1 teaspoon ground annatto
- 4 cups beef stock
- 2 cups coconut water
- 3 large carrots chopped
- 2 tablespoons chili oil I love spicy chili oil
- 2 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- For Garnish. Torn Thai basil or fresh chopped herbs, spicy chili flakes
Instructions
- Set the chunks of beef into a bowl or sealable baggie. Whisk together the fish sauce, 5-spice powder, salt and pepper. Pour over the beef and marinate while you prepare your other ingredients. (NOTE: I like to marinate at least 30 minutes, though longer is better. Consider starting your marinade the morning of cooking).
- Heat the vegetable oil in a large pot or Dutch oven to medium-high heat. Add the beef in batches and brown each side, turning as needed – about 10 minutes total. Set the beef aside onto a plate.
- Reduce the heat to medium and add the onion and peppers. Cook for 10 minutes, stirring often, until the onion starts to brown.
- Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds, or until the garlic blooms.
- Stir in the lemongrass, ginger, tomato paste, star anise, and ground annatto. Mix well in the bottom of the pot.
- Add the beef stock and coconut water, then the browned beef along with any juices from the plate. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat. Cover and simmer for 1.5 hours, or until the meat is tender, stirring as needed.
- Add the carrots, chili oil, and soy sauce. Stir, then cover and simmer 30 minutes, or until the carrots are cooked and the beef very tender. Remove from heat.
- Stir in the fish sauce. Taste and adjust for salt and pepper.
- Serve with Thai basil or fresh chopped herbs.
Notes
Nutrition Information
Michael Goulish says
I made it!
Very fabulous flavors!
Good, straightforward recipe.
I served it with Eden wild rice and that worked just great.
Mike Hultquist says
Very nice! I love it, Michael. Glad you enjoyed it!!
Paula Thompson says
Could you make this in a slow cooker?
Mike Hultquist says
Paula, yes. Just follow the recipe through Step #5, then transfer to a slow cooker. Cook on low for 5-6 hours or as needed, or on high for 3-4 hours, until the meat is very tender. Add the veggies closer to the end to avoid over cooking. Let me know how you enjoy it.
Banks says
Ridiculously good. For the marinade, we needed an extra tablespoon of fish sauce as it didn't quite cover 3 lbs of meat. We also needed a bit more time to cook the carrots down. Such a wonderful spicy oily character to this. Will revisit for sure.
Mike Hultquist says
Boom! I'm glad you made this and enjoyed it, Banks! I'm in love with this recipe! Seriously, I hope more people discover it. SO GOOD! Thanks for sharing.
Tim says
Hey Mike, being Irish and married to a beautiful Vietnamese woman cooking for her is always touch and go.
I made your Bo Kho with a few twists of my own and it was a big hit,,,,whew.
Wish you all the best.
Tim
Mike Hultquist says
Awesome to hear! I appreciate it, Tim! Thanks!
Sam Thomas says
Fabulous dish for a frosty winter day. Those spices get you going.
Mike H. says
They do. Thank you, Sam, and enjoy!
Lanny says
This is definitely a 5 star recipe. I love cooking and am always trying new recipes. This is the best new recipe I’ve had in months. I made the recipe almost exactly as written except I used canned tomatoes instead of paste and I used coconut milk instead of water. I used 3 Thai chilis and the spice was very well balanced with the lemongrass(which I love) and the other ingredients. Thanks for the recipe. It will be in my regular rotation.
Mike Hultquist says
Thanks so much, Lanny. Truly, this has become one of our favorites here as well. So good! Thanks for sharing!
Saul says
Hey Mike, I know it wouldn’t be traditional, but could one make this dish with sneaking in a sweet potato?!
Mike Hultquist says
Hey, Saul. Yes, that would work GREAT here. Let me know how it turns out if you do it!
Charles Pascual says
Nice dish, Mike. We like to make Vietnamese & Thai cuisine so this was a "gotta' try it" recipe. Glad we did. Apart from two substitutions, I followed the recipe as written. First, no Chinese five spice & too lazy to use your recipe to make it - so I used Japanese seven spice - a different flavor profile & may have upped the heat a bit. Second, no coconut water; only coconut milk on hand, so I diluted it with water into a 50-50 mix - again, a slightly different flavor profile and consistency. Used chuck roast & served it gumbo style over rice. Don't know how much my stew deviated from the original recipe, but we both liked it & will make it again. Thanks, Mike.
Mike H. says
You are very welcome, Charles. I am happy you enjoyed it!
Ekta says
This sounds delicious. Could lamb be substituted for the beef in this dish?
Mike H. says
Ekta, lamb can definitely put a flavorful twist on the traditional recipe.