Name: Vietnamese Rolled Phở (Phở Cuốn)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 300 grams 0.66 pounds beef, sliced; 2 teaspoons minced garlic; 2 teaspoons minced ginger; 1 teaspoon salt; 2 teaspoon black pepper; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 200 grams 0.44 pounds rice flour; 150 grams 0.33 pounds tapioca flour; 350 ml 11.8 ounces water; 2 small carrots; 2 cucumbers; 1 yellow bell peppers; Optional vegetables: lettuce (Thai basil, Vietnamese balm, beefsteak plant, fish mint, etc.)

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Pho Cuon (Phở Cuốn) is a Vietnamese rolled dish and an interesting adaptation of traditional phở. Compared to classic phở varieties, it is a relatively modern creation, yet many people can’t live without it in Vietnam.

I will reveal many fascinating facts about this tasty dish of Vietnamese cuisine.

I will cover the history of Pho Cuon, the necessary tools and ingredients of Pho Cuon, the guide on how to prepare it at home, and serving tips as well as suggestions.

Are you ready to make the best Pho Cuon ever?

How Was Vietnamese Rolled Phở Created?

Pho Cuon was the creation of Vũ Thị Chinh, a Northern Vietnamese phở vendor who has a stall in Hanoi.

In 2000, at the height of the summer, Ms. Chinh was motivated to prepare something cool and refreshing for her sweating customers, who didn’t like hot phở then.

Her idea was to roll fresh phở noodle sheets around a filling of sautéd beef slices and aromatic herbs. The rolled dish received mixed reviews at first, but it soon gained widespread fame throughout Hanoi.

Today, Pho Cuon is one of the iconic street foods of Vietnam’s capital city. A typical serving contains sautéd beef (or even rare beef), lettuce, Vietnamese coriander, Thai basil, etc.

Some variations contain more ingredients, like pumpkins, carrots, and eggs. Dipping sauces based on nước mắm (Vietnamese fish sauce) are the most popular accompaniments for Pho Cuon.

This rolled dish is often served by street vendors in Vietnam, but I will show you how to prepare it at home as an appetizer or main dish, starting with gathering the necessary tools.

What Tools Are Necessary For Making Pho Cuon?

You don’t need fancy cooking equipment to make Pho Cuon; I’m sure the following tools are already part of your kitchen, except for the steamer.

Knife: For cutting and slicing the vegetables.
Cutting Board: For cutting and slicing the vegetables.
Ladle: For moving the phở noodle batter while making and steaming it.
Spatula: For mixing and flipping the beef while stir-frying it.
A Pair of Tongs: For moving the ingredients while making the phở rolls.
Skillet: For stir-frying the beef.
Mixing Bowl: For preparing the flour mixture for making phở noodles.
Steamer: For steaming homemade phở noodle sheets. Feel free to skip this tool by buying packaged phở noodles, but a steamer is a good investment and is helpful for preparing many traditional Vietnamese dishes.

After getting these tools ready, let’s acquire the essential ingredients for rolling some Pho Cuon.

What Are The Must-have Ingredients For Pho Cuon?

Basic Pho Cuon consists of three parts: phở noodle sheets, beef, and vegetables. Since I include the ingredients for DIY phở noodles, there are more components than usual.

However, you can purchase phở noodle sheets at Vietnamese or Asian food stores. In that case, skip the flour ingredients and jump straight to the beef.

Phở Noodles

Rice Flour: Rice flour is the main ingredient of phở noodles.
Tapioca Flour: Adding tapioca flour to phở noodles makes them chewier and easier to store.
Water: For making the batter.

Stir-fried Beef:

Beef: Choose your favorite beef cut and slice it thinly. Beef brisket is a popular choice for many people in Vietnam.

Spices: For the beef marinade, I use minced ginger, minced garlic, salt, and black pepper.
Vegetable Oil: For stir-frying the beef. Oil is also used to brush the steaming dish to make it non-stick.

Vegetables:

Carrots: Stir-fried carrots are a popular ingredient for the filling of Pho Cuon.
Bell Peppers: Raw bell peppers add a sweet and grassy touch to this rich dish. Choose any color that you like; I go for yellow.
Vegetables for the Side: Go for your favorite vegetables, but make sure they are fresh. My choices are cucumbers, lettuce, Thai basil, Vietnamese balm, beefsteak plant, fish mint, etc.

Now that you are clear about the ingredients, I will cover the main part of this post: the step-by-step guide on how to cook Pho Cuon.

What Are the Steps of Making Pho Cuon At Home?

Generally, making Pho Cuon involves preparing the ingredients, stir-frying the beef and vegetables, steaming sheets of phở noodles, and rolling the phở noodle sheets.

Read on to see the in-depth instructions for each step.

Step 1: Prepare The Ingredients

Add rice flour, tapioca flour, and water to the bowl. Mix them well. Let the batter rest for 2 hours.

Julienne the carrots, cucumber, and bell pepper into thin strips.

Pho Cuon Step 1 Prepare the Ingredients1

Mix the sliced beef with minced ginger, black pepper, and three-quarters of the minced garlic. Marinate the beef for at least 20 minutes.

Pho Cuon Step 1 Prepare the Ingredients2

Step 2: Stir-fry the Beef and Vegetables

Heat the oil in the skillet over medium heat. Drop in the rest of the minced garlic.

Add the marinated beef and salt. Stir-fry for 4 minutes, then transfer the beef to a plate.

Pho Cuon Step 2 Stir Fry the Beef and Vegetables

Add the carrot strips to the skillet. Stir-fry for 5 minutes.

Pho Cuon Step 2 Stir Fry the Beef and Vegetables1

Step 3: Steam Phở Noodles

Fill one-third or half the steamer with water. Bring to a boil.

Brush or spray a dish with some oil to make it non-stick.

Put the dish in the steamer. Heat it in there for 5 minutes.

Ladle some of the batter into the dish and distribute it evenly.

Put on the lid. Steam for 3 minutes.

Scrape off the noodle sheet with a knife. Repeat this process until the batter runs out.

Step 4: Rolling the Phở Noodle Sheets

Lay a sheet of phở noodles on a dish.

Add lettuce, beefsteak plant, fish mint, Thai basil, beef, cucumbers, carrot, and bell pepper. Wrap the phở noodle sheet around the filling into a tight roll.

Pho Cuon Step 4 Rolling the Pho Noodle Sheets

Pho Cuon Step 4 Rolling the Pho Noodle Sheets1

Pho Cuon Step 4 Rolling the Pho Noodle Sheets2

Repeat this process until the ingredients run out.

Pho Cuon Step 4 Rolling the Pho Noodle Sheets3

What Are the Best Tips And Tricks For Preparing Rolled Phở?

In this section, I will mention my cooking tips for Pho Cuon, suggestions for its accompaniments, advice on how to store and reheat this dish, and similar Vietnamese dishes to try.

Below is what I do to add even more deliciousness to my Pho Cuon.

Don’t overcook the beef: Four minutes of stir-frying is enough to make the beef juicy and flavorful. Overcooking may render the meat tough and bland.
Roll the noodle sheets properly: Be careful with how much pressure you apply when rolling the phở noodles. Rolling them too tightly or too loosely can cause the rolls to either burst open or break apart.
Monitor the temperature closely: Before adding the batter, make sure the steaming dish is hot enough. Keep the batter layer thin to ensure even cooking. Avoid using too high of a temperature.
Customize the filling to your liking: Other than my recommended meat and vegetables, you can freely add your favorite ingredients to this recipe, such as pork, chicken, sausage, spinach, etc.

What Dishes Go Well With Pho Cuon?

Vietnamese people mostly serve Pho Cuon with extra fresh vegetables, spicy chili sauce, and dipping sauces made from Vietnamese fish sauce.

To make a typical Pho Cuon dipping sauce, mix Vietnamese fish sauce with minced garlic, minced chili pepper, and vinegar or lime juice.

How To Store And Reheat Pho Cuon?

Each ingredient in Pho Cuon has its own shelf life. For example, stir-fried beef can be refrigerated for 2 – 3 days and frozen for 2 – 3 months.

The fresh vegetables can stay in the fridge for 4 – 7 days, but they are generally unfit for freezing.
Meanwhile, the phở noodles have a short shelf life and can only be stored in the fridge for 2 – 3 days.

They aren’t suitable for storing in the freezer, but you can sun-dry or dehydrate them to prolong theirshelf life by 1 – 2 months.

Alternatively, you can keep the rice batter in the fridge for 2 – 3 days and 1 – 2 months in the freezer.
To reheat Pho Cuon, you can cook everything in a steamer or a microwave.

What Are Other Suggestions For Similar Vietnamese Dishes?

If you are interested in other steamed and rolled dishes Vietnamese cuisine has to offer, check out my recommendations below.

Banh Cuon (Vietnamese steamed rolled cake): Banh cuon is a Vietnamese dish prepared by rolling a rice batter sheet around a savory filling of pork, mushrooms, and herbs. It is even heartier and more flavorful than rolled pho.
Goi Cuon (Vietnamese fresh spring roll): Goi cuon is a classic Vietnamese snack and appetizer that offers great convenience. Making it is easy, and you don’t need a steamer. The inclusion of pork and succulent shrimp is another plus point.

Make Pho Cuon at Home, Why Not?

Pho Cuon is a fantastic way to reinvent the traditional pho recipe. Anyone who wants something other than the soupy phở dish will love this refreshing and convenient dish. From informal meals to potluck parties, Pho Cuon is ideal for all occasions.

What do you think about this recipe? Do you have ideas that can make it even more helpful to other readers? I’m all ears, so share your thoughts with me in the comment section! And don’t forget to tell your friends about this post!

Tien – Alden

Content Writer

Expertise

Home Cooking, Recipe Development, Food Editor, Beverage Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Asian Food Content Creator

Education

Saigon Tourism College

Program: Certificate in Culinary Arts
Focus: Vietnamese and Chinese cuisines.

Advanced Culinary Workshop, Beijing

Program: A three-month intensive program of Advanced Culinary Workshop
Focus: Authentic Chinese cuisine.

Vietnamese Traditional Cooking School

Program: Certificate of Vietnamese Traditional Cooking
Focus: A specialized course on traditional and family recipes passed down through generations.

American College of Vietnam

Program: Bartender
Focus: Provide background knowledge and help students confident to create appealing drinks

Alden is a skilled chef with expertise in Asian cuisines, known for blending traditional Vietnamese and Chinese cooking with contemporary innovations. Alden’s passion for Asian flavors and her creative approach to both food and beverages inspires fellow chefs and those aspiring to enter the field.