Vietnamese bò kho and Irish beef stew techniques come together in this flavorful Lemongrass Beef Stew! The result is a hearty, aromatic meal that showcases how combining culinary traditions can create something uniquely delicious, perfect to enjoy on St. Patrick's Day!
This isn't your traditional bo kho! Bo Kho is a hearty and fragrant Vietnamese lemongrass beef stew. This lemongrass beef stew, however, brings together the best of both worlds: the hearty, comforting nature of traditional Irish beef stew with the aromatic complexity of Vietnamese bo kho! Irish stew typically features beef slowly simmered with potatoes and root vegetables in a rich gravy, while bo kho incorporates lemongrass, star anise, and fish sauce.
My version of lemongrass beef stew is absolutely comforting and nostalgic. The mashed potatoes in this dish are made with coconut milk, which perfectly complements the coconut flavor in the lemongrass beef stew! I love to make it in colder months, especially around St. Patty’s day. Serve it with a bed of creamy mashed potatoes or my hasselback potatoes with fish sauce butter for a full, satisfying meal.
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Ingredients
Here are the main ingredients you will need to make this Irish-inspired lemongrass beef stew recipe!
- Beef Chuck Eye: The foundation of any good stew, this cut becomes wonderfully tender when slowly simmered.
- Lemongrass: You will need lemongrass in each component of the dish, from the marinade to the stew to the mashed potatoes! It will infuse layers of aromatic, bright flavor.
- Red Boat Fish Sauce: A premium fish sauce that adds deep umami flavor without overwhelming fishiness—essential for authentic Vietnamese flavor!
- Whole Star Anise & Cloves: These warming spices are signature to bo kho, adding layers of complexity to the stew.
- Coconut Water: The coconut water adds a subtle flavor that combines amazingly with the coconut milk in the mashed potatoes.
- Shiitake Mushrooms & Carrots: Mushrooms add an extra depth of umami flavor and the carrots will get super tender along with the beef!
- Coconut Milk: Used in the mashed potatoes to create incredibly creamy results.
See recipe card for full list of ingredients and their quantities.
How to Make Lemongrass Beef Stew
Step 1: In a bowl, mix together beef chuck, lemongrass, garlic, paprika, Red Boat Fish Sauce, brown sugar and a dash of cloves. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
Step 2: On a baking sheet, add ginger, onion half, cloves and star anise. Broil on high, carefully watching the cloves and star anise. Remove the cloves and star anise immediately once they’re toasted and fragrant. Continue broiling the ginger and onion until charred and toasted.
Step 3: In a large pot or Dutch oven, sear beef chuck on all sides. Remove beef chuck and set aside.
Step 4: In the same pot, add mushrooms and sauté until softened. Add oil as needed, onions and ½ teaspoon of salt. Sauté until softened. Add tomato paste and saute until lightly brown. Add the seared beef chuck back into the pot along with the toasted spices, ginger, onion, lemongrass thirds, beef broth and coconut water. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 1 hour or until beef chuck is tender. Season with 1-2 teaspoons of Red Boat Fish Sauce.
Step 5: Remove spices, lemongrass, onion and ginger from the pot and discard. Add in the carrots and more coconut water if needed. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until carrots are tender.
Step 6: To make the mashed potatoes, bring a pot of water, potatoes, garlic cloves and lemongrass to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue simmering until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.
Step 7: Discard garlic cloves and lemongrass and drain potatoes. Add the potatoes back into the pot and use a ricer or potato masher to mash the potatoes. Mix in butter, warm coconut milk and salt to taste. Enjoy mashed potatoes topped with lemongrass beef stew.
Hint: If the beef is not fall-apart tender, give it more time to simmer. Once it has cooked long enough, it will become extremely tender!
Top Tips
- Don’t rush the marinade! Allow the beef to marinate for at least 30 minutes, but longer will develop even more flavor if you have the time.
- Watch the spices carefully while toasting—they can go from fragrant to burnt in seconds.
- Sear the beef well! Searing the beef properly on all sides as well as sautéing the vegetables builds essential flavor foundations before the slow simmer.
- Taste and adjust at the end. The balance of savory (fish sauce), sweet (coconut water), and aromatic (lemongrass) is key—so taste and adjust before serving. You can also add more salt at the end if needed.
Substitutions & Variations
- Protein Options: Try with boneless short ribs for an even richer flavor, or use chicken thighs for a lighter version (reduce cooking time accordingly).
- Vegetable Additions: Parsnips, turnips, or sweet potatoes work beautifully and stay true to the Irish stew influence.
- Dietary Adjustments: For dairy-free mashed potatoes, replace butter with olive oil, dairy-free butter, or additional coconut milk.
- Spice: For a bit of spice, serve the lemongrass beef stew with freshly sliced jalapeños!
Storage Suggestions
This lemongrass beef stew, like most, improves with time as the flavors meld. Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. When reheating, add a splash of beef broth or coconut water if needed to maintain the desired consistency. The stew also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months—just thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating gently on the stovetop.
Store the mashed potatoes separately from the stew for up to 3-4 days!
FAQs
Absolutely! After searing the meat and sautéing the vegetables, transfer everything to a slow cooker and cook on low for 6-8 hours or high for 3-4 hours.
Bo Kho translates literally to beef stew! It is a hearty beef stew that is made with beef, carrots, lemongrass, and spices like cloves, star anise and cinnamon. It is generally more soup-like since it is served with more broth!
More Recipes to Try
- Vietnamese Mille Feuille Nabe
- Tuna Melt Egg Rolls
- Beef Japchae
- Ginger Chicken Congee
- Vietnamese Garlic Noodles
Lemongrass Beef Stew
Ingredients
Lemongrass Beef Marinade
- 1 ¼ lb beef chuck eye cubed
- 1 lemongrass stalk finely minced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 tablespoon Red Boat Fish Sauce
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- dash of ground cloves
Lemongrass Beef Stew
- 2 lemongrass stalks cut into thirds
- 2 whole cloves toasted
- 4 star anise toasted
- 1 large onion ½ sliced, ½ uncut
- 4 oz shitake mushrooms sliced
- 2 tablespoon tomato paste
- 2 cups beef broth plus more as needed
- 1 ¾ - 2 cups coconut water plus more as needed
- 2 medium carrots cut in chunks
- 3-inch knob of ginger sliced in half, toasted
- 1-2 teaspoon Red Boat Fish Sauce
Mashed Potatoes
- 2 large russet potatoes cubed
- ½ cup coconut milk
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoon butter
- 1 lemongrass stalk crushed
- 2 garlic cloves
Instructions
- In a bowl, mix together beef chuck, lemongrass, garlic, paprika, Red Boat Fish Sauce, brown sugar and a dash of cloves. Let marinate for 30 minutes.
- On a baking sheet, add ginger, onion half, cloves and star anise. Broil on high, carefully watching the cloves and star anise. Remove the cloves and star anise immediately once they’re toasted and fragrant. Continue broiling the ginger and onion until charred and toasted.
- In a large pot, sear beef chuck on all sides. Remove beef chuck and set aside.
- In the same pot, add mushrooms and sauté until softened. Add oil as needed, onions and ½ teaspoon of salt. Sauté until softened. Add tomato paste and saute until lightly brown. Add the seared beef chuck back into the pot along with the toasted spices, ginger, onion, lemongrass thirds, beef broth and coconut water. Bring to a boil and simmer uncovered for 1 hour or until beef chuck is tender. Season with 1-2 teaspoons of Red Boat Fish Sauce.
- Remove spices, lemongrass, onion and ginger from the pot and discard. Add in the carrots and more coconut water if needed. Cover and simmer for 15-20 minutes or until carrots are tender.
- To make the mashed potatoes, bring a pot of water, potatoes, garlic cloves and lemongrass to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and continue simmering until potatoes are tender when pierced with a fork, about 15 minutes.
- Discard garlic cloves and lemongrass and drain potatoes. Add the potatoes back into the pot and use a ricer or potato masher to mash the potatoes. Mix in butter, warm coconut milk and salt to taste. Enjoy mashed potatoes topped with lemongrass beef stew.
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