Noodle Soup with Pork
Also: Khao Soi (Laos), Lao Khao Soi, Khao Soi Luang Prabang
A northern Lao rice-noodle soup in a savory tomato-and-pork broth enriched with fermented soybean paste, topped with a pork-tomato meat sauce and fresh herbs — distinct from the Thai coconut-curry khao soi.
Identity criteria
- 1Thin flat rice noodles in a clear-to-savory pork broth
- 2A tomato-and-pork meat topping (not a coconut curry)
- 3Fermented soybean paste (tua nao / sieng) deepens the broth
- 4Garnished with fresh herbs and raw vegetables
- 5A northern Lao / Luang Prabang specialty, no coconut milk
Components
Thin flat rice noodlesessentialThe starch foundation
Minced/ground porkessentialCooked into a tomato-based meat sauce topping
Tomato, garlic, shallot, chiliessentialBuild the meat-sauce topping and broth depth
Pork brothessentialThe savory base, lighter than Thai curry styles
Fermented soybean paste (tua nao)essentialThe signature umami of Lao khao soi
Fresh herbs, bean sprouts, lime, greensessentialAdded at the table for freshness and acidity
Technique
- Building a pork-tomato meat sauce
- The aromatic minced-pork-and-tomato topping is the dish's defining flavor layer
- Fermented-soybean broth seasoning
- Tua nao gives the depth that distinguishes Lao khao soi from Thai coconut khao soi
Form & serving
- Served
- In a bowl, broth and noodles topped with meat sauce, herbs on the side
- Temperature
- Hot
- Portion
- Single bowl
- Pairs with
- Lime wedges · Fresh herbs · Chili paste
Character
Flavour
Texture
Soft rice noodles in a brothy soup with a chunky meat topping
Eaten
An everyday breakfast or anytime noodle bowl of Luang Prabang and northern Laos, sold at markets and street stalls.
When
all-year
Variations & related
Regional variations
- Luang Prabang khao soi · Northern Laos
The classic tomato-pork version with fermented soybean
- Shan khao swè · Myanmar (Shan State)
Closely related Shan noodle soup with a similar tomato-pork character
Related dishes
- sibling Thai khao soi
Shares a name but uses coconut curry broth and egg noodles
- sibling Shan noodles
Closely related Burmese tomato-pork noodle dish
Substitutions
Pork → Chickenadmissible
Acceptable protein swap retaining the broth style
Fermented soybean paste → Plain soy sauceinadmissible
Loses the signature funk and depth that defines Lao khao soi
Tomato-pork broth → Coconut curry brothinadmissible
That makes it Thai khao soi — a different dish entirely
Common mistakes
- Confusing it with the Thai coconut-curry khao soi
- Omitting the fermented soybean paste that gives it identity
- Adding coconut milk
- Overcooking the rice noodles into mush
Provenance
A northern Lao noodle soup of the upper Mekong, sharing roots with Shan and northern Thai noodle traditions; the name 'khao soi' is shared across the region but the tomato-pork (non-coconut) form is the Lao identity.
Claimed by: Laos, Myanmar, Thailand
References
- 1.Lao culinary tradition
- 2.Luang Prabang regional cuisine references
Confidence: medium