Description
Vietnamese Beef Pho is a deeply flavorful noodle soup featuring slow-simmered beef bone broth, flat rice noodles, thinly sliced beef, and a medley of fresh herbs. This comforting dish is perfect for chilly evenings or anytime you crave a nourishing, soul-satisfying bowl of something special.
Ingredients
12 cups water
3 lbs beef marrow or knuckle bones
1 lb beef brisket or sirloin, thinly sliced
14 oz dried rice noodles (Banh Pho)
2 whole onions, halved
4-inch piece of ginger, halved
4 star anise pods
5 whole cloves
1 cinnamon stick
3 cardamom pods
1 tbsp coriander seeds
1 tbsp rock sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce
1 tbsp salt
1 cup bean sprouts
1 bunch Thai basil
1 bunch cilantro
1 bunch mint
1 jalapeño, sliced
2 limes, cut into wedges
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 small white onion, thinly sliced
Instructions
1. Place beef bones in a stockpot, cover with cold water, and bring to a boil. Discard water and rinse bones to remove impurities.
2. Char onions and ginger over an open flame or broiler until blackened.
3. Return bones to a clean pot. Add charred onion, ginger, and cover with fresh water.
4. Add spices (star anise, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom, coriander) in a spice bag or loose. Simmer gently for 6–8 hours, skimming foam occasionally.
5. Add fish sauce, rock sugar, and salt. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
6. Soak rice noodles in warm water, then boil briefly until tender. Drain and set aside.
7. Thinly slice beef and prep garnishes: sprouts, herbs, jalapeños, and lime.
8. Assemble by placing noodles in a bowl, topping with raw beef, and ladling over hot broth to cook the meat.
9. Garnish with herbs, onions, sprouts, and optional chili sauce or hoisin.
Notes
For the clearest broth, always blanch and rinse your bones before simmering.
Don’t rush the simmering process—low and slow develops that deep, layered pho flavor.
Thinly slicing the beef is key; partially freezing it first makes slicing easier.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Soup
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 bowl
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 4g
- Sodium: 880mg
- Fat: 12g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 60g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 35g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
Keywords: beef pho, Vietnamese soup, noodle bowl, pho broth