Vietnamese Beef Pho
Pho is a fragrant Vietnamese noodle soup built on a deeply spiced beef broth, soft rice noodles, and paper-thin slices of beef. A pile of fresh herbs, lime, and chili added at the table makes every bowl your own. It is the ultimate restorative comfort bowl, warming and aromatic from the first spoonful.
- ⏱ 90 min
- 📊 medium
- 🍽 Family
Ingredients
- 1.5 kg beef bones
- 400 g rice noodles
- 300 g thinly sliced beef
- 1 each onion and ginger
- 3 pods + 1 stick star anise and cinnamon
Instructions
- Char the halved onion and ginger directly over a flame or under a hot broiler until blackened in spots, about 5 minutes, which builds the smoky base of the broth.
- Blanch the beef bones in boiling water for 5 minutes, then drain and rinse to remove impurities for a clear broth.
- Add the bones, charred aromatics, star anise, cinnamon, and a tablespoon of salt to a large pot with 3 liters of water and simmer gently for at least 1 hour.
- Toast the spices lightly in a dry pan first if you want an even deeper aroma, then strain the finished broth and season with fish sauce to taste.
- Soak the rice noodles in warm water until pliable, then cook briefly in boiling water and divide into bowls.
- Lay the raw thinly sliced beef over the noodles.
- Ladle the boiling hot broth over the beef so it cooks to a gentle medium.
- Serve immediately with bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime wedges, and sliced chili on the side.
💡 Chef's tip
Slice the raw beef while it is partly frozen and lay it in the bowl raw, then ladle the boiling broth over it so it cooks gently to a perfect medium right in front of you.
Charring the onion and ginger over an open flame before they go into the broth is the step that gives pho its signature smoky depth, so do not skip it.
Nutrition (per serving)
- Calories: 450 kcal
- Protein: 30 g
- Carbs: 58 g
- Fat: 10 g
