Vietnamese Pho recipe
Experience the magic of Vietnamese Pho with this easy recipe, featuring a flavorful broth and fresh toppings.
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 3 hours hrs
Total Time 3 hours hrs 20 minutes mins
Course Mains, Soup
Cuisine Vietnamese
Servings 6 bowls
Calories 350 kcal
heavy based skillet
large stock pot
Aromatics
- 2 large onions halved
- 150 g ginger sliced down the centre
Spices
- 10 star anise
- 4 cinnamon quills
- 4 cardamon pods
- 3 cloves (the spice cloves!)
- 1.5 tablespoon coriander seeds
Beef bones
- 1.5 kg beef brisket
- 1 kg meaty beef bones
- 1 kg marrow bones (leg, knuckle), cut to reveal marrow
- 3.5 litres water (15 cups)
Seasoning
- 2 tablespoon white sugar
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 40 ml fish sauce
Noodle Soup - PER BOWL
- 50 g dried rice sticks (or 120g/4oz fresh)
- 30 g beef tenderloin raw, very thinly sliced
- 3 - 5 brisket slices (used for broth)
Toppings
- 1 handful beansprouts
- 3 - 5 sprigs Thai basil
- 3 - 5 sprigs coriander/cilantro (or more basil)
- lime wedges
- finely sliced red chilli
- hoisin sauce
- sriracha (for spiciness)
Aromatics
Heat a heavy based skillet over high heat (no oil) until smoking.
Place onion and ginger in pan cut side down. Cook for a few minutes until it's charred, then turn. Remove and set aside.
Toast Spices lightly in a dry skillet over medium high heat for 3 minutes.
Remove impurities
Rinse bones & brisket then cover with water in large stock pot.
Boil for 5 minutes, then drain.
Rinse each bone and brisket under tap water.
Broth
Wipe pot clean, bring 3.5 litres / 3.75 quarts water to boil.
Add bones and brisket, onion, ginger, Spices.
Add onion, ginger, Spices, sugar and salt - water should just barely cover everything.
Cover with lid, simmer 3 hours.
Remove brisket (should be fall-apart tender), cool then refrigerate for later.
Simmer remaining soup UNCOVERED for 40 minutes.
Strain broth into another pot, discard bones and spices. Should be about 2.5 litres / 2.65 quarts (10 cups), if loads more, reduce.
Add fish sauce, adjust salt and sugar if needed. Broth should be beefy, fragrant with spices, savoury and barely sweet.
Assemble
Prepare rice noodles per packet, just prior to serving.
Place noodles in bowl. Top with raw beef and brisket.
Ladle over about 400 / 14 oz hot broth - will cook beef to medium rare.
Serve with Toppings on the side!
Serving: 1bowlCalories: 350kcalCarbohydrates: 40gProtein: 25gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 50mgSodium: 800mgPotassium: 600mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 500IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 70mgIron: 3mg
Keyword beef pho, Pho, Pho recipe