Pho Beef Noodle Soup
Pho is hands down one of my all-time favorite soups, right up there with Thai boat noodles and tom yum soup. This homemade pho beef noodle soup recipe brings the rich, savory taste of Vietnamese beef pho and tender Vietnamese beef noodles straight to your table!
- Prep time
- 15 min
- Cook time
- 2 hr
- Yield
- 8 servings
- Difficulty
- HARD
Ingredients
- 2 lb beef bones: Use knuckle bones, neck bones, or beef ribs for a rich, flavorful broth. I avoid bone marrow for my pho as it can make the broth too oily.
- 3 oz rock sugar
- 1+1/2 tbsp salt
- 6 oz onions, one medium-sized, sliced into quarters. Use sweet or white onions
- 1.5 oz fresh ginger, cut into 4-inch pieces, sliced in halves, and smashed with the back of a knife to release oils for a more fragrant broth.
- Saigon cinnamon sticks. Substitute with Ceylon or Cassia cinnamon if needed.
- 4 whole star anise
- 2 black cardamom. Leave whole, don't smash, or the flavors from the seeds will be too strong
- 5 whole cloves
- 1 tbsp coriander seeds
- 1/2 tbsp fennel seeds
- Fish sauce: Add at the end to fine-tune the flavor of your pho broth.
- 1 packet rice noodles. Follow package instructions
- 1/2 lb thinly sliced beef. Use thin slices of beef tenderloin, brisket, or short ribs for the best cut.
- 1 packet of beef meatballs, sliced in halves or left whole for serving.
- 2 cup bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup sliced onion. Purple, white, or sweet onions work well.
- 1/2 cup cilantro and green onion, chopped into small pieces
- 1+1/2 cup Thai basil and mint leaves. Use as needed
- 1/2-1 tbsp Hoisin and Sriracha sauce. Optional condiments to enhance the soup's flavors.
Instructions
- 1
In a dry pan over medium heat, toast the cinnamon sticks, star anise, and cardamom until fragrant. Add coriander, fennel, and cloves. Once the spices start popping, remove them from the heat, transfer them to a plate, and let them cool. To prevent burning, toast larger spices first before adding smaller seeds. Once cooled, place them in a spice sachet or wrap them in cheesecloth.
- 2
In the same pan, toast sliced onion and ginger. Smash the ginger with the back of your knife to release its oils, enhancing the fragrance and flavor. Toast until lightly charred but not burnt.
- 3
Place beef bones, such as knuckle bones or neck bones, in a large pot. Cover with cold water, bring to a boil, then drain and rinse the bones. While some recipes discard the parboiling liquid for a clearer broth, I prefer to keep the nutrients and flavor. This approach results in a slightly darker but equally delicious broth.
- 4
In a large stock pot, combine the parboiled bones, toasted aromatics, spice sachet, salt, rock sugar, and enough hot water to cover. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Skim off scum regularly and partially cover with a lid. Simmer for 2–4 hours, adding water as needed to maintain the liquid level. Adjust the seasoning with fish sauce toward the end.
- 5
While the broth simmers, prepare your garnishes. Soak rice noodles in warm water if using dried noodles. Slice the beef into thin pieces, halve the beef meatballs, and chop fresh herbs like cilantro and green onion. Rinse bean sprouts, and prepare Thai basil, mint leaves, lime wedges, and sliced jalapeños or serranos for added heat. These fresh garnishes will elevate your bowl of pho.
- 6
Before serving, blanch rice noodles in a separate pot of boiling water to prevent starch from clouding the broth. Use a wire mesh basket to dunk the noodles, then transfer them to individual serving bowls. Dunk sliced beef, beef meatballs, and bean sprouts directly into the simmering broth for a quick cook before adding them to the bowls.
- 7
Ladle piping hot broth over the assembled ingredients in your serving bowls. Top with thinly sliced onion, cilantro, green onion, Thai basil, mint leaves, and lime wedges. For extra flavor, add Sriracha or Hoisin sauce sparingly—though this rich, herbaceous broth rarely needs it.
- 8
Enjoy your homemade pho while it's steaming hot. This recipe delivers an authentic Vietnamese noodle soup with bold flavors and the perfect balance of savory and aromatic notes.