Hi friends! I recently updated the original Vietnamese pho recipe that I shared here back in 2013, and also created a vegetarian/vegan pho recipe for our plant-based eaters here as well.
Traditional Pho (with Beef, Chicken, Pork or Shrimp)
Vietnamese Pho Soup
Full instructions for my updated recipes are available here: Traditional Pho or Vegan Pho.
Ingredients
Pho Broth Ingredients:
- 1 large white onion, peeled and halved
- 3- inch piece of fresh ginger, halved lengthwise
- 5 star anise
- 4 whole cloves
- 3 (3-inch) cinnamon sticks
- 2 cardamom pods
- 1 tablespoon whole coriander seeds
- 8 cups good-quality beef stock (or chicken or vegetable stock)
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons fish sauce
- fine sea salt, to taste
Pho Soup Ingredients:
- 8 ounces raw steak*, very thinly sliced
- 7 ounces uncooked thin rice noodles
- garnishes: fresh herbs (cilantro, mint, and/or Thai basil), bean sprouts, lime wedges, thinly-sliced chiles (Thai bird chiles or jalapeños), thinly-sliced onions (green onions or white onions), sauces (hoisin and/or sriracha)
Instructions
- Stir together beef broth, water, onion, garlic, star anise, cloves, ginger, cinnamon stick (and fish sauce, if using) in a large stockpot, and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer for at least 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the noodles according to package instructions. (If your package of noodles — like mine — did not have instructions, simply bring a large pot of water to a boil. Then cook the noodles until al dente, about 3 minutes.) Immediately drain the noodles, and rinse with cold water to stop the cooking. Drain and set aside.
- When you are ready to serve the soup, fill the serving bowls about halfway full with noodles. Then cover with the hot broth, and immediately stir in the steak so that it cooks. Top with your desired garnishes.
- (*Most people stir the cilantro, ginger, lime, jalapenos and Thai basil into the broth to give it extra flavoring, but you don’t necessarily need to actually eat those ingredients whole.)
Did you make this?Let me know how it turned out in the comments below!
Pho is our soup of choice right when we have the first signs of a cold. Nips it in the bud! It’s my favorite, Kellan too. Whenever we drive past our favorite pho spot he says “NOODLE SOUP! NOODLE SOUP!” It’s adorable I tell you.
Pho is my phooooooovorite! That almost worked.
I love pho :) this looks like it is bursting with flavor!
Where do I even begin with this gorgeous soup?? It looks soooooo good! Making me super-hungry! Thanks for sharing. :)
Pho has been on my bucket list too! You’ve really created such a gorgeous bowl of pho – it never looks this pretty at the restaurant – well done!
This is the kind of comfort food I need right now!
looks delicious!
I love pho! My sister is from Laos and makes Viet pho all the time. Have you tried Pho Good on Shawnee Mission Parkway?
Looks wonderful, wish I had a bowl in front of me right now! :)
I was just reading about pho and I can’t wait to make a veggie version!