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Vietnamese Beef Pho Noodle Soup
5 from 15 votes

Vietnamese Beef Pho Noodle Soup

Vietnamese Beef Pho Noodle Soup is a clear, aromatic broth loaded with spices like star anise, cloves, and cinnamon simmered with beef bones. Thin slices of beef and rice noodles are added just before serving, combining to create a flavorful, fragrant soup with tender meat and silky noodles. This pho recipe offers a comforting meal with vibrant toppings like basil, bean sprouts, lime, and chili peppers for added freshness and mild heat.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs
Total Time
2 hrs 15 mins
Servings: 8
Calories: 766 kcal
Course: Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Asian, Vietnamese

Ingredients

Broth:
  • 4 pounds beef bones (5 pieces)
  • 2 tablespoons rock sugar (1.5 oz, can use brown sugar or regular sugar)
  • 2 small onion 1.5 onions for the broth, save ½ onion and slice it very thin for the noodles later
  • 8 pieces star anise
  • 10 pieces clove
  • 2 ticks cinnamon stick
  • 4 lices ginger (0.7 oz)
  • 12 cups water (Top stove cooking add 2 cups water, total 14 cups)
  • 2 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 2 teaspoons salt (Add to your taste)
Toppings:
  • 2 pounds rice noodles 1 pack is 1 pound or 16 oz, needs 2 packs, Vietnamese pho style
  • 2 pounds beef thin sliced
  • 2 oz basil leaves Thai variety
  • 2 cups bean sprout 5 oz
  • 1 lime
  • 3 chili peppers (2-3, it is optional)

Instructions

Instant Pot Method:
    Cup of Yum
  1. Peel, wash and cut 2 small sized onions into half. 3 half of the onions will be used for the soup.
  2. Take one of the half onions and cut it into thin slices.
  3. Peel, wash and cut a piece of small ginger (0.7 oz) into 4 slices.
  4. After that, put the half onions from step 1 and ginger from step 3 into the instant pot pressure cooker. ( I used a 6 quarts instant pot and it barely reached the maximum line. If you have a bigger pot it will be better.)
  5. Next, put 4 pounds of beef bone into the instant pot pressure cooker.
  6. After, put 8 pieces of star anise, 10 pieces of cloves, 2 sticks of cinnamon sticks and 2 tablespoons of rock sugar (1.5 oz). (Rinse the star anise, cloves and cinnamon sticks before putting into the pot. Also, you can use brown sugar or regular sugar instead of rock sugar.)
  7. Pour 12 cups of water into the instant pot. Close the lid and vent. Push the manual button to adjust time for 65 minutes and natural release pressure.
  8. While waiting for the broth, wash and cut 2-3 pieces of green chili peppers. (I used Serrano green chili peppers and this is optional if you don't like spicy.)
  9. Cut 1 lime into 8 pieces of wedges.
  10. Wash 2 cups of bean sprouts (5 oz) and 2 oz of Thai basil leaves. Then, put them on the plate with the cut lime and chili peppers.
  11. Pour 10 cups of water into the pot. Turn on the fire medium high.
  12. When the water is boiling, put 2 pounds of the pho rice noodles into the water. Let it cook for 10-20 seconds. Or, follow the package instructions. (Don't over cook the noodles. You can cook 1 pound noodle first and cook more when you need.)
  13. Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water.
  14. Put some cooked noodle and thin sliced onion from step 2 into the bowl.
  15. When the soup is done, use the strainer to remove the excess fat.
  16. Put 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and 2 teaspoons of salt. ( Remember to add salt to your taste.) Mix the soup well. Push the saute button and let it boil.
  17. The following step, put 4 pieces of thin sliced raw beef on the noodle.
  18. When the soup is boiling again from step 16, pour the hot boiling broth over the raw beef. Then, put the bean spouts, Thai basil and chili pepper into the noodle. You can also squeeze some fresh lime juice.
Stove Top Method:
  1. Peel, wash and cut 2 small sized onions into half. 3 half of the onions will be used for the soup. 
  2. Take one of the half onions and cut it into thin slices. 
  3. Peel, wash and cut a piece of small ginger (0.7 oz) into 4 slices. 
  4. After that, put the half onions from step 1 and ginger from step 3 into a big pot.
  5. Next, put 4 pounds of beef bone into the pot. 
  6. After, put 8 pieces of star anise, 10 pieces of cloves, 2 sticks of cinnamon sticks and 2 tablespoons of rock sugar (1.5 oz). (Rinse the star anise, cloves and cinnamon sticks before putting into the pot. Also, you can use brown sugar or regular sugar instead of rock sugar.)
  7. Pour 14 cups of water into the pot. Turn the fire to high until it boils. Then, turn to low and simmer for at least 2 hours.
  8. While waiting for the broth, wash and cut 2-3 pieces of green chili peppers. (I used Serrano green chili peppers and this is optional if you don't like spicy.)
  9. Cut 1 lime into 8 pieces of wedges. 
  10. Wash 2 cups of bean sprouts (5 oz) and 2 oz of Thai basil leaves. Then, put them on the plate with the cut lime and chili peppers. 
  11. Pour 10 cups of water into the pot. Turn on the fire medium high. 
  12. When the water is boiling, put 2 pounds of the pho rice noodles into the water. Let it cook for 10-20 seconds. Or, follow the package instructions. (Don't over cook the noodles. You can cook 1 pound noodle first and cook more when you need.)
  13. Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water. 
  14. Put some cooked noodle and thin sliced onion from step 2 into the bowl. 
  15. When the soup is done, use the strainer to remove the excess fat. 
  16. Put 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and 2 teaspoons of salt. ( Remember to add salt to your taste.) Mix the soup well. Turn on the fire and let it boil. 
  17. The following step, put 4 pieces of thin sliced raw beef on the noodle. 
  18. When the soup is boiling again from step 16, pour the hot boiling broth over the raw beef. Then, put the bean spouts, Thai basil and chili pepper into the noodle. You can also squeeze some fresh lime juice. 

Notes

  • Using an Instant Pot reduces broth cooking time while extracting deep flavor from beef bones.
  • For stovetop cooking, simmer the broth gently for at least 2 hours using 14 cups of water, adding as needed.
  • Rinse and drain rice noodles after boiling to prevent overcooking and clumping when serving.
  • Scant rinsing of beef bones before cooking helps reduce impurities without the need for blanching.
  • Serve pho with fresh herbs, lime wedges, and optional chili peppers for customized flavor.

Nutrition Information

Serving 8g Calories 766kcal (38%) Carbohydrates 104g (35%) Protein 26g (52%) Fat 26g (40%) Saturated Fat 10g (50%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g (6%) Monounsaturated Fat 11g (55%) Trans Fat 0.004g (0%) Cholesterol 79mg (26%) Sodium 1222mg (51%) Potassium 528mg (11%) Fiber 4g (16%) Sugar 5g (10%) Vitamin A 442IU (9%) Vitamin C 9mg (10%) Calcium 90mg (9%) Iron 5mg (28%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 8 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 766

% Daily Value*

Serving 8g
Calories 766kcal 38%
Carbohydrates 104g 35%
Protein 26g 52%
Fat 26g 40%
Saturated Fat 10g 50%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 11g 55%
Trans Fat 0.004g 0%
Cholesterol 79mg 26%
Sodium 1222mg 51%
Potassium 528mg 11%
Fiber 4g 16%
Sugar 5g 10%
Vitamin A 442IU 9%
Vitamin C 9mg 10%
Calcium 90mg 9%
Iron 5mg 28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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