Vietnamese Pho Recipe
Vietnamese Pho is a fragrant noodle soup made with a slow-simmered beef broth, rice noodles, thinly sliced meat, and fresh herbs. It's a national dish of Vietnam and loved worldwide for its rich flavor and comfort.
Ingredients for Broth
- 1 kg beef bones or marrow bones
- 1 onion, halved
- 1 large piece of ginger
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 star anise
- 4 cloves
- 1 cardamom pod (optional)
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- Salt to taste
- 2.5 litres water
For the Soup
- 200 g rice noodles (pho noodles)
- 200 g thinly sliced beef (sirloin or brisket)
- 1 onion, thinly sliced
- Fresh bean sprouts
- Thai basil leaves
- Lime wedges
- Sliced chili
- Hoisin sauce and sriracha (optional)
How to Make Vietnamese Pho
- Roast onion and ginger over an open flame or in an oven until slightly charred. Set aside.
- Boil beef bones for 5 mins, discard the water, and rinse bones to remove impurities.
- Add fresh water, bones, roasted onion, and ginger to a pot. Add spices and simmer for 3–4 hours.
- Strain the broth, discard solids, and season with fish sauce and salt.
- Cook rice noodles as per instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Place cooked noodles in a bowl, top with raw sliced beef, and pour hot broth over it to cook the meat.
- Top with sliced onion, bean sprouts, basil, chili, and serve with lime and sauces.