Print

Vietnamese Pho Soup Recipe Easy Homemade Beef Pho for Beginners

Vietnamese Pho Soup - featured image
Print Recipe

This easy homemade Vietnamese Beef Pho Soup is a comforting, aromatic noodle soup featuring a rich beef broth, tender slices of beef, and fresh herbs. Perfect for beginners, it comes together in under two hours and is sure to warm you up on any chilly evening.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 lbs beef bones (marrow or knuckle bones)
  • 1 large yellow onion, halved
  • 1 thumb-sized piece fresh ginger, sliced and smashed
  • 2 star anise pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tsp black peppercorns
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar (rock sugar preferred, granulated ok)
  • 10 cups water
  • Salt, to taste
  • 8 oz dried rice noodles (banh pho, medium width)
  • 12 oz beef sirloin or eye round, very thinly sliced
  • Fresh cilantro leaves
  • Thai basil (or regular basil)
  • Mint leaves
  • Bean sprouts
  • Scallions, thinly sliced
  • Lime wedges
  • Thinly sliced red chili or jalapeño
  • Hoisin sauce (optional)
  • Sriracha or chili garlic sauce (optional)

Instructions

  1. Place beef bones in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 5 minutes, skimming off any foam.
  2. Drain bones in a colander and rinse under cool water. Wash out the pot and return bones to the clean pot.
  3. Heat a small pan over high heat. Char halved onion and sliced ginger cut-side down until deeply browned (about 3 minutes per side).
  4. Add charred onion, ginger, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, black peppercorns, fish sauce, sugar, and 10 cups water to the pot with bones. Bring to a boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Skim foam occasionally and simmer uncovered for 1.5 hours.
  5. Remove bones and aromatics with tongs. Strain broth through a fine mesh strainer into a clean pot. Taste and adjust salt or fish sauce as needed.
  6. Soak dried rice noodles in hot water for 10-15 minutes until soft. Drain well. If using fresh noodles, briefly dunk in boiling water.
  7. Slice beef sirloin as thinly as possible (partial freezing helps).
  8. Divide noodles among serving bowls. Top with raw beef slices. Ladle hot broth directly over beef to cook. Add bean sprouts, herbs, scallions, chili, and sauces as desired.

Notes

For clear broth, always parboil and rinse bones and skim foam regularly. Char aromatics for deeper flavor. Slice beef as thinly as possible for best texture. Customize with your favorite herbs and sauces. Store broth and noodles separately for leftovers. For gluten-free, check fish sauce and noodle labels.

Nutrition

Keywords: pho, Vietnamese soup, beef pho, noodle soup, easy pho, homemade pho, comfort food, gluten-free, Asian recipes, family dinner

Find it online: https://hungermind.com/vietnamese-pho-soup-recipe-easy-homemade-beef-pho-for-beginners/