As long as you have beef bones, the essence of pho broth is really in the charred ginger and onions and toasted spices (cinnamon, cloves, star anise). Once you have the broth down, the only other things you really need to make yourself a bowl of pho are rice stick noodles and fish sauce–and, ideally, hoisin sauce and Sriracha. Thankfully, we have a fully stocked pantry. Of course, adding fresh cilantro, scallions, basil, lime, and jalapeño will truly complete the dish. Suprisingly, I found the whole thing pretty easy to make. Don’t get me wrong, if there was a Vietnamese restaurant down in the local town, I’d be there every weekend. After all, the broth does need at least five hours to simmer away, but think about it this way: All you have to do is keep an eye on it to make sure it doesn’t boil. (The reason why you don’t want it to boil is because that clouds the broth, and what you want to achieve is a crystal-clear broth. I’ve found that dropping in a thick chunk of daikon radish helps, although I didn’t have it on hand.)
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Simple Pho: Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup
- Total Time: 330 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6
- Diet: Omnivore, Gluten-Free
Description
Homemade pho broth is easier than you think! This recipe delivers rich beefy flavor with fresh herbs and aromatics.
Ingredients
- 3 lbs (1361 g) beef bones
- 2 lbs (907 g) oxtail
- 1 lbs (454 g) beef shank
- 1 lbs (454 g) flank steak
- 1 lbs (454 g) brisket
- 2 large yellow onions
- 1 large piece of ginger
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 3 whole cloves
- 3 star anises
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) fish sauce
- Sea salt
- 1 package rice stick noodles
- A bit of oil
- Cilantro, chopped
- Scallions, chopped
- A few sprigs of fresh basil
- 1 jalapeño
- 1 lime
Instructions
- Place all bones and meat in a large stock pot. Cover with cool water and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Let it boil rapidly for 10 minutes; scud and debris should float to the top.
- Drain bones and meat into a colander, discard water, and wash the pot.
- Rinse bones and meat under cold water, return to pot, and cover with cool water.
- Put the pot on the stove over medium-high heat.
- On another burner over medium heat, brown and char onions directly on the grate, turning as necessary until edges blacken.
- Add the charred onions to the stock pot.
- Repeat the charring process for the ginger and add to the stock pot.
- Heat a frying pan over medium-high heat.
- Add cinnamon stick, whole cloves, star anise, and whole black peppercorns; stir until toasted and fragrant.
- Turn off heat and add spices to stock pot along with 1/4 cup fish sauce.
- Simmer the broth for 5 hours, skimming any debris that floats to the top; do not boil.
- After 5 hours, taste and season with salt if needed.
- Remove and discard bones.
- Remove beef shin, oxtails, brisket, and flank steak; place in a bowl.
- Pick off and shred or slice the meat; set aside.
- Cook rice stick noodles in a small pot of boiling water with a drizzle of oil until tender.
- Drain noodles and place in individual bowls.
- Arrange cooked beef in each bowl.
- Sprinkle with cilantro and scallions.
- Ladle hot broth over the beef and noodles.
- Top with fresh basil leaves, jalapeño slices (optional), and a spritz of lime juice.
- Add hoisin sauce and Sriracha (optional).
Notes
- For a richer broth, roast the bones and beef before simmering.
- To easily shred the beef, let it cool slightly before slicing against the grain.
- Leftover broth can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and frozen for up to 3 months.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 300 minutes
- Category: Soup
- Method: Braising
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1.5 cups
- Calories: 450
- Sugar: 5
- Sodium: 1200
- Fat: 25
- Saturated Fat: 10
- Unsaturated Fat: 10
- Carbohydrates: 50
- Fiber: 5
- Protein: 40
- Cholesterol: 150
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum broth simmer time for a simple pho that still tastes good?
A genuine pho broth typically simmers for several hours, but a simplified version can develop decent flavor in 45 to 60 minutes if you use a good quality beef broth as your base and char the onion and ginger well before adding them. 
How do I get the spices like star anise and cinnamon to bloom properly?
Toast them briefly in a dry pan over medium heat before adding to the broth. You should smell the spices open up within a minute or two; do not let them scorch or the broth will turn bitter.
What cut of beef should I use for the thinly sliced raw beef that goes in the bowl?
Eye of round or sirloin are the easiest to slice paper-thin because they are lean and firm. Freeze the beef for 20 to 30 minutes before slicing and use a sharp knife to get the thinness needed for the hot broth to cook it on contact.
