Vietnamese Pho is a one-of-a-kind soup known for its incredibly aromatic broth seasoned with fragrant spices served over tender rice noodles, beef sirloin, fresh herbs, and other garnishes. These days, you don't have to leave the house to enjoy this traditional soup at home. You just need about 30 minutes and a handful of simple ingredients!
Pho is a traditional Vietnamese soup often served for breakfast. The secret to a good pho starts with the Broth. It's typically slow cooked for hours with incredibly fragrant spices like star anise, coriander, and more. This clear broth flavors every element of the soup from the rice noodles to the thinly sliced sirloin that cooks almost instantly in the hot broth. There are plenty of variations, but this simple Vietnamese beef noodle soup is perfect exactly as it is.
Why You'll Love This Vietnamese Beef Pho Recipe
- Extremely fast. Although the broth takes time, you can easily use leftover homemade broth or grab some from the store for a complete meal in less than 30 minutes! That's faster than it'd take to get an order delivered from your local Vietnamese restaurant.
- Tons of flavor. No one would ever describe pho as bland. Every element is perfectly balanced for tons of flavor. Even the neutral rice noodles soak up the flavorful broth, and the fresh herbs, lime juice, and jalapeno make this pho soup recipe absolutely delicious from the first bite to the last.
- Incredibly filling. The rich, fragrant broth makes this Vietnamese soup so filling. It's the best way to warm up on a cool day, and it will stick to your ribs for hours!
Ingredient Notes
To make this delicious Vietnamese pho, you will need the following ingredients (full measurements in recipe card below):
- dry rice noodles - it's essential to start with rice stick noodles. These will need to be soaked for about 20 minutes before you cook them.
- Vietnamese beef broth - make your own homemade broth made by roasting beef bones or short ribs with lots of spices before simmering them in a stock pot for hours. See our Asian Beef Broth for the recipe details. For a faster meal, use store bought pho broth instead.
- beef sirloin slices - these are completely optional, but frozen beef sirloin slices will cook almost instantly, absorbing the flavors from the broth. If you make our Asian Beef Broth, you can use the reserved beef from it.
- bean sprouts - these add a lovely crisp texture that balances the soft noodles.
- herbs - use lots of fresh herbs for maximum flavor. Fresh cilantro and Thai basil are classic toppings for beef pho.
- lime wedges - squeeze a little lime on top of your bowl to cut through the savory flavor of this traditional Vietnamese noodle soup.
- jalapeno - this is completely optional, but the bright heat of jalapenos pairs really well with the savory broth.
- chili garlic hot sauce - this is also optional for those who want some heat. It also adds a nice red contrast to the bowl of pho soup. We use this chili garlic hot sauce.
You will also need a large mixing bowl, 2 large pots, colander, ladle, and individual serving bowls (like these ramen bowls).
How to Make the Best Vietnamese Pho
- Soak the noodles. Fill a large mixing bowl with cold water. Add the dried rice stick noodles and allow it to soak until softened and pliable, about 20 minutes.
- Cook the noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil over high heat. Add noodles and cook until tender and fully cooked, about 2-3 minutes (or according to the package instructions). You can also cook the dried noodles without soaking but it will take slightly longer to fully cook them. Drain well.
- Heat the broth. In a separate stockpot, add beef broth and bring to a boil over high heat.
- Prepare the bowls. Assemble the pho by dividing the noodles evenly into ramen bowls. Ladle the boiling hot broth over the noodles.
- Add beef. Top with raw beef slices or reserved cooked beef oxtail meat from homemade Asian Beef Broth.
- Garnish. Top your bowls of pho with bean sprouts, cilantro or basil, lime juice, jalapeño, and chili garlic hot sauce (if using).
Recipe Variations
- Vegetarian pho recipe. Use a vegetarian broth and skip the sirloin for a veggie pho. Consider adding extra veggies like charred onion, baby bok choy, snow peas, or Chinese broccoli.
- Chicken pho. Replace the beef broth with chicken broth and add leftover cooked chicken to your soup pot — or make a batch of shredded chicken to add.
- Serve a sweeter broth. If you prefer a little sweetness in your Vietnamese beef noodle soup, add a little hoisin sauce or rock sugar to taste. Our homemade Asian beef broth has a little rock sugar so taste and see if you need to sweeten it more to taste.
- Adjust the garnishes. There are so many ways to top your pho, and even throughout Vietnam, you'll find different flavor profiles and garnishes. Try adding sliced green onions or thinly sliced white onion, fresh mint, or thinly sliced carrots. It's also lovely with a little splash of fish sauce.
How to Serve
This homemade Vietnamese Pho is delicious served on its own, or paired with some of my favorite Vietnamese dishes including:
- Vietnamese Noodle Bowl with Chicken
- Lemongrass Chicken Skewers
- Vietnamese Shrimp Salad Rolls
- Vietnamese Chicken Salad
- Pan-fried Lemongrass Chicken
- Vietnamese Grilled Pork
- Vietnamese Summer Rolls with Chicken
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Make your own broth. The secret to the best pho is to use a good pho broth. Although it takes a long time to make the beefy broth for authentic pho, it's worth the effort. Make a big batch and freeze it for later for homemade pho anytime. See our Asian Beef Broth for recipe details for cooking on the stove or instant pot pressure cooker.
- Slice your own beef. If you can't find sirloin slices, you can make your own by freezing a raw sirloin steak and then letting it thaw for about 30 minutes. Use a very sharp knife to cut ¼-inch slices.
- Use leftover meat. Instead of using raw beef, feel free to use leftover beef chuck, pot roast, steak, or oxtail.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
How to Store
To save leftover pho for later, you'll want to separate the noodles from the broth, as the noodles can absorb too much liquid and disintegrate. Store them in airtight containers in the fridge for 3-4 days.
How to Reheat
You can microwave leftover pho, but it's best to reheat it in a pot on the stove until fully heated through.
How to Freeze
Freeze leftover broth in an airtight container for 3-4 months. Thaw in the fridge before making a fresh pot of this Vietnamese pho recipe.
FAQ
Since the clear beef broth requires so much work to make, it's only appropriate to savor every last drop by drinking your leftover broth. Many people do this in Vietnam as well, but it's based on personal preference.
The clear broth used to make pho is made by roasting beef bones and different cuts of meat with fragrant spices like star anise, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, and more. These spices have an amazing aroma that pairs incredibly well with the savory broth and fresh herbs. There's nothing quite like it!
Did you know the word for rice noodles in Vietnamese is phở? The soup was named after the noodles, so real pho requires real phở (rice noodles). These clear noodles are mostly flavorless on their own, which makes them perfect for absorbing all those incredible flavors from the tasty broth. Save your egg noodles for other dishes, like lo mein or other stir-fried recipes.
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