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a bowl of beef pho soup with sliced beef, meatballs, and garnishes.

Authentic Vietnamese Beef Pho

Sharon Nguyen
Whether you are looking for a satisfying meal, warmth for a chilly day, or comfort to soothe a cold, this beef pho recipe will satisfy you with its fragrant broth, tender meat, and slurp-worthy rice noodles!
5 from 1 vote
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 20 minutes
Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course
Cuisine Comfort Food, Vietnamese
Servings 8 people
Calories 509 kcal

Equipment

Large Stockpot
1 Large Stockpot or
Instant Pot
1 Instant Pot see notes below
Strainer, Cheesecloth or spice bag
1 Strainer, Cheesecloth or spice bag To strain the broth and remove any solid bits, or spice bag to contain the spices.
Sharp Knife
1 Sharp Knife For slicing beef thinly. If possible, refrigerate the beef before slicing to make it easier to cut thinly

Ingredients
 

Aromatics:

  • 4 onions
  • 1 ginger
  • 1 shallot

Spices - Or use Pho premade spice kit

Beef :

  • 2 lbs beef brisket
  • 4 lbs beef neck if using cow feet or oxtail, use 2 lbs beef neck bone
  • 1 lb beef meatballs
  • 1 lb sliced beef optional if not using brisket
  • 1.5 lb oxtail optional
  • 2 lb cow feet optional

Seasonings:

Noodle Soup & Toppings:

  • 4-5 lbs pho rice noodles
  • 1 onion thin sliced - This adds additional flavor to the soup base so don't skip this!
  • 1 cilantro optional
  • 1 bundle green onions
  • 1 bundle culantro optional
  • 1 bag beansprouts optional
  • 1 bundle Thai basil optional
  • 2 limes optional
  • 2 jalapeno optional
  • hoisin sauce optional
  • sriracha optional

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Instructions
 

Prepare the Beef

  • Parboil the Beef: Begin by placing your beef brisket, beef neck, oxtail, or cow feet in a large pot of cold water. This is key because starting with cold water helps release impurities gradually, which can make the beef cleaner and more tender.
    2 lbs beef brisket, 4 lbs beef neck, 1.5 lb oxtail, 2 lb cow feet
  • Slowly bring the water to a gentle boil over medium-high heat, skimming the foam as it surfaces. (The water should be slightly moving does not need to be a rapid boil.) While waiting for the water to boil, work on charring the aromatics and spices.
  • Cook the beef and the bones in the gently boiling water for about 2-5 minutes. The beef should not be cooked through at this point.
  • After 2 to 5 minutes drain and rinse the beef bones under cold water making sure to wash off all the impurities. Put the clean bones back into the washed pot and add enough water to cover the bones.
  • Turn the stove to medium high and cover with a lid.

Char the Aromatics & Spices

  • Roast the Onions, Ginger, and Shallot & Toast the Spices: Over an open flame or on a hot grill, char the onions, ginger, and shallot until they are blackened on the outside. You can also use a torch and roast both aromatics and spices at the same time.
    4 onions, 1 shallot, 1 ginger
  • Measure out your spices: star anise, fennel, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and coriander seeds. Alternatively you can also use a Pho premade spice kit.
    1 Pho premade spice kit, 4 star anise, 2 tablespoon Fennel Seeds, 1 stick Cinnamon stick, 1 black cardamon pod, ½ tablespoon cloves, 2 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • In a dry pan, toast the star anise, fennel, cinnamon, cardamom, cloves, and coriander seeds over medium heat for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir frequently to avoid burning. Once toasted, remove them from the heat.
  • This adds depth and smokiness to your broth. If you don’t have an open flame, you can use a dry skillet or place them under the broiler. Once charred, set them aside.

Prepare a Spice Bag

  • Place the Spices in a Spice Bag: After toasting, transfer the spices into a spice bag or wrap them in a piece of cheesecloth. This makes it easy to remove the spices later and prevents them from floating freely in the broth.

Make the Broth

  • Combine the Beef, Aromatics, and Spice Bag: In a large pot, add the blanched beef, oxtail, and cow feet (if using). Add the charred onions, ginger, shallot, and the spice bag.
  • Add Seasonings: Season the broth with rock sugar, mushroom seasoning, salt, and fish sauce. Adjust the seasoning amounts based on your taste preferences (start with a little and taste as you go).
    1 tablespoon rock sugar, 2 tablespoon mushroom seasoning, 5 tablespoon fish sauce, 3 tablespoon Quoc Viet Beef Pho Soup base, 1 tablespoon salt
  • If you are not using the Pho Soup base, you will need to add more salt to the broth.
  • Simmer the Broth: Cover the ingredients with water and bring to a boil. Once it starts boiling, reduce the heat and simmer for 2-3 hours, skimming any foam or impurities that rise to the surface. The longer the simmer, the more flavorful your broth will be.

Remove the Brisket, Onions, and Spice Bag

  • After simmering for 2-3 hours, remove the brisket, onions, and spice bag from the pot.
  • Discard the onions and spice bag. Set aside the brisket to cool before slicing. If you are serving the Pho immediately, cool the brisket in an ice bath before slicing. If serving the next day, refrigerate the brisket before slicing.
  • Refill the pot with water to compensate for any evaporated liquid.
  • Adjust the seasoning by adding more fish sauce or salt, as needed, to enhance the flavor.

Add Beef Meatballs

  • Add the Beef Meatballs: About 30 minutes before the broth is done simmering, and the meat is tender, add your beef meatballs to the pot.

Prepare the Toppings

  • Thinly slice the cooked brisket or coffee-sliced beef, such as eye of round. Chilled cooked beef is easier to slice thinly, and slightly frozen raw beef works best for precise cuts.
  • Prepare the Herbs and Vegetables: Wash all the herbs and vegetables. Slice the onions thinly, green onions, cilantro. Arrange the bean sprouts, lime wedges, Thai Basil, culantro and jalapeños on a platter for easy access.

Optional Step for clear broth: Strain the Broth

  • Before serving, remove the bones and set aside. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth to remove any remaining solid floating particles. Return the strained broth and bones to the pot. Keep the broth warm over low heat.

Optional Step: Skim the Oil

  • Skim Off Excess Fat: Before serving, use a ladle or spoon or fat skimmer to skim any excess oil or fat that may have collected at the surface of the broth. This step helps create a cleaner and lighter flavor in your pho.

Optional Step to remove fat and slice meat: Refrigerate Brisket and Broth

  • Refrigerate the Brisket for Easy Slicing: For easier slicing, refrigerate the brisket overnight. This will firm up the meat, allowing you to slice it thinly with ease.
  • Refrigerate the Broth Overnight: If you have time, refrigerating the broth overnight allows the fat to solidify at the top, making it easy to remove the next day. This will help reduce the greasiness and enhance the broth’s flavor.

Adjust and Season

  • Taste and adjust the broth and add more salt or fish sauce if needed.

Prepare the Noodles

  • Cook the Rice Noodles: When your broth is ready, and meat is sliced, cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Usually fresh pho rice noodles are cooked in boiling hot water in about 30 seconds. Once cooked, drain and rinse the noodles under cold water to stop the cooking process. Set aside.

Assemble the Pho Bowls

  • Add the Noodles: Place a portion of cooked rice noodles in each bowl.
  • Add the Beef: Layer the sliced beef , beef bones and meatballs over the noodles.
  • Add the Onions: Add the thinly sliced onions.
  • Pour the Broth: Ladle the hot, strained broth over the noodles and beef. The heat of the broth will instantly cook the thinly sliced beef and onions.

Garnish and Serve

  • Serve pho immediately with toppings on the side, so everyone can customize their bowls.
  • Top each bowl with fresh green onions, cilantro.
  • Serve with bean sprouts, lime wedges, culantro and Thai basil, and jalapeños on the side to customize their pho. Top with hoisin sauce and Sriracha for extra flavor.

Video

Notes

Instant pot: Optional - Alternate Directions - Follow the steps below and parboil and rinse, then Cook the bones on high pressure for 45 minutes, and Natural pressure release, about 30 minutes to depressurize the instant pot. Then follow the rest of the steps and add the bones back to the stockpot and fill the pot with water. Adjust seasonings, and simmer before serving.
Adjusting to taste - Be sure to adjust the seasoning to your salt preference before serving.
Noodles - You can use any rice noodle here, from the thin Pho type noodles to the thick ho fun noodles you see in chow fun.
Serving - Pho is traditionally served with noodles, broth, and beef, while the toppings are offered on the side. This allows everyone to customize their bowl with the toppings as they enjoy the soup.

Nutrition

Calories: 509kcalCarbohydrates: 12gProtein: 65gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 199mgSodium: 2143mgPotassium: 781mgFiber: 3gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 93IUVitamin C: 41mgCalcium: 234mgIron: 8mg
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