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Authentic Vietnamese Pho Soup

A close-up of a steaming bowl of Vietnamese Pho Soup, featuring tender beef slices, rice noodles, fresh mint, bean sprouts, lime, and red onion.
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Learn to make a rich and flavorful Vietnamese Pho soup from scratch. This recipe guides you through simmering a fragrant bone broth with aromatic spices, tender beef, rice noodles, and fresh herbs for an authentic taste.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 pounds beef bones (marrow bones and knuckle bones)
  • 1 pound beef brisket or chuck roast
  • 1 large yellow onion, halved
  • 4-inch piece of ginger, halved lengthwise
  • 3 star anise
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 5 whole cloves
  • 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
  • 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • 1 pound dried pho rice noodles
  • Fresh cilantro, for garnish
  • Fresh Thai basil, for garnish
  • Bean sprouts, for garnish
  • Lime wedges, for serving
  • Thinly sliced red onion, for garnish
  • Thinly sliced jalapeños, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Rinse beef bones and brisket under cold water.
  2. Place bones in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil, then drain and rinse bones. This helps create a clearer broth.
  3. Return bones to the pot and add brisket, halved onion, and halved ginger. Cover with 12 cups of fresh cold water.
  4. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer, skimming off any foam or impurities that rise to the surface.
  5. While the broth simmers, toast star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, peppercorns, and coriander seeds in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. Place toasted spices in a spice bag or cheesecloth.
  6. Add the spice bag, fish sauce, and sugar to the simmering broth.
  7. Continue to simmer for at least 3 hours, or up to 6 hours, for a richer flavor.
  8. Remove the brisket from the pot and let it cool slightly. Slice thinly against the grain.
  9. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot. Discard the solids. Season the broth with salt to taste.
  10. Prepare the rice noodles according to package directions.
  11. To serve, divide the cooked noodles among bowls. Arrange slices of brisket and thinly sliced raw beef (if using) over the noodles.
  12. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and beef.
  13. Garnish generously with fresh cilantro, Thai basil, bean sprouts, sliced red onion, and jalapeños. Serve immediately with lime wedges on the side.

Notes

  • For an even richer broth, you can char the onion and ginger under the broiler before adding them to the pot.
  • If you prefer a vegetarian pho, you can use vegetable broth and add mushrooms and tofu.
  • Adjust the amount of fish sauce and sugar to your preference.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://spoonsprout.com/vietnamese-pho-soup-recipe/