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This delicious homemade pho recipe is inspired by the Vietnamese soup we all know and love, yet made with a few time-saving shortcuts.
Have you ever tried making homemade phở? ♡
This traditional Vietnamese noodle soup has been a favorite of mine for decades. I have yet to travel to Vietnam to officially try pho in its country of origin (hopefully someday soon!), but I have ordered it countless times in Vietnamese restaurants in the States and here in Barcelona. And this cozy, fresh, and deeply flavorful soup has a way of hitting the spot every single time. It will always be one of my favorite soups to order out. But recently, I’ve been experimenting with different ways to make pho at home, and as it turns out, it’s easier than I expected!
For me, a winning pho recipe all boils down (quite literally) to the quality of its broth. In traditional Vietnamese cooking, pho broth is typically simmered for many hours in order to create that rich, layered, cozy blend of flavors that we all know and love. But while the beef stock base is traditionally made 100% from scratch — a method that is incomparably delicious, yet requires bringing home lots of beef bones and extra veggies plus an extra 2-3 hours of simmering — I’ve tested out a shortcut method using store-bought beef stock as the base for this broth instead. And while it wouldn’t be considered authentic, it turns out that this shortcut method still tastes wonderfully rich and delicious and it can be ready to go in as little as 45 minutes. Once simmered together with charred onion and ginger, a generous handful of warming spices, a hint of sweetener, plus a heaping pile of fresh herbs as garnish, I’m telling you, this homemade pho recipe is one that you are going to want to make again and again.
So if you have been wanting to try making your own homemade pho, I highly recommend giving this recipe a try!
Homemade Pho Recipe | 1-Minute Video
Vietnamese Pho Ingredients:
Alright, before we get to the actual recipe below, here are a few quick notes about the ingredients you will need to make this pho soup recipe…
Steak: Pho bo is traditionally made with thinly sliced steak that is cooked in the simmering broth in each individual serving bowl. In order to very thinly slice the steak, I recommend popping the steak in the freezer for about 45-60 minutes, then slicing it against the grain as thinly as possible. (Alternately, you can ask the butcher to thinly slice your steak for you, or add pre-cooked steak to your soup.)
Thin rice noodles: Pho is traditionally made with thin rice noodles, such as these. In order to prevent the noodles from overcooking in the broth, it’s traditional to cook pho noodles separately on their own. Then the noodles will be added to each individual serving bowl, followed by the protein, hot broth and toppings.
Pho broth: Again, this “shortcut” version of pho broth would not be considered authentic. But it is a delicious and faster alternative to making it 100% from scratch, and it uses the following elements:
Fresh onions and ginger: Which we will briefly cook in a skillet (or you can pop them under the broiler in your oven) until charred, in order to add that classic smoky flavor to the broth.
Beef stock: In order to save the extra hours required to cook beef stock from scratch, I’ve written this recipe using (good quality) store-bought stock as a shortcut. (That said, if you would like to make a more authentic pho recipe using homemade beef stock, I recommend trying this recipe.)
Spices: There are 5 important spices in pho broth — star anise, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and coriander seeds. I really recommend using the whole (not ground) spices if possible, which we will briefly toast to bring out extra flavor. But I have also included notes below for using ground spices, if those are what you have on hand.
Fish sauce: It’s traditional to add just a little splash to the broth.
Sweetener: I used brown sugar to sweeten my broth instead of traditional yellow rock sugar, but really, any sweetener you prefer will work.
Sea salt: As always, to season your broth.
Toppings, toppings, toppings: This is one soup recipe where the toppings are not optional. Rather, the toppings are the stars of the soup! Feel free to pick and choose your favorites, but I recommend at least one from each category:
Fresh herbs: The more the merrier! I recommend a combo of fresh cilantro, fresh mint and fresh Thai basil (or you could sub Italian basil, in a pinch).
Bean sprouts: You can find these in the produce section of your grocery store, or they are always available in southeast Asian groceries.
Lime wedges: Essential for brightening up the flavors of the broth.
Chiles (optional): Thai bird chiles are traditionally used to give the soup your desired amount of heat, but you could also use jalapeños or serrano peppers too.
Onions (optional): Either sliced green onions or super-thinly-sliced white onions as a garnish.
Sauces (optional): It’s also traditional to serve pho with hoisin sauce and/or sriracha to use as a garnish if desired.
This is actually a double batch of the broth, which I highly recommend making while you’re at it!
How To Make Pho Soup:
Here is the basic overview for how to make homemade pho bowls! (As always, see the recipe below for the full detailed instructions.)
Prep the protein. In order to slice the beef, chicken or pork as thinly as possible, I recommend popping the meat in the freezer for at least 30-45 minutes to chill. Then use a sharp knife to thinly slice the meat before adding it to the soup.
Make the broth. Meanwhile, as the meat is chilling, char the onion and ginger (either in a skillet or under the broiler). Meanwhile, briefly toast the spices in a large stockpot. Then add in the onion, ginger, and broth. Cover and let everything simmer together for at least 30 minutes so that all of those flavors can meld. Strain out and discard all of the onions, ginger and spices. Then stir in the remaining ingredients and season with salt.
Prep the noodles. Meanwhile, as your broth is simmering, go ahead and cook the noodles al dente according to the package instructions. Drain in a strainer, then toss briefly with cold water to prevent the noodles from continuing to cook, and set aside. (I also recommend tossing the noodles with a drizzle of oil — such as sesame oil — to prevent them from sticking.)
Assemble. Once everything is ready to go, add a handful of noodles to each individual serving bowl, topped with your desired protein. Then ladle the simmering hot broth into the serving bowls, being sure to submerge the meat so that it will get cooked. Top with lots and lots of garnishes.
Serve. And serve warm, encouraging everyone to stir the garnishes into the soup so that they can flavor the broth, also adding in additional extra sauces if desired.
Possible Variations:
Want to customize your own homemade pho recipe? Feel free to…
Use pre-cooked steak: If you prefer not to cook the steak in the individual serving bowls, feel free to instead stir the steak directly into the stockpot of simmering broth to ensure that it is fully cooked. Then ladle the broth and beef together into the individual serving bowls.
Use a different protein: Pho bo is traditionally made with beef, but feel free to use a different protein in place of the thinly-sliced steak if you prefer, such as chicken, pork, shrimp or tofu.
Use ground (instead of whole) spices: I really recommend using whole spices for this recipe if you can. But in a pinch, feel free to substitute their ground equivalents. Those substitutions would roughly be: 2 1/2 teaspoons ground star anise, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, pinch of ground cardamom, 2 teaspoons ground coriander.
Instant Pot pho: If you would like to make the broth in the Instant Pot (pressure cooker), first use the “sauté” setting to char the onions and ginger. Then add in the spices and stock. Cover, seal, and cook (manual high pressure) for 10 minutes, followed by a quick release. Add in the remaining ingredients as directed in the recipe.
Crock-Pot pho: If you you would like to make the broth in the Crock-Pot (slow cooker), add the onion, ginger, spices and stock to the bowl of a large slow cooker and stir to combine. (You are welcome to char the onion and ginger beforehand, if you would like, then add them to the Crock-Pot.) Cover and cook on high for 3 hours or on low for 6 hours*. Add in the remaining ingredients as directed in the recipe. *If it seems that much of the broth has evaporated while cooking, just add in a cup or so of extra water.
Make the beef stock from scratch: For a more authentic pho recipe that makes the beef stock from scratch, I recommend trying this recipe.
Make it vegetarian/vegan: Here’s the link to my new plant-based vegan pho recipe.
Add fennel seeds: If you happen to have fennel seeds in your spice cabinet, add a teaspoon in along with the other spices for extra flavor.
Pho FAQ:
A few final FAQs before we get to the recipe…
What is the proper “pho” pronunciation? The closest way to write the correct phở pronunciation with English characters is “fuh.” But Vietnamese is a tonal language, so the correct pronunciation requires lifting the pitch, like this.
Where and when did pho originate? Pho originated in Vietnam, likely sometime during the early 1900s. Historians disagree about the exact origins of the dish and its etymology, but it was likely influenced in large part by other similar noodle dishes as well as the increased availability of beef due to its demand by French colonialists. In the years since, countless variations of the dish have become traditional in various regions of Vietnam, and it is now officially regarded as Vietnam’s national dish.
How do you serve pho? Pho soup is traditionally served in large soup bowls with chopsticks and a soup spoon. But that said, feel free to use whatever bowls you happen to have on hand at home.
How exactly are you supposed to eat pho? First, use your chopsticks to stir all of those yummy fresh garnishes into the broth to help give it extra flavor. (You can later pick them out if you don’t want to eat stems, chiles, etc.) Then alternately, use your chopsticks to eat the noodles, protein and veggies, while using your spoon to eat the broth. I’ve read that in Vietnam, it’s also encouraged to lift up your bowl to drink the last of the broth, if you would like.
Is pho gluten-free? Yes, this pho soup recipe is naturally gluten-free. (As always though, just be sure to double-check that all of your ingredients are certified GF.)
Is the meat in pho fully cooked? If the meat is very thinly sliced, the broth is boiling hot, and the meat is completely submerged in the broth right away — then yes, the meat should be fully cooked. That said, if you want to be doubly sure that your meat is fully cooked, see instructions above for cooking the meat in the hot stockpot of broth and then adding it to the individual serving bowls.
Is pho traditionally made with beef broth? Yes, pho is traditionally made with beef broth. But there are many different variations on pho that can be made with different broths and different kinds of proteins.
Make ahead instructions? Nearly all of the components of this recipe can be prepped in advance if you would like (which would make this recipe even easier if serving it to a big group). For example, the noodles and broth can be prepared and then refrigerated (separately) in sealed containers until ready to reheat and serve.
Storage instructions? I recommend refrigerating the broth, protein, noodles and garnishes in separate containers, so that the noodles do not soak up all of the broth. But the cooked soup (with the ingredients stored separately or mixed together) can be refrigerated in sealed containers for up to 3 days.
garnishes: fresh herbs (cilantro, mint, and/or Thai basil), bean sprouts, lime wedges, thinly-sliced chiles (Thai bird chiles or jalapeños), thinly-sliced onions (green onions or white onions), sauces (hoisin and/or sriracha)
Instructions
Char the onions and ginger*. Turn the oven broiler to high, and place the baking rack about 8 inches away from the heating elements. Place the onion and ginger cut-side-up on a baking sheet, and brush with a bit of oil. Broil for about 7-10 minutes, until the tops of the onion and ginger are slightly charred. Remove and set aside.
Make the broth. Meanwhile, heat the anise, cloves, cinnamon, cardamom and coriander to a large stockpot over medium-high heat for about 3 minutes until fragrant. Add in the charred onion, ginger, stock, and stir to combine. Continue cooking until the broth reaches a simmer. Then reduce heat to medium-low, cover with a lid, and continue to simmer for at least 30 minutes. Strain out (and discard) the onions, ginger and spices. Stir in the fish sauce and sweetener into the hot broth. Then finally, taste and season the broth with salt as needed.
Prep the noodles. Meanwhile, as your broth is simmering, cook the noodles separately al dente according to the package instructions. Drain in a strainer, then briefly rinse the noodles with cold water to prevent them from continuing to cook. (I also recommend tossing the noodles with a drizzle of oil — such as sesame oil — to prevent them from sticking.)
Assemble. Now the fun part! Add a handful of noodles to each individual serving bowl. Portion the steak between each serving bowl. Then ladle the still-simmering hot broth into the serving bowls, being sure to submerge the steak completely so that it gets cooked*. Top each bowl with lots and lots of garnishes, and finish with a squeeze of lime juice.
Serve immediately. Encouraging everyone to stir the garnishes into the soup so that they can flavor the broth, also adding in additional extra sauces if desired.
Notes
Thinly slicing the steak: You can use any kind of lean steak, very thinly sliced against the grain. (I recommend freezing the steak for 30-60 minutes beforehand, to make it easier to slice.) It’s very important that the meat is very thinly sliced in order for it to cook quickly in the broth and have a tender texture. If you prefer the steak to be well done, see the alternate option for cooking the beef below.
Alternate meat cooking option: Instead of cooking the thinly-sliced steak in the individual serving bowls, feel free to instead stir the steak directly into the stockpot of simmering broth to ensure that it is fully cooked. Then ladle the broth and beef together into the individual serving bowls.
Alternate charring option: Instead of broiling the onion and ginger in the oven, you can also just cook them cut-side-down in a sauté pan over high heat until charred.
Double batch: Again, I highly recommend making a double batch of this recipe while you’re at it! To do so, you will need a large stockpot (at least 5 quarts) to handle the quantity of broth.
Super excited to make this and I love your recipes so much. Just wanted to let you know that you’ve said “onions and garlic” a lot when I think you mean “onions and ginger.” No judgment just letting you know!
I am anxious to try this recipe, but I keep seeing “garlic and onion” in places where I think you mean ginger and onion … is this correct … thank you for this recipe
Eek, my apologies for the confusion, those were typos. (I think I’m too used to onion and garlic being paired together — subconscious slip!) There’s no garlic in this recipe. :)
Ali, I’ve been following your blog for about a year and made many of your recipes, but this one is so stellar I’m convicted to write my first review.
The broth is SO flavorful and perfectly balanced. I used homemade chicken stock and three beef bouillon cubes in place of salt, and followed the other ingredients as written. I will probably make the broth again just to sip on this winter! So good. So satisfying. This recipe took more effort than I’d personally like to spend on a “one-night meal” (pho doesn’t make for easy leftovers), but this will be a great addition to my once-in-a-while special dishes. It would be great to triple or quadruple for a crowd!
Haven’t made this recipe yet, but sounds super good. I wanted to give a few observations/corrections. First, it IS traditional to use hoisin sauce…but only in southern Vietnam. Chicken pho usually has a different broth, but of course would taste great in a beef broth. Lastly, and this took us a while to figure out in Vietnam, it’s pronounced Fa (as in Father). Hope this comes across as helpful and not snooty.
Kathy Dinh —
“Fuh” is correct :).
There’s an accent on the “o” so it’s tonal and pronounced like an exaggerated question (on the “uh”, tone swings down and then up). To achieve the right pronunciation, a tip is to say “fuh” like you’re not sure you’re saying it right. Like this —> F’uhhhh???
Perfect broth!!! I’ve tried many times to get the broth right and failed, this was perfect!!! Thank you so much! My pho addiction can be met a ton home while saving money!
Absolutely fantastic. My picky, pho-adoring husband said, “Holy sh*t!” High praise, indeed! He asked me to “keep it in my arsenal.” I added thin sliced white onions and green onions to the strained broth, quadrupled the amount of fish sauce, used coconut sugar (2 T) instead of brown sugar and added the juice of 1/2 lime. It tasted authentic, despite using “Better Than Bouillan” as the soup base!
I was super nervous that this wouldn’t taste as good as the Pho I would get in Portland, but wow I am really really impressed! It satisfied my craving and I will definitely make again!
I just made this, and it was absolutely delicious. It tasted just like the soup I get at a local restaurant. Now that I know how to make it, I’ll be eating it a lot more. I was so proud of myself. I put shrimp in mine.
This recipe is outstanding! I had been looking for a way to make authentic Pho and this fit the bill. The only variation I added was to put 2 cubes of beef bullion in the broth while it was cooking to deepen the flavor just a bit. I also prefer egg noodles to rice noodles. Added spinach, scallion, carrots, snow peas, boild egg, cilantro and some sliced chili and it was perfection. My family said it is definitely a “make again”.
Hi Ali! I am a certified Chef and your recipe is similar to mine. I wanted this tonight and decided to search out a new recipe just to change it up a bit and decided to make yours. I LOVE IT! The only thing I added was Hoisin sauce, as is tradition with Southern Vietnamese Pho. I have to have my Hoisin sauce, I am addicted to that taste. I even spread a little over my morning’s scrambled Eggs…I know, sounds strange. But, try it out and you might like it. I am trying to figure out how to follow your blog here, any help would greatly be appreciated. Thank you!
Excellent! Just an FYI–in the directions #2, you forgot to add in the beef. Simmered this for a few hours. So delish. Thank you!
Ebony —
Traditionally the Beef is not added into the Broth
The broth should be hot enough so that once poured over the beef it will cook it. Keeping it tender and juicy and not over cooked.
Loved this recipe, was fantastic! Really brought the restaurant flavor home. I’ve tried multiple recipes but this by far the best, it’s my new “go-to” for pho. Would post a pic if I could :-)
Thanks!
I want to make this for my family, but there are no whole star anises in my area. You mentioned listing ground portions in the notes, but I don’t see them unless I’m missing something.
Lori —
Can you order from Amazon? I found fresh lime leaves there for a different recipe and they arrived fresh to my very isolated area. I have ordered whole star anise as well. Hope this helps :)
Jessica —
I know it’s been a while since you posted this comment but I thought I would help you out. Copied and pasted from above in blog.
Use ground (instead of whole) spices: I really recommend using whole spices for this recipe if you can. But in a pinch, feel free to substitute their ground equivalents. Those substitutions would roughly be: 2.5 teaspoons ground star anise, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon, pinch of ground cardamom, 2 teaspoons ground coriander.
Hi Ali! I’m going to double the recipe. Would you suggest doubling the whole spices, as well? So excited to make this for family coming into town on a cozy winter Valentine’s weekend!
So… it has come to this. The time I say “nope only the people who made it can make the best” which is vietnam! But you are american so naw not the best but pretty good!
Love this recipe. I prefer to add 1/2 to 1/3 of the amount of broth in water to make it more soupy. Also prefer zuchini to bean sprouts. To make it easier, buy the beef which is already shaved. To make it low carb, substitute Healthy Noodle by Kibun (Costco), 2 packages of it are only 100 calories and 8 carbs for the entire recipe!
I don’t know if I’m looking over it but I have all the whole spices except coriander, which I have ground of. Do you think I could just use that? And how much would your recommend 1tsp?
Best everrrr! This recipe is a blessing and curse because it totally ruined restaurant pho for me. My boyfriend hasn’t ever been a fan of pho.. when I told him I was making it he said he’d eat something else but he ate like 3 bowls of this! I made it last week and he’s already requesting it again. The broth is so flavorful! I’ll be making a double batch of the broth next time because we ate it all. When you make a double batch do you double up on all the ingredients? Thanks!
So… I’ve had the best Pho experiences overseas in the US and UK, and my wife and I have it every chance we get when we are traveling since we don’t have good authentic pho in Sweden. So I took the matter into my own hands and scouted the internet and found your recipe (this was 6 months ago), today is the 6th time I’m making this according to your recipe and just wow!! Every guest we have are blown away, amazed and some won’t believe I made this myself. I never post comments on the internet, but this time it’s time to give praise where prise is due! So glad you shared this recipe, immensely appreciated! Your biggest fan // Hunblaker
Thank you Ali, I just did a half-assed variation of this to use up wilting veg (chard and chinese cabbage, under lockdown), I couldn’t believe how delicious it turned out. I did have in onions and ginger, and all the spices for the broth, which is probs the important part, but used stock cubes and some miso paste. Whatever, I was proud of it, thank you for sharing, I’ll do again, it’s given me confidence.
Hello, I’m excited to try your Pho recipe this week. My question is regarding the Fish Sauce. I abhor fish and am wondering if there is an alternate sauce you would recommend or should I just omit that ingredient? Thank you for posting such a detailed and thoughtful post.
Pholover —
Fish sauce does not taste of fish, it adds a salty umami-ness
Tonight, Im making pho from scratch. Only thing, I ordered delivery for bones and meat. Shopper came back with beef round, beef bones, beef rib chops and PORK NECKBONES!! I asked for beef neck bones..ugh!! Decided to go ahead and use them. Will be an interesting combination!
Absolutely delicious. Better than I’ve had in UK Pho restaurants. I used 2 x 500g Heston Beef Stock (Waitrose) + 2 x ordinary beef stock cubes with 900ml water. Aromatics are sensational. After charring the onion and ginger, I sautéed them for extra depth. I simmered for 2 hours then left overnight to maximise flavours. I used triple fish sauce and half the sugar. I served with king prawns (raw in bowl) and rib eye steak (quickly seared whole first, then rested, then sliced) plus other suggested accompaniments. THANK YOU.
For sure, in Vietnamese, it is “fuh” (Chicken Pho is “Fuh Ga” – say it quickly a few times…sound like something someone might grumble?)
I hear “Faux” used extensively in North America.
I liken it to the pronunciation of Paris, the city. (Is it Paree or Paris?) In France, Paree, in English speaking world, Paris.
Of note, Pho is a breakfast meal in Vietnam. Much like Bacon and Eggs in North America, when you go to a restaurant in Vietnamin the morning, you are expecting Pho.
This was a big success with my parents. They came back for 3rds! They are notoriously picky eaters. Thanks so much for sharing and I cant wait ti make it again.
Wow. Great recipe. I like flavour the gives a punch so I increaes the spices and then left them in the stock in my fridge and just drew off luquid when I needed it. This recipe is a winner. Easy & delicious.
Some pronounce it /fo/ (faux) while others pronounce it /fΛ/(fuh). Both are correct. It is not unlike the difference between schedule with a hard k and with an sh sound.
Student of linguistics and Canadian here to say a thing. Please do not misrepresent information like you are the all knowing source, you don’t even come from the culture from which this dish originates or else you wouldn’t have talked about how you never knew how to make it.
Thank you very much for the recipe though! I am preparing to make a simpler, quicker version as I am a student.
Hien —
I’m Vietnamese and I can confirm that “faux” is the incorrect pronunciation.
This recipe was fun and easy to make. I don’t like how the pictures show 6 cinnamon sticks but the recipe is three. I followed the the pics and video and I ruined my broth. I hope if I follow this recipe again it will taste more like original pho. I did not enjoy this one, but it might of been due to the cinnamon.
It was a chilly rainy day in Portland today so I tried your Pho soup recipe. I used chicken and chicken broth instead of beef broth and it was Absolutely Scrumptious! I loved the aroma of the spices that filled the apartment too!
I even licked my bowl. :)
It was my first time charring onion and ginger and I was delighted by the depth and richness of flavor they contributed.
I added a dash of coco aminos to the broth close to the end of the simmer in lieu of hot spicy.
This is definitely going on my list of favs and I can’t wait to share it with friends!
Oh, and thank you too for your precise instructions-I found slicing the semi frozen chicken much easier
This recipe is amazing! I’m Vietnamese American living in Tokyo now and I’ve been missing the taste of Pho since the beginning of the year. I’ve made this recipe more than a handful of times and it impressed my mother in law greatly!
I can’t wait to try it with recipe with fennel seeds as well. How much would you add to the recipe?
I generally cooked the ingredients altogether since I tend not to slice my meats much (store bought thinned slice beef but not super thin where I can put it in the bowl and have it cooked well)
Again, really a great recipe and thank you so much for sharing!
I made this tonight because I was craving pho but didn’t want to get take out. It was excellent! I forgot to salt it while it was cooking, which was definitely a big mistake, but now I know for next time. This is such a perfect meal when you want something warming and healthy. And we have leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch! Thank you for this awesome recipe!!!
This recipe is so dang good! I moved from Seattle (home of tons of Pho shops) to Switzerland, which is really lacking in the cheap, tasty pho department. I’ve made this recipe several times. It is so easy and tastes amazing!
This recipe was SOOOOO good! I used firm tofu instead of meat and put it in the bowl with the noodles at the end, then covered it and the other ingredients with the hot broth. Highly recommend this recipe. One thing I did need to add was more salt, but only because I was using unsalted broth.
So easy to make and such amazing flavor! I don’t like star anise at all, but I followed the recipe still. I simmer my broth for 4 hours. Next time I will only do 1 star anise pod since I could still pick out that flavor!
Super excited to make this and I love your recipes so much. Just wanted to let you know that you’ve said “onions and garlic” a lot when I think you mean “onions and ginger.” No judgment just letting you know!
I am anxious to try this recipe, but I keep seeing “garlic and onion” in places where I think you mean ginger and onion … is this correct … thank you for this recipe
Eek, my apologies for the confusion, those were typos. (I think I’m too used to onion and garlic being paired together — subconscious slip!) There’s no garlic in this recipe. :)
Can’t wait to try this! I love pho but I’ve never had the patience to make the entire bone broth from scratch. This shortcut sounds excellent.
This was DELICIOUS! I went the easy route and just added in some shredded chicken that we already had on hand, but wow that broth was amazing.
Ali, I’ve been following your blog for about a year and made many of your recipes, but this one is so stellar I’m convicted to write my first review.
The broth is SO flavorful and perfectly balanced. I used homemade chicken stock and three beef bouillon cubes in place of salt, and followed the other ingredients as written. I will probably make the broth again just to sip on this winter! So good. So satisfying. This recipe took more effort than I’d personally like to spend on a “one-night meal” (pho doesn’t make for easy leftovers), but this will be a great addition to my once-in-a-while special dishes. It would be great to triple or quadruple for a crowd!
Haven’t made this recipe yet, but sounds super good. I wanted to give a few observations/corrections. First, it IS traditional to use hoisin sauce…but only in southern Vietnam. Chicken pho usually has a different broth, but of course would taste great in a beef broth. Lastly, and this took us a while to figure out in Vietnam, it’s pronounced Fa (as in Father). Hope this comes across as helpful and not snooty.
“Fuh” is correct :).
There’s an accent on the “o” so it’s tonal and pronounced like an exaggerated question (on the “uh”, tone swings down and then up). To achieve the right pronunciation, a tip is to say “fuh” like you’re not sure you’re saying it right. Like this —> F’uhhhh???
What type of beef broth do you like? I usually make this from scratch and cannot wait to try a shortcut version. It sounds delicious!
I really love using Trader Joe’s organic or Kitchen Basics organic beef stock. But any good-quality stock will do! :)
Perfect broth!!! I’ve tried many times to get the broth right and failed, this was perfect!!! Thank you so much! My pho addiction can be met a ton home while saving money!
It’s definitely way cheaper to make at home.
Absolutely fantastic. My picky, pho-adoring husband said, “Holy sh*t!” High praise, indeed! He asked me to “keep it in my arsenal.” I added thin sliced white onions and green onions to the strained broth, quadrupled the amount of fish sauce, used coconut sugar (2 T) instead of brown sugar and added the juice of 1/2 lime. It tasted authentic, despite using “Better Than Bouillan” as the soup base!
I was super nervous that this wouldn’t taste as good as the Pho I would get in Portland, but wow I am really really impressed! It satisfied my craving and I will definitely make again!
Hi! I’m so excited to try this. Can I make a double batch of broth and freeze it? How long would it keep in the freezer? Thanks!
Great recipe! This is much better than the Steamy kitchen recipe.
I just made this, and it was absolutely delicious. It tasted just like the soup I get at a local restaurant. Now that I know how to make it, I’ll be eating it a lot more. I was so proud of myself. I put shrimp in mine.
This recipe is outstanding! I had been looking for a way to make authentic Pho and this fit the bill. The only variation I added was to put 2 cubes of beef bullion in the broth while it was cooking to deepen the flavor just a bit. I also prefer egg noodles to rice noodles. Added spinach, scallion, carrots, snow peas, boild egg, cilantro and some sliced chili and it was perfection. My family said it is definitely a “make again”.
Hi Ali! I am a certified Chef and your recipe is similar to mine. I wanted this tonight and decided to search out a new recipe just to change it up a bit and decided to make yours. I LOVE IT! The only thing I added was Hoisin sauce, as is tradition with Southern Vietnamese Pho. I have to have my Hoisin sauce, I am addicted to that taste. I even spread a little over my morning’s scrambled Eggs…I know, sounds strange. But, try it out and you might like it. I am trying to figure out how to follow your blog here, any help would greatly be appreciated. Thank you!
Super easy and so good!
Excellent! Just an FYI–in the directions #2, you forgot to add in the beef. Simmered this for a few hours. So delish. Thank you!
Traditionally the Beef is not added into the Broth
The broth should be hot enough so that once poured over the beef it will cook it. Keeping it tender and juicy and not over cooked.
Loved this recipe, was fantastic! Really brought the restaurant flavor home. I’ve tried multiple recipes but this by far the best, it’s my new “go-to” for pho. Would post a pic if I could :-)
Thanks!
I want to make this for my family, but there are no whole star anises in my area. You mentioned listing ground portions in the notes, but I don’t see them unless I’m missing something.
Can you order from Amazon? I found fresh lime leaves there for a different recipe and they arrived fresh to my very isolated area. I have ordered whole star anise as well. Hope this helps :)
I know it’s been a while since you posted this comment but I thought I would help you out. Copied and pasted from above in blog.
Use ground (instead of whole) spices: I really recommend using whole spices for this recipe if you can. But in a pinch, feel free to substitute their ground equivalents. Those substitutions would roughly be: 2.5 teaspoons ground star anise, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 1.5 teaspoons ground cinnamon, pinch of ground cardamom, 2 teaspoons ground coriander.
Hi Ali! I’m going to double the recipe. Would you suggest doubling the whole spices, as well? So excited to make this for family coming into town on a cozy winter Valentine’s weekend!
I got my Bone Beef Broth from Whole Foods …brand name Bonafide organic beef broth and it is perfect for this excellent recipe!
So… it has come to this. The time I say “nope only the people who made it can make the best” which is vietnam! But you are american so naw not the best but pretty good!
Love this recipe. I prefer to add 1/2 to 1/3 of the amount of broth in water to make it more soupy. Also prefer zuchini to bean sprouts. To make it easier, buy the beef which is already shaved. To make it low carb, substitute Healthy Noodle by Kibun (Costco), 2 packages of it are only 100 calories and 8 carbs for the entire recipe!
I don’t know if I’m looking over it but I have all the whole spices except coriander, which I have ground of. Do you think I could just use that? And how much would your recommend 1tsp?
Best everrrr! This recipe is a blessing and curse because it totally ruined restaurant pho for me. My boyfriend hasn’t ever been a fan of pho.. when I told him I was making it he said he’d eat something else but he ate like 3 bowls of this! I made it last week and he’s already requesting it again. The broth is so flavorful! I’ll be making a double batch of the broth next time because we ate it all. When you make a double batch do you double up on all the ingredients? Thanks!
This recipe is spot on!!! The broth is absolutely delicious. Thank you so much. It truly did taste like the restaurant version.
Could you sub Chinese 5 spice for the aromatics? If so, how much would you recommend?
Thank you. Great recipe! The soup tastes likeA the original pho soup. My whole family enjoyed it very much.
So… I’ve had the best Pho experiences overseas in the US and UK, and my wife and I have it every chance we get when we are traveling since we don’t have good authentic pho in Sweden. So I took the matter into my own hands and scouted the internet and found your recipe (this was 6 months ago), today is the 6th time I’m making this according to your recipe and just wow!! Every guest we have are blown away, amazed and some won’t believe I made this myself. I never post comments on the internet, but this time it’s time to give praise where prise is due! So glad you shared this recipe, immensely appreciated! Your biggest fan // Hunblaker
Thank you Ali, I just did a half-assed variation of this to use up wilting veg (chard and chinese cabbage, under lockdown), I couldn’t believe how delicious it turned out. I did have in onions and ginger, and all the spices for the broth, which is probs the important part, but used stock cubes and some miso paste. Whatever, I was proud of it, thank you for sharing, I’ll do again, it’s given me confidence.
Hello, I’m excited to try your Pho recipe this week. My question is regarding the Fish Sauce. I abhor fish and am wondering if there is an alternate sauce you would recommend or should I just omit that ingredient? Thank you for posting such a detailed and thoughtful post.
Fish sauce does not taste of fish, it adds a salty umami-ness
Tonight, Im making pho from scratch. Only thing, I ordered delivery for bones and meat. Shopper came back with beef round, beef bones, beef rib chops and PORK NECKBONES!! I asked for beef neck bones..ugh!! Decided to go ahead and use them. Will be an interesting combination!
Absolutely delicious. Better than I’ve had in UK Pho restaurants. I used 2 x 500g Heston Beef Stock (Waitrose) + 2 x ordinary beef stock cubes with 900ml water. Aromatics are sensational. After charring the onion and ginger, I sautéed them for extra depth. I simmered for 2 hours then left overnight to maximise flavours. I used triple fish sauce and half the sugar. I served with king prawns (raw in bowl) and rib eye steak (quickly seared whole first, then rested, then sliced) plus other suggested accompaniments. THANK YOU.
Love!
Thanks for the recipe and the videos
I chucked with the pronunciation guide.
For sure, in Vietnamese, it is “fuh” (Chicken Pho is “Fuh Ga” – say it quickly a few times…sound like something someone might grumble?)
I hear “Faux” used extensively in North America.
I liken it to the pronunciation of Paris, the city. (Is it Paree or Paris?) In France, Paree, in English speaking world, Paris.
Of note, Pho is a breakfast meal in Vietnam. Much like Bacon and Eggs in North America, when you go to a restaurant in Vietnamin the morning, you are expecting Pho.
This was a big success with my parents. They came back for 3rds! They are notoriously picky eaters. Thanks so much for sharing and I cant wait ti make it again.
Wow. Great recipe. I like flavour the gives a punch so I increaes the spices and then left them in the stock in my fridge and just drew off luquid when I needed it. This recipe is a winner. Easy & delicious.
So good- and so easy to make too. Comparable to some restaurant pho.
Hello,
Some pronounce it /fo/ (faux) while others pronounce it /fΛ/(fuh). Both are correct. It is not unlike the difference between schedule with a hard k and with an sh sound.
Student of linguistics and Canadian here to say a thing. Please do not misrepresent information like you are the all knowing source, you don’t even come from the culture from which this dish originates or else you wouldn’t have talked about how you never knew how to make it.
Thank you very much for the recipe though! I am preparing to make a simpler, quicker version as I am a student.
I’m Vietnamese and I can confirm that “faux” is the incorrect pronunciation.
Amazing!! Thanks for this delicious recipe…
Made it tonight and it was fantastic. I was surprised at how well it turned out. Recipes online are sometime hit or miss. Thanks for the great recipe.
This recipe was fun and easy to make. I don’t like how the pictures show 6 cinnamon sticks but the recipe is three. I followed the the pics and video and I ruined my broth. I hope if I follow this recipe again it will taste more like original pho. I did not enjoy this one, but it might of been due to the cinnamon.
Great recipe! Thank you for posting this it was a home run in this house.
It was a chilly rainy day in Portland today so I tried your Pho soup recipe. I used chicken and chicken broth instead of beef broth and it was Absolutely Scrumptious! I loved the aroma of the spices that filled the apartment too!
I even licked my bowl. :)
It was my first time charring onion and ginger and I was delighted by the depth and richness of flavor they contributed.
I added a dash of coco aminos to the broth close to the end of the simmer in lieu of hot spicy.
This is definitely going on my list of favs and I can’t wait to share it with friends!
Oh, and thank you too for your precise instructions-I found slicing the semi frozen chicken much easier
This recipe is amazing! I’m Vietnamese American living in Tokyo now and I’ve been missing the taste of Pho since the beginning of the year. I’ve made this recipe more than a handful of times and it impressed my mother in law greatly!
I can’t wait to try it with recipe with fennel seeds as well. How much would you add to the recipe?
I generally cooked the ingredients altogether since I tend not to slice my meats much (store bought thinned slice beef but not super thin where I can put it in the bowl and have it cooked well)
Again, really a great recipe and thank you so much for sharing!
I made this tonight because I was craving pho but didn’t want to get take out. It was excellent! I forgot to salt it while it was cooking, which was definitely a big mistake, but now I know for next time. This is such a perfect meal when you want something warming and healthy. And we have leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch! Thank you for this awesome recipe!!!
This recipe is so dang good! I moved from Seattle (home of tons of Pho shops) to Switzerland, which is really lacking in the cheap, tasty pho department. I’ve made this recipe several times. It is so easy and tastes amazing!
I made this yesterday for dinner and boy was it yummy!!
Made this for my girlfriend and she said its good for a quick and dirty! We made a double batch and she is happy to have seconds tomorrow. Thanks!
This recipe was SOOOOO good! I used firm tofu instead of meat and put it in the bowl with the noodles at the end, then covered it and the other ingredients with the hot broth. Highly recommend this recipe. One thing I did need to add was more salt, but only because I was using unsalted broth.
So easy to make and such amazing flavor! I don’t like star anise at all, but I followed the recipe still. I simmer my broth for 4 hours. Next time I will only do 1 star anise pod since I could still pick out that flavor!