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Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)
Vietnamese

Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

Vietnam's beloved beef noodle soup: a clear, deeply aromatic broth of charred onion, ginger and toasted spices over rice noodles and thin slices of beef, finished tableside with fresh herbs and lime.

270 min
Total time
6
Servings
30 min
Prep
240 min
Cook
advanceddinnerdairy-freegluten-free
Source: Traditional Northern Vietnamese pho

Ingredients

6 servings
  • 2 kg beef bones (marrow and knuckle)
  • 700 g beef brisket
    Available from Marcus
  • 2 yellow onions, halved, charred
  • 100 g fresh ginger, halved lengthwise, charred
  • 6 star anise, toasted
  • 1 cinnamon stick, toasted
  • 6 whole cloves, toasted
  • 10 g coriander seeds, toasted
  • 5 g fennel seeds, toasted
  • 1 black cardamom pod, toasted, optional
  • 40 g rock sugar
  • 60 ml fish sauce, plus more to taste
  • 15 g salt, to taste
  • 500 g flat rice noodles (banh pho), dried
  • 300 g beef sirloin or eye round, very thinly sliced raw
  • to serve Thai basil, cilantro, scallions, bean sprouts, lime, chili, garnishes

Make it your way

Instructions

Plan my prep
  1. Step 1.Parboil the beef bones in a large pot of boiling water for 5 minutes to release scum, then drain and rinse the bones clean. This keeps the final broth clear.
  2. Step 2.Char the halved onions and ginger directly over a flame or under a broiler until blackened and fragrant, about 5 minutes, then peel off the burnt skins.
  3. Step 3.Toast the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, coriander, fennel and black cardamom in a dry pan until fragrant, about 2 minutes, then tie them in a spice bag or cheesecloth.
  4. Step 4.Return the bones to a clean pot with the brisket, cover with about 5 liters fresh water and bring to a boil, then reduce to a bare simmer, skimming foam frequently.
  5. Step 5.Add the charred onion and ginger, the spice bag, rock sugar and salt. Simmer gently, uncovered, skimming often.
  6. Step 6.Remove the brisket after about 1.5 hours once tender, cool it, then slice thinly. Continue simmering the bones for a total of 3 to 4 hours.
  7. Step 7.Strain the broth through a fine sieve, discard the solids, then season with fish sauce and adjust salt and sugar to taste. Keep at a hard simmer.
  8. Step 8.Soak then cook the rice noodles in boiling water per the package until just tender, drain, and divide among deep bowls.
  9. Step 9.Top each bowl with sliced brisket and raw thin-sliced beef, then ladle the screaming-hot broth over to cook the raw beef instantly.
  10. Step 10.Serve with a platter of Thai basil, cilantro, scallions, bean sprouts, lime wedges and sliced chili to add at the table.

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