Beef Pho

Nutriscore Rating: 71/100

Transport your taste buds to the bustling streets of Vietnam with this soulful Beef Pho recipe, a flavorful and aromatic classic that's made from scratch. This recipe focuses on a deeply rich and fragrant broth, achieved by simmering beef bones, oxtail, and toasted spices like star anise, cinnamon, and cloves for hours. Charred onion and ginger lend smoky complexity, while fish sauce and rock sugar balance the flavors perfectly. Tender rice noodles and thinly sliced beef flank are bathed in the piping-hot broth, cooking the meat to perfection upon serving. Garnished with fresh herbs, bean sprouts, lime wedges, and a hint of heat from jalapeños, this iconic Vietnamese noodle soup offers an intoxicating blend of textures and tastes. Customize your bowl with hoisin sauce and sriracha for an irresistible depth of flavor. Perfect for a comforting weeknight dinner or an impressive meal for guests, this authentic Beef Pho recipe is the ultimate guide to homemade bliss.

Recipe Information

• Prep Time: 30 min
• Cook Time: N/A
• Total Time: 30 min
• Servings: 6 servings
• Difficulty: Medium

🥘 Ingredients

23 items

• 3 pounds beef bones
• 1 pound oxtail
• 1 large onion
• 1 piece (about 3 inches) ginger
• 6 pieces star anise
• 2 pieces cinnamon sticks
• 5 pieces cloves
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 2 pods black cardamom pods
• 0.25 cup fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon salt
• 0.25 cup rock sugar
• 14 ounces rice noodles
• 1 pound beef flank or sirloin
• 4 scallions
• 1 bunch cilantro
• 1 bunch Thai basil
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 2 limes
• 1 jalapeño
• 0.25 cup hoisin sauce
• 0.25 cup sriracha
• 6 quarts water

📝 Instructions

15 steps

1. Place beef bones and oxtail in a large stockpot and cover with water. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 10 minutes to release impurities.

2. Drain and rinse the bones and meat under cold water.

3. Clean the pot, return bones and meat, and add 6 quarts of fresh water.

4. Char the onion and ginger over an open flame or in a broiler until blackened. Peel the onion and slice the ginger in half. Add to the pot.

5. Toast the star anise, cinnamon sticks, cloves, coriander seeds, and black cardamom pods in a dry pan over medium heat for a few minutes until fragrant. Add to the pot.

6. Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and simmer gently for about 5 hours, skimming any foam or fat that rises to the surface.

7. Add fish sauce, salt, and rock sugar to the broth in the last hour of cooking to season.

8. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth into a clean pot, discarding solids.

9. Meanwhile, soak rice noodles in hot water for 15-30 minutes until soft. Drain and set aside.

10. Slice the beef flank or sirloin against the grain into thin slices. Set aside.

11. Prepare garnishes: thinly slice scallions and jalapeño, chop cilantro, and quarter limes.

12. To serve, divide the rice noodles among bowls. Top with raw beef slices.

13. Ladle hot broth over the beef, which will cook the meat instantly.

14. Garnish each bowl with scallions, cilantro, Thai basil, bean sprouts, jalapeño slices, and lime wedges.

15. Serve hot with hoisin sauce and sriracha on the side.

Nutrition Facts

1 serving (1555.7g)

Calories		655
% Daily Value*
Total Fat		26.4 g	34%
	Saturated Fat	10.9 g	54%
	Polyunsaturated Fat	0.0 g
Cholesterol		163 mg	54%
Sodium		2755 mg	120%
Total Carbohydrate		45.1 g	16%
	Dietary Fiber	6.2 g	22%
	Total Sugars	17.1 g
Protein		57.6 g	115%
Vitamin D		0.2 mcg	1%
Calcium		226 mg	17%
Iron		6.2 mg	35%
Potassium		831 mg	18%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 1387 cal (35.7%%)

Protein: 1399 cal (36.0%%)

Carbs: 1098 cal (28.3%%)