Beef Pho
Vietnamese beef noodle soup
Today we’re making a quick version of the famous Vietnamese Beef Pho.
Traditionally, this dish requires quite a bit of time and patience, but today we’ll have it on the table much faster. In Vietnam, Pho is typically prepared by slowly simmering the broth for many hours, sometimes even days, allowing the flavors to fully develop. The beef is also often cooked gently in the hot broth.
But let’s be honest, we don’t have time for that today. And you probably don’t either. Fortunately, with a few smart shortcuts, we can make a version that’s ready in under an hour without sacrificing too much of what makes this dish so special.
What is Beef Pho?
Beef Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is an iconic Vietnamese noodle soup made with a rich, aromatic broth, thinly sliced beef, and fresh herbs. It’s typically served with rice noodles and a variety of toppings such as bean sprouts, green onions, cilantro, and jalapeños.
What makes this soup so special is its combination of savory, sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors, exactly the way Vietnamese cuisine likes it. The broth gets its distinctive character from spices such as cinnamon, cloves, and star anise, ingredients you might not expect to find in a beef soup.
Quick, but still packed with flavor
To save time, we use a good-quality beef broth as the base instead of making it completely from scratch. This cuts down the cooking time significantly without giving up much flavor. An important part of this quick version is the addition of hoisin sauce and sriracha.
These two ingredients add extra depth and a little heat, exactly what you want in a bowl of pho. Prefer it spicier? Feel free to add more sriracha. Looking for a milder version? Add a little extra lime juice and perhaps a bit more hoisin sauce instead.
Ingredients you may already have at home
With a little luck, you may still have some spices left over from the holiday season. Cinnamon sticks, cloves, and star anise often sit untouched in the spice cabinet, yet they’re exactly what give Pho its distinctive flavor.
Beyond that, all you need is a good cut of steak, rice noodles, and a few vegetables such as bean sprouts and green onions. One fun detail: there’s no need to cook the steak beforehand. Simply slice it into thin strips and place it directly into the hot broth, where it will cook in just seconds. Let’s get started and enjoy a delicious bowl of quick Beef Pho!
Beef pho
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 2–3 servings 1x
Description
Beef Pho (Vietnamese beef noodle soup) is made with a fragrant beef broth, rice noodles, fresh herbs, and thinly sliced steak.
Ingredients
- 10 1/2 oz sirloin steak
- 5 oz (pho) rice noodles
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 6 whole cloves
- 4 shallots
- 2 star anise whole pods
- 2 beef bouillon cubes (0.36 oz each)
- 2 slices fresh ginger
- 1 bunch green onions
- 1 jalapeño pepper
- 1 lime
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- Fresh cilantro (or parsley)
- Sriracha
- Hoisin sauce
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 475°F. Meanwhile, place the steak in the freezer for a short time. This will make it easier to slice thinly later.
- Cut 2 to 3 slices of fresh ginger. Place the ginger and shallots on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and roast for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Meanwhile, toast the cinnamon stick, black peppercorns, star anise pods, and cloves in a dry skillet over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Shake the pan occasionally.
- In a large soup pot, prepare 5 cups beef broth using the beef bouillon cubes.
- Add the toasted spices, ground coriander, shallots (peeled), and ginger slices. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, rinse the bean sprouts and slice the green onions and jalapeño into thin rings. Remove the steak from the freezer and slice it into very thin strips.
- Soak the rice noodles according to the package directions in boiling water for about 4 minutes, then rinse with cold water.
- Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve and return the strained broth to the pot. Add the fish sauce and coconut sugar, then bring back to a boil.
- Divide the rice noodles, bean sprouts, and steak between deep plates or soup bowls.
- Make sure the broth is boiling hot and pour it over the noodles and steak. The steak will cook in the hot broth.
- Top with the green onions, jalapeño, parsley and/or cilantro, and a lime wedge.
- Serve with a combination of hoisin sauce and sriracha. Enjoy!
- Cook Time: 45 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Boiling, Roasting
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
