READY IN 1½ hrs

Vietnamese Beef Pho

Read Reviews (47)

"This soup is served with a plate full of fresh garnishes as well as various sauces. This allows each person to season their serving to taste. The soup is somewhat unusual, because the meat is cooked in the bowl. The beef is sliced very thin, almost thin enough to see through. You might want to have the butcher slice it for you. The boiling hot broth is poured over the noodles and raw meat. The meat is quickly cooked in the hot broth in the time it takes to garnish the soup." — Maryellen

Directions

In a large soup pot, combine broth, onion, ginger, lemon grass, cinnamon, and peppercorns. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, and cover. Simmer for 1 hour.
Arrange bean sprouts, mint, basil, and cilantro on a platter with chilies and lime.
Soak the noodles in hot water to cover for 15 minutes or until soft. Drain. Place equal portions of noodles into 6 large soup bowls, and place raw beef on top. Ladle hot broth over noodles and beef. Pass platter with garnishes and sauces.

Kitchen-Friendly View

PREP 10 mins
COOK 1 hr 20 mins
READY IN 1 hr 30 mins

Reviews More Reviews

Most Helpful Positive Review

Jan 15, 2004

Basically, I have a recommendation for authentic vietnamese pho. Go to your local oriental/world food mart and buy the actual pho broth cubes. Just ask the cashier. They come in small packages of 6. This makes the pho taste authentic, rather than making your own broth or buying american beef broth. Happy eating!!

—ink

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Most Helpful Critical Review

Dec 05, 2005

This is missing the many spices (Star Anise, Cloves, etc.) that makes Pho...Pho. The Lemongrass also throws it off. I've never seen lemongrass introduced in Vietnamese Pho. It might be in some other types of Asian noodle type soup but never in Vietnamese Pho.

—Nhi Torres

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73 Ratings

Jun 30, 2009

This is not pho. Don't be fooled into thinking this is pho. Pho is made from hours of cooking beef bones to soften the meat and draw out the bone marrow. What we have here is spiced swanson beef broth.

—mykwhean

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Oct 27, 2006

Missing important star anise. Soup can't exist without it.

—lainiekay

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Sep 13, 2003

In response to the one person who classified the traditional ingredients for making this recipe, the anise seeds etc and traditionally used by the Vietnamese. Lemongrass is traditionally used by those of Cambodian and Thai origin which makes just as great a broth. Aside from the lemongrass, you can also add a dried pickled radish found in many Asian specialty stores. These taste really great tender. For added flavor, my family fries a little minced garlic ahead of time until they are golden (takes only a few seconds!) and garnish the pho with them.

—Zulema011

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Jan 16, 2003

Voon-da-bar. Darn good Pho. For those of you with difficulty slicing beef thin, try this: Pop your cut of beef into the freezer (suggest you plastic wrap it first)... 10-30 minutes and you'll be dancing - chilly beef makes for easy slicing (be sure to use a sharp knife as well). Bring to room temperature before finishing off in bowl.

—FILETMIGNON

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Mar 13, 2005

This is an excellent recipe. As another user recommended, I found 'pho cubes' at an asian market and use them to make the broth. This makes a huge difference. I also use dried vermicelli noodles instead of rice noodles. I'm not a fan of fish sauce so I omit that.

—Rene

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Jan 30, 2006

This is a tasty base recipe. Ingredients are easy to find, preparation is minimal and spices can be adjusted to suit each person's taste. I decreased the broth to 3 Qt, added garlic, a couple anise stars, increased the cinnamon stick (2) and used colored peppercorns. Along with the fresh herbs/vegs's we just seasoned with chili sauce. This soup will be a staple!

—Karen

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Nutrition

Calories
528 kcal
26%

Carbohydrates
73.1 g
24%

Cholesterol
51 mg
17%

Fat
13.6 g
21%

Fiber
3.9 g
15%

Protein
27.1 g
54%

Sodium
2844 mg
114%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

Nutritional Information

Vietnamese Beef Pho

Serving Size: 1/6 of a recipe
Servings Per Recipe: 6
Amount Per Serving
Calories: 528
Calories from Fat: 122

% Daily Value *
Total Fat 13.6g 21 %
Saturated Fat 5.4g 27 %
Cholesterol 51mg 17 %
Sodium 2844mg 114 %
Potassium 865mg 24 %
Total Carbohydrates 73.1g 24 %
** Dietary Fiber 3.9g 15 %
Protein 27.1g 54 %
** Sugars 4g
Vitamin A 20 %
Vitamin C 38 %
Calcium 14 %
Iron 50 %
** Thiamin 16 %
Niacin 93 %
** Vitamin B6 34 %
** Magnesium 26 %
Folate 41 %

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
** Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available nutrient data.
(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a medically restrictive diet, please consult your doctor or registered dietitian before preparing this recipe for personal consumption.