Delicious and Easy Pho Recipe
Are you craving a warm, healthy pho recipe to get you through the cold months? Look no further than this recipe! We use our favorite pho beef broth concentrate to create the base, skipping the hours needed to make traditional beef bone broth. The flavors rival our local Vietnamese restaurant – we hope you will be satisfied with this recipe and add it to your rotation.
Perfecting Your Pho
You can add as many toppings as you like to this pho recipe! If available, we recommend adding mung bean sprouts, mint or Thai basil, and a few sliced jalapeño peppers. We love any soup that welcomes the addition of fresh chopped herbs and vegetables – it almost feels like a soup and salad in one!
The Origins of Pho
So, where did this pho recipe come from? Phở, pronounced “fuh,” originated in the late 1800s during the French colonization of Vietnam. You can see French influence in the rich broth and the common addition of thinly sliced meats. Many believe that the word “phở” is derived from “pot au feu” or “stew” in French. Interestingly, Vietnamese cooking aims to balance five taste elements: spicy, sour, bitter, salty, and sweet. According to tradition, each taste corresponds with the health of a different organ in the body. Can you match the ingredients in this phở recipe with the five tastes?
Trying the Pho Recipe
Naturally, we would love to hear about your pho results in the comments below. Some of these ingredients may be difficult to find in your local grocery store, so we have added a few helpful links to specialty Amazon products below.
Conclusion
This pho recipe offers a delicious and convenient way to enjoy authentic Vietnamese flavors at home. Whether you are new to making pho or a seasoned pro, this recipe will become a favorite in your kitchen. Additionally, exploring other Vietnamese dishes can complement your meal. For more tasty Vietnamese recipes, check out our collection of Asian Recipes. If you need quality ingredients, visit Vietnamese Supermarket.
If you’re into noodle dishes like these, check out our recipe for Miso Ramen too!
Happy cooking!
Vietnamese Phở Noodle Soup Recipe
Ingredients
- 10-12 oz 1mm rice noodles
- 1 cup Sliced mushrooms
- 4 tablespoon Phở broth concentrate
- ½ tablespoon Rock sugar
Whole Spices
- 2 Star anise
- 2 Pieces cinnamon bark
- 2 teaspoon Whole coriander seeds
- 2 teaspoon Whole cloves
- 1 Whole black cardamom pod
- 1 tea bag or metal steeper
Proteins (choose one):
- 1-2 cups Cooked, shredded chicken
- 1-2 cups Thinly sliced steak
- 1-2 cups Diced firm tofu
Toppings (choose as many as you like):
- 1 cup Mung bean sprouts, shredded carrots, or sliced white onions
- ½ cup Fresh mint, Thai basil leaves, or cilantro
- 1 Lime (cut into quarters)
- 2-4 tablespoon Hoisin sauce
- 2-4 tablespoon Sriracha
- ¼ cup Sliced green onion
- 2-3 Sliced jalapeños (optional)
- 1-2 tablespoon fish sauce (optional)
Instructions
Prepare Your Protein
- Tofu: open, drain, and cut tofu into bitesize pieces.
- Chicken: shred boiled or cooked chicken with a fork.
- Steak: wash and pat dry, season with salt & pepper and sear until cooked. Thinly slice and keep warm.
- (Optional): wash any fresh add-ins. If using white onion, thinly slice into crescents & soak in water for 20 minutes.
Toast the Spices
- Preheat a large stock pot on medium-low. Empty the whole spices into the stock pot (setting the mesh tea bag aside) and toast the spices for 2-3 min., stirring constantly until fragrant and being careful not to burn.
- Remove from heat. When the spices have cooled, place into the mesh bag, tie closed, and lightly crush spices with a mallet. Tip: use the plastic bag for reinforcement.
Create Pho Broth
- In a large stock pot, mix 9-10 cups of water with phở broth concentrate (6 veggie broth packets or 4 Tbsp. beef/chicken broth paste).
- Place toasted whole spice sachet and mushrooms into the pot, cover, and bring to a boil on high heat (~10 min).
- In a separate large pot, bring 6 cups of water to a boil.
Season & Add Protein
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add rock sugar, 1-2 Tbsp. fish sauce (optional), and juice from half of the lime.
- If using tofu or shredded chicken, add to broth, cover, and simmer for 10-15 minutes.
Cook Rice Noodles
- Add rice noodles to the pot of boiling water from step 3, turn off heat, and soak noodles for 6-7 minutes until soft, drain, and run under cold water to stop the cooking. Tip: add a little oil and toss to prevent noodles from sticking together.
Plate & Enjoy!
- Place rice noodles into soup bowls (you’ll have extra!) and ladle broth over noodles. If adding steak, arrange on top.
- Customize your bowl with sriracha (spicy!), hoisin sauce, green onion, lime, cilantro, fish sauce and any other toppings.
- Enjoy with chopsticks and a large soup spoon. Enhance your experience with a playlist (takeoutkit.com/playlists).
Video
Are you looking for more delicious global recipes? Be sure to check out the complete list.
Rachael says
So simple and easy to make. I usually have most of the ingredients on hand except for the fresh items.