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Ultimate Pho Bo Recipe Easy Authentic Vietnamese Beef Soup to Make at Home

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A rich and flavorful Vietnamese beef soup featuring a deeply aromatic broth, tender beef slices, and fresh herbs. This authentic pho bo recipe is easy to make at home and perfect for cozy meals.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3–4 pounds beef bones (marrow and knuckle bones)
  • 1 pound beef brisket or flank
  • 8 ounces beef eye round or sirloin (thinly sliced raw beef)
  • 2 medium yellow onions (charred)
  • 4-inch piece ginger (charred)
  • 5–6 whole star anise
  • 1 large cinnamon stick (about 3 inches)
  • 4–5 whole cloves
  • 2–3 whole cardamom pods (optional)
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce (60 ml)
  • 1 tablespoon rock sugar
  • Salt to taste
  • 12 ounces rice noodles (pho noodles)
  • Fresh herbs and garnishes: Thai basil, cilantro, sliced green onions, lime wedges, bean sprouts, thinly sliced jalapeños or Thai chili (optional)

Instructions

  1. Rinse beef bones and brisket under cold water. Place in stockpot and cover with about 4 quarts (3.8 liters) cold water. Bring to rolling boil for 10 minutes to remove impurities. Skim foam and discard water. Rinse bones and pot.
  2. Char peeled onions and ginger over open flame or under broiler until blackened spots appear.
  3. Toast star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, and cardamom in a dry pan over medium heat for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Avoid burning.
  4. Return bones and brisket to pot. Add charred onions, ginger, toasted spices, fish sauce, rock sugar, and about 5 quarts (4.7 liters) cold water. Bring to a simmer (no boiling), partially cover, and simmer gently for 3-4 hours, skimming foam occasionally.
  5. Remove brisket after simmering, let cool slightly, then slice thinly against the grain. Set aside.
  6. Strain broth through fine mesh strainer or cheesecloth-lined colander into another pot or bowl. Discard solids. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt or fish sauce.
  7. Soak rice noodles in warm water until pliable, then briefly blanch in boiling water just before serving. Drain well.
  8. Slice raw beef (eye round or sirloin) as thinly as possible using a very sharp knife. Keep refrigerated until serving.
  9. Assemble bowls with cooked noodles, sliced brisket, and raw beef. Pour boiling broth over to gently cook raw beef. Top with fresh herbs, bean sprouts, lime wedges, and jalapeños.

Notes

Blanch bones before simmering for clear broth. Char onions and ginger for smoky depth. Toast whole spices fresh to release aroma. Freeze beef slightly for easier thin slicing. Skim foam often to avoid cloudy broth. Make broth a day ahead for deeper flavor and skim fat before reheating. Keep broth at rolling boil just before serving to cook raw beef quickly without toughness.

Nutrition

Keywords: pho bo, Vietnamese beef soup, pho recipe, authentic pho, beef broth, Vietnamese cuisine, easy pho, homemade pho

Find it online: https://blairrecipes.com/ultimate-pho-bo-recipe-easy-authentic-vietnamese-beef-soup-to-make-at-home/