Vietnamese Beef Soup – Pho

Vietnamese Beef Soup – Pho is a recipe that is worth the wait. This soup is a meal in its own right with fall apart tenderness. Add a hit of chillies and vegetables and this dish will become a favourite.

So if you haven’t yet experienced the simple joy of a steaming bowl of Vietnamese Beef Soup — often known as pho — you’re in for a treat. This dish is a beautiful balance of rich, slow-cooked broth, tender slices of beef, fresh herbs, and delicate noodles. It’s the kind of meal that feels like a warm hug on a chilly day, yet it’s light enough to enjoy any time.

What makes Vietnamese Beef Soup so special isn’t just the ingredients — it’s the way they come together with care and patience. The heart of this soup is the broth, which is traditionally made by simmering beef bones and stew meat for several hours. This slow cooking process releases deep, meaty flavours and a richness that you won’t find in a quick stock or soup base. Aromatic spices like cinnamon, star anise, and black peppercorns add layers of warmth and subtle complexity, without ever overpowering the broth’s natural goodness.

One of my favourite things about Vietnamese beef soup – pho is the freshness you add right before serving. It’s not just about the broth and beef — the experience is in the toppings, too. Crisp bean sprouts, thinly sliced scallions, and raw onions bring brightness and texture, while the fresh lemon wedges add a zesty punch that lifts the entire bowl. And for those who like a bit of heat, sliced red chillies are there to turn up the spice dial as much or as little as you like.

The noodles are another star of the show. Usually, thin dried rice noodles soak for a couple of hours, then cook just until tender. This careful timing is important — overcooked noodles can get mushy, and undercooked ones can be tough. When done right, they’re silky and soft, providing the perfect base to soak up the flavourful broth.

One of the most charming aspects of Vietnamese Beef Soup – Pho is how the beef is cooked at the table. Thin slices of rump steak are placed raw in your bowl, and the hot broth poured over them gently cooks the meat to a perfect pink. It’s a little bit of magic — watching the meat go from raw to tenderly cooked in front of your eyes. It also means the beef stays juicy and tender, never overcooked or dry.

Vietnamese Beef Soup – Pho is wonderfully versatile, too. Whether you’re cooking for a cosy family dinner or impressing friends with your culinary skills, this dish can be made in advance (thanks to that long-simmered broth) and quickly assembled when you’re ready to eat. It’s comfort food that feels fresh and vibrant, not heavy or stodgy.

For those new to Vietnamese cuisine or home cooks looking for something a little different, Vietnamese beef soup – pho offers a fantastic introduction. It’s not fussy, but it’s full of flavour. It invites you to slow down, appreciate the aromas and textures, and maybe even have fun experimenting with the toppings — fresh herbs like basil or mint, extra lime, or a splash of nuoc cham sauce for dipping.

In the end, Vietnamese Beef Soup – Pho is more than just a meal — it’s a celebration of balance, patience, and freshness. It’s a bowl that warms the body and soul, and once you’ve tried it, you’ll find it hard to go back to ordinary soup. So, next time you want something satisfying and special, give this dish a go. Your taste buds will thank you.

Vietnamese Beef Soup – Pho

Classic traditional Vietnamese Beef Soup – Pho is something you must experience

4.86 from 57 votes

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Course: Soup

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Keyword: Beef, Soup, Vegetables, Vietnamese Beef Soup, Vietnamese Beef Soup – Pho

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 8 hours hours

Total Time: 8 hours hours 10 minutes minutes

Servings: 6 people

Calories: 1575kcal

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Ingredients

 

MetricImperial

• ▢ 5 lb beef bones cut into 2 inch (5 cm) pieces, 2.5-3 Kg
• ▢ 1 lb stew beef cut into 1/2 inch (1 cm) pieces, 500 g
• ▢ 4 large onions very thinly sliced
• ▢ 1 piece ginger
• ▢ 1 whole cinnamon stick
• ▢ 1 whole star anise
• ▢ 1 tsp whole black peppercorns 5 ml
• ▢ 1 lb bean sprouts 500 g
• ▢ 1/2 lb dried rice noodles 250 g
• ▢ 6 large scallions thinly sliced,
• ▢ 1 lb rump steak sliced thin
• ▢ 2 large lemons wedged
• ▢ 2 large hot red chiles sliced into rings
• ▢ Salt to taste
• ▢ Pepper to taste

Instructions

• Place the bones and stew meat in a large soup pot and add 10 cups (2.5 L) water.
  5 lb beef bones, 1 lb stew beef
• Add half the sliced onions, the ginger, cinnamon, star anise, peppercorns, and salt.
  4 large onions, 1 piece ginger, 1 whole cinnamon stick, 1 whole star anise, 1 tsp whole black peppercorns, Salt, Pepper
• Bring to a boil and turn the heat to a very low simmer.
• Skim the foam from the surface and cook covered for 6 hours.
• Soak the noodles in enough water to cover for 2 hours.
  1/2 lb dried rice noodles
• Drain and cook in enough boiling water to cover until just tender.
• Do not overcook.
• Drain well and set aside.
• Blanche the bean sprouts by pouring boiling water over them in a colander.
  1 lb bean sprouts
• Rinse under cold water and set aside.
• To serve, divide the noodles among individual serving bowls.
• Top the noodles with bean sprouts, sliced scallions, sliced onions, and the paper thin slices of beef.
  6 large scallions, 1 lb rump steak
• Ladle the broth over the beef and noodles.
• The heat from the broth is enough to cook the beef, which should be slightly pink.
• Serve your Vietnamese Beef Soup – Pho with lemon wedges, sliced chilies and nuoc cham..
  2 large lemons, 2 large hot red chiles

Nutrition

Calories: 1575kcal | Carbohydrates: 15g | Protein: 154g | Fat: 96g | Saturated Fat: 38g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 41g | Cholesterol: 423mg | Sodium: 1770mg | Potassium: 1518mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g