Vietnamese Beef Pho Noodle Soup

Vietnamese pho noodle soup not only has herbs and vegetables that are fresh, but also the soup is healthy. Also, this homemade Vietnamese beef pho noodle soup recipe has both instant pot and top stove methods.

Course Main Course, Noodles, Soup

Cuisine Asian, Vietnamese

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 2

Total Time 2 15

Servings

Calories 766kcal

Author Tracy O.

Ingredients

Broth:

4 pounds Beef bones (5 pieces)
2 tablespoons Rock sugar (1.5 oz, can use brown sugar or regular sugar)
2 small Onions (1.5 onions for the broth, save ½ onion and slice it very thin for the noodles later)
8 pieces Star anise
10 pieces Clove
2 sticks Cinnamon sticks
4 slices Ginger (0.7 oz)
12 cups Water (Top stove cooking add 2 cups water, total 14 cups)
2 tablespoons Fish sauce
2 teaspoons Salt (Add to your taste)

Toppings:

2 pounds Vietnamese pho rice noodles (1 pack is 1 pound or 16 oz, needs 2 packs)
2 pounds Beef thin sliced
2 oz Thai basil leaves
2 cups Bean sprouts (5 oz)
1 Lime
3 Chili peppers (2-3, it is optional)

Instructions

Instant Pot Method:

Peel, wash and cut 2 small sized onions into half. 3 half of the onions will be used for the soup.
Take one of the half onions and cut it into thin slices.
Peel, wash and cut a piece of small ginger (0.7 oz) into 4 slices.
After that, put the half onions from step 1 and ginger from step 3 into the instant pot pressure cooker. ( I used a 6 quarts instant pot and it barely reached the maximum line. If you have a bigger pot it will be better.)
Next, put 4 pounds of beef bone into the instant pot pressure cooker.
After, put 8 pieces of star anise, 10 pieces of cloves, 2 sticks of cinnamon sticks and 2 tablespoons of rock sugar (1.5 oz). (Rinse the star anise, cloves and cinnamon sticks before putting into the pot. Also, you can use brown sugar or regular sugar instead of rock sugar.)
Pour 12 cups of water into the instant pot. Close the lid and vent. Push the manual button to adjust time for 65 minutes and natural release pressure.
While waiting for the broth, wash and cut 2-3 pieces of green chili peppers. (I used Serrano green chili peppers and this is optional if you don't like spicy.)
Cut 1 lime into 8 pieces of wedges.
Wash 2 cups of bean sprouts (5 oz) and 2 oz of Thai basil leaves. Then, put them on the plate with the cut lime and chili peppers.
Pour 10 cups of water into the pot. Turn on the fire medium high.
When the water is boiling, put 2 pounds of the pho rice noodles into the water. Let it cook for 10-20 seconds. Or, follow the package instructions. (Don't over cook the noodles. You can cook 1 pound noodle first and cook more when you need.)
Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water.
Put some cooked noodle and thin sliced onion from step 2 into the bowl.
When the soup is done, use the strainer to remove the excess fat.
Put 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and 2 teaspoons of salt. ( Remember to add salt to your taste.) Mix the soup well. Push the saute button and let it boil.
The following step, put 4 pieces of thin sliced raw beef on the noodle.
When the soup is boiling again from step 16, pour the hot boiling broth over the raw beef. Then, put the bean spouts, Thai basil and chili pepper into the noodle. You can also squeeze some fresh lime juice.

Stove Top Method:

Peel, wash and cut 2 small sized onions into half. 3 half of the onions will be used for the soup.
Take one of the half onions and cut it into thin slices.
Peel, wash and cut a piece of small ginger (0.7 oz) into 4 slices.
After that, put the half onions from step 1 and ginger from step 3 into a big pot.
Next, put 4 pounds of beef bone into the pot.
After, put 8 pieces of star anise, 10 pieces of cloves, 2 sticks of cinnamon sticks and 2 tablespoons of rock sugar (1.5 oz). (Rinse the star anise, cloves and cinnamon sticks before putting into the pot. Also, you can use brown sugar or regular sugar instead of rock sugar.)
Pour 14 cups of water into the pot. Turn the fire to high until it boils. Then, turn to low and simmer for at least 2 hours.
While waiting for the broth, wash and cut 2-3 pieces of green chili peppers. (I used Serrano green chili peppers and this is optional if you don't like spicy.)
Cut 1 lime into 8 pieces of wedges.
Wash 2 cups of bean sprouts (5 oz) and 2 oz of Thai basil leaves. Then, put them on the plate with the cut lime and chili peppers.
Pour 10 cups of water into the pot. Turn on the fire medium high.
When the water is boiling, put 2 pounds of the pho rice noodles into the water. Let it cook for 10-20 seconds. Or, follow the package instructions. (Don't over cook the noodles. You can cook 1 pound noodle first and cook more when you need.)
Drain and rinse the noodles with cold water.
Put some cooked noodle and thin sliced onion from step 2 into the bowl.
When the soup is done, use the strainer to remove the excess fat.
Put 2 tablespoons of fish sauce and 2 teaspoons of salt. ( Remember to add salt to your taste.) Mix the soup well. Turn on the fire and let it boil.
The following step, put 4 pieces of thin sliced raw beef on the noodle.
When the soup is boiling again from step 16, pour the hot boiling broth over the raw beef. Then, put the bean spouts, Thai basil and chili pepper into the noodle. You can also squeeze some fresh lime juice.

Video

Notes

Cooking tips for how to make Vietnamese pho beef noodle soup instant pot and top stove:

Broth:

I tried to compare pho soup using a top stove and instant pot pressure cooker method. As a result, beef pho noodle soup has more flavor when using a pressure cooker than regular top stove method.
If you use a top stove boiling method, remember to add 2 more cups of water, a total of 14 cups. After that, turn the fire to small and simmer for at least 2 hours.
Some people like to boil the bones to remove the blood and fat first. However, to make it simple and easy, I normally rinse the bones with hot water. Then, use the strainer to remove the excess fat.

Noodles:

Pour water into the pot and turn on the fire. When the water is boiling, put the pho rice noodles into the water. Make sure all the noodles are immersed into the water. Then, let it cook for 10-20 seconds or cook the noodles following the package instructions.
Don't overcook it.
Drain and rinse under cold water.

Nutrition