Phở (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

Authentic homemade Phở starts with toasting the spices until fragrant. Then let the magic unfold as it simmers long and slow in a beef bone stock until the flavor is deeply infused. Learn how to make this signature noodle soup from scratch and serve it with rice noodles, your favorite toppings and fresh herbs!

For a meatless Phở option, try Mum’s vegetarian version!

The recipe that converted me

Vietnamese Phở needs no introduction. When it comes to the most recognized dish in Vietnam, this beef noodle soup takes first place. But here’s a confession: I didn’t always love Phở!

It wasn’t until I tried my mother-in-law’s one a few years ago that I found my love for it. From that point on, I made it my mission to learn her recipe so I could replicate it at home.

And here I have it ready for you!

Phở is a true labor of love, but worth every minute. Unlike other beefy recipes like Bò Kho (Beef Stew) or Oxtail Hot Pot (牛尾煲), the soup isn’t heavy.

The broth is delicate, light and deeply infused with hand toasted spices. Each bone is simmered low and slow for HOURS until their flavor seeps through like liquid gold.

Then when the Phở is served with fresh rice noodles, fragrant herbs and all the juicy beefy toppings, you’ll have a complete experience that’ll take you right back to the streets of Vietnam!

What exactly is Phở?

Phở is another homey must-try dish for all the noodle soup lovers out there. What sets it apart from other types is that it comes loaded with beefy flavors and the broth’s essence is deepened using toasted aromatics. Common toppings include rare beef slices, meatballs and brisket.

People often enjoy Phở with thin rice noodles, bean sprouts, Thai basil, a squeeze of lemon juice and accompanying sauces like hoisin and Sriracha.

These days, there are many ‘premium’ versions of Phở including those with wagyu or short ribs. Of course, the classics never get old and it’s great to get to know them all!

The different types

If you’ve ever read the menu at a Vietnamese restaurant, you may have seen a few varieties of Phở. Here is a breakdown of the most common ones:

Phở Tái – If you ask for this, you’ll get your Phở topped with rare beef slices. It’s the most basic form and the easiest to put together.
Phở Nạm – This Phở comes with just brisket. It’s a great balance of a fatty and meaty cut.
Phở Tái Nạm – My husband’s go-to! It has a duo of rare beef and brisket, which makes it simple but with just enough variety.
Phở Đặc Biệt – Commonly known as the Phở ‘special’ or ‘combination’. Different restaurants will interpret this differently, but the noodle soup will be topped with a variety of toppings including meatballs, brisket, rare beef, tripe or tendon.
Phở Gà – This is a chicken Phở and made using chicken instead of beef. It’s actually the first version of Phở and originated in Northern Vietnam. It wasn’t until the French colonized the country that a beef variety was created.

How is ‘Phở’ pronounced?

Vietnamese is a language that uses tones, which means that one word can be said in many ways by changing the way it’s pitched (or inflected). For that reason, words that may look easy to read phonetically in English might sound very different when different the tones are added.

‘Phở’ is one of them. The symbols (or diacritics) on varying letters suggest varying ways of saying the sound, making a word like ‘Phở’ sound more like fuh rather than fur or foh. If you’d like to learn, you can listen to how it’s pronounced step by step here.

You can practice learning how to say ‘Phở’ so you can order it like a local at any Vietnamese restaurant. Otherwise, bring the excitement home and try making it yourself!

Phở in a bowl with a spoon and chopsticks scooping into it.

Why this recipe works

Double boiling is a technique we use for stocks so the broth stays light yet fragrantly beefy.
Toasting the spices enhances their aromas to flavor the Phở broth.
Soaking the bones releases excess blood and helps to keep the soup clear.

What you’ll need

For the broth

Plates of brisket, Chinese cinnamon bark, star anise, coriander seeds, cardamom and cloves along with bowls of beef bones, oxtail cutlets and dried shrimp next to brown and red onions, ginger and scallions tied into a knot.

About the spices

You can either buy whole dried spices from Asian supermarkets like we did and use what you need then store the leftovers for future recipes or get pre-prepared Phở spice bags with all the necessary spices in there already.

For the broth seasoning

Dishes of chicken bouillon powder, salt and sugar along with a measuring cup of fish sauce.

About the seasoning

This Phở recipe uses chicken bouillon powder as a flavor enhancer but you can also use beef bouillon or stock cubes instead.

For the toppings

Bowls of bible tripe, tendon and beef meatballs along with a dish of eye fillet.

About the selection

For our homemade Phở, we use oxtail, brisket, homemade beef balls, bible tripe, tendons and eye fillet for the rare beef slices. You can use all of these or any of your choice.

The rare beef can be substituted with sirloin, flank steak, chuck roast, wagyu or tenderloin.

For the garnish and noodles

Bowls of bean sprouts, sliced brown onion and chopped coriander and scallions next to a dish of chili and scallion whites along with a bag of Phở noodles and a lemon.

About the ingredients

Phở is typically served with fresh Thai basil, bean sprouts and thinly sliced onions. It’s then garnished using chopped spring onions/scallions and coriander. Make sure they’re washed and prepared. To find out how, read the bottom of this guide.

Some families also eat Phở with sliced chili and the white parts of scallions. You can use whichever you prefer.

We buy fresh Phở rice noodles from our local Asian grocery store. They also come dried in packets and in varying thicknesses.

How to make this recipe

Preparing the bones

Beef bones and oxtail cutlets in bowls of water.

Rinse, then soak the oxtail, brisket and beef bones in cold water with 1 tbsp salt for 1 hour. Replace the water with a clean batch another 3 times every hour following.

Note: At home, we divide the batches into separate bowls to fit everything and also divide the salt content equally among all three. When you renew the water, also add the same amount of salt each time.

Drain, then fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil. The water needs to cover all the bones.

Add the bones and brisket in and bring it back to a boil. As soon as it starts to boil, pour all the contents out, wash the pot and refill with 8.4L (35.5 US cup) water.

Put the pot back on high heat to come to a boil while you wash the bones and brisket. Wash off any scum or impurities, then put them back into the water when boiling. Let it come to a boil before turning the heat down to medium.

Cooking the aromatics

A pan of dried shrimp, Chinese cinnamon bark, coriander seeds, cloves, star anise and cardamom.

Put the star anise, Chinese cinnamon bark, cloves, coriander seeds, cardamom and dried shrimp in a small pan. Toast over low-medium heat for 5 minutes or until fragrant.

Let the contents cool while you work on the other Phở ingredients.

Tongs holding a brown onion over a flame from a gas stove.

Char the stock onions and ginger until blackened, then run under cool water to remove the black parts. You may need to peel some onion layers off.

Pro Tip: Use a small knife to scrape the ginger’s skin to remove the darkened areas.

Alternatively, remove the skin of the onions and ginger, then dry toast it on low-medium heat in a pan for 5 minutes or until just starting to develop black bits.

When done, add them into the Phở stock.

Pour the cooled toasted aromatics into a cheesecloth or spice bag, then tie it tightly.

Note: We used a coffee mesh strainer that had a handle, so we simply cut it from the metal handle and used the bag itself.

Making the broth

Onions, scallions, ginger and a spice bag in a pot of water.

Add the spice bag into the pot along with the scallion/spring onion knot. As the broth simmers, remember to skim the floating scum from the top every 30 minutes.

After 1 hour, season with the fish sauce, chicken bouillon powder, salt and sugar.

Ten minutes after adding the seasoning, take the brisket out and place into an ice bath for 10 minutes. This will slow down the cooking process and stop it from overcooking. When cool, thinly slice and let aside to use as a topping.

Note: If the brisket is still tough when you poke through it using a chopstick, let it simmer for another hour or until just beginning to soften.

Scrub 3 tbsp salt through the bible tripe and tendons, then rinse clean. Repeat once more.

Add them into the broth to cook. Take the tripe out after 15 minutes or when just cooked. Let the tendon cook for a total of 3 hours or until soft in the Phở broth.

After another 2 hours, take the oxtail out and set aside to use as a topping. You can also scoop the onions out of the Phở broth at this point to prevent them from breaking and making the soup murky.

Note: Oxtail will take about 3 hours to cook, so test its texture at the 2 hour mark. Leave it to simmer for longer if needed or remove immediately when soft.

Phở broth in a pot with beef meatballs, tendon and tripe.

Add the meatballs into the broth to heat up. Use scissors to cut the tripe into thin slices along the thicker part.

Once the tendons have been cooking for 3 hours or until soft, scoop them out and cut them into smaller segments, roughly 3cm (1.2″) long. Set the tripe and tendons aside to add as a topping.

How to serve

Rice noodles in a metal strainer over a pot of boiling water.

Make sure the Phở soup is boiling just before serving so it can cook the rare beef slices.

Bring a small pot of water to a boil and quickly blanch the noodles. If you’re using the dried version, let it cook in a pot of boiling water for 10 minutes or until al dente.

Drain the noodles and pour into a serving bowl. Add the meatballs, brisket, oxtail, tripe and tendon. Lay the rare beef slices on top and pour hot soup directly over the uncooked meat to cook it.

Note: The beef slices are best served medium rare, but if you prefer it more cooked then let it cook in the pot for a little longer.

Serve the Phở garnished with bean sprouts, Thai basil, slice onions, coriander, scallions and scallion whites.

Accompany the bowl with a sauce dish of Sa Tế (Vietnamese Lemongrass Chili Sauce), hoisin and Sriracha!

Recipe FAQs

Can I make Phở in an Instant Pot?

Definitely! I would still suggest doing the initial boil for the bones so the scum is removed before adding it into the Instant Pot. Also keep in mind that this recipe’s size may not fit into a pressure cooker, so reduce the portion to suit your Instant Pot.
Add the liquid, seasoning and bones in, then begin cooking using the High Pressure setting for 2.5 hours, then set to natural release for 20-30 minutes.

Can I use chicken instead of beef?

You sure can! Just keep in mind that this will closely resemble Phở Gà, the chicken version that originated from Northern Vietnam; it’s also delicious!

How do I store the cooked Phở?

Let the soup come to room temperature, then transfer it into small containers to either freeze or refrigerate. If you plan on freezing it, you can keep it for a month. Just let it defrost a little before pouring into a pot to reheat.
If you plan on putting the Phở broth in the fridge, it will last for 3 days. Make sure it’s sealed well.
At home, we just leave it all in the pot and bring it to a boil before we sleep. The lid goes on top and the next morning we boil it again to minimize the bacteria. We also only ever do this when the weather’s cold!

Tips for the best results

Ask the butcher to slice the meat topping for you. They often have machines that can do it thinly and each slice will come out with a consistent thickness. Alternatively, semi-freeze the beef (roughly 20 minutes) so it’s easier to slice.
Avoid overcooking the beef. Simmering the bones for hours will release tons of flavor in the Phở broth, but for any beef toppings it’s best to cook them until just right otherwise they will fall apart as you eat.
Cook the soup low and slow. This will help to keep the broth clear with a clean taste. For extra flavor, cook the base stock the night before and bring it back to a simmer the next day for a few more hours.
Use a variety of bones. Marrow and knuckle bones will give different layers of beefy essence.
Keep the noodles al dente. Much like how we keep our egg noodles springy, microwave the Phở noodles for 30 seconds, then blanch quickly.
Make each serving as you go. Whenever someone is ready to eat a bowl of Phở, cook their noodles and serve fresh instead of cooking all the noodles at once and letting them sit.

Phở in a bowl surrounded by a plate of garnish, a dish of dipping sauces, chopsticks and a spoon.

Vietnamese noodle soups the locals love!

Vịt Nấu Chao (Duck and Fermented Bean Curd Hot Pot) – Thick, nutty and deliciously frgrant with duck flavor, this is the perfect family gathering meal.
Cà Ri Gà (Chicken Curry) – If you love creamy soups, then try this favorite with crusty baguettes or rice noodles.
Bún Mắm (Fermented Fish Noodle Soup) – Try what Vietnamese locals call home with this robust dish topped with assorted seafood.
Hủ Tiếu Nam Vang (Pork and Prawn Clear Noodle Soup) – A wonderful fusion between Chinese, Cambodian and Vietnamese cuisines, you’ll love this simple yet satisfying noodle soup.
Bánh Canh Cua (Crab Tapioca Noodle Soup) – This recipe is all about textures and you’ll get to enjoy a silky smooth and chewy noodle in a thick crab broth!

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Phở (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

The recipe that converted me