Quick Vietnamese Beef Pho

No trip to Vietnam would be complete without a hearty and delicious bowl of pho. While the rice noodles, savory bites of beef and pile of fresh herbs are all delicious elements of the dish, what really shines here is the broth. True pho broth takes hours, sometimes even days to develop a rich flavor, but if you find yourself with a craving on a random Thursday night, our quick version is guaranteed to hit the spot. If you are up for the challenge and have a day or two to spare, take a look at our authentic Vietnamese Beef Pho recipe.

Ingredients for the broth:

• 2 large yellow onions
• 1 (4”) piece fresh ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 (3”) whole cinnamon sticks
• 2 whole star anise
• 3 whole cloves
• 2 teaspoons whole coriander seeds
• 6 cups low-sodium beef broth
• 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 3 medium carrots, peeled and coarsely chopped

For soup:

• 8 ounces sirloin steak, round eye, or London broil
• 8 ounces dried rice noodles (bahn pho, 1/16”, ⅛“, or ¼” wide)

Toppings:

• 3 medium scallions, thinly sliced
• 1 fresh jalapeño pepper or Thai bird, thinly sliced
• 1 to 2 medium limes, cut into wedges
• 1 cup mung bean sprouts
• 1 cup fresh mixed herbs, such as cilantro, basil, and mint, roughly torn
• Hot sauce, Sriracha, and/or Hoisin sauce

Instructions

1. Peel the onions and cut them into quarters, leaving the root intact. Peel the ginger and slice it into quarters lengthwise.
2. Place the the onion and ginger pieces on a baking sheet and set directly under the broiler for 5 minutes on each side, or until they are charred in spots. Quickly rinse the pieces under cool water to remove any loose, gritty, overly charred bits and set aside.
3. Toast the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, and coriander seeds in a medium saucepan over medium-low heat for about 1-2 minutes or until very fragrant. Make sure to stir frequently to prevent scorching.
4. Add the broth, tamari or soy sauce, fish sauce, carrots, charred onions and ginger to the saucepan with the spices, and cover. Raise the heat and bring everything to a boil, then lower to medium-low and simmer for 30 minutes.
5. While the broth is cooking, place the beef on a plate, cover with saran and place in the freezer for 15 min to make thin slicing easier. Once the edges of the beef are firm enough, slice very thinly against the grain (no thicker than ¼“), cover and refrigerate until ready to serve.
6. In a separate pot bring water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions. Drain them once done, rinse under cool water to stop the cooking process, and separate into serving bowls. You’ll want to do this right away because the noodles will start to stick as they cool.
7. Arrange the scallions, sliced pepper, lime wedges and mixed herbs on a serving dish and place it on the table.
8. When the broth is ready, strain it to remove all solids and then bring it back to a low simmer before serving. It will need to be hot to cook the beef.
9. Place the beef slices over the noodles in the bowls in a single layer to ensure even cooking and ladle the hot broth on top. Make sure to pour evenly over the beef to cook it.
10. Serve the pho and let each person add the toppings as desired.

Note: You can make the dish vegetarian by skipping the fish sauce and replacing the beef with tofu, mushrooms, bok choy or other vegetables. You might need to add a bit more salt to compensate for the fish sauce.