Soups & Stews

Serving

Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

Name: Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)
Total time: 240 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Soups & Stews
Ingredients: 4 pounds beef marrow and knuckle bones; 1 pound beef brisket; 1 large onion, halved; 1 piece (4 inches) fresh ginger, halved lengthwise; 5 star anise pods; 1 cinnamon stick; 4 whole cloves; 1 tablespoon coriander seeds; 3 tablespoons fish sauce; 1 tablespoon rock sugar; 2 teaspoons salt; 1 pound dried flat rice noodles; 8 ounces beef sirloin, very thinly sliced; 1 cup fresh bean sprouts; 1 bunch fresh Thai basil; 2 limes, cut into wedges

A deeply aromatic Vietnamese soup of slow-simmered beef broth, rice noodles, and paper-thin raw beef topped with fresh herbs.

240 minutes

Serves 6

Dinner

84 min prep

132 min cook

Contains common allergens

Fish Seafood Wheat

In the app, Listahan checks these against your household automatically.

Instructions

7 steps

1
Parboil the beef bones in boiling water for 10 minutes, then drain, rinse, and add to a clean large stockpot with the brisket and fresh water to cover.
2
Char the onion and ginger over an open flame or under the broiler until blackened, then add them to the pot.
3
Toast the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and coriander seeds in a dry pan until fragrant, then add to the pot along with the fish sauce, rock sugar, and salt.
4
Bring to a boil, skim off any foam, then reduce to a low simmer and cook for 3 hours, removing the brisket after about 90 minutes once tender.
5
Strain the broth and return it to a clean pot, keeping it at a steady simmer, and slice the cooled brisket thinly.
6
Soak and cook the rice noodles according to the package, then divide among bowls and top with sliced brisket and raw sirloin.
7
Ladle the boiling broth over the bowls to cook the raw beef, then serve with bean sprouts, Thai basil, and lime wedges on the side.

Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup) — plated and served — Serving moment. How Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup) looks plated and ready to eat — a representative photo, not a step in the recipe.

Listahan Family Score™

60/100

Works for many families

Allergen-friendly 70

Kid-friendly 55

Weeknight-easy 48

Budget-friendly 74

Great leftovers 87

Pantry-friendly 21

Score reflects how well this recipe fits a typical busy household. In the app, your Family Score is personalized to your household's allergens, kids, and pantry.

Nutrition

per serving

1350

Calories

112 g

Protein

71 g

Carbs

63 g

Fat

Estimated per serving. Actual values depend on the brands and portions you use.

Listahan cooking guide

Chef notes & practical guide

Technique notes, ingredient swaps, serve-alongside ideas, storage guidance, and equipment for this recipe.

Cultural context

Pho bo is a Vietnamese beef noodle soup that developed in northern Vietnam in the early 1900s, its clear, deeply flavored broth built by simmering beef bones for hours alongside charred aromatics. The dish spread south and internationally through the twentieth century, picking up regional variations in garnish and sweetness along the way.

Listahan note

This version chars the onion and ginger directly before they go into the pot, rather than adding them raw, since that char is what gives the broth its deep, slightly smoky background note instead of a flatter, purely boiled flavor.

Technique cues

Charring the halved onion and ginger, typically directly over a flame or under a broiler, before adding them to the pot builds a smoky depth the broth wouldn't have from raw aromatics.
Toasting whole star anise pods briefly before they simmer releases their oils more fully than dropping them in without any prior heat.
A long, gentle simmer of the bones and brisket, rather than a hard boil, keeps the broth clear rather than cloudy, since aggressive boiling emulsifies fat into the liquid.
Skimming the broth regularly during the first hour of simmering removes the impurities that would otherwise leave the finished broth murky.

Kitchen flow

Parallel prep: Prep any side dishes while Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup) finishes with the beef marrow and knuckle bones — the hands-off cook time is the window to use. Everything else is quick — the simmer is the one step that takes real time.
Make-ahead: Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup) reheats well, so cooking it a day ahead and finishing it just before serving is a reasonable way to spread out the work. This one leans on the beef marrow and knuckle bones. Everything else is quick — the simmer is the one step that takes real time.
Leftover move: Leftover Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup) reheats well covered on the stove or in the oven with a splash of liquid; avoid the microwave, which tends to toughen the beef marrow and knuckle bones on a fast reheat. The simmer step is what sets the pace here.
Cleanup rhythm: Deglaze the pan used for Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup) with a splash of water or broth right after cooking — it lifts the browned bits before they dry on and saves scrubbing later. This one leans on the beef marrow and knuckle bones. Plan around the simmer; that's the slow part.

Ingredient brief

Role, handling, and swap guidance for each key ingredient.

4 pounds beef marrow and knuckle bones

Main protein or body

Purpose: pounds beef marrow and knuckle bones gives Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup) its main substance and carries the seasoning.

Handling: Pat dry, cut evenly, and season before cooking so browning or sauce coverage is consistent.