Vietnamese Pho Recipe

Pho-get takeout and prepare to impress with a flavorful homemade Vietnamese Pho recipe, packed with tender noodles and topped for ultimate satisfaction.

authentic vietnamese pho recipe

Craving a taste of Vietnam without leaving your kitchen?

Embark on a culinary adventure and unlock the secrets to crafting authentic Vietnamese Pho.

Get ready to create a symphony of flavors, from the rich, aromatic broth to the satisfying slurp of tender noodles.

What Is Vietnamese Pho?

vietnamese noodle soup dish

Have you ever heard of Pho? It's this awesome Vietnamese noodle soup–and it's pronounced "fuh," by the way. I know, weird, right?

Basically, it's all about the broth! We're talking hours of simmering bones and spices to get every single bit of flavor. Seriously, people are passionate about this soup. Making the best broth and assembling the soup is key to getting that authentic taste.

Now, I'm going to guide you through my favorite recipe. Don't worry—I'll break it down so it's super easy for us to nail this!

When served, you can add rice noodles, some meat (usually beef or chicken), and a bunch of fresh herbs. It's a perfect balance. Get ready to slurp cause that's the only appropriate way to enjoy it!

Key Ingredients

essential components for success

Let's plunge into the heart of this recipe – the key ingredients you'll need! For our Vietnamese pickled veggies, we are basically making quick pickles. It's seriously easy!

First, grab your veggies! You'll need:

  • 2 medium carrots, peeled and cut into batons – like fancy matchsticks!
  • 1/2 large daikon, also peeled and cut like the carrots. If you can't find it, double up on carrots.
  • 1 1/2 cups of boiling water – careful, it's hot!
  • 1/2 cup of white sugar – sweet!
  • 4 tsp of cooking/kosher salt

And finally, the magic ingredient – ¾ cup of rice wine vinegar! It gives it that authentic zing. If you don't have rice vinegar use apple cider vinegar! Don't skip any ingredients!

Step-by-Step Instructions

instructions for completing tasks

I am ready to plunge into the step-by-step instructions, and you'll be amazed at how straightforward it is to create these tangy delights! First, grab a large bowl—it's pickle-making time!

In the bowl, dissolve 4 teaspoons of salt and ½ cup of sugar in 1½ cups of *hot* water—stir until it's all gone. You just want a clear liquid; next, pour in ¾ cup of rice wine vinegar (apple cedar vinegar works too).

Now, add those colorful veggies—2 medium carrots and ½ large daikon, both cut into batons. Make sure they're just covered by the liquid; otherwise, you'll have dry spots.

Let it sit for 2 hours, and watch the magic happen! The vegetables will be a little floppy, which lets you know they are ready.

Drain before using: Take out just the pickles you need, ditching the liquid.

Serving and Storing

proper food handling practices

Once you've got your Vietnamese pickles ready, let me tell you—they are super versatile! I use them to zhuzh up all sorts of dishes. Don't be shy about experimenting, okay?

Now, when you're not munching on them, you'll want to store 'em right. I recommend using airtight glass containers–that's the best way, honestly. Make sure those veggies are submerged in the pickling liquid. Seriously, they gotta be swimming in it. It'll keep them fresh and crunchy for, like, two months in your fridge. And you can put it with anything like this:

  • Grilled meats
  • Noodle bowls
  • Banh Mi
  • Lemongrass chicken
  • Pork and meatballs

Don't use plastic. Now, that's all there is to know about storing the pickles!

Short Recipe Version

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 3 hours

Serving Size: 6

Ingredients:

  • 2 lbs beef bones
  • 1 lb beef chuck
  • 1 onion
  • 2-inch ginger
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 5 star anise
  • 1 tbsp coriander seeds
  • 1 tbsp fennel seeds
  • 6 quarts water
  • 2 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 lb rice noodles
  • 1/2 cup sliced scallions
  • 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
  • 1 lime, quartered
  • 1/2 cup sliced onion
  • Bean sprouts (optional)
  • Jalapenos, sliced(optional)

Instructions:

  1. Roast beef bones, onion, and ginger.
  2. Combine bones, beef chuck, roasted aromatics, spices, water, fish sauce, sugar, and salt in a large pot.
  3. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 3 hours, skimming occasionally.
  4. Remove beef chuck and shred. Strain broth.
  5. Cook rice noodles according to package directions.
  6. Assemble bowls with noodles, shredded beef, scallions, cilantro, and sliced onion.
  7. Laddle hot broth over noodles and beef.
  8. Serve with lime wedges, bean sprouts and jalapenos if desired.

Nutrition Information (Per Serving – Estimated):

  • Calories: 450
  • Protein: 35g
  • Fat: 20g
  • Carbohydrates: 30g