Phở is the soul-warming beef noodle soup that defines Vietnamese cuisine — a clear, deeply savory broth infused with star anise, cinnamon, and charred ginger, poured over tender rice noodles and paper-thin raw beef that cooks in the heat of the broth. The magic lies in the balance: rich beef bones, aromatic spices, and fresh herbs come together in a bowl that is both comforting and complex.

Ingredients

For the broth

  • 1.5 kg (3 lb) beef brisket
  • 1 kg (2 lb) meaty beef bones (oxtail or chuck)
  • 1 kg (2 lb) marrow bones (leg or shin)
  • 1 large onion, halved
  • 4 cm (1.5 inch) piece ginger, sliced
  • 1 cinnamon stick (or 1/2 cassia bark)
  • 4 whole star anise
  • 4 whole cardamom pods
  • 2 tsp coriander seeds
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 tbsp salt
  • 4 tbsp fish sauce
  • 2 tbsp sugar (white or rock)
  • 5 liters (5 quarts) water

For serving

  • 700 g (1.4 lb) fresh thin rice noodles (banh pho tuoi)
  • 400 g (14 oz) beef tenderloin, sliced paper-thin
  • 1/2 onion, paper-thin slices
  • 1 bunch scallions, green parts sliced
  • 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
  • Lime wedges
  • Bean sprouts
  • Thai basil
  • Hoisin sauce and sriracha

Instructions

1

Char the aromatics

Preheat your broiler to high. Place onion halves and ginger slices on a baking sheet and broil for 5-10 minutes until blackened in spots. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the cinnamon, star anise, cardamom, coriander seeds, and cloves for 1-2 minutes until fragrant. Set aside.

2

Clean the bones

Rinse the brisket and bones under cold water. Place them in a large stockpot, cover with cold water, and bring to a rolling boil. Boil for 5 minutes, then drain in a colander and rinse everything under cold water to remove the scum. Wash the pot clean.

3

Simmer the broth

Return the brisket and bones to the clean pot. Add 5 liters of fresh cold water, the charred onion and ginger, and the toasted spices. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce to a low simmer — barely moving bubbles. Skim any foam that rises in the first 30 minutes. Simmer uncovered for 3 hours. Do not stir.

4

Rest the brisket

After 3 hours, remove the brisket with tongs and plunge it into ice water for 5 minutes to stop cooking. Reserve the brisket for slicing. Continue simmering the bones for another 40 minutes for deeper flavor.

5

Strain and season

Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into another pot. Discard the bones, spices, onion, and ginger. Season with fish sauce, salt, and sugar. Taste and adjust — the broth should be savory with a hint of sweetness and deep beef flavor.

6

Prepare the noodles and toppings

Cook the rice noodles according to package directions (fresh noodles need only about 30 seconds in boiling water). Partly freeze the beef tenderloin for 30 minutes, then slice it paper-thin. Slice the rested brisket into thin pieces. Slice the onion paper-thin and soak in cold water for 10 minutes.

7

Assemble and serve

Divide the noodles among bowls. Top with slices of raw tenderloin, cooked brisket, sliced onion, scallions, and cilantro. Ladle the boiling broth over everything — the heat will cook the raw beef to medium-rare in about 30 seconds. Serve immediately with bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime wedges, hoisin sauce, and sriracha on the side.

VNomy Notes

  • Char the aromatics — don't skip this step. The blackened onion and ginger are not burned; they are toasted for smoky depth that distinguishes homemade pho from broth made with raw aromatics. If you do not have a broiler, use tongs over a gas flame or char in a dry cast-iron pan.
  • Toast the spices too. Blooming them in a dry pan for 60 seconds wakes up the volatile oils. Cold spices dropped straight into broth taste dusty and flat.
  • Use three types of beef for maximum flavor. Brisket alone is decent; brisket plus meaty bones plus marrow bones is restaurant-grade. If you can only find one type, meaty bones are the most important for body.
  • Do not boil hard after the initial scum boil. A vigorous simmer creates cloudy broth. Barely-moving bubbles produce clear broth. Same volume of water, totally different result.
  • Partly freeze the beef tenderloin before slicing. Thirty minutes in the freezer firms it enough to slice paper-thin with a sharp knife. Room-temperature beef shreds instead of slicing cleanly.
  • Rock sugar substitute: If you cannot find yellow rock sugar (duong phen), substitute 1 tablespoon of white sugar. The sweetness balances the spices.
  • For a vegetarian version, skip the fish sauce and use soy sauce or mushroom seasoning instead, but keep the sugar — the sweetness is non-negotiable for balance.