Vietnamese Beef Soup
Pho bo
Overview
A classic Vietnamese pho featuring paper-thin beef slices cooked in a fragrant broth spiced with star anise and cinnamon, served over rice noodles with fresh herbs and sprouts.
Ingredients
Protein
- 400 grams rump steak (frozen)
Aromatics
- ½ onion
- 1 white onion (small, thinly sliced)
Seasonings
- 1 ½ tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- pinch ground white pepper
Liquid/Broth
- 1 ½ litres beef stock
- 500 ml water
Other
- 300 grams fresh thin rice noodles
- 3 spring onions (thinly sliced)
- 15 grams mint leaves
- 90 grams bean sprouts (washed and trimmed)
- 1 red chilli (small, thinly sliced)
- lemon wedges (to serve)
Method
Stage 1 - Prepare beef and noodles
- Slice the frozen beef as thinly as possible. If the beef begins to thaw, put it back in the freezer for 15 minutes.
- Cover the noodles with boiling water and gently separate the strands. Drain and refresh under cold water.
Stage 2 - Make broth
- Put the onion, fish sauce, star anise, cinnamon stick, pepper, stock and 500 ml of water in a large saucepan.
- Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
- Discard the onion, star anise and cinnamon stick.
Stage 3 - Assemble and serve
- Divide the noodles and spring onion among four deep bowls. Top with the beef, mint, bean sprouts, spring onion and chilli. Ladle the hot broth over the top and serve with the lemon wedges.
Notes
- Beef: Freeze for easy slicing; cooks instantly in hot broth.
- Broth: Simmer gently to infuse spices.
- Noodles: Soak in hot water; don't boil.
- Herbs: Add fresh for brightness.
Serving
Serve hot with lemon wedges for squeezing.
Storage
- Refrigerate broth up to 2 days; assemble fresh.
- Not suitable for freezing.
- Best eaten immediately.
This dish works best with raw beef that has been sliced paper thin, as it cooks in seconds when placed in the hot broth.
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This dish works best with raw beef that has been sliced paper thin, as it cooks in seconds when placed in the hot broth.
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