This vietnamese style beef noodle soup is comforting fresh, and a profoundly flavorful soup. There are few things better for the soul than a tousle of rice noodles in a rich broth ; entire of the affectionate spices. This Pho Bo soup is more like a ‘ fake ’ Bo soup that I love to make specially when I have leftover beef tenderloin or steak. It ’ randomness far from the authentic Vietnamese classic soup made from a very long-simmered spiced gripe bone broth poured over cook rice noodles and thinly sliced sensitive or cooked gripe ( the heating system of the broth cooks the crude gripe ). This very agile homemade version calls for doctoring up boughten broth with the same spices, and using thinly sliced leftover steak or raw steak. The recipe works well with either. This “ quick ” pho doesn ’ thymine have quite the same astuteness of relish, but when a pho craving hits on a interfering weeknight and we just need a stadium of tasty noodles, it decidedly hits the spot ! The soup is garnished with lots of bright, fresh ingredients, like herb, scallions, shallots and lime .
What is Pho Bo (Phở Bò)
“ Phở ” means rice noodles and “ bò ” means beef. A bowl of gripe phở ( pronounce “ fuh “ ) consists of soft slippery noodles in a hearty, beefy yet fragrant broth and gripe slices of your choice. In traditional vietnamese fudge, pho broth is typically simmered for many hours in order to create that rich, layered, cozy blend of flavors that we all know and love. There are actually different versions of this soup depending on the region. In Vietnam, pho bo is well-loved as a breakfast but besides eaten by many as a quick lunch or late night supper. The beef itself is served many different ways from naked to seared or well done depending on preference. And this cozy, fresh, and deeply flavorful soup has a way of hitting the point every individual time. It will always be one of my favored soups to order out. For a more traditional and authentic recipe I recommend checking out serious Eats and for more information and history on this fantastic soup .
Ingredients in this Vietnamese pho beef soup:
dry spices :
- 3 whole star anise
- 1 2-inch cinnamon stick
- Coriander 1 teaspoon seed
- 1 tablespoon black peppercorns
For the Broth :
- Onion, Garlic & Ginger – Which we will briefly broiled until charred, in order to add that classic smoky flavor to the broth.
- Lemon grass (optional – but I love to add it in to mine)
- Broth – beef and chicken combined or just beef for a richer flavour (homemade or store bought)
- Fish Sauce
- Rice Noodles – I like to use flat
- Beef – leftover rare or medium-rare steak such as beef tenderloin
Toppings or for serving ( optional ) :
- Scallions
- Cilantro
- Basil
- Shallots
- Bean sprouts
- Lime wedges
- Chile paste, or thinly sliced fresh hot chiles
How to make this Vietnamese pho beef soup:
Making this vietnamese pho soup ( fake soup ) at dwelling is not arduous, all you need is a straightforward recipe, a few tips, and a stockpot. This homemade adaptation is quite simplified and not as authentic but is still absolutely delectable !
- BROIL/CHAR the onion, garlic and ginger this will add so much flavour to the broth
- TOAST the spices – The heat draws out the oils from the spices, emphasizing and emboldening the flavor of the spices and the broth
- SIMMER – add the charred onion, garlic and ginger to the toasted spices then the broth and lemon grass and simmer for 30 min – stir in fish sauce
- PREP NOODLES – according to package directions and divided into serving bowls
- SLICE BEEF – very thinly and place over noodles – check out tips below for slicing the beef.
- POUR broth over noodles and beef and serve with all the extra toppings and garnishes
- ENJOY!
Pho Bo Make ahead instructions:
- Broth: Although soup doesn’t take too long to make as it is a very simplified version, the broth can be made ahead and once cool can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. It can also be frozen for up to 3-4 months. Reheat broth stovetop right before you need to pour it over the noodles and beef.
- Noodles: Rice noodles are always best served fresh, but if you have some leftover and need to save them, or you want to make them ahead of time, it’s best to keep them in the fridge. Tossing the rice noodles in oil will prevent them from becoming too sticky and clumping together during storage. Rice noodles that have already been soaked or cooked should be kept in a shallow airtight container, or a resealable plastic food bag, in the fridge. The noodles will keep for 3-4 days.
Pho Bo Tips:
- Slicing the beef thin: Freeze the beef for 15 minutes. Place the beef on a plate, cover with plastic wrap, and freeze for 15 minutes. The edges of the beef should feel firm to the touch, but the beef should not be frozen through. This will make it easier to slice the beef thinly.
- Slice the beef into thin slices. Remove the beef from the freezer and immediately use your sharpest knife to slice the beef across the grain into very thin slices no thicker than ¼-inch. (Alternately, you can ask the butcher to thinly slice your steak for you, or add pre-cooked steak to your soup.) Once sliced, keep the beef covered and refrigerated until ready to serve. I used leftover medium cooked beef tenderloin that I had frozen and let thaw in the fridge for a little bit and it was easy to get nice and thin slices out of it.
- Don’t boil the noodles in the broth – prepare them separately so they don’t soak up too much of the liquid and get gummy.
- Use pre-cooked steak: If you prefer not to cook the steak in the individual serving bowls, feel free to instead stir the steak directly into the stockpot of simmering broth to ensure that it is fully cooked. Then ladle the broth and beef together into the individual serving bowls.
