Classic Beef Pho Bo with Fresh Herb Platter

An authentic Vietnamese beef noodle soup, featuring a deeply aromatic, savory broth, tender slices of beef, and fresh rice noodles, served with a vibrant platter of fresh herbs and sprouts.

• Prep: 35 min
• Cook: 3 hr
• Total: 3 hr 35 min
• Servings: 2
• Cuisine: Vietnamese
• Difficulty: Medium

Dietary

• Nut-Free
• Dairy-Free
• Egg-Free
• High-Protein
• Gluten-Free

Tags

• boil
• comfort food
• savory
• rich
• classic
• crowd-pleaser

Ingredients

• 1.5 pound beef marrow bones
• 0.5 pound beef knuckle
• 0.75 pound beef chuck or round steak (boneless, thinly sliced against the grain)
• 1 yellow onion (medium, halved)
• 1 piece fresh ginger (4-inch, unpeeled, halved lengthwise)
• 2 star anise pods
• 1 cinnamon stick (3-inch)
• 3 whole cloves
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 2 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 8 ounce dried flat rice noodles
• 1 cup fresh bean sprouts
• 1 bunch fresh cilantro (rough chopped)
• 0.5 bunch fresh Thai basil
• 1 lime (cut into wedges)
• 2 jalapeños (thinly sliced)

Instructions

1. Preheat your broiler. Place the halved yellow onion and halved fresh ginger on a baking sheet. Broil for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until charred. Remove and set aside.
2. Rinse the beef marrow bones and beef knuckle thoroughly under cold water. Place them in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then boil vigorously for 10 minutes. Drain the water and rinse the bones again.
3. Return the blanched beef marrow bones and beef knuckle to the stockpot. Add the charred yellow onion, fresh ginger, star anise pods, cinnamon stick, whole cloves, and black peppercorns. Fill the pot with 10 cups of fresh cold water.
4. Bring to a gentle simmer, then reduce heat to low, cover partially, and cook for at least 2.5 hours, or up to 4 hours. Skim any foam or scum that rises to the surface during the first hour.
5. After simmering, remove the bones, onion, and ginger from the broth. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding the solids. Add the fish sauce, granulated sugar, and salt to the strained broth. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
6. While the broth is simmering, prepare the noodles according to package directions, typically by soaking in hot water or boiling briefly. Drain and set aside.
7. Arrange the fresh bean sprouts, fresh cilantro, fresh Thai basil, lime wedges, and thinly sliced jalapeños on a serving platter. This is for individual customization.
8. To serve, divide the cooked dried flat rice noodles (Banh Pho) into two large serving bowls. Arrange the thinly sliced beef chuck or round steak over the noodles.
9. Bring the pho broth to a rolling boil. Ladle the boiling hot broth carefully over the beef and noodles in each bowl. The heat of the broth will gently cook the beef slices.
10. Serve immediately with the fresh herb platter on the side, allowing each diner to add their preferred garnishes.

Notes

For a richer broth, you can roast the beef bones for 30 minutes before blanching. Skim fat regularly for a clearer broth. Any leftover broth freezes well.

Nutrition (per serving)

• Calories: 750
• Protein: 55 g
• Carbohydrates: 80 g
• Fat: 20 g
• Fiber: 4 g
• Sodium: 2100 mg
• Saturated Fat: 8 g
• Sugar: 7 g
• Cholesterol: 120 mg