Name: Phở Bò (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 45 min
Yield: 2 servings
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 4 cup Beef Stock, low-salt if available; 140 g Flat Rice Noodles, soaked or cooked as per packet; 180 g Beef Sirloin, very thinly sliced; 1 tbsp Fish Sauce; 2 Star Anise, whole; 1 inch Cinnamon Sticks, stick; 3 Cloves, whole; 1 inch Ginger, sliced; ½ Onion, halved; ½ cup Bean Sprouts, rinsed; ¼ cup Thai Basil, leaves picked; ¼ cup Coriander Leaves, roughly chopped; 1 Lemon, cut into wedges; 1 Green Chili Pepper, thinly sliced; to taste Salt; to taste Black Peppercorns, freshly crushed

45 mintotal

Prep 20 min · Cook 25 min

Serves: 2
Difficulty: Medium
Spice: Mild

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Method

Toast the star anise, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and onion in a dry pot over medium heat until aromatic and lightly charred at the edges.
Pour in the measured beef stock and simmer gently so the spices flavor the broth without making it cloudy.
Season the broth with the measured fish sauce, salt, and black pepper, then strain out the whole aromatics.
Place the prepared flat rice noodles in serving bowls and arrange the thin beef slices over the noodles.
Pour the boiling-hot broth over the beef so the slices cook through; the meat should lose its raw color and feel tender.
Top with bean sprouts, Thai basil, coriander, lemon wedges, and green chilli. Serve immediately while the broth is hot.

How to tell it's done

The noodles should be soft but not mushy, the beef should be tender, and the broth should be clear and aromatic.

Getting it right

Tip

Keep the broth at a gentle simmer after adding spices; hard boiling can make the broth look cloudy and taste harsh.

What to serve it with

Serve with extra lemon wedges, chilli slices, and herbs on the side so each bowl can be adjusted at the table.

Substitutions

Use Basil Leaves if Thai Basil is unavailable; the aroma will be less typical.
Use Rice Vermicelli only if flat rice noodles are unavailable; the texture will be thinner than classic phở.
Use Chicken Stock and cooked chicken for a different soup, but it will no longer be Phở Bò.
Check packaged fish sauce and noodles for formulation or cross-contact details if allergens are a concern.

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Ingredients