30 Minute Pho
Traditional pho is typically made with beef bones that simmer for hours, sometimes overnight, to build a deeply layered broth. The bones are blanched, cleaned, and slowly cooked with charred onions, ginger, and warm spices like cinnamon, star anise, and cloves. That long simmer is what gives classic pho its depth and clarity, but it also makes it a meal usually reserved for weekends, special occasions, or restaurants that keep broth going all day. This recipe isn’t meant to replace that tradition, but to offer a way to enjoy those familiar flavors at home when time is limited. Pho has been one of my favorite foods for the last few years. It is light, hot, and fresh. It is like comfort in a bowl. My fiancé and I made the 12 hour version of the broth only once in our 6 years together! It was so worth it but we have not had the time to do so again recently. A few weeks back, we went to a work event together and they had a demonstration by a Vietnamese chef! We learned how to make Pho Braised short-ribs. He also taught us a 30 minute version of Pho Broth. Since then, my fiancé and I have been making Pho almost weekly and it is no longer reserved for date night out!
30 Minute Pho
This is the pho I make when I want something comforting and nourishing without spending all day in the kitchen. It comes together quickly but still fills the house with that familiar, cozy aroma.
Ingredients
8 cups beef broth
3 cups water
1 medium yellow onion, quartered and divided
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
1 cinnamon stick
2 teaspoons sugar
1 star anise pod
4 whole cloves
7 ounces flat rice noodles
8 ounces very thinly sliced beef, such as flank or flat iron
Salt, to taste
½ cup bean sprouts
¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoon of beef bouillon
Lime wedges, for serving
Hoisin sauce and sriracha, for serving
Instructions
Simmer the broth
Thinly slice one onion quarter and set aside. In a large pot, combine the remaining onion quarters, beef broth, water, fish sauce, ginger, cinnamon stick, sugar, beef bouillon, star anise, and cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
Prepare the noodles
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the rice noodles, and let sit until soft and pliable but not fully tender. Drain and rinse well with cold water. Set aside.
Strain the broth
Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a clean pot. Discard the solids and bring the clear broth back to a boil.
Cook noodles and beef
Add the noodles to the boiling broth and cook just until tender. Divide the noodles evenly between bowls. Reduce the heat to a simmer, add the sliced beef to the broth, and cook until just no longer pink. Divide the beef among the bowls.
Finish and serve
Taste the broth and season with salt if needed. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and beef. Top with the reserved sliced onion, bean sprouts, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, hoisin sauce, and sriracha on the side.
30 Minute Pho
A cozy, comforting bowl of homemade pho that comes together quickly and still feels deeply nourishing.
Ingredients
- 8 cups beef broth
- 3 cups water
- 1 tablespoon beef bouillon
- 1 medium yellow onion, quartered and divided
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 inch piece fresh ginger, thinly sliced
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1 star anise pod
- 4 whole cloves
- 7 ounces flat rice noodles
- 8 ounces very thinly sliced beef, such as flank or flat iron
- Salt, to taste
- ½ cup bean sprouts
- ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro
- Lime wedges, for serving
- Hoisin sauce and sriracha, for serving
Instructions
- Simmer the broth. Thinly slice one onion quarter and set aside. In a large pot, combine the remaining onion quarters, beef broth, water, beef bouillon, fish sauce, ginger, cinnamon stick, sugar, star anise, and cloves. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Prepare the noodles. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Turn off the heat, add the rice noodles, and let sit until soft and pliable but not fully tender. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Strain the broth. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer into a clean pot. Discard the solids and bring the broth back to a boil.
- Cook noodles and beef. Add the noodles to the broth and cook just until tender. Divide noodles among bowls. Reduce heat to a simmer, add the sliced beef, and cook until just no longer pink. Divide beef between bowls.
- Finish and serve. Taste the broth and season with salt if needed. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and beef. Top with sliced onion, bean sprouts, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges, hoisin, and sriracha.
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