Beef Pho Simmered with Star Anise and Fresh Herbs

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-23 · Updated 2026-05-23

A fragrant Vietnamese noodle soup featuring slow-simmered beef broth infused with star anise and garnished with fresh herbs for a balanced, aromatic experience. This vietnamese-inspired soups ready in about 405 minutes pairs beef bones, large, halved onion, inch piece, halved lengthwise ginger for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs beef bones
• 1 large, halved onion
• 3-inch piece, halved lengthwise ginger
• 4 whole star anise
• 1 (3-inch) cinnamon stick
• 5 whole cloves
• 3 whole cardamom pods
• 2 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp rock sugar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 8 oz dried rice noodles
• 1/2 lb, thinly sliced beef sirloin
• 1 cup, rinsed bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh mint leaves
• 4 lime wedges
• 1/4 cup sliced jalapeños
• 2, thinly sliced green onions

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 3 lbs beef bones under cold water and place them in a large stockpot. Cover with 5 quarts cold water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse bones to remove impurities.
2. Step 2: Return cleaned bones to pot with 5 quarts fresh water. Add 1 large halved onion and 3-inch halved ginger piece directly on an open flame or under broiler until charred (about 5 minutes each side), then add to pot along with 4 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 5 cloves, and 3 cardamom pods. Simmer gently over low heat for 6 hours, skimming foam every 30 minutes.
3. Step 3: After 6 hours, strain broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot. Add 2 tsp salt, 1 tbsp rock sugar, and 1/4 cup fish sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning as needed.
4. Step 4: Soak 8 oz dried rice noodles in warm water for 30 minutes until softened, then drain.
5. Step 5: Bring broth back to a gentle boil. Blanch noodles in boiling broth for 1 minute until tender, then divide noodles among 4 large bowls.
6. Step 6: Top each bowl with 1/8 lb thinly sliced raw beef sirloin; ladle hot broth over beef to cook it gently.
7. Step 7: Serve with 1 cup bean sprouts, 1/2 cup Thai basil leaves, 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, 1/4 cup mint leaves, 4 lime wedges, 1/4 cup sliced jalapeños, and 2 sliced green onions on the side for guests to customize.