Pho Bo Brisket Vietnamese Noodle Soup

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-05-04 · Updated 2026-05-04

A fragrant, slow-simmered beef broth filled with tender brisket slices and rice noodles, garnished with fresh herbs and lime. This vietnamese ready in about 150 minutes pairs beef brisket, thinly sliced, pho rice noodles, onion, halved 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

• 1 lb beef brisket, thinly sliced
• 8 oz pho rice noodles
• 1 medium onion, halved
• 3-inch piece ginger, sliced
• 3 whole star anise
• 1 stick cinnamon stick
• 4 whole cloves
• 2 pods cardamom pods
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp rock sugar or regular sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• 12 cups water
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 lime lime wedges
• to taste sliced jalapeño or chili
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced white onion

Instructions

1. Step 1: Char 1 medium halved onion and 3-inch sliced ginger over an open flame or under a broiler until slightly blackened, about 5 minutes, then set aside.
2. Step 2: In a large pot, add 1 lb beef brisket, 12 cups water, charred onion, and ginger along with 3 star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, 4 cloves, and 2 cardamom pods. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 2 hours until the brisket is tender and the broth is deeply flavorful.
3. Step 3: Remove brisket and set aside to cool slightly, then slice thinly against the grain.
4. Step 4: Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding solids. Add 3 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp rock sugar, and 1 tsp salt to the broth. Adjust seasoning to taste.
5. Step 5: Cook 8 oz pho rice noodles according to package instructions until tender but firm, drain and rinse with cold water.
6. Step 6: To serve, divide noodles among bowls, top with sliced brisket, thinly sliced white onion (1/4 cup), bean sprouts (1 cup), Thai basil (1/2 cup), cilantro (1/4 cup), and sliced jalapeño to taste. Ladle hot broth over the top and garnish with lime wedges for squeezing.