Pho Bo Hanoi-Style with Clear Broth and Rare Beef
Classic Northern Vietnamese beef noodle soup featuring a clear, aromatic broth simmered with spices, tender rice noodles, and thinly sliced rare beef. This vietnamese-inspired beef ready in about 330 minutes pairs beef bones, large, halved onion, inch piece, halved ginger for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 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 ginger
- 4 whole star anise
- 1 large cinnamon stick
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 tbsp rock sugar
- 1 tbsp salt
- 1/4 cup fish sauce
- 12 oz dry rice noodles (banh pho)
- 8 oz, thinly sliced sirloin steak
- 3 stalks, sliced green onions
- 1/4 cup, chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 4 lime wedges
- 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil
- 1/4 cup sliced jalapeños
Instructions
- Step 1: Place 3 lbs beef bones in a large stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil for 10 minutes to remove impurities. Drain and rinse bones under cold water to clean.
- Step 2: Return cleaned bones to the pot with 1 large halved onion and 3-inch halved ginger. Fill with 5 quarts fresh water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Skim scum every 30 minutes and simmer gently for 4 hours.
- Step 3: Toast 4 star anise, 1 large cinnamon stick, and 4 cloves in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant, then add to the broth along with 1 tbsp rock sugar and 1 tbsp salt. Continue simmering uncovered for 1 hour.
- Step 4: Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot. Stir in 1/4 cup fish sauce and keep warm.
- Step 5: Soak 12 oz dry rice noodles in warm water for 30 minutes until pliable, then blanch in boiling water for 30 seconds until tender. Drain well.
- Step 6: Arrange 8 oz thinly sliced sirloin steak in a bowl and top with hot broth to cook the beef to rare. Add noodles on top.
- Step 7: Garnish with 3 sliced green onions, 1/4 cup chopped fresh cilantro, 1 cup bean sprouts, lime wedges, fresh Thai basil leaves, and 1/4 cup sliced jalapeños to taste.
Equipment for this recipe
Top-rated tools to make this recipe successfully.
Frequently asked questions
How long does Pho Bo Hanoi-Style with Clear Broth and Rare Beef take to make?
Total time is about 330 minutes (30 min prep + 300 min cook). Most home cooks find this fits comfortably into a weeknight; double the batch on Sunday for two dinners.
How do I store leftover Pho Bo Hanoi-Style with Clear Broth and Rare Beef?
Cool to room temperature within 2 hours, then store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. Reheat covered in a 350°F oven for 10-12 minutes, or microwave at 70% power in 60-second bursts to keep beef bones from drying out.
Can I substitute ingredients in Pho Bo Hanoi-Style with Clear Broth and Rare Beef?
Yes — most ingredients in this recipe have flexible swaps. For oil, use any neutral high-smoke-point oil (avocado, grapeseed, refined coconut). For aromatics, dried herbs at ⅓ the volume of fresh work in a pinch. The full ingredient list is shoppable on Instacart so you can see substitutes in real time.
How do I scale Pho Bo Hanoi-Style with Clear Broth and Rare Beef for a different number of people?
The recipe is written for 4 servings. Multiply each ingredient by (your serving target / 4). Cook time stays roughly the same up to 2x; for 3-4x batches, switch from a skillet to a sheet pan or stockpot so the food isn't crowded — overcrowding steams instead of browns.
What goes well with Pho Bo Hanoi-Style with Clear Broth and Rare Beef?
Vietnamese beef like this pair well with a simple grain (rice, couscous, or crusty bread), a quick salad with acid (lemon vinaigrette, pickled onions), and a pan sauce or yogurt-based dip. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" to get specific side suggestions.
