Pho Bo: Slow-Simmered Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-28 · Updated 2026-04-28

A fragrant broth simmered for hours infused with star anise and cinnamon, served with tender beef slices and fresh rice noodles. This vietnamese ready in about 390 minutes pairs beef bones, onion, halved and charred, ginger, sliced and charred 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 onion, halved and charred
• 3-inch piece ginger, sliced and charred
• 4 whole star anise
• 1 large cinnamon stick
• 5 whole cloves
• 3 whole cardamom pods
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1 tbsp rock sugar or white sugar
• 1/2 lb thinly sliced raw beef sirloin
• 12 oz rice noodles (pho noodles)
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil
• 4 wedges lime wedges
• 1/4 cup sliced green onions
• 1/4 cup sliced white onion
• optional, for serving hoisin sauce
• optional, for serving sriracha sauce

Instructions

1. Step 1: Rinse 3 lbs beef bones under cold water. In a large stockpot, cover bones with 5 quarts water and bring to a boil. Boil for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse bones and pot to remove impurities.
2. Step 2: Refill pot with 5 quarts fresh water, add bones back in, then add 1 large halved onion and 3-inch sliced ginger, both charred over an open flame or under broiler until blackened (about 5 minutes). Add 4 star anise, 1 large cinnamon stick, 5 cloves, and 3 cardamom pods. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 6 hours, skimming foam occasionally.
3. Step 3: After simmering, strain broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot. Stir in 1/4 cup fish sauce and 1 tbsp rock sugar until dissolved. Keep broth hot.
4. Step 4: Soak 12 oz rice noodles in warm water for 20 minutes, then boil for 1 minute until soft. Drain and divide into 4 bowls.
5. Step 5: Arrange 1/2 lb thinly sliced raw beef sirloin over noodles. Ladle hot broth over beef to cook slices instantly.
6. Step 6: Garnish each bowl with 1 cup bean sprouts, 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil, 1/4 cup sliced green onions, 1/4 cup sliced white onion, and serve with lime wedges, hoisin, and sriracha on the side.