Pho Bo with Slow-Simmered Beef Bone Broth and Rice Noodles

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-25 · Updated 2026-04-25

A fragrant Vietnamese beef noodle soup featuring a clear, aromatic broth simmered for hours with spices, tender sliced beef, and fresh herbs. This vietnamese ready in about 400 minutes pairs beef bones, onion, 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, marrow and knuckle bones beef bones
• 1 large, halved onion
• 3-inch piece, halved lengthwise ginger
• 4 whole star anise
• 2 sticks cinnamon sticks
• 6 whole cloves
• 3 whole cardamom pods
• 5 quarts water
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1 tbsp rock sugar
• 1 tbsp salt
• 12 oz, dried rice noodles (pho noodles)
• 8 oz, thinly sliced beef sirloin
• 1 cup, rinsed bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil
• 1/4 cup, chopped cilantro
• 4 lime wedges
• 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions
• 1 small sliced jalapeño

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat oven to 450°F. Place 3 lbs beef bones on a baking sheet and roast for 30 minutes until browned.
2. Step 2: In a large stockpot, add roasted bones, 1 large halved onion, 3-inch halved ginger, 4 star anise, 2 cinnamon sticks, 6 cloves, 3 cardamom pods, and 5 quarts water. Bring to boil, then reduce to a gentle simmer and cook uncovered for 6 hours, skimming foam occasionally.
3. Step 3: After simmering, strain broth through a fine mesh sieve, discard solids, and return broth to pot. Add 1/4 cup fish sauce, 1 tbsp rock sugar, and 1 tbsp salt. Keep broth hot on low heat.
4. Step 4: Meanwhile, soak 12 oz dried rice noodles in warm water for 20 minutes, then drain.
5. Step 5: Bring a separate pot of water to boil and blanch noodles for 1-2 minutes until tender but firm. Drain and divide noodles among 4 bowls.
6. Step 6: Arrange 8 oz thinly sliced raw beef sirloin on top of noodles. Pour hot broth over beef to cook it gently.
7. Step 7: Garnish each bowl with 1 cup bean sprouts, 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1/4 cup sliced green onions, sliced jalapeño to taste, and lime wedges on the side.