Pho-Inspired Beef Broth with Charred Aromatics

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-15 · Updated 2026-06-15

How this recipe was made — this recipe was drafted by AislePrompt's AI-assisted pipeline from technique templates and USDA-sourced nutrition data, and published by AislePrompt Editorial — see how AislePrompt recipes are developed and reviewed.

A clear, aromatic Vietnamese beef broth infused with charred onion, ginger, and warm spices, perfect for noodle soups or sipping on its own. This Vietnamese-inspired soup recipe, ready in about 380 minutes, pairs beef marrow bones, onion, ginger for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 120 calories and feeds 8, 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.

Prep: 20 min Cook: 360 min Serves 8 Vietnamese cuisine 120 cal/serving

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Ingredients

3 lbs beef marrow bones
2 medium, halved and charred onion
4-inch piece, sliced and charred ginger
4 whole star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
5 whole cloves
3, lightly crushed cardamom pods
1 tbsp salt
2 tbsp fish sauce
14 cups water

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Instructions

Step 1: Preheat a burner or grill and char 2 medium halved onions and 4-inch sliced ginger until blackened on the cut sides, about 5 minutes.
Step 2: Rinse 3 lbs beef marrow bones under cold water, then place in a large stockpot with 14 cups water. Bring to a rolling boil over high heat and boil vigorously for 15 minutes, skimming off any scum that rises.
Step 3: Drain bones and rinse pot. Return bones to pot along with charred onions, ginger, 4 star anise, 2 cinnamon sticks, 5 cloves, and 3 lightly crushed cardamom pods.
Step 4: Simmer gently, uncovered, for 6 hours, skimming any impurities every hour for a clear broth.
Step 5: After simmering, strain broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot. Stir in 1 tbsp salt and 2 tbsp fish sauce, adjusting to taste.
Step 6: Use immediately for pho noodle soup or refrigerate up to 3 days for later use.