Quick Pho-Style Beef Noodle Soup with Fresh Herbs and Lime

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-25 · Updated 2026-07-25

A fragrant and soothing beef noodle soup with thinly sliced beef, rice noodles, and a savory broth infused with star anise and ginger, garnished with fresh herbs and lime wedges. This Vietnamese-inspired soup recipe, ready in about 55 minutes, pairs beef sirloin, rice noodles, beef broth for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 400 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

• 8 oz, thinly sliced beef sirloin
• 6 oz rice noodles
• 6 cups beef broth
• 2-inch piece, sliced ginger
• 3 whole star anise
• 4 whole cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 small, thinly sliced white onion
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves
• 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
• 4 lime wedges
• 1, thinly sliced jalapeño
• 2, thinly sliced scallions

The stock pot we’d simmer this in → Best Stock Pots for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide

Instructions

1. Step 1: In a large pot, combine 6 cups beef broth with 2-inch sliced ginger, 3 whole star anise, 4 whole cloves, and 1 cinnamon stick. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to simmer and cook gently for 30 minutes to infuse flavors.
2. Step 2: While broth simmers, soak 6 oz rice noodles in warm water for 15 minutes until softened, then drain.
3. Step 3: Remove the ginger, star anise, cloves, and cinnamon stick from the broth. Stir in 3 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tbsp brown sugar, tasting and adjusting seasoning as needed.
4. Step 4: Divide softened noodles into 4 large soup bowls. Top with thinly sliced 8 oz beef sirloin and 1 small thinly sliced white onion.
5. Step 5: Carefully ladle the hot broth over the noodles and beef to cook the raw beef slices through, about 1-2 minutes.
6. Step 6: Garnish each bowl with 1 cup bean sprouts, 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, 1/4 cup cilantro leaves, 2 sliced scallions, jalapeño slices, and a lime wedge. Serve immediately for a fresh, aromatic meal.