Slow-Simmered Beef Brisket Pho with Star Anise Infusion

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-27 · Updated 2026-04-27

A fragrant Vietnamese noodle soup featuring tender beef brisket and a richly spiced broth simmered with star anise and cinnamon. This vietnamese-inspired soups ready in about 225 minutes pairs beef brisket, beef bones, onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 420 calories and feeds 6, 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

• 1.5 pounds beef brisket
• 2 pounds beef bones
• 1 medium, halved onion
• 3-inch piece, halved ginger
• 4 whole star anise
• 2 sticks cinnamon stick
• 5 whole cloves
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon rock sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 12 ounces pho rice noodles
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1 cup fresh Thai basil
• 1 lime cut into wedges lime wedges
• 1 small sliced jalapeño
• 3 sliced thin green onions

Instructions

1. Step 1: Char 1 medium onion and 3-inch halved ginger under a broiler or in a dry skillet over medium heat for 5-7 minutes until blackened and fragrant. Set aside.
2. Step 2: In a large stockpot, add 2 pounds beef bones and 1.5 pounds beef brisket with 12 cups cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then lower to a simmer and skim off any scum for 15 minutes.
3. Step 3: Add the charred onion, ginger, 4 whole star anise, 2 cinnamon sticks, and 5 whole cloves to the pot along with 1/4 cup fish sauce, 1 tablespoon rock sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer gently uncovered for 3 hours, adding water as needed to maintain the level.
4. Step 4: Remove the brisket after 2 hours and cool slightly, then thinly slice against the grain.
5. Step 5: Soak 12 ounces pho rice noodles in warm water for 30 minutes, then drain. Bring a large pot of water to boil, blanch noodles for 1 minute until tender, then drain.
6. Step 6: Divide noodles into bowls, top with sliced brisket, 2 cups fresh bean sprouts, 1 cup fresh Thai basil, 3 sliced green onions, and 1 sliced jalapeño.
7. Step 7: Ladle hot broth over the bowls and serve with lime wedges for squeezing just before eating.