Slow-Simmered Beef Pho Broth with Fresh Herbs

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 richly spiced broth simmered for hours, served with tender rice noodles and fresh herbs. This vietnamese ready in about 285 minutes pairs beef marrow bones, beef brisket, onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 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

• 3 pounds beef marrow bones
• 1 pound beef brisket
• 1 large, halved onion
• 4 inches, halved lengthwise ginger
• 4 whole star anise
• 2 sticks cinnamon sticks
• 5 whole cloves
• 3 pods cardamom pods
• 1 tablespoon rock sugar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 5 quarts water
• 12 ounces rice noodles (pho noodles)
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1 cup fresh Thai basil
• 1/2 cup fresh cilantro
• 1 lime, cut into wedges lime wedges
• 1/4 cup jalapeño slices
• 8 ounces thinly sliced raw beef sirloin

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Place 3 pounds beef marrow bones and 1 pound beef brisket into the pot and cover with 5 quarts cold water. Bring to a rolling boil for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse bones and brisket under cold water to remove impurities.
2. Step 2: Return cleaned bones and brisket to the pot with 5 quarts fresh water. Add 1 large halved onion and 4 inches halved ginger. Toast 4 star anise, 2 cinnamon sticks, 5 cloves, and 3 cardamom pods in a dry pan over medium heat for 2 minutes until fragrant, then add to the pot.
3. Step 3: Add 1 tablespoon rock sugar, 1/4 cup fish sauce, and 2 teaspoons salt to the broth. Simmer gently, uncovered, for 4 hours, occasionally skimming foam and fat from the surface.
4. Step 4: Meanwhile, soak 12 ounces rice noodles in warm water for 30 minutes until pliable, then drain.
5. Step 5: After 4 hours, remove bones and spices from broth. Slice the brisket thinly and set aside. Keep broth hot.
6. Step 6: Blanch soaked noodles in boiling water for 1 minute until tender, then drain and divide among 6 bowls.
7. Step 7: Top noodles with brisket slices and 8 ounces thinly sliced raw beef sirloin. Ladle steaming broth over the beef to gently cook it.
8. Step 8: Serve each bowl with 2 cups bean sprouts, 1 cup fresh Thai basil, 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, lime wedges from 1 lime, and 1/4 cup jalapeño slices for garnish.