Slow-Simmered Beef Pho with Charred Onion Broth

By AislePrompt Test Kitchen · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-06-02 · Updated 2026-06-02

A fragrant Vietnamese beef noodle soup featuring a deeply flavored broth simmered with charred onion, star anise, and fresh spices, served with tender rice noodles and thinly sliced beef. This vietnamese-inspired soups ready in about 405 minutes pairs beef marrow bones, beef brisket, large yellow onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 480 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 beef marrow bones
• 1 lb beef brisket
• 1 large yellow onion
• 3-inch piece ginger root
• 4 whole star anise
• 5 whole cloves
• 1 stick (3 inches) cinnamon stick
• 3 pods cardamom pods
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1 tbsp rock sugar
• 2 tsp salt
• 5 quarts water
• 12 oz dried rice noodles
• 1/2 lb, thinly sliced sirloin steak
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
• 4 wedges lime wedges
• 1/4 cup jalapeño slices
• 3 stalks, thinly sliced scallions

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat a dry skillet over medium-high heat and char 1 large yellow onion halved and a 3-inch piece of ginger sliced in half, turning occasionally until blackened and fragrant, about 8 minutes.
2. Step 2: In a large stockpot, add 3 lbs beef marrow bones, 1 lb beef brisket, the charred onion and ginger, 4 whole star anise, 5 whole cloves, 1 cinnamon stick, and 3 cardamom pods. Pour in 5 quarts water and bring to a boil over high heat; then reduce to a gentle simmer.
3. Step 3: Skim any foam or impurities off the surface every 30 minutes. Simmer uncovered for 6 hours to extract deep flavors.
4. Step 4: Remove the brisket, set aside to cool, then slice thinly. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot.
5. Step 5: Add 1/4 cup fish sauce, 1 tbsp rock sugar, and 2 tsp salt to the broth. Adjust seasoning to taste and keep warm over low heat.
6. Step 6: Soak 12 oz dried rice noodles in warm water for 20 minutes, then drain. Bring a pot of water to boil and blanch noodles for 30 seconds until tender but firm, then drain.
7. Step 7: Divide noodles into 4 bowls. Top with thinly sliced brisket and 1/2 lb thinly sliced raw sirloin steak.
8. Step 8: Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and beef to cook the raw slices gently.
9. Step 9: Serve each bowl garnished with 1 cup bean sprouts, 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, 4 lime wedges, 1/4 cup jalapeño slices, and 3 thinly sliced scallions for a classic pho experience.