Slow-Simmered Pho Broth with Tender Beef and Fresh Herbs

By AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-28 · Updated 2026-04-28

A fragrant Vietnamese noodle soup featuring a rich, slow-simmered beef broth with aromatic spices, tender slices of beef, and fresh herbs for authentic flavor. This Vietnamese recipe, ready in about 280 minutes, pairs beef bones, water, onion for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 450 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 bones
• 4 quarts water
• 1 large, halved onion
• 3-inch piece, halved lengthwise ginger
• 4 whole star anise
• 2 cinnamon sticks
• 5 whole cloves
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 tbsp rock sugar
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 14 oz dry pho noodles rice noodles
• 8 oz, thinly sliced beef sirloin
• 1/2 cup leaves fresh Thai basil
• 1/4 cup chopped cilantro
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 4 lime wedges
• 1 thinly sliced jalapeño
• 2 sliced green onions

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

Instructions

1. Step 1: Place 3 lbs beef bones in a large stockpot with 4 quarts water and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil vigorously for 10 minutes, then drain and rinse bones to remove impurities.
2. Step 2: Return the cleaned bones to the pot with 4 quarts fresh water. Add 1 large halved onion and 3-inch halved ginger piece directly onto a baking sheet and char under broiler for 8 minutes until blackened edges appear, then add to pot.
3. Step 3: Tie 4 star anise, 2 cinnamon sticks, 5 cloves, and 3 cardamom pods in a cheesecloth bundle and add to broth along with 1 tbsp rock sugar and 1/4 cup fish sauce. Simmer gently over low heat uncovered for at least 4 hours, skimming any foam every 30 minutes.
4. Step 4: Meanwhile, soak 14 oz dry pho noodles in warm water for 30 minutes until pliable, then drain.
5. Step 5: To serve, bring broth to a rolling boil. Blanch noodles in boiling water for 30 seconds, then drain and divide among 4 bowls.
6. Step 6: Top noodles with 8 oz thinly sliced raw beef sirloin; ladle hot broth over the beef to cook it instantly.
7. Step 7: Garnish each bowl with 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1 cup bean sprouts, 2 sliced green onions, thin slices of 1 jalapeño, and 4 lime wedges on the side to squeeze over before eating.