Slow-Simmered Vietnamese Beef Pho with Charred Onion

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-07-25 · Updated 2026-07-25

A fragrant bowl of rich beef pho broth simmered with charred onion and star anise, served with tender rice noodles and fresh herbs. This vietnamese-inspired soups ready in about 390 minutes pairs pounds beef bones, large, halved onion, inch piece, halved ginger 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 bones
• 1 large, halved onion
• 3-inch piece, halved ginger
• 4 whole star anise
• 1 whole cinnamon stick
• 5 whole cloves
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1 tablespoon rock sugar
• 5 quarts water
• 12 ounces dry rice noodles
• 1 pound thinly sliced beef sirloin
• 2 cups bean sprouts
• 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
• 1/2 cup cilantro leaves
• 4 wedges lime wedges
• 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions
• 1 small sliced jalapeño
• for serving hoisin sauce
• for serving Sriracha sauce

Instructions

1. Step 1: Preheat a broiler to high. Place 1 large halved onion and 3-inch halved ginger piece on a baking sheet and char under the broiler for 5-7 minutes until blackened and fragrant, turning once.
2. Step 2: In a large stockpot, add 3 pounds beef bones and 5 quarts cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and boil vigorously for 15 minutes, skimming off any foam and impurities.
3. Step 3: Drain and rinse the bones to remove scum, then return bones to the pot. Add the charred onion, charred ginger, 4 whole star anise, 1 cinnamon stick, and 5 whole cloves. Simmer gently over low heat for at least 6 hours, partially covered.
4. Step 4: After simmering, strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve into a clean pot. Add 1/4 cup fish sauce and 1 tablespoon rock sugar. Adjust seasoning to taste and keep broth hot.
5. Step 5: Bring a large pot of water to boil, add 12 ounces dry rice noodles, and cook for 4-5 minutes until tender but still firm. Drain and rinse under cold water.
6. Step 6: Divide noodles among 6 bowls, top each with thinly sliced raw beef sirloin (about 6 ounces per bowl), and ladle the steaming hot broth over to cook the beef.
7. Step 7: Serve pho with 2 cups bean sprouts, 1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves, 1/2 cup cilantro leaves, 1/2 cup thinly sliced scallions, 4 lime wedges, 1 small sliced jalapeño, hoisin sauce, and Sriracha on the side for guests to customize.