Vietnamese Pho-Inspired Beef Noodle Soup

By Lauren Mitchell, Test Kitchen Director · Reviewed by AislePrompt Editorial · Published 2026-04-25 · Updated 2026-04-25

A fragrant and light Vietnamese noodle soup featuring tender beef slices and aromatic broth infused with star anise and cinnamon. This Thai recipe, ready in about 65 minutes, pairs beef sirloin, rice noodles, beef broth for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 400 calories and feeds 3, 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

• 250g, thinly sliced beef sirloin
• 150g, dried rice noodles
• 6 cups beef broth
• 1 medium, halved and charred onion
• 2-inch piece, sliced and charred ginger
• 3 pods star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 cup, for serving bean sprouts
• 1/2 cup, for garnish fresh basil
• 4 wedges, for serving lime wedges
• 2, thinly sliced scallions
• 1/4 cup, chopped cilantro

Instructions

1. Step 1: Char 1 medium halved onion and 2-inch sliced ginger on a dry skillet over high heat until blackened spots appear, about 5 minutes.
2. Step 2: In a large pot, combine 6 cups beef broth with the charred onion, ginger, 3 star anise pods, and 1 cinnamon stick; bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes to infuse flavors.
3. Step 3: Strain the broth into a clean pot, discard solids, then season with 3 tbsp fish sauce and 1 tsp sugar; keep hot.
4. Step 4: Soak 150g dried rice noodles in warm water for 20 minutes until pliable, then drain.
5. Step 5: Blanch the noodles briefly in boiling water for 1 minute, then divide into 3 serving bowls.
6. Step 6: Arrange 250g thinly sliced raw beef sirloin on top of noodles.
7. Step 7: Pour the hot broth directly over the beef and noodles to cook the beef instantly.
8. Step 8: Garnish with 2 thinly sliced scallions, 1/4 cup chopped cilantro, 1/2 cup fresh basil, 1 cup bean sprouts, and serve with 4 lime wedges on the side.