April 3, 2026 On February 7, 2026

Recipe for Pho Bo (Soup Vietnamese Noodles, and ground Beef)

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Budobest

Pho Bo (Vietnamese Noodles and Beef Soup)

Pho Bo is an emblematic soup of Vietnamese cuisine, famous for its aromatic broth, tender beef and fresh side dishes. Its preparation takes time, but the result is an explosion of flavors that are worth all the effort.

Preparation time: Approximately 4-5 hours (including boiling broth)
Active cooking time: about 30-45 minutes
Portions: 4-6

Ingrediente:

For the broth (Broth):

1.5 kg of beef bones (with marrow, if possible)
500g Bone beef (beef tail, beef or rasol neck)
1 large onion, cut in half
1 piece ginger (approx. 10 cm), cut in half lengthwise
4-5 stars of anise
5-6 cloves
1 stick of cinnamon (approx. 5 cm)
1 tablespoon coriander seeds
1 teaspoon fennel seeds
1 tablespoon salt
1-2 tablespoons sugar (brown or palm)
1 tablespoon fish sauce (Nuoc Mam)
4-5 liters of water

For the soup:

300-400g rice noodles (rice vermicelli, wide or thin, depending on preference)
300-400g very fresh beef, cut very thinly (beef muscle, sparrow or pulp)
Optional: 150-200g Beef meatballs or beef tendon slices (cooked in broth)

For garnishes (served separately):

Fresh Mung bean sprouts
Thai fresh basil leaves
Fresh coriander leaves (cilantro)
Fresh red chili peppers, cut into thin rounds
lime slices
Green onions, cut into rounds
White or red onion, julienned (very thin)
Hoisin sauce
Sriracha sauce

How to prepare:

Step 1: Preparation of bones and meat

Put the bones and beef in a large pot, cover with cold water and bring to a boil. Let it boil for 5-10 minutes. This stage helps to remove impurities and obtain a clear broth.
Drain the water, rinse the bones and meat well under cold water. Cleans any foam residue.

Step 2: Frying dry flavors

Heat a dry pan over medium heat. Add the halved onion and the ginger. Fry them directly on the flame or in a pan until they are lightly browned and start to smell aromatic (approx. 5-7 minutes on each side). This process adds a sweetness and a depth of broth flavor.
In another dry pan, fry the anise stars, cloves, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds and fennel seeds for 2-3 minutes until they become aromatic. Be careful not to burn them. Put them in a gauze bag or a spice tea sieve.

Step 3: Boiling the broth

Heat a dry pan over medium heat. Add the halved onion and the ginger. Fry them directly on the flame or in a pan until they are lightly browned and start to smell aromatic (approx. 5-7 minutes on each side). This process adds a sweetness and a depth of broth flavor.
Put the cleaned bones and meat back into the large pot. Add the fried onions and ginger, as well as the spice bag.
Pour 4-5 liters of cold water over the ingredients. Add salt, sugar and fish sauce.

Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to a minimum, partially cover the pot and let it boil on low heat for at least 3-4 hours (ideally 6-8 hours, or even overnight on very low heat), periodically foaming at any impurity that rises to the surface. The more it boils, the richer the broth will be in flavors.
After the broth has boiled enough, remove the bones and meat. Strain the broth through a fine sieve (possibly covered with gauze) to obtain a clear liquid. Boiled beef can be cut and added to the soup when serving, if you wish. Adjust the taste with salt, sugar and fish sauce if necessary.

Step 4: Prepare the noodles and beef

Prepare the rice noodles according to the instructions on the package. Usually soak in hot water for a few minutes, then rinse with cold water and drain well.
The very thinly cut beef will quickly cook in the hot broth, directly in the serving bowl.

How to serve:

Put a portion of boiled rice noodles in a deep bowl.
Arrange the thin slices of raw beef on top of the noodles.
If using, add pieces of boiled broth meat or beef meatballs.
Pour the hot broth over the meat and noodles. The heat of the broth will instantly cook the raw meat, giving it a perfect texture.
Decorate with green onion and julienned red onion.
Serve immediately, along with platters with fresh garnishes (bean sprouts, Thai basil, coriander, hot peppers, lime slices) and Hoisin and Sriracha sauces, so that everyone can season their soup to taste.

Enjoy your meal!

Despre budobest

Budo Best is the Romanian market leader in the production and commercialisation of martial arts equipment. It all started in 1990, with the launch of the first martial arts magazine in Romania - Arte Marțiale, published in 1991. Vezi toate articolele →