Easy Homemade Pho Recipe (2024)

Easy Homemade Pho Recipe (1)

  • Haley Hughes

CUISINE

Asian

PREP

20 minutes

COOK

40 minutes

SERVINGS

4 Servings

Ingredients:

  • 2 Tbsp beef bouillon
  • 1 Tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 Tbsp white sugar
  • 1 Tbsp ginger, minced
  • 1/2 white onion, sliced
  • Spice Bag Contents: 4 whole cloves 2 whole star anise 1/2 cinnamon stick
  • 1 lb chicken breast, diced
  • 1 Tbsp sesame oil
  • 4 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1 Tbsp ginger, minced
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • 4 ounces dried rice noodles
  • Water
  • 2 cups bean sprouts
  • 2 cups steamed broccoli
  • 1 cup carrots, sliced
  • 1 stalk green onion, chopped
  • 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
  • ½ cup fresh mint leaves (or fresh Thai basil leaves)
  • 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced
  • 1 lime, diced into quarters
  • garlic chili paste and hoisin sauce (optional)

Directions:

Broth
  1. Add the beef bullion and 1 quart water to a large saucepan and bring to a low boil.
  2. Add the fish sauce, sugar, ginger, onion and salt to the stock and reduce the heat to a simmer.
  3. Place cloves, star anise and cinnamon stick into spice bag. Add it to the broth and simmer for at least 30 minutes.
  4. Around the 30 minutes, taste the broth to see that the spice flavors have been extracted, and adjust seasonings if necessary.
  5. Remove spice bag from broth.
Chicken
  1. In a separate large pan, add a ½ tablespoon of olive oil, as well as the garlic and ginger. On medium heat, sauté, stirring frequently, about 1-2 minutes.
  2. Gently pound chicken with a tenderizer to desired thickness.
  3. Add chicken to the large pan, season with salt and pepper as desired.
  4. Sauté until fully cooked (about 10 minutes).
Rice Noodles & Toppings
  1. In a large pot of water, cook rice noodles according to package instructions; drain well and set aside.
  2. In a large bowl (highly recommend buying large pho or ramen bowls), add broth, rice noodles, and chicken.
  3. Chop broccoli and microwave for 90 seconds, slice carrots into desired size.
  4. Garnish with broccoli, carrots, green onions, bean sprouts, cilantro, mint, jalapenos, and limes. Garlic chili paste and hoisin sauce as desired.

Tools:

The following items are items that I personally use and recommend to make this recipe.

Easy Homemade Pho Recipe (2)

Order supplements through my Fullscript store

PRINTER FRIENDLY VERSION

My favorite comfort food is a giant bowl of pho. Honestly, I could eat this soup in 100 degree weather, it’s that good (or I’m just weird). Healthy easy pho is now a staple in our weeknight meal rotation. The great thing about making this easy homemade pho recipe is that you can adjust the portion sizes of the ingredients you add in. It’s easy to get a couple servings of vegetables in with just the toppings alone! Portion the rice noodles, use a lean protein and you have a balanced meal!

Easy Homemade Pho Recipe (4)

Get creative with this recipe. You may like using different veggies and herbs or spices–it’s fun to experiment with different broths too! I’m still working on my chopsticks ability, but I love the experience of eating pho!

Easy Homemade Pho Recipe (5)

Homemade Pho Nutrition Info:

Chicken: A 4-ounce serving of grilled chicken breast, which is a little bigger than the palm of your hand, has 35 grams of protein. Chicken is also a great source of vitamins like thiamin, B6, and pantothenic acid, and minerals like iron, zinc, and copper. A lean cut of chicken (like a boneless skinless chicken breast) cooked in a healthier way (like grilled, or sautéed in a light amount of olive oil with light seasoning, like in recipe above) is a good choice if you’re looking for a healthy way to add meat to a meal.

Fresh Vegetables and Herbs: Common vegetables in pho include broccoli, bok choy, carrots, cilantro, onions, in the broth and traditional toppings include bean sprouds, green onions, Thai basil, mint, limes or jalapenos or Thai chilis.

If you are looking for a little bit lower carb, reduce your noodle portion! When I’m looking to eat less noodles, I’ll add more fresh vegetables or cooked vegetables, like broccoli or carrots, to still fill me up without all of the extra carbs.

Fresh herbs, such as cilantro, mint or Thai basil, deliver a small boost of vitamin A, and a squirt of fresh lime juice adds a bit of vitamin C. Skip the salty hot sauces and switch to fresh jalapeno or Thai chilis if you like it hot!

Easy Homemade Pho Recipe (6)

Easy Homemade Soup Recipes

My other favorite soup recipes are Turmeric Chicken Vegetable or Chicken Vegetable Miso Soup, give those a try next!

Easy Homemade Pho Recipe (7)

FREE GUIDE TO ENERGIZE YOUR MEAL PREP!

Get your FREE RDRx Nutrition Meal Prep Guide with my favorite recipes, snack ideas, grocery list and healthy meal planning tips!

Subscribe

5 Comments

Oldest

Newest Most Voted

Inline Feedbacks

View all comments

Easy Homemade Pho Recipe (9)

Amanda Howard

1 year ago

Really need to try this asap! Love furikake.

1

Reply

Easy Homemade Pho Recipe (10)

Nicole Headdings

1 year ago

I loved this meal. It’s great with the individual nori sheets or as a sushi bowl with the nori crumbled on top. Definitely something I’ll make again.

1

Reply

Easy Homemade Pho Recipe (11)

Haley Wilkinson

1 year ago

I make this regularly and it’s my favorite! So good!

Reply

Easy Homemade Pho Recipe (12)

Kelsey Sycks

1 year ago

YUM! Amazing, easy recipe that is a staple in our dinner rotation. Ground turkey is my fav but have also subbed for ground caribou and loved it!

Reply

Easy Homemade Pho Recipe (13)

Tricia Richardson

1 year ago

Ooohhh these are going to be a fan favorite for our house! A combo of the kid’s 2 favorite things, banana bread and waffles! Thanks Haley 😘

Reply

Easy Homemade Pho Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in pho? ›

Sa sung—dried peanut worms—have been described as the secret ingredient of great pho.

What is traditional pho broth made of? ›

The common ingredient of pho soup is beef bones and/or pork bones. They are in to be broiled for a long time to make clear broth (along with great number of spices). In certain case , there might be chicken bones. If rare beef slice in the toppings, it's Pho Tai.

What gives pho broth its taste? ›

Broth - the soul of Pho. Beef bones play a crucial role in influencing the quality of the broth. Combined with spices such as ginger, charred onions, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and coriander seeds, the broth gains a distinct aroma.

What makes pho unhealthy? ›

The one thing to be extra conscientious with pho is that it's very high in sodium, which can cause increased blood pressure and contribute to cardiovascular issues. 1 (Some bowls have more than 1,000 mg, which is practically the entire allotment of recommended sodium intake for the day.)

What does pho do to your body? ›

Pho is nutritious and is high in protein, but does have high sodium and calories. It may help reduce inflammation and improve joint health. Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is a hearty Vietnamese soup usually made with a meaty broth, rice noodles, various herbs, and either beef, chicken, or tofu.

Is Ramen broth the same as pho broth? ›

If you compare the two soups side by side, the noodles in pho are soft and translucent, and the noodles in ramen are firm and chewy. Pho broth is thin and clear, and ramen broth is usually dark and cloudy.

What is the brown stuff in pho? ›

What is the brown sauce in Vietnamese restaurants? Hoisin sauce! It's a sweet kind of "plum" sauce ish texture that's often used for dipping meat in. Many people use it to put into their pho to amp up the flavour as well.

Are you supposed to eat all the pho broth? ›

Pho is a traditional Vietnamese dish that consists of a flavorful broth, rice noodles, meat (usually beef or chicken), and various herbs and spices. While many people in Vietnam do drink the soup after eating pho, it is not a universal practice.

What kind of sauce do you put in pho? ›

The bowl of pho will also be accompanied by several condiments such as hoisin sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, Sriracha, and chili paste.

What kind of noodles do you use for pho? ›

For pho noodle soup and other pho noodle dishes, you want banh pho -- flat rice noodles. The round bun rice vermicelli noodles are used for other dishes, including rice noodle bowls and rice paper salad rolls (goi cuon, sometimes called fresh spring rolls).

What makes pho smell so good? ›

Star anise, cloves, and cinnamon are the aromatic trinity in traditional pho stock. Try adding a few whole spices to the store-bought stuff, along with fresh ginger and a glug of fish sauce.

Do you put soy sauce in pho? ›

The variety also makes it a great dish for experimenting with global flavors. Try adding spicy chilies, a dash of soy sauce, or a splash of fragrant sesame oil to your broth – trust us, you won't regret it!

Is fish sauce used in pho? ›

Vietnamese pho is all about the broth! In this authentic recipe, beef bones, fish sauce, star anise, and ginger simmer for at least 6 hours, creating a complex, aromatic broth that may not be quick, but it's certainly delicious.

Why is pho healthier than ramen? ›

Pho is usually considered a healthier choice than ramen because it tends to have fewer calories and less fat, making it a lighter meal. But both pho and ramen still give you a good amount of protein, vitamins, and minerals.

What is the distinct flavor in pho? ›

Outside of the meat, the basic flavors of pho are pretty simple: charred onions and ginger (or a bit of sweetness, smoky depth, and pungency), star anise, cinnamon, cloves, and occasionally other spices (for aroma), fish sauce (for salt and its savory umami qualities), sugar (for sweetness, duh), and a slew of stir-in ...

What gives pho its smell? ›

Star anise, cloves, and cinnamon are the aromatic trinity in traditional pho stock. Try adding a few whole spices to the store-bought stuff, along with fresh ginger and a glug of fish sauce.

What is the yellow thing in pho? ›

Bean Sprouts (Giá)

Bean sprouts are young sprouted beans typically made from mung beans. These sprouts are prized for their crisp and crunchy texture, which contrasts wonderfully with the soft noodles and savoury broth of pho.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Clemencia Bogisich Ret

Last Updated:

Views: 6205

Rating: 5 / 5 (80 voted)

Reviews: 87% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Clemencia Bogisich Ret

Birthday: 2001-07-17

Address: Suite 794 53887 Geri Spring, West Cristentown, KY 54855

Phone: +5934435460663

Job: Central Hospitality Director

Hobby: Yoga, Electronics, Rafting, Lockpicking, Inline skating, Puzzles, scrapbook

Introduction: My name is Clemencia Bogisich Ret, I am a super, outstanding, graceful, friendly, vast, comfortable, agreeable person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.