Instant Pot Pho - Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup Recipe

What is Pho?

Phở or pho (pronounced “fuh”, rhymes with “duh”) is a well-loved Vietnamese noodle soup, essentially made of broth, rice noodles, meat, and fresh herbs.

Most common Pho you can find are phở bò (beef pho) or phở tái (pho with sliced rare beef on top), and phở gà (chicken pho).

Chefs from different regions of Vietnam offer varying styles, ingredients & flavors of Pho. And that’s the beauty of Pho!

Making pho from scratch is definitely a labor of love that requires hours & hours of nurturing & love. But don’t be intimated! Instant Pot Pho is certainly easy to make – not some difficult MasterChef technical cooking challenge. 😉

Plus, with the help from your Instant Pot Pressure Cooker – you can boil down a day-long simmering on stovetop to 2 hours of pressure cooking in the Instant Pot!

The deliciously soothing beef pho broth is the soul of the dish.

And this Instant Pot Pho recipe yields a nourishing rich beefy soup that tastes like flavor-bursting beef essence, paired with tender beef, gelatinous tendons, buttery oxtail.

I just love slurping up the glorious beefy soup – yum!! 😀

Ingredients

PHO BROTH:

4 lb total beef bones using a mix is best, bone marrow, knuckles, and/or ribs, shank bone
2 medium onions sliced in half
2 cloves garlic skin removed
2 medium carrots sliced in half
2 knob of ginger sliced in half
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ground coriander
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
2 teaspoon salt
4 whole star anise
1 teaspoon ground cardamom
6 cups of water

PHO SOUP INGREDIENTS:

1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
1/2 lb grass-fed sirloin steak sliced very thinly (freeze meat for 15 minutes before cutting to make the slicing easier), cook on the stove with 1 teaspoon olive oil
1 cup bean sprouts
1 lime cut into wedges
2 scallions sliced thinly
1 box of rice noodles cook based on package instructions
1 bunch Basil optional
1 bunch Cilantro optional
1 tablespoon fresh mint optional
1 teaspoon Sriracha optional
Fresh Hot Red Pepper sliced (optional)

Instructions

1. Prep: Place onion, garlic, carrot and ginger on a sheet-tray. Broil for 10 minutes, or until charred.
2. Parboil the bones: While vegetables are cooking, fill a medium sized pot with water, cover and bring to a boil. Once at a boil, turn down heat to medium low and add the beef bones. Cook for 2-3 minutes at a high simmer, never at a rolling boil. Drain and skim off any fat that remains on the bones.
3. Place the bones in your Instant Pot. Add charred veggies, apple cider vinegar, spices, and enough water to cover the bones to your Instant Pot. Cover and seal the Instant Pot. Using the manual timer, set the pressure cooker to high for 45 minutes. Once done, shut off the heat and let sit for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, open the pressure cooker and strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer until it runs clear. About 2-3 times.5. The Steak: Freeze meat for 30 minutes before cutting to make the slicing thin strips easier. While broth is cooking, cook the steak. Heat a small skillet with 1 teaspoon olive oil. Add in steak and cook on medium heat until no pink remains. Set aside in a bowl until ready to eat!
4. Noodles: Cook your rice noodles based on package instructions and set aside until ready to eat.
5. Assemble: Place bone broth in desired bowls. Add in desired toppings and devour!