Vietnamese pho (pronounced “fa”) is a soup dish consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat (beef, pork, or chicken). Pho is a popular food in Vietnam where it is served in households, street stalls and restaurants countrywide. Pho is considered Vietnam’s national dish, but now can be found in almost any major US city.  Typical Vietnamese ingredients hit every deliciously addictive note that you can find – sweet, sour, salty, spicy, umami. The hardest part, we found, was creating the flavorful broth without having to buy a ton of ingredients or taking a few days.

Vietnamese Pho – It’s Just Soup, Right?

Pho differs throughout Vietnam and in other parts of the world, depending on the broth’s flavor, noodle size, and ingredients added to the finished product. The most common pho version in Vietnam uses thick dried rice noodles, but you usually see the thinner rice noodles or bean noodles in US Vietnamese restaurants.

In the Guide Vietnam description of Vietnamese cooking, they state that one of the hallmarks of Vietnamese cooking is fresh ingredients, making it one of the healthiest foods in the world.  According the the Healthline website, pho has many health benefits, including “gluten-free, anti-inflammatory, nutrient rich, protein rich.”   The aim of this recipe, as well as all of our Vietnamese-inspired recipes, is to preserve the freshness and natural taste of food as much as possible.

Pho, Vietnamese Noodle Soup

If you want to learn more about Vietnamese cuisine, check out Vicky Pham’s website about Vietnamese home cooking.  We love her simple, healthy recipes, and we especially love her easy how-to YouTube channel. She is a self-proclaimed “pho-aholic”, and has a wonderful DIY from scratch Vietnamese pho recipe. If you don’t want to start from scratch, we offer a tasty alternative.

Serious Foodie has now made it very simple to make Vietnamese Pho at home with the Vietnamese Pho Kits (click HERE to Buy Now).

Check out our other Asian-inspired recipes:

Vietnamese Pho

Many combination of vegetables will work in this recipe, but don't skimp on the fresh herbs. The herbs are important for flavor and health benefits. Chicken or tofu is an easy substitute for the protein - if you use beef or pork, will want to thin-slice and marinate for overnight before using.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Main Dish
Cuisine Asian
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

  • 8 ounces extra firm tofu It is important to use extra firm
  • 2 tablespoons corn starch
  • 2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil We use grapeseed oil
  • 2 scallion Sliced, on a bias
  • 1/2 medium Sweet onion Julienne sliced
  • 3 cups Vegetables We used snow peas, shredded carrots, and broccolini
  • 1 bottle Serious Foodie Tamarillo Grill Sauce Go to shop.serious-foodie.devsquad.tech to order
  • Salt and Pepper To taste

Instructions
 

  • Pat dry both sides of the steak.  Liberally season the steak with the Serious Foodie Seattle Espresso Rub.  Wrap the seasoned flank steak tightly with plastic wrap, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Sthe sauce over medium heat until it is reduced by one half. Add the mustard, rosemary, . Cook on low heat until the sauce is thick.
  • Remove the steak from the refrigerator at least 30 minutes before cooking; pre-heat a gas or charcoal grill.
  • To make the sauce: add the olive oil to a sauce pan, and heat over medium. Add the minced garlic, and saute until fragrant, about 60 to 90 seconds. Immediately add the wine and soy sauce, and reduce by 1/2 (about 5 minutes). Stir in the Dijon mustard, rosemary, brown sugar, and optional cayenne pepper. Simmer until desired thickness is achieved.
  • Place the steak on the grill, and cook to desired doneness - about 6 minutes per side for rare. It's best not to over-cook flank steak.
  • Transfer the steak to a plate, and let stand for 5 minutes before carving. Cut the steak across the grain, and serve with the sauce and the optional arugula fennel salad - see https://serious-foodie.devsquad.tech/versatile-vinaigrettes/

Notes

Some people have asked "what about the bright red color we see from tandoori chicken at our local restaurant?"  The red color comes from food coloring.  If you want red color, we suggest using annatto paste, which can be found in most Latin American grocery stores.  One teaspoon added to the yogurt marinade works just fine.
This same marinade works well with lamb, or a meaty fish such as swordfish.

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Try The Vietnamese Pho Kits (3 Flavors)  – And Check Out All Our Great Serious Foodie International Regional Cuisine Products