Vietnamese pho

Tips: Make the best Vietnamese pho

Master the authentic taste of Vietnamese pho with our key tips about flavours and technique and about serving the perfect bowl of hot noodle soup.

Do not overcook the noodles

Boil the dried rice noodles directly in the flavourful broth for about 2 minutes or until they start to soften enough. Be mindful not to overcook them; they should be just tender but still slightly firm to the bite. Overcooked noodles can become mushy and take away from the other delicious flavours and textures in the soup. Cooking them until just tender preserves their texture and allows them to absorb the flavours of the broth.

Prepare the noodles Vietnamese style

To ensure the texture of the noodles is just right, prepare them the traditional way. Start by soaking dried rice noodles in hot water (not boiling) for 15–20 minutes. This softens them perfectly while maintaining a desirable chewiness, ensuring they absorb the rich flavours of the broth. For fresh rice noodles, a quick rinse in cold water retains their firmness. When serving, briefly blanch the noodles in the boiling broth for just 5 seconds, then transfer them immediately to the bowls. This traditional Vietnamese technique guarantees perfect noodle texture.

Make a delectable Vietnamese pho soup

Taste the authentic flavours of Vietnamese cuisine with our pho recipe. The broth, rich with aromatic spices, delicately coats the smooth rice noodles, providing a perfect base for the crisp, fresh garnishes. The magic of this Vietnamese pho lies in its simplicity and depth. Aromatic hints of warm spices infuse the broth with the well-known flavours of Asian cuisine.

Add to this the brightness of lime, the crunch of fresh spring onions, and the creamy texture of salad cheese, and it creates a meal that is delightful in every way.

Delicate noodles with fresh vegetables and herbs

Enjoy a bowl of delicate rice noodles mingled with vibrant vegetables and aromatic herbs. The noodles perfectly capture the enriched broth’s essence. Red onion and spring onion add layers of flavour, with the red onion bringing a mild sweetness that complements the bold, sharp notes of the spring onions. Together, they provide a crisp texture that is delicious against the soft noodles.

Fresh pak choi add a satisfying crunch, while shiitake mushrooms add earthy umami flavours and a chewy, meaty texture. Diced salad cheese, though not traditionally Vietnamese, provides a creamy contrast, melting slightly under the warmth of the broth. Coriander adds a burst of citrusy, peppery flavour, enhancing the soup’s freshness, and thin rings of chilli pepper introduce a subtle heat that is balanced by a squeeze of lime juice that adds a bright, tangy zest to tie all the flavours together.

Aromatic broth infused with cinnamon, star anise, and cloves

The soup starts with a base of rich vegetable broth infused with the warm sweetness of cinnamon sticks, the liquorice notes of star anise, and the piquant depth of cloves. These spices are gently simmered to release their full flavour potential, creating a broth that is both comforting and intriguing, perfect for adding tender noodles and flavourful toppings.

Enjoy as a comforting dinner

Soup is one of the best comfort foods, enveloping you in a delightful warmth from top to toe. Pho offers a culinary retreat to the vibrant, bustling streets of Hanoi right from your dinner table. Whether served as a lively family dinner or a soothing meal alone, this pho brings the heartwarming pleasure of a well-crafted soup. Each spoonful is a celebration of texture and taste, perfect for dinner or even a warming, luxurious lunch when you are in the mood for some tasty Asian cuisine.

Soups are always a good idea, spring through winter and from all over the world, so have a look at some of our other soup recipes: courgette soup, leek soup with garlic and miso, and red pepper soup with cream cheese.

Experiment with the ingredients

Although Daikon radish is not a common ingredient in traditional Vietnamese pho, it can be used to sweeten and clarify the broth. Let it simmer in large chunks when you prepare the soup base and remove the chunks when you strain the soup. Another way to sweeten the soup slightly is to use rock sugar instead of regular sugar. It ensures a more authentic Vietnamese flavour as it dissolves slowly, which allows you to control the sweetness better.

Add a generous splash of fish sauce to the broth for deep umami flavours and consider serving the soup with hoisin and sriracha sauces on the side so each person can add exactly the amount they want. Hoisin sauce introduces a sweet-savoury depth, while sriracha adds a nice spiciness. In addition to coriander, you can use other fresh herbs on top such as basil, maybe even Thai basil, and mint. Fresh herbs contribute vibrant, fragrant notes that do wonders for the overall flavours of the noodle soup.

You can also add slices of meat, for example, thinly sliced chicken, beef, or pork. Add these raw slices to the broth just before serving, allowing them to gently cook in the hot soup. This ensures the meat retains its juiciness and absorbs the aromatic spices of the broth, creating a delightful contrast with the freshness of the herbs and the crunchiness of the vegetables.

While this recipe calls for vegetable broth, for a more traditional pho experience, consider using a beef-based broth as the foundation. Start by simmering beef bones, such as oxtail, with aromatic pho spices like star anise, cinnamon, and cloves to create an authentic pho broth. Slowly simmering the bones extracts their rich flavour and creates a full-flavoured base for the soup.