This is how to make pho broth from beef bones, with oxtails or chicken. Then you can make homemade pho with meat of your choice like flavorful Korean oxtail soup with noodles and vegetables inside too.
Homemade pho broth is delicious when eaten fresh or can be stored for later use too. We love beef but you can make chicken on the stovetop or Instant Pot faster too. Simmered for hours you can now make your favorite Vietnamese meal from scratch yourself.
What is Pho?
Pho (pronounced F-U) is a Vietnamese soup typically made with a flavorful broth, rice noodles, meat, and various herbs and vegetables. It is a popular street food in Vietnam and has gained popularity in the United States in the past few years.
What gives pho broth its taste?
To make it, you will need to start by preparing the homemade broth. You do this by simmering bones with a bit of meat on them (or a lot), onions, and spices for many hours to extract their flavor. Once it is ready, you can add rice noodles and more meat if you like before serving.
Chicken Pho Broth
Basically you would use the same seasonings in the water as shown in the recipe card below but you would be boiling a whole chicken or using just the bones to make this. If you aren’t going to make the entire meal right then and there you may want to just use bones. If not it is a great way to cook meat to get it SO so tender.
Once you extract all the flavor out of the meat and into that liquid in the pot you can dice or shred the proteins and add that in later to serve as a complete meal.
Pho Broth with Frozen Chicken
Did you know you can you boil frozen chicken? Believe it or not it doesn’t really matter whether they are thawed first, you can get the same great outcome! Typically I will make this for a meal that very night. Pho soup is seriously our favorite meal.
It does take some time so don’t be in a hurry. Made with chicken or beef broth is amazing. Made in a large stockpot or in a pressure cooker it is great how made at home you can season to your liking so it becomes just right for your tastebuds. Love a bit of fish sauce in your Vietnamese noodle soup? Add some at the end.
Oxtail Pho Broth
There are a few ways to get that rich meaty flavor, some take longer than others. If we use ox I just throw them in or saute with the onions to brown the outsides just a bit. If you have previously made air fryer bone marrow or have bones you can broil or bake them to brown and that will give you even more deep flavors. If you do that you can toast the spices at the same time enhancing it all for boldness.
What is pho broth made of?
You are going to want to start off with 4-5 pounds of beef bones or 2 lbs oxtail (since those have quite a bit of protein on them you need less). We explain how to cook oxtail here and use that most often. then you want lots of seasonings and vegetables added to the water such as sliced onions, ginger root, lime, and some like celery and/or garlic cloves.
Some like to add whole star anise, I really don’t appreciate that flavor at all so I leave that out. Authentic broths would include this, decide for yourself on that one. 😉 As for the necessary liquid you can add more flavor by using broth for boiling which we do often with boiled chicken wings too to add a ton more flavor. Beef, chicken or vegetable works well.
If you want to use beef bones or want to know how to cook bone marrow, you will want to roast them a bit first to really enhance those flavors, then proceed as posted below. We also have information of how to cook oxtails in the oven to start with if you prefer that.
Instant Pot Method
You would basically follow our chicken or beef bone broth Instant Pot instructions and then strain. This will dramatically cut down on the cook time (to closer to 30 minutes vs. 5-6 hours) for sure but still gives you that low and slow flavor.
Pho Broth Recipe
Equipment
- 1 stock pot
- 1 cutting board
- 1 strainer
Ingredients
- 2 pounds oxtail, chicken or beef bones
- 1 small onion
- 1 large radishes, daikon
- 1 large carrot, peeled and sliced
- 1 small ginger root, piece, about 1"
- 1/8 tsp cloves, ground
- 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1/2 tsp salt and pepper
- 1 tsp coriander
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2-3 tbsp olive oil
- 8 cups water, or broth, enough to cover ingredients + 2"
Instructions
- Chop onions, carrots, daikon radish, and can add thin slices of a pepper if you wanted heat. Set aside. In large stock pot, add oil, onions, carrots, ginger, radish, and spices and saute until onions are tender.
- Add meat bones. Add enough water or broth to cover everything in the pot + 2" or so. Bring to a steady boil, then reduce to simmer for 5 – 6 hours or until meat is easily removed from bone.
- Use a fine mesh strainer to strain soup liquid into a new pot. Set aside vegetables and remove meat off of the bones, set aside.
- To just make the broth to use and store;
- If you want to make this immediately you would continue to the rest of these steps, if you want just the broth then allow it to cool. Use a spoon to scoop up the fat that accumulates at the top of the liquid and discard that. Then you can pour into mason jars and store in the fridge or freeze once cooled.
- To make pho immediately you would;
- Add noodles to soup liquid and cook until al dente but tender. Add vegetables and meat back to soup liquid with cooked pasta. Fill bowls with soup, top with cilantro, green onions or chives and pepper slices if you'd like to add a bit of heat.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
If you want to make oxtail pho today you would proceed to the next steps of boiling noodles in the broth, then adding back the meat and veggies.
How to Make Pho with Noodles
Similar to making chicken noodle soup with whole chicken, if you want to make this immediately you would continue to the rest of these steps. If you want just the broth then allow it to cool. Use a spoon to scoop up the fat that accumulates at the top of the liquid and discard that. Then you can pour into mason jars and store in the fridge or freeze once cooled.
- Add noodles to soup liquid and cook according to package directions until al dente but tender.
- Add vegetables and meat back to soup liquid with cooked pasta.
Fill bowls with soup, top with cilantro, green onions or chives and roasted jalapeno pepper slices if you’d like to add a bit of heat.
What to do with leftover pho broth?
You can store leftover broth in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or freeze it for up to 6 months in sealed containers. Always make sure that you allow it to cool completely first though. Remove fat layer from the top before pouring into containers. Cover with lids or you can use plastic wrap to cover the top. Best is to gently touch the top with the saran wrap so it doesn’t create a film when in the fridge.
You can use this to make any sort of soup you want really. Scrape fat off the top and heat in a pot on the stove. If you want to add rice noodles add them when it has reached a rolling boil until tender. Easiest thing is to use would be leftover meats chopped up and thrown inside the pot to warm all of it together.
Can you reheat pho broth?
Of course you can. Don’t throw out any leftovers as especially if you make homemade pho broth like we share here in our recipe it is like gold. You’ll want to skim the fat off the top that has been accumulated and pour liquid into a microwave safe bowl. Heat for 1 minute stirring in the middle until warm.
What is pho served with?
To assemble it you place cooked rice noodles in a bowl, some add thinly sliced raw beef next. Pour the hot broth over the top and add any desired toppings. Popular choices are usually fresh bean sprouts, cilantro, basil, lime wedges, and sliced roasted jalapeno. Favorite condiments on top would be a squeeze of hoisin sauce or Sriracha. It is a delicious and satisfying meal that is perfect for any time of day.
