Authentic Quick and Easy Vietnamese Instant Pot Beef Noodle Soup Recipe (Pho Bo)
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Pho typically takes hours to cook. It also requires a lot of refrigeration space to store all the different components. This is the reason I just go out when the craving hits and forego the trouble.
For a long time, I wanted to come up with a quick way to make pho without the hassle. I wanted a simple recipe that would work for a busy weeknight or simply, for your average lazy Joe Vicky. After a couple of attempts, I finally came up with a recipe that I absolutely love.
This Instant Pot pressure cooker pho recipe eliminates a lot of the traditional steps without compromising flavor and authenticity. It also keeps the ingredient list to a minimum. Best of all, it comes together in 45 minutes. Yep, you read that correctly. 45 minutes for delicious pho using an 8-Quart Instant Pot pressure cooker. And you couldn’t tell that it was cooked any other way.
If you are looking for the traditional way of making phở and have some time on your hands, I got you too. Click below:
Traditional Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (Phở Bò)
Traditional Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup (Phở Gà)
Super Quick and Easy Vietnamese Instant Pot Beef Noodle Soup (Phở Bò)
In this super simple recipe, we’re not blanching the bones to remove impurities. We are not salvages either so we are cleaning them beforehand with a bit of sexy salt rubbing action.
We are not charring ginger and onions as well. We are not toasting the spices. And lastly, we are not cooking for hours with the help of modern technology and our trusted appliance friend, the Instant Pot pressure cooker.
To make this pho recipe less daunting, we are sticking to only beef neckbones for the stock. They have the same flavor as oxtail, a type of beef bones that the trendy restaurants use, but without the ridiculous price tag.
PHO AROMATICS
You can’t have pho without these aromatics: ginger, yellow onions, and a convenient store-bought pho spice packet of Saigon/Chinese cinnamon, star anise, dried cardamom, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and cloves.
There are two convenient types of store-bought spice packets: ground spices in a tea bag or whole spices with an accompanying mesh bag.
I’m using one spice tea bag (orange /yellow box pictured on left) for a super quick recipe.
Start off by putting everything in the pot. Beef bones, ginger, onions, and the pho spice bag. I’m using one Phở Hòa brand spice bag, the one pictured in the orange box above.
I’m using an 8-quart Instant Pot pressure cooker in this recipe.
Set the Instant Pot to pressure cook on high for 45 minutes. While waiting for the pressure cooker to do its magic, prep and cut the vegetables.
Once the pressure cooker is done, do a quick release slooooowly as not to destroy your kitchen ceiling. Discard the ginger and onions. Remove the bones and set them aside to cool. Once safe enough to handle, remove all meaty deliciousness from the bones and set it aside to add later to your noodle soup.
Next, skim off the impurities that float to the top and discard. For a clearer broth, you can strain the whole pot using a fine mesh strainer. Lastly, season the stock to taste. If you are using smaller capacity pressure cooker, simply reduce the seasonings in the recipe below.
The broth is now done. Ladle hot broth onto a bed of rice noodles, garnish as desired and enjoy.
Trust me. No one will tell that the pho noodle dish came together in less than one hour.
Cleaning beef neck bones (top) and eye of round beef steak with salt to remove any lingering odor.
What is Pho?
Phở, pronounced as “Fuh” in the tone of a question, is the national dish of Vietnam. It’s a popular noodle soup that is widely served in Vietnamese restaurants in the states. To be an honorary Vietnamese, you must have at least had pho before.
Pho is a noodle soup dish consisting of rice noodles, meat, and herbs. The two most popular types of pho are chicken pho (Phở Gà) and beef pho (Phở Bò). In Vietnam, pho is served primarily as breakfast, as it takes all night to cook. By sunrise, the broth is ready for locals to enjoy before heading off to work.
Everything goes straight into the pot: cleaned beef neck bones, yellow onions, ginger and spice packet.
Pho Broth and Spices
Pho broth is made from simmering either chicken bones for Pho Ga or beef bones for Pho Bo, along with charred onions, charred ginger and various spices such as Saigon cinnamon, star anise, dried cardamom, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and cloves. Traditionally it’s dry toasted and then placed in a spice bag to steep towards the end of cooking for that amazing finishing aroma.
Pho Ga is topped with hand-shredded chicken meat and sometimes chicken innards and unlaid eggs. Pho Bo is topped with a variety of beef cuts, depending on which Vietnam region you’re in.
PHO MEATS
Meat from cooked beef neck bones
Precooked beef meat balls (Bò Viên)
Eye of Round Beef (serve rare)
Thinly slice (Tái)
or minced (Tái băm - great for kids!)
What is the Difference between Southern and Northern Pho?
Pho originates in northern Vietnam, but you can find pho scattered all over the country. The northern Pho (aka Hanoi Pho) differs in style from the southern pho (aka Saigon Pho).
Northern pho is more savory with minimal cuts of meat, garnishes, and condiments. You will often see minced raw beef steaks (eye of round) in northern pho. Sometimes it’s even wok-fried in beef fat / talo. Northern pho comes garnished with plenty of scallions and a sprinkle of ground black pepper. It also comes with a long fried breadstick that you can dunk into the broth. Northern-style pho comes ready to eat without adding too much extra stuff. But there are optional condiments of pickled garlic and red chilies available table-side for a bit of customization.
Southern pho is a bit sweeter. It comes with a lot more options. There are a lot of different cuts of beef, such as rare slices of round beef steaks, crunchy tripe, gelatinous tendons, beef meatballs, thinly sliced flank steaks, and brisket. It also comes with a basket of fresh herbs and vegetables that you can add to your bowl. These baskets include Thai basil, culantro (also known as sawtooth herb), bean sprouts, freshly sliced jalapenos, lime wedges, and fresh jalapenos or red chili peppers. Condiments typically used in southern pho are siracha chili sauce and hoisin sauce. But no fried breadstick for dunking.
PHO GARNISHES
Bean sprouts, lime or lemon wedges, pickled or fresh chili peppers, Thai basil, culantro (sawtooth herb), thinly sliced green onions/scallions, cilantro, and yellow onion.
HOW TO FLAVOR PHO
Rock sugar, Fish Sauce, Sea Salt, Bouillon Powder and MSG (salt of the Gods)
Pho Seasonings
For a simple pho broth, season with rock sugar, salt, and fish sauce.
For those who want a more authentic taste, add a bit of MSG (Monosodium Glutamate), also known as the-seasoning-that-Westerners-like-to-hate.
I also go one step further by adding bouillon powder. Since I can’t find a beef bouillon powder that I like, I simply add chicken bouillon powder for both chicken and beef pho. You can also use mushroom bouillon powder, which is available in many Asian supermarkets.
Pho Noodles
There are a few varieties of rice noodles that you can use for pho noodle soup.
There are the dried rice noodles in the dry good aisle that requires boiling. You can buy a couple of these packages and keep them forever in the pantry.
There are fresh rice noodles (bánh phở tươi) in the refrigerated aisle. These noodles are semi-dry and require a quick blanch. This is the one that I normally get for my pho noodle soup. They are typically vacuumed-sealed.
And then there are the ones in styrofoam trays that are also labeled as fresh rice noodles (bánh phở tươi) but are flat and wide and definitely fresh looking. Although labeled the same as pho noodles, these noodles are not meant for hot broth, as they break apart easily. These are meant for Banh Uot / Bánh Ướt. They require a quick heat up in the microwave or blanch in boiling water. Then separate by hand, strand by strand.
Authentic Quick and Easy Vietnamese Instant Pot Beef Noodle Soup (Phở Bò)
Authentic Quick and Easy Vietnamese Instant Pot Beef Noodle Soup Recipe (Pho Bo)
Ingredients
Instructions
- Clean beef neck bones with a tablespoon of sea salt. If using eye of round beef steak, do the same thing with a teaspoon of salt. Rinse bones/steak and drain dry. Add cleaned bones, ginger, yellow onions and one pho spice packet to the Instant Pot. If using eye of round steak, partially freeze then thinly slice and set aside as meat topping.
- Using an 8-Quart Instant Pot pressure cooker, fill the inner pot with water to the ⅔ max pressure cooker line. Press Pressure Cook. Change timer to 45 minutes if needed. Press Start.
- While the pressure cooker is working, prep and cut vegetables. Thinly slice the green onions, cilantro and yellow onion. Cut lemon/lime into wedges and thinly slice chili peppers/jalapenos.
- Once pressure cooker is done, press the quick release slowly so as to not destroy your kitchen ceiling. Using a fine-mesh skimmer spoon to remove all the impurities that float to the top. Discard ginger and onions. Remove the bones and set aside to cool. Once safe enough to handle, remove the meat from the bones and set aside as a meat topping. At this point, you can strain the entire stock through a large fine-mesh strainer for a clearer broth if desired.
- Fill pressure cooker with additional water to ½ line, if needed. This will make 4 quarts total. Press Saute and change setting to High. Season stock with rock sugar, sea salt, fish sauce, bouillon powder and MSG. Bouillon powder and MSG are optional but highly recommended. Season to taste by adding a little at a time. If using pre-cooked beef meatballs, slice in half and add it directly into the simmering broth.
- Cook noodles per package instructions.
- To assemble: Transfer cooked noodles to a bowl. Top with neckbone meat and raw beef slices. Add hot broth, particularly over the raw beef slices, if any. Garnish bowl with sliced cilantro, green onions, and yellow onions. Serve with a platter of fresh Thai basil, culantro, chili peppers/jalapenos, and lime/lemon wedges. Have hoisin and sriracha sauce on the side for additional customization and enjoy.
Notes
If you are using smaller capacity pressure cooker, simply reduce the seasonings in the recipe above.
Nutrition Facts
Calories
640Fat
15 gSat. Fat
6 gCarbs
101 gFiber
3 gNet carbs
98 gSugar
2 gProtein
21 gSodium
1988 mgCholesterol
57 mgThe values provided should be considered estimates. Factors such as brands purchased, natural variations in fresh ingredients, etc. will change the nutritional information in any recipe. To obtain accurate nutritional information for a recipe, use your preferred nutrition calculator to determine nutritional information with the actual ingredients and quantities used.
