Enjoy this popular and traditional Vietnamese Phở easily from the comfort of your home with a bit of help from your Instant Pot!
Milwaukee has really lucked out on how many Vietnamese restaurants we have sprinkled throughout the city. Every single one I’ve tried has been delicious, each with its own niche. I got a place downtown where the garlic chicken and vermicelli noodles are out of this world. Then, there’s a small dive on Milwaukee’s East Side that makes the best clay pot rice. And right down the road from me is a restaurant that specializes in all things phở, my go-to being the phở bò viên. This recipe attempts to mirror the flavors of my favorite phở, all with the help of the ever-faithful Instant Pot.
Traditional phở is amazing, but it takes the better part of my day and the patience of an elementary school teacher. I’ve actually tried making it—the slow-simmered broth, the perfectly balanced spices, all the prepping. The results are worth the six-plus hours of simmering. But sometimes, I want some phở without losing my day job. The Instant Pot is an easy way to cut the time to a little over an hour while still enjoying that classic phở flavor.
Like traditional phở, this recipe pulls much of its flavor from beef bones, aromatics, and spices. You’ll still enjoy the silky broth and thin ribbons of beef that cook right in the bowl. I won’t lie and say it tastes the same as phở that’s simmered for hours. Still, it’s a tasty compromise that’s worth trying.
Is This Instant-Pot Phở Healthy?
The broth is rich in collagen from beef bones, which provides all sorts of health benefits. Bone broth is good stuff. Plus, all the fresh herbs, veggies, and bean sprouts come with their own collection of vitamins and minerals.
If this recipe has an Achilles’ heel, it’s the high sodium. You can fix that by scaling back the fish sauce by a quarter and cutting the salt in half. Just add more lime and herbs to make up for it—and if you’re using the optional hoisin sauce, grab a low-sodium bottle.
Do I Really Need A Spice Bag?
As someone who’s tried it both ways, yes, you do! Otherwise, you’ll end up like me, spending half your meal picking whole cloves out of your teeth. Spice bags are cheap and often come in a pack (cheesecloths also work). They’re simple to use as well. Just toss your spices in, and let them infuse the broth. You’ll be amazed at how quickly all those flavorful spices seep into the broth.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Refrigerate leftovers in an airtight container for up to 4 days. Reheat in a pot on medium-low.
Serving Suggestions
Scallion pancakes, Shrimp Spring Rolls, and Asian Cucumber Salad are excellent pairings that keep with the Vietnamese theme. Also, if you’d prefer this Phở as the side, serve a cup with a tasty Bánh Mì Sandwich (Vietnamese Sandwich)
The Instant Pot is a kitchen miracle that streamlines the preparation of most meals. For more phở ideas, check out these recipes for Vegetarian Phở and Chicken Phở, both of which can be adapted for the Instant Pot.
Ingredients
- 2.5 pound beef bones
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 6 star anise
- 1.5 tablespoons coriander seeds
- 1 tablespoon whole cloves
- 1 large onion halved
- 5 slices ginger
- 15 cups water
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 8-12 cooked beef meatballs, preferably Vietnamese-style optional, for serving
- 12 ounces dried rice noodles
- 6-8 ounces Thin slices of eye of round or sirloin beef for serving
- Sliced green onions, chopped cilantro, Thai Basil, lime wedges, bean sprouts, sliced Thai chili, hoisin sauce, sriracha sauce for garnish
Instructions
- Parboil beef bones in a pot of water for 5 minutes to remove impurities, then rinse and set aside.
- Toast cinnamon sticks, star anise, coriander seeds, and cloves in a pan until fragrant, then set aside.
- Char onion halves and ginger slices in a pan until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.
- Place toasted spices in a spice bag. Add beef bones, spice bag, charred onion and ginger, water, fish sauce, salt, and sugar to the Instant Pot.
- Seal the Instant Pot and set to high pressure for 1 hour. After cooking, release pressure and remove the spice bag.
- If using beef meatballs, add to the broth and set the Instant Pot to sauté mode, cooking until meatballs are heated through.
- Assemble bowls with cooked rice noodles. Add thinly sliced raw beef to each bowl. Pour hot broth over the beef, along with the meatballs if using. The heat will gently cook the slices of beef. Garnish with green onions, cilantro, and other toppings as desired.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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