Quick Phở Bò - Northern style

Name: Quick Phở Bò (Northern Style)
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 1 h 30 min
Total time: 2 h
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 kg beef bones; 1 onion, charred; 1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, charred; Phở spice blend (cinnamon, star anise, black cardamom, coriander seeds, cloves, dried tangerine peel); Beef flank; Phở rice noodles (bánh phở); Fish sauce, salt/ seasoning powder (Bot canh Hai Chau); Scallions, cilantro and thinly sliced onion; Lime; Garlic chili vinegar (optional)

A slow-simmered beef noodle soup.

Homemade Northern-style phở bò with rare beef and scallions

What Is Phở Bò?

Phở bò is Vietnam's famous beef noodle soup: flat rice noodles in a clear, slow-simmered beef broth spiced with star anise, cinnamon and charred ginger. Northern-style (Hà Nội) phở keeps it simple, with lots of scallions and a clean broth, while Southern phở comes with bean sprouts, Thai basil and sauces on the side. This is my quick Northern version, made in a pressure cooker.

Ingredients for Phở Bò

2 kg beef bones
1 onion, charred
1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, charred
Traditional phở spice blend (cinnamon, star anise, black cardamom, coriander seeds, cloves, and dried tangerine peel). I recommend grabbing a pre-made phở spice packet so you don't have to worry about missing anything 😀
Beef flank (I'm making phở tái, so that's my pick, but feel free to use whatever cut you like)
Phở rice noodles (bánh phở, absolutely essential!)
Fish sauce, salt, and a little rock sugar for seasoning
Scallions, cilantro, and thinly sliced onion for garnish
Lime
Garlic chili vinegar (optional)

How to Make Quick Phở Bò

Char the onion and ginger.
Toast the spice blend in a dry pan until fragrant, then put it in a spice bag.
Parboil the bones for 5–10 minutes, then rinse the bones and the pot.
Add the bones, charred onion, ginger, and spice bag to the pressure cooker with water. Cook for 1 to 1½ hours.
Skim off any scum and fat from the surface.
Strain the broth (if you want it crystal clear), then bring it back to a boil.
Season with fish sauce and seasoning powder (bot canh Hai Chau)/ salt to taste. Keep it slightly light.
Slice the beef paper-thin.
Blanch the noodles briefly, then season them lightly (my secret trick!).
Assemble: noodles, raw beef, herbs, then pour the boiling broth over to cook the beef. Serve with lime and garlic chili vinegar (optional - I dont like garlic chili vinegar).

Tips and Notes

My phở comes out about 70–80% like authentic Northern-style phở. I usually season by ancestral intuition, but it's best to keep the broth slightly under-seasoned so everyone can adjust their own bowl at the table.

My secret trick: season the noodles too! 😉

Phở Bò FAQ

Can I make phở without a pressure cooker?

Yes. Simmer the bones on the stove on low heat for about 6 hours instead of 1 to 1½ hours. Keep it at a gentle simmer so the broth stays clear.

What's the difference between Northern and Southern phở?

Northern phở has a clean, savory broth, lots of scallions and few toppings. Southern phở is a little sweeter and comes with bean sprouts, Thai basil, lime, hoisin and sriracha on the side.