Beef Short Rib Pho

Beef Short Rib Pho is the nourishing meal you need in your life! This Vietnamese-inspired soup is easy straight-forward to make at home.
It’s comforting and fresh with chunks of tender beef short rib and sliced rare steak swimming in a fragrant and rich beef broth. We’re taking some short cuts to make beef pho manageable at home without skimping on flavor!
Table of Contents
Beef Short Rib Pho
It’s day 3 of So Much Food Soup Week and I’m here to share of my favorite soups ever: Beef Short Rib Pho! Pho is hands-down one of my top three favorite soups of all time. It’s a staple in our house in the cooler months and we probably order it at least once a month!
I absolutely had to make a version of pho that was manageable to make at home because so many people lack great Vietnamese restaurants where they live. We’re using beef short ribs to bolster store bought beef broth with tons of aromatics. The results are truly amazing!
This beef short rib pho is rich, flavorful, and honestly it’s easy and straight forward to make at home. All you need is a bit of time and you’ll have this incredible soup on the table in no time.
If you love pho but want a lighter version, try my quick chicken pho recipe.
What is Pho?
Pho, pronounced fuh, is an extremely popular and historic dish of Vietnam. It’s typically made with beef broth and meat that cooks in a flavorful broth with rice noodles and topped with a variety of fresh herbs. While most bowls of pho that you find in Vietnamese restaurants usually feature beef—beef brisket, thinly shaved rare beef, beef meatballs, and perhaps even tripe—you may also see chicken pho on the menu.
The origins of Pho are vague, but many believe that when the French colonized Vietnam, they brought their love of beef. With the influx of beef came an influx of beef bones which let to the production of rich beef broth. Pho became popularized throughout the world by refugees after the Vietnam War. The Hanoi (northern) and Saigon (southern) styles of pho differ by noodle width, sweetness of broth, and choice of herbs and sauce.
I want to reiterate, this beef short rib pho recipe is not authentic. I am not Vietnamese and have no cultural background in Vietnamese cooking. When I set out to create this recipe, I wanted to make a recipe whose flavors paid homage to the original, while being do-able at home. For an authentic beef pho recipe, check out this recipe from Serious Eats.
Elements of a Great Bowl of Beef Pho
This beef short rib pho may take some shortcuts, but it still needs to be delicious! In order for pho to be great, it’s got to nail some principles.
Broth.
The broth is obviously the star of the show! Traditional beef pho takes hours and hours of simmering to make the ultra flavorful broth. To shortcut this step, we’re going to jazz up store bought beef broth with roasted beef short ribs and tons of aromatics and spices. It’s not a quick recipe per se, but you’ll have restaurant worthy results in just a few hours.
Protein.
As I mentioned above, pho is typically made with beef broth. The soup itself usually contains either brisket, rare steak, meatballs, or tripe. However, I went for bone-in beef short ribs here which are doing double duty. The bones in the short ribs make the broth extra rich and flavorful and we’ll serve the shredded short rib in the pho. We’re also adding thinly sliced rare steak to really bulk this bowl up.
Noodles.
Using the right noodles, bánh pho, is essential to great pho! At your local Asian or Vietnamese market, look for flat, thin, rice noodles. They are flat in shape, white in color and smooth, soft, slippery and very slightly chewy in texture. They’re usually labeled as bánh pho, or pho noodles. You can also find them on Amazon here. I’m always going to encourage you to visit your local Asian market before turning to amazon.
Toppings.
My favorite part of enjoying pho is piling on the toppings! Whenever you dine out at a Pho or Vietnamese restaurant, you’re presented with a plate piled high with bean sprouts, jalapeños or chilies, fresh herbs, and limes. You can also season your broth with the hoisin and sriracha usually found at the table. It’s a fun an interactive dish and I always keep this element when I serve beef short rib pho at home.
How to Make Beef Short Rib Pho
For this recipe, you’ll need a large stockpot (at least 8 quarts) to hold all the ingredients for the broth. I also recommend investing in a sharp knife–it makes all the difference when thinly slicing the beef.
Tools Needed
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Beef short ribs. Look for english-cut bone-in short ribs with a good amount of meat on the bone.
- Beef broth. Any store bought beef broth will do.
- Onion. I typically use yellow onion, but really any onion will work.
- Ginger. Fresh ginger root is a must here. Don’t use ginger paste.
- Aromatics. You’ll need a cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, star of anise, and whole cloves. You can find these in the bulk spice section of your grocery store. I love doing this so I don’t buy a whole container that I may not use just for one recipe.
- Fish sauce. This is a must for flavoring the broth so I don’t recommend skipping it. I have added a range in the recipe so you can add it according to your taste.
- Brown sugar. Typically you’d use palm or rock sugar, but it can be tough to find so I used brown sugar in my recipe.
- Steak. I like sirloin because it’s tender and economical, but use whatever well-marbled steak you enjoy most! NY strip and flank steak are both great options.
- Toppings. Toppings for beef pho are sliced onion, green onion, cilantro, Thai basil, sriracha, hoisin, bean sprouts, jalapeño, and lime. Use your favorites!
The Process
- Broil the short ribs. Set an oven rack in the top ? of the oven and set the broiler to high. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil. Place the short ribs on the prepared baking sheet and season them all over with salt and pepper. Broil the short ribs for 10-15 minutes, flipping halfway through, until browned. Remove them from the oven and set them aside.
- Char the onion and ginger. While the ribs are broiling, heat a cast iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add a touch of neutral oil and place the onions cut side down in the skillet with the ginger. Once the onion and ginger are charred, set them aside.
- Make the broth. In an 8 qt stock pot, add the charred onion, ginger, short ribs, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, anise, and cloves. Top with the beef broth and water and bring to a gentle simmer over medium-low heat, skimming away any foam or scum that rises to the surface. Keeping the heat low ensures a clear broth. Simmer for 2 ½-3 hours, until the short ribs feel tender. Use tongs to remove them from the broth and set them aside.
- Season the broth. Strain the broth through a fine mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth into a smaller pot. Discard the vegetables and spices. Bring the broth to a simmer again and add the fish sauce and sugar. Season to taste with salt or msg–it’s okay if the broth is a little salty as it will help season the short ribs and noodles. Keep the broth hot.
- Thinly slice the steak. Place the steak on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Freeze the sirloin for 30 minutes, then slice it very thinly against the grain. Cook the rice noodles according to package directions and drain, then divide the noodles into bowls. Remove the short rib meat from the bone, and slice the meat.
- Assemble the bowls. Add the thinly sliced sirloin and the sliced rib meat to the bowl. Add thinly sliced white onion, scallion, cilantro, and jalapeño slices. Ladle the broth into the bowls over the noodles and meat. Dress the bowls with the Thai basil, bean sprouts, lime juice, hoisin, and sriracha to taste.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
Don’t skip broiling the short ribs. Not only does this brown the outside, which adds flavor to the broth, but it keeps you from having to skim a lot of the grey stuff off the top.
Keep the broth at a low simmer. To get clear, beautiful broth the trick is to simmer everything low and slow. At a rolling boil, you’ll pull too much of the collagen from the bones and end up with a murky broth.
Buy quality steak. Since we’re slicing up some raw beef for the rare steak in the pho, make sure you’re using something quality! Make sure your sirloin is well-marbled (choice or prime!). Since you’re using a small amount, it’s worth it to splurge.
Season the broth well. After you strain out the short ribs and aromatics, don’t shy away from really seasoning the broth! Embrace the sugar, fish sauce, and salt because the broth is flavoring the noodles and the rare steak.
Don’t skimp on the toppings. Pho is all about the toppings! Really lean into it here. The extra textures and freshness from herbs and cold items really take it over the top.
Storage & Make-Ahead Instructions
This is one of those recipes that I love to store if I’m going to make it! The broth and short rib freeze wonderfully, and I love having a stash in my freezer so I can make pho whenever the craving hits.
In the fridge, the pho broth is good for about a week. ALWAYS store your broth and noodles separately. The noodles will get waterlogged and it’s not a great texture. If you have leftover noodles, toss them with a little oil and store in a ziplock bag in the fridge for up to 3 days. I usually prefer to make noodles fresh every time, so I tend to only make as much as I’ll need.
To freeze pho broth, cool the broth to room temperature and store in an airtight container. I love using these quart-size deli containers. It’s a holdover from my restaurant days and they are so great for storing food in. Store in the fridge for up to 1 week or label and freeze for up to 6 months.
The beef short ribs will hold in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Just reheat in the microwave before using. You can also freeze the cooked short rib meat. Store in a freezer-safe ziplock bag with a little bit of the broth, pressing as much of the air as possible out. Freeze for up to 3 months.
This Beef Short Rib Pho tastes restaurant quality while being simple enough to make at home. It’s rich and nourishing and so perfect for a cozy Sunday night dinner. If you do give this recipe a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!
More Soup Recipes to Try
Creamy Gnocchi Soup
Pork Pozole Rojo
Beef Ramen Noodle Soup
Dill Chicken Noodle Soup
Chicken Khao Soi (Curry Noodle Soup)
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Beef Short Rib Pho
Ingredients
Beef Short Rib Pho Broth
- 3 lbs english-cut short ribs
- 4 cups beef broth
- 10 cups water
- 1 yellow onion, cut in half
- 3 inches fresh ginger, cut into thick slices
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 4 star anise
- 8 whole cloves
- 2-4 tablespoons fish sauce*
- 1/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 8 oz well-marbled beef sirloin (choice or prime)
Soup Ingredients & Toppings
- 12 oz dried rice noodles, thin, straight cut
- 1/2 white onion, very thinly sliced
- 6 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup chopped cilantro leaves and tender stems
- 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 2 limes, sliced for serving
- 2 cups fresh bean sprouts
- 1 bunch Thai basil leaves
- hoisin sauce, for serving
- sriracha, for serving
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