Zack's Pho
The broth was good. The company was better.
Beyond the Ingredients
A Father's Memory
Zack and I used to go out for pho whenever we had the chance. It became one of our favorite meals to share together.
Part of the fun was building the bowl exactly the way we liked it. Bean sprouts, basil, lime, and hoisin for both of us. Zack would add sriracha. I would usually add extra chili peppers or jalapeños. We each had our own version, and neither of us would have claimed the other's was quite right.
What I remember most, though, isn't the food.
I remember sitting across from Zack while we waited for our bowls to arrive. We would talk about life, movies, comics, anime, and whatever story had captured his attention that week. Sometimes we would play 'Who Would Win?'—a superhero matchup game Zack invented and took very seriously. Those conversations could last for hours.
Eventually I decided to try making pho at home. My version is certainly not traditional, and I have never made it exactly the same way twice. But I still remember the first time Zack tried it. He gave it an enthusiastic thumbs up, went back for seconds, and immediately wanted to know when I planned on making it again.
That was all the approval I needed.
When I make this recipe now, I still picture him standing nearby waiting for the broth to finish, already preparing his toppings and deciding exactly how he was going to build his bowl.
Recipes like this often hit me the hardest. Not because of the food itself, but because they remind me of the time we spent together. Just the two of us, sharing a meal and a conversation.
Those moments were never ordinary to me.
The Takeaway
And they never will be.
What You Need
Ingredients
Serves 4 servings
How to Make It
Directions
- 1
Pour the vegetable broth into a large pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat.
- 2
Wash the onion and cut in half — no need to peel. Add it to the broth.
- 3
Peel the ginger and slice in half lengthwise. Add to the broth.
- 4
Add the star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, coriander seeds, and fennel seeds to the broth.
- 5
Cover and let simmer for 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- 6
While the broth simmers, slice the scallions, cut the lime wedges, and slice the jalapeños. Arrange the bean sprouts, scallions, Thai basil, cilantro, lime wedges, and jalapeños on a community plate for the table.
- 7
When about 10 minutes remain, prepare the rice noodles according to the package directions. Set aside when done.
- 8
Strain the onion, ginger, star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, coriander, and fennel out of the broth and discard. Return the broth to the pot.
- 9
Thoroughly wash the mushrooms and bok choy. Slice the mushrooms. Cut the bok choy in half lengthwise, then coarsely chop — you should have about 16 rough pieces per head.
- 10
Return the broth to a simmer and add the mushrooms and bok choy. Simmer for 2–3 minutes, just until the vegetables are barely tender.
- 11
Raise the heat to medium-high until the broth is aggressively simmering with lots of bubbles.
- 12
Add noodles to individual bowls. Ladle the hot broth, mushrooms, and bok choy over the noodles.
- 13
Add 2–4 thin slices of raw sirloin to each bowl — the heat of the broth will cook them.
- 14
Garnish with preferred accompaniments from the community plate. Add hoisin sauce and sriracha as desired.
From the Kitchen
Small Things That Matter
Toast the star anise, cloves, coriander seeds, fennel seeds, and cinnamon stick in a dry pan over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes before adding to the broth — it wakes up the spices and deepens the flavor significantly
Char the onion and ginger halves directly over a gas burner or under a broiler until lightly blackened before adding to the broth — this adds a subtle smokiness that defines pho
Vegetable broth brands vary widely in saltiness — always taste and adjust with salt after straining, before adding the noodles
Keep the noodles separate until serving — add them to the bowl, not the pot, so they don't soak up all the broth and turn mushy
The broth must be aggressively simmering when you ladle it over the raw sirloin — that heat is what cooks the meat in the bowl
Cut the bok choy on the larger side — it only simmers 2–3 minutes, so bigger pieces hold their texture better than fine cuts
Set up the community plate before the broth finishes — once you start straining and adding vegetables, things move quickly
Variations & Additions
Make It Yours
- Use pre-cooked, thawed shrimp instead of beef for a delightful seafood version
- Use pho meatballs (Bò Viên) instead of steak — they're pre-cooked, so just drop them into the hot broth to heat through
- Use Chinese cabbage or fresh spinach instead of bok choy for a different, earthier flavor
- Use firm tofu in place of beef for a vegetarian-friendly bowl
- Use beef broth instead of vegetable broth for a more robust, traditional flavor
- Add a soft-boiled egg for extra protein, or a chashu (marinated) egg for extra richness
Watch It
Watch It Being Made
Video courtesy of Jet Tila/Food Network
This video may not follow our recipe exactly. Ingredients, amounts, or steps can differ a little. Use it as a guide to see the techniques in action, and follow the recipe on this page for the details. All videos
Cook with Someone
Cook Together
Share this recipe with a friend or family member, then FaceTime and cook it together in real time.