5-minute Quick Faux Pho Recipe

Got 5 minutes? Then you’ve got time for this seriously delicious Faux Pho recipe.

There’s a place not too far from me that serves up some pretty amazing pho dishes and I’ve tried just about all of them. It’s gotten to the point where I crave it on cold days or if I’m not feeling up to par. Chicken noodle soup just doesn’t do it for me anymore – I need the spiciness, heartiness and flavor of a really good Pho. 

I’m frankly surprised that it’s taken me this long to try my hand at making a pho recipe at home. This being a “faux” pho recipe, however, I suppose I can’t really claim that I’ve made an authentic Pho recipe just yet. But it’s my version and it tastes FANTASTIC. I took the liberty of adding an egg to the broth which thickens it and gives it a slightly creamy consistency which strays even further from authenticity. You can choose to skip the egg if that’s not your thing.

This faux pho recipe could also be a great way to use up some leftover steak. You could easily make a bowl just for yourself for a quick lunch or dinner – just slice up whatever leftover steak you’ve got and toss it in. Flank, wagyu, brisket, braised, chuck roast and other steaks will all work.

What is Pho?

Pho is a Vietnamese soup typically served in a large bowl with a dish of extra ingredients on the side; bean sprouts, basil, cilantro, and jalapeno slices are just a few of the options.

Pronounced, “fuh”, this can be a tricky meal to make authentically because there are a couple of “secret” weapons you should use when preparing this amazing soup. Once you know what they are, the real trick is simply getting the measurements correct as we’ll see below.

Things To Know About 5-Minute Faux Pho

Notice the recipe above does not indicate whether the steak should be raw or cooked. This is one of the discoveries some newcomers to Vietnamese cooking make–there is a traditional thinly sliced beef Pho where the beef is added raw to the very hot soup right at the end. The hot soup cooks the thinly sliced raw beef, and it’s delicious.

But if you aren’t careful in the prep stage there may be a risk of food-borne illness. Cooked beef is the best for Pho beginners. Save the more traditional approach for after you’re comfortable making the dish.

Upping Your Pho Game

This 5-minute Pho recipe may be most effective for people who have not experienced a bowl of authentic Pho yet. If you try this recipe as an experienced Pho eater, you will notice a distinct lack of some very important flavors in the mix. They include:

• Star anise
• Whole cloves
• Cinnamon sticks
• Cardamom pods
• Coriander seeds

The good news is that you can still make this recipe fast AND get the full power of those seasonings simply by not using the ramen flavor packet, but swapping it out for a Pho bouillon cube instead.

These cubes have all the spices needed for a closer-to-authentic Pho taste. You can get these cubes in most Asian grocery stores, on Amazon, and sometimes in the International aisle of your local supermarket. One brand to consider trying: Bao Long Pho Spice Cubes, which are available on Amazon and are a popular staple in some shops.

There is one major thing to remember about Pho; it’s a very flexible dish and there are few rules to follow unless you are dedicated to making a VERY authentic bowl of Pho.

Fusion approaches (adding ingredients not considered traditional, like adding kimchi to a taco) work very well when you are experimenting with a different culture’s recipes. There are all kinds of traditional Pho including seafood versions, chicken, vegetarian options, and more. Of all the varieties, the vegetarian version may be the trickiest because a standard feature of Pho is a rich beef stock.

Can Vegans Eat Pho?

If you want vegan Pho, the challenge of replacing that beef stock might be the biggest one to overcome. Vegetable stock may be an acceptable replacement but it lacks a certain texture specific to Pho that disappoints some. Others don’t even notice the difference between one stock and another.

Replacing the meat in Pho is simple for some; the going advice is to use mushrooms as a meat substitute. Thinly sliced, some mushrooms like the Oyster variety can provide a texture very similar to meat, and there is an earthiness to the mushroom that goes well in the soup. Shiitake mushrooms are also recommended.

Top it with your favorite Pho toppings and you’ll be in faux heaven pho sho!

More great soup recipes:

• Lobster Bisque with Old Bay Oyster Crackers
• Japanese Udon Noodle Bowls {20-minute meal}
• Green Bay Booyah Recipe
• Oyster Stew Recipe
• Avgolemono Soup (Chicken Soup with Egg and Lemon)

Continue to Content

5-Minute Quick Faux Pho Recipe

Yield: 2

Cook Time: 5 minutes 5 seconds

Total Time: 5 minutes 5 seconds

 This fast pho recipe is for those that don't have a whole day to make pho.

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Ingredients

• 2 packages beef ramen
• 1 tablespoon fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1 teaspoon sriracha hot sauce
• 1 egg
• 1 pound flank steak (sliced very thinly)
• Toppings of your choice, see notes for recommendations

Instructions

1. Prepare the ramen according to package directions. You will want to include the flavor packet, but fish sauce and ramen seasoning can both be high in sodium.
2. Consider adding both seasonings gradually and taste as you go. If you add too much of either, you may be able to even the soup out by adding a bit more water but don’t add too much at once. You can add it gradually and taste it as you go in the same way as the seasonings themselves.
3. Wait until the ramen is one minute away from being done before you add the beef, fish sauce, rice vinegar, and sriracha. You can add the egg and stir it to break up the yolk and help the egg cook in the broth. Remove from heat and serve immediately with your preferred toppings from the ingredient list.
   

Notes

Topping Recommendations: Sliced jalapeno, chopped scallions, bean sprouts, basil leaves, cilantro leaves, mint (spearmint is most common), lime wedges, jalapeno, chili sauce, Sriracha, onion.

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Kristy Bernardo

Kristy Bernardo is the recipe creator behind The Wicked Noodle. She's a five-time cookbook author, has taught cooking classes to both kids and adults, and has been creating recipes for nationwide brands since 2009. She learned most of her cooking skills from her mom and grandmother, then honed those skills at boot camp at the Culinary Institute of America.

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