Instant Pot Pho

Learn how to make Instant Pot Pho (Pressure Cooker Pho) — the ultimate Vietnamese beef noodle soup. This recipe delivers a rich, buttery broth with deep flavors, tender beef, al dente noodles, and fresh aromatic herbs.

What Is Pho

Phở (pronounced “fuh”, rhymes with “duh”) is a beloved Vietnamese noodle soup made of broth, rice noodles, meat, and herbs. Most common types include:

• Phở Bò – Beef Pho
• Phở Tái – Pho With Sliced Rare Beef
• Phở Gà – Chicken Pho

With Instant Pot, this traditionally slow-cooked dish is made quicker and easier without sacrificing flavor.

Pho Broth Experiment

To get the best beef broth, we tested combinations of:

• For Rich Broth: Marrow bones, beef finger meat, oxtail, tendons
• For Lighter Broth: Marrow bones, beef feet, neck bones, chuck meat

We preferred the lighter version — tastier and more economical.

Tools You’ll Need

• Instant Pot
• Fat Separator
• Fine Mesh Strainer
• Wooden Spoon
• Pyrex Measuring Cups
• Kitchen Tongs
• Mixing Bowl

Ingredients

Beef Broth Base

• 2 lb beef marrow bones
• 1 lb beef neck bones or oxtail
• ¾ lb beef feet or tendons
• 1 lb beef finger meat or chuck meat
• 3 tbsp fish sauce
• 20g yellow rock sugar
• ½ tsp salt
• 6 cups cold water

Spices (To Toast)

• Star anise, cloves, cardamom, cinnamon stick, coriander seeds, fennel seeds

Aromatics

• 2 onions (halved)
• 1 large knob ginger (sliced)
• 1 clove garlic (crushed)

Noodles & Garnish

• Banh Pho (rice noodles)
• Sliced sirloin or flank steak
• White onion, cilantro, green onions
• Pho herbs: Thai basil, lime wedges, bean sprouts, jalapeños

Instructions

1. (Optional) Parboil Beef Bones & Meat

• Boil 4 quarts water. Add bones & meat.
• Boil 5–10 minutes, then rinse bones under cold water.
  Yields cleaner broth but reduces beef flavor slightly.

2. Toast Spices

• Place spices in Instant Pot.
• Press Sauté More.
• Toast ~2.5 minutes until aromatic. Set aside.

3. Char Onions & Ginger

• Add 2 tbsp oil.
• Place onions & ginger cut side down.
• Don’t touch for ~5 mins to allow charring.
• Add garlic at the 4-min mark.

4. Deglaze Instant Pot

• Pour 1 cup cold water.
• Scrape brown bits with wooden spoon.

5. Pressure Cook the Broth

• Add toasted spices, beef, fish sauce, sugar, salt, water.
• Layer finger meat on top.
• Set to High Pressure 1 hour + Natural Release 30 mins

Use Gradual Release after 30 mins.

6. Prepare Garnishes

• Soak sliced white onion in cold water (30 mins)
• Slice sirloin against the grain (partially freeze for easier slicing)
• Prep pho herbs and meatballs if using

7. Cook Noodles

• Boil 3 quarts water with 1 tsp salt
• Soak noodles in hot water until soft (20–28 mins)
• Rinse in cold water to stop cooking

8. Gradual Slow Release

• Gently release pressure by turning knob slowly
• Use a spoon to control the knob
• Open lid once float pin drops

9. Strain Broth

• Transfer beef and marrow to bowl
• Cut meat; remove marrow if desired
• Strain broth through mesh sieve
• Skim fat with separator or ladle

10. Final Seasoning

• Bring broth to boil
• Taste and adjust salt, fish sauce, sugar
  

11. Serve Pho

• Place noodles and meat in bowl
• Garnish with herbs, onion, pepper
• Ladle in hot broth
• Serve with fresh herbs and condiments

Yield: 6

Instant Pot Pho

Print

Learn how to make Instant Pot Pho (Pressure Cooker Pho), also known as Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup. This dish is the ultimate comfort food for beef lovers! Enjoy a rich and flavorful beefy pho broth with buttery, complex flavors, tender beef, al dente noodles, and fresh aromatic herbs.

Prep Time 2 hours 30 minutes

Total Time 2 hours

Ingredients

Beef Broth

• 1 pound (454g) beef neck bone or oxtail
• 2 pounds (922g) beef marrow bones
• 1 pound beef finger meat, chuck meat, or brisket
• ¾ pound beef feet or beef tendon (optional)
• 2 large onions (560g), peeled and halved
• 2 tablespoons (28g) ginger, unpeeled & cut into long strips
• 1 clove garlic (3.9g), crushed
• 2 tablespoons (30ml) vegetable or peanut oil
• 7 cups (1750ml) cold water
• 3 tablespoons (45ml) fish sauce
• 20 grams yellow rock sugar (or substitute with 1 tbsp + 1 tsp sugar)
• ½ teaspoon (3g) fine table salt (add more to taste)

Other Beef

• Sirloin, flank steak, or eye of round, thinly sliced
• Vietnamese beef meatballs (optional)

Spices

• 4 cloves (0.5g)
• 2 - 3 star anise (3g - 4.5g)
• 1 cinnamon stick (5.7g)
• 1 teaspoon (2g) coriander seeds
• 1 teaspoon (2g) fennel seeds (optional)
• 1 black cardamom pod (1g, optional)

Noodles

• 180 grams medium banh pho (flat rice noodles), soaked in lightly salted hot water for 20 - 28 minutes (60g - 80g per person)

Garnish

• ½ small white onion, thinly sliced
• Fresh cilantro, finely chopped
• 1 - 2 stalks green onions, finely chopped
• Freshly ground black pepper

Pho Herbs Platter (served on the side)

• Bean sprouts (40g per person)
• 1 lime, cut into 8 wedges
• Optional: mint, jalapeno, Thai basil, hoisin sauce, sriracha

Instructions

1. Optional - Parboil Bones & Meat:Bring 4 quarts of water to a boil, then boil bones and meat for 5–10 minutes to clean and remove excess fat. Remove and rinse bones and meat in cold water.Pro Tip: It’s faster to parboil on the stovetop instead of using the Instant Pot.
2. Toast Spices:Place all spices in the Instant Pot. Select “Sauté” on “Sauté More” or “Sauté Hi” to heat. When spices become fragrant (~2.5 minutes), remove and set aside.
3. Char Onions & Ginger:Wait until Instant Pot displays HOT (~8 minutes), then add 2 tbsp vegetable oil. Coat bottom of the pot.Add halved onions (flat side down) and ginger. Let char (~5 minutes). After 4 minutes, add crushed garlic.Pro Tip: Don’t skip this step — it enhances and deepens the pho flavor.
4. Deglaze Instant Pot:Add 1 cup cold water to the pot. Scrape up browned bits with a wooden spoon and mix into the liquid.
5. Pressure Cook Beef Broth:Add toasted spices, fish sauce, yellow rock sugar, salt, marrow bones, neck bone or oxtail, and beef feet or tendon. Pour in 6 cups cold water. Layer beef finger meat or chuck meat on top.With Venting Knob in Venting Position, close lid, then turn knob to Sealing Position.Pressure cook on High for 1 hour, then Natural Release for 30 minutes.Pro Tip: Use “Gradual Slow Release” after 30 minutes for safety.
6. Prepare Garnish:While pressure cooking, soak onion slices in cold water for 30 minutes to reduce pungency. Prepare other garnishes. Thinly slice the beef against the grain.
7. Prepare Banh Pho Noodles:During natural release, boil 3 quarts water with 1 tsp salt. Pour into a bowl and soak dried noodles. Stir occasionally for 20–28 minutes. Drain and rinse under cold water once noodles are cooked to preference.
8. Gradual Slow Release:Use gradual pressure release by turning Venting Knob slightly to release steam slowly. Use a wooden spoon to hold the knob in position. Open lid when Floating Pin drops.
9. Strain Beef Broth:Transfer bones and meat to a bowl. Discard onions and ginger. Cut meat as desired. Retrieve bone marrow for serving. Strain broth with fine mesh strainer. Remove fat using a separator or skim with a ladle.
10. Season Beef Broth:Bring broth to a full boil. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more fish sauce, salt, or a bit of sugar if needed.Pro Tip: You can also cook the thin beef slices directly in boiling broth if you don’t want to serve them rare.
11. Serve:Add noodles and meat to a large serving bowl. Garnish with white onion, green onion, cilantro, and black pepper. Pour in hot beef broth and serve with Pho herbs platter on the side.

Notes

• Slicing Beef: Freeze meat for 20 minutes for easier slicing. Pre-sliced hot pot beef from Asian markets also works well.
  
• Feedback: If you've tried the recipe, leave a rating in the comments section.
  

Nutrition Information

Yield

6

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 930Total Fat 53gSaturated Fat 20gTrans Fat 1gUnsaturated Fat 28gCholesterol 281mgSodium 746mgCarbohydrates 23gFiber 4gSugar 12gProtein 87g

Dinnerfocus.com, occasionally offers nutritional information for recipes contained on this site. This information is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although allchickenrecipes.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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FAQ

Can I Use Fewer Bone Types?

Yes! Use 2 lb marrow bones + 1¾ lb neck, oxtail, or feet.

Can I Double the Recipe in an 8 Qt?

No. Max increase is ~33% for 8 qt model.

What Is Beef Finger Meat?

Thin, juicy cuts between ribs. Very flavorful.

Do I Have to Use Bones?

Not required, but broth will be less flavorful.

Fish Sauce Recommendation?

Top pick: Red Boat 40N. Budget choice: Three Crabs.

Try other recipes:

• Instant Pot Meatloaf
• Instant Pot Jasmine Rice
• Instant Pot Hamburger Soup