Description
This healthy Vietnamese Pho Soup recipe delivers a fragrant, flavorful broth enriched with fresh spices, tender flank steak, and light shirataki noodles. Perfect for a comforting and nutritious meal, this pho is low-carb, gluten-free, and customizable with fresh herbs and garnishes. Enjoy authentic tastes with a health-conscious twist.
Ingredients
Broth Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon coconut oil
- 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced
- 1 large onion, peeled and quartered
- 5 cloves garlic, smashed
- 5 cinnamon sticks
- 3 whole star anise
- 10 cloves
- 4 cardamom pods, smashed
- 12 cups water
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce (gluten free)
- 1 tablespoon palm sugar (omit for keto)
Main and Extras
- 1 pound flank steak
- 1 pound shirataki noodles
- 4 ounces mung bean sprouts
- 2 jalapeños, sliced
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- Sauté Spices and Aromatics: Place a large stock pot over medium heat and add the coconut oil, onion wedges, sliced ginger, smashed garlic, cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, and smashed cardamom pods. Sauté for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, to brown the onions evenly and release the spices’ aromas.
- Simmer Broth: Pour in the water, beef broth, fish sauce, and palm sugar into the pot. Bring the mixture to a simmer, then reduce heat as needed and let it simmer gently for at least 60 minutes to develop deep flavor.
- Prepare the Steak: While the broth simmers, place the flank steak in the freezer for 30 minutes until it is partially frozen on the outside but not solid. Then slice the steak thinly against the grain into paper-thin pieces for quick cooking in the broth.
- Strain Broth: Use a skimmer or strainer to remove the onion pieces and whole spices from the simmered broth, leaving a clear, flavorful liquid for the soup base.
- Arrange Garnishes: On a serving plate, arrange mung bean sprouts, sliced jalapeños, lime wedges, and fresh basil leaves, allowing diners to customize their pho bowls.
- Cook Noodles: Add the shirataki noodles to the hot broth and cook for 2-3 minutes or according to package instructions to heat through and soften.
- Finish Soup with Steak: Turn off the heat and stir in the thin slices of flank steak; the residual heat will gently cook the beef without making it tough.
- Serve: Ladle the pho into individual bowls along with noodles, broth, and beef. Invite guests to add their preferred garnishes and enjoy while hot.
Notes
- If you can’t find shirataki noodles, raw zucchini noodles make a great low-carb substitute.
- For a more traditional pho, use rice noodles instead of shirataki noodles if low-carb is not a dietary need.
- The broth flavor improves the longer it simmers. For maximum depth, simmer on low for up to 2 hours or prepare a day ahead and reheat before serving.
- Slow Cooker Option: After sautéing spices and aromatics, transfer to a crockpot and slow cook on low for up to 12 hours before continuing with steps 4 onward.
