Effortless Homemade Pho with Store-Bought Sauce
Effortless Homemade Pho with Store-Bought Sauce
Create Rich and Flavorful Pho Broth Simply with a Ready-Made Sauce
Using a simple broth pack and a store-bought pho sauce, you can achieve a deep and satisfying broth reminiscent of your favorite pho restaurant. This recipe eliminates the need for complex ingredients, making it incredibly easy to whip up a delicious bowl of pho at home. Enjoy a hearty and flavorful pho, perfect for busy days!
Main Ingredients- Pho noodles, 1 serving
- Bean sprouts, 1 bag (a handful)
- Beef (for shabu-shabu or thinly sliced for stir-fry), 150g
- Fresh shrimp, 8 pieces
- Cilantro, a small bunch (optional)
- Store-bought Pho sauce (check product instructions for quantity)
- Dashi broth pack (e.g., kombu and anchovy), 1 pack
- Lemon, 1/4 (or lemon juice)
- Scallions, 2 stalks
Pickled Onions- Onion, 1/2
- Vinegar, 2 Tbsp
- Sugar, 2 Tbsp
- Salt, 1/2 tsp
- Onion, 1/2
- Vinegar, 2 Tbsp
- Sugar, 2 Tbsp
- Salt, 1/2 tsp
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Let’s start by preparing the pickled onions, which will add a wonderful flavor to your pho. Wash the onion thoroughly, cut it in half, and then slice it thinly into slivers.
Step 2
Place the sliced onions in a bowl of cold water and let them soak for about 20 minutes. This step helps to mellow out their sharp, pungent flavor, resulting in a more pleasant texture for the pickled garnish.
Step 3
After draining the water completely from the onions, add 2 tablespoons of vinegar, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Mix everything together well. Press the onions down firmly in the mixture and let them sit for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator to allow the flavors to meld and pickle.
Step 4
The secret weapon for this recipe is this store-bought pho sauce and the broth pack! I’ve tried various sauces, and this combination truly delivers that deep, restaurant-quality broth flavor right in your own kitchen. (Just a friendly personal recommendation, bought with my own money, no sponsorships involved! Haha)
Step 5
Now, let’s get to the broth! In a pot, bring 2.5 liters of water to a rolling boil with 1 dashi broth pack. Once boiling, reduce the heat to low and stir in 10 to 12 tablespoons of the store-bought pho sauce. Make sure to simmer on low heat; if the heat is too high, the broth will reduce too quickly and lose its delicate flavor. Simmer gently.
Step 6
Remove the dashi pack from the broth. Add the thinly sliced beef and cook just until it loses its pink color, then carefully remove it. Beef slices for shabu-shabu or thinly sliced stir-fry beef work perfectly here. Also, add the prepared shrimp to the broth and cook until they turn opaque, then set them aside with the beef.
Step 7
Add the fresh bean sprouts to the simmering broth and blanch them briefly. While you can add them raw, blanching them slightly gives them a tender-crisp texture that complements the other ingredients beautifully. We personally prefer them blanched.
Step 8
All your pho toppings are now ready! Finely chop the scallions to sprinkle on top.
Step 9
For the noodles, you can either soak them in cold water and then pour hot broth over them, or cook them directly in the broth for a softer texture. If you prefer them softer like I do, place a portion of noodles in a sieve, dip it into the simmering broth, and gently loosen the noodles with tongs or chopsticks for about 1-2 minutes. This prevents them from becoming mushy while ensuring they are tender.
Step 10
Assemble your pho by placing the cooked noodles in a warm serving bowl. Generously top with the blanched bean sprouts, followed by a neat arrangement of the pickled onions. It’s best to assemble quickly before the noodles absorb too much liquid and become soft.
Step 11
Finally, arrange the cooked beef slices and cooked shrimp attractively over the pickled onions. Add the fresh cilantro if you’re using it. Gently ladle the hot pho broth over everything. Sprinkle the chopped scallions on top, and finish with a squeeze of fresh lemon juice for a bright, zesty note. Your delicious homemade pho is now ready to enjoy!
