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80/20: Instant Pot Pho

Name: 80/20: Instant Pot Pho
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 65 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 4
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 lb beef bones; 2 lb beef shank; 6 inch ginger; 1 yellow onion; 2 tbsp white cane sugar; 2 tsp salt; 10 cup water; 1 spice bag; 2 tbsp chicken bouillon; 2 tbsp fish sauce; 4 bundles pho noodles; 2 cinnamon sticks; 6 star anise; 1 black cardamom pod; 2 tbsp fennel seed; 2 tbsp coriander seed; 1 tbsp clove; 2 stalks green onions; 0.5 bundle cilantro; 1 bag bean sprouts; 4 tsp lime juice; 0.5 yellow onion; 1 bundle thai basil

dougdoesdelicious

Cooking doesn’t need to be hard or complicated. Often, you’re simply looking for a recipe that gets you most of the way there with minimal effort, hence 80/20.

Today we’re 80/20ing Vietnamese Pho, turning what might normally take 5-7 hours to prepare over stovetop to a little over 1 hour in an InstantPot. Traditionally, making pho calls for many steps like parboiling beef bones, charring aromatics over open fire or in an oven, roasting spices, and skimming fat off the broth for many hours.

Not everyone has the luxury of time or energy to make pho in this way, and of course if you do have time, you can always stay true to some of the traditional steps to improve the clarity, richness, and flavor of your broth, but I want to show you that you can still make an exceptional bowl of pho at home even if you commit what seems to be a cardinal sin of omitting almost all those steps.

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Cook time: 1 hr 15 min (Prep: 10 min)

Servings

Volume

Mass

Ingredients

(tap measurement to shuffle between units)

2 lb beef bones (900 g)
2 lb beef shank (900 g)
(or brisket)
6 inch ginger, whole (150 g)
1 yellow onion, peeled and halved (400 g)
2 tbsp white cane sugar (25 g)
2 tsp salt (12 g)
10 cup water (2400 g)
1 spice bag (37 g)
(details below)
2 tbsp chicken bouillon (16 g)
2 tbsp fish sauce (32 g)
4 bundle pho noodles, fresh (800 g)
("Banh Pho Tuoi")

Spice Bag

2 cinnamon sticks (6 g)
6 star anises (5 g)
1 black cardamom pod (3 g)
2 tbsp fennel seed (10 g)
2 tbsp coriander seed (10 g)
1 tbsp clove (3 g)

Toppings

2 stalk green onions, chopped (30 g)
1/2 bundle cilantro (75 g)
(or to taste)
1 bag bean sprouts (340 g)
(or to taste)
4 tsp lime juice (20 g)
(or to taste)
1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced (150 g)
(or to taste)
1 bundle thai basil, fresh (100 g)
(or to taste)

Directions

(tap to cross out each step and ingredient as you go)

Add beef bones, shank or brisket, ginger, yellow onion, sugar, salt, water, and the pho spice bag into the InstantPot or pressure cooker.
- 2 lb beef bones (900 g)
- 2 lb beef shank (900 g)
  (or brisket)
- 6 inch ginger, whole (150 g)
- 1 yellow onion, peeled and halved (400 g)
- 2 tbsp white cane sugar (25 g)
- 2 tsp salt (12 g)
- 10 cup water (2400 g)
- 1 spice bag (37 g)
  (details below)
Run the InstantPot or pressure cooker on High pressure for 45 minutes.
While the Instant Pot is running, prepare your toppings and fresh pho noodles. Note: It's best to prepare the pho noodles near the end of the pressure cooking to prevent them from clumping. Keep in mind that fresh pho noodles only take about 10 seconds to cook in boiling water!
- 2 stalk green onions, chopped (30 g)
- 1/2 bundle cilantro (75 g)
  (or to taste)
- 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced (150 g)
  (or to taste)
- 1 bag bean sprouts (340 g)
  (or to taste)
- 4 tsp lime juice (20 g)
  (or to taste)
- 1 bundle thai basil, fresh (100 g)
  (or to taste)
- 4 bundle pho noodles, fresh (800 g)
  ("Banh Pho Tuoi")
Once the Instant Pot finishes pressure cooking, remove the beef shank or brisket and set it aside to cool. Allowing the beef to cool will help it stay intact when you slice it for serving later.
Strain the broth through a sieve into another pot.
Season broth with chicken bouillon and fish sauce.
- 2 tbsp chicken bouillon (16 g)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce (32 g)
[Optional] If you want to improve the clarity of your broth, I like using a Fat Separator to separate the fat from the broth.
Prepare your bowls for serving by adding noodles, slices of beef shank, green onions, cilantro, bean sprouts, thinly sliced onions, basil, and lime. Feel free to customize with any additional toppings you like or omit those you prefer not to include.
- 4 bundle pho noodles, fresh (800 g)
  ("Banh Pho Tuoi")
- 1/2 yellow onion, thinly sliced (150 g)
  (or to taste)
- 1 bag bean sprouts (340 g)
  (or to taste)
- 2 stalk green onions, chopped (30 g)
- 1/2 bundle cilantro (75 g)
  (or to taste)
- 4 tsp lime juice (20 g)
  (or to taste)
- 1 bundle thai basil, fresh (100 g)
  (or to taste)

Notes

Is there a pre-made spice bag?

What kind of beef bones should I use?

Which cuts of beef are best for this dish?

What is a fat separator?

What kind of noodles should I use?

Nutrition Information

(tap or hover to view ingredient breakdown)

Per serving

Nutrient

Amount

% DV

Calories

1,810 kcal

90%

Fat

61 g

78%

Saturated fat

23 g

115%

Trans fat

1.1 g

Fiber

11 g

38%

Carbohydrates

213 g

77%

Sugars

24 g

48%

Protein

160 g

321%

Sodium

4,989 mg

217%

Cholesterol

448 mg

149%

Total (4 servings)

Nutrient

Amount

% DV

Calories

7,240 kcal

360%

Fat

244 g

312%

Saturated fat

92 g

460%

Trans fat

4.4 g

Fiber

44 g

152%

Carbohydrates

852 g

308%

Sugars

96 g

192%

Protein

640 g

1,284%

Sodium

19,956 mg

868%

Cholesterol

1,792 mg

596%

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