This Instant Pot pho broth delivers deep, restaurant-style beef flavor with charred aromatics, toasted spices, and a clean, glossy finish—perfect for building steaming bowls of pho with your favorite garnishes.
Ingredients
- 1 onion, peeled and halved
- 2 oz ginger, crushed
- 7–8 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick, broken into pieces
- 2–3 whole star anise
- 1 tsp whole fennel seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 black cardamom pod (optional)
- 2–3 lb mixed beef bones (beef shank, neck, soup bones, oxtail, etc.), roasted until well browned
- 2 chunks rock sugar (or palm sugar)
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 2 tsp table salt
- 10–12 cups water (or enough to reach the Instant Pot max fill line)
- ½ tsp Aji-No-Moto (MSG) (optional)
Directions
Char the Aromatics and Spices:
Select Sauté on the Instant Pot. Add the onion, ginger, and all spices. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion and ginger are lightly charred and the spices are fragrant.
Pressure Cook:
Add the roasted beef bones, rock sugar, fish sauce, salt, optional MSG, and enough water to reach the max fill line.
Seal the Instant Pot and cook on High Pressure for 1½ hours. Allow a natural pressure release.
Strain and Chill:
Strain the broth through a fine-mesh strainer, then strain again through a cheesecloth-lined strainer for a clean, clear broth.
Refrigerate until fully chilled, then remove and discard the hardened fat from the surface.
Serve:
Reheat the broth to a rolling simmer. Ladle the steaming broth into bowls over cooked rice noodles, thinly sliced raw steak, and thinly sliced onion.
Serve with (as desired):
- Thai basil
- Bean sprouts
- Cilantro
- Sawtooth herb (culantro)
- Sliced jalapeños
- Green onions
- Lime wedges
- Sambal
- Fish sauce
- Hoisin sauce
Makes: about 3–4 servings (depending on bowl size).
Notes
Preparation
Using a whole cinnamon stick (broken into pieces) keeps the cinnamon flavor warm and present without the harshness that can come from ground cinnamon.
For the cleanest, most restaurant-style broth, don’t skip the second strain through cheesecloth, and chill fully before removing the fat cap.
Serving Suggestions
Keep the broth boldly seasoned, and let each person customize at the table with lime, sambal, fish sauce, and hoisin. A small bowl of sliced jalapeño and extra herbs makes it feel like a pho shop spread.
Variations
If you prefer a deeper smoky note, include the optional black cardamom pod. If you want a lighter spice profile, leave it out and stick to the core spice set.
Make-Ahead & Storage
This broth is ideal for making ahead—its flavor often improves after a night in the fridge.
- Refrigerate: 4–5 days in a covered container.
- Freeze: up to 3 months (leave headspace for expansion).
- Reheat: bring to a rolling simmer before serving.