Vietnamese · soup
Pho Bo (Beef Noodle Soup)
Pho Bo (Beef Noodle Soup) reads umami 8.1, salinity 5.3 and funk & ferment 5.2 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Vietnamese soup, about 6 hr 30 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.
The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10
- Umami & Savory — 9.6 / 10
- Sweet & Fruity — 4.1 / 10
- Sour & Bright — 5.0 / 10
- Bitter & Earthy — 1.3 / 10
- Rich & Fat — 5.0 / 10
- Aromatic & Spice — 5.5 / 10
The measured notes (of 18)
Umami 8.1 · Salinity 5.3 · Funk & Ferment 5.2 · Richness 4.7 · Warm Spice 4.6 · Marine & Briny 4.2 · Citrus 4.0 · Sweetness 3.9 · Herbaceous 3.8 · Sourness 3.5 · Floral 3.0 · Allium 2.3 · Heat 1.9 · Earthy 1.2 · Fruity 0.9 · Bitterness 0.9 · Nutty 0.8
What's in it (19)
- 3 lbs beef bones
- 1 lb brisket
- 12 oz flat rice noodles
- 1 large onion, charred
- 3 inches ginger, charred
- 3 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 cloves
- 2 cardamom pods
- 3 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp rock sugar
- salt to taste
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 1 cup Thai basil
- 2 limes
- hoisin sauce
- sriracha
- 4 green onions
- 1/2 cup cilantro
Time & effort: about 6 hr 30 min (30 min active) · effort: involved
Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 182.1 kcal, 11.7 g protein, 8.6 g fat, 17 g carbs
Dietary: Contains meat — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.
How it's cooked (3 steps)
- Char onion and ginger under a broiler, then simmer with beef bones and whole spices in water for at least six hours, skimming regularly.
- Strain broth and season with fish sauce, rock sugar, and salt.
- Cook rice noodles and place in bowls with sliced raw beef or cooked brisket, ladle boiling broth over, and serve with fresh herbs, lime, and condiments.
Dishes with a similar flavor shape
- Thai Red Curry Meatballs — Thai
- Beef Pho with Rice Noodles — Vietnamese
- Weeknight Beef Pho — Vietnamese
- Coconut Curry Shrimp — Thai
- Coconut Curry Shrimp Pasta — Fusion
Keep reading: what umami, salinity, funk & ferment mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.
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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.