Slow Cooker Pho ~ this slurp-able Vietnamese noodle soup is world famous for its richly flavored broth that simmers all-day. With my easy crock pot recipe you can enjoy pho any night of the week!
*This post is in partnership with Swanson® ~ thank you for supporting me and the brands I work with, I’m super choosy and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.
Pho (rhymes with ‘the’) is Vietnamese for noodle, and while noodles make up the bulk of the bowl, and the toppings provide lots of satisfying texture, it’s the broth that really distinguishes an authentic beef pho. Making pho broth traditionally involves all day simmering with lots of rich spices and aromatics. In other words, this is not your usual weeknight meal ~ but that’s where Swanson and the slow cooker come in.
TIP: For my slow cooker pho I use Swanson Beef Cooking Stock as my base, and add the traditional spices and aromatics to it, the crock pot takes care of the rest. You could call it a ‘faux pho‘, and it’s super delicious.
In Western cooking we don’t typically pair meats with the types of spices that you’ll find in an authentic pho recipe.
I love the depth that you get when the beef stock takes on the flavors of cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg and clove. And that’s only one of the many layers of flavor going on here. There’s also heat from dried chiles and peppercorns, a hint of licorice from the anise and fennel seeds, and savory notes from the mushrooms, garlic, and onions. Pungent ginger is in there too. This is an intensely flavored broth that you can only get after a long slow cook.
I keep all of the Swanson broths and stocks in my cupboards, and I reach for them constantly, whether it’s for my mom’s beef stew, or something more exotic like this pho. I turn to stock when I want to create a rich foundation for a sauce, gravy, or soup because it’s very lightly seasoned and let’s me control the flavors. Swanson Beef Cooking Stock is made is 100% natural, without artificial flavors, preservatives, or MSG added.
The broth can cook all night, or all day ~ you can’t really over-do it, so set it on low and let it go ~ it’ll be ready when you are.
To make pho, you’ll also need quick cooking noodles, and lots of delicious toppings. Rice noodles are traditional, but you can use just about any Asian noodle you can find in your supermarket. I used chow mein noodles today, but whatever type you use they will cook in just a few minutes. Drain them and pile them into individual bowls.
Next you need to decide what protein you want to add; chicken, pork, shrimp, tofu, or beef are all good. For this Vietnamese pho recipe I’m using beef. I usually freeze my steak for about an hour before slicing ~ that way it’s firm enough to slice very thinly.
This is important because the traditional way to serve pho is to put the raw meat right in with the noddles and then pour the steaming hot broth over it. That quick cooks the meat right at the table. If you’re uncomfortable with that, you can always sear your beef beforehand.
After that, it’s all about the toppings! I like bean sprouts, green onions, hard boiled eggs, cilantro, and fresh lime wedges. And you always want to have a bottle of hot chili sauce handy (aka Sriracha).
other pho topping ideas:
- baby spinach
- sliced jalapeños
- basil (Thai or regular)
- mint
- peanuts
- mushrooms
- red onion
- shredded carrot
These vibrant noodle bowls will definitely be a refreshing change from meatloaf and mashed potatoes ~ I hope you give them a try!
Ingredients
- 64 ounces (2 cartons) Swanson Beef Cooking Stock
- 1 onion
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
- 6 cloves garlic
- 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, sliced
- 2 mushrooms, sliced
- 2 dried chili peppers, lightly crushed
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 whole nutmeg
- 10 whole cloves
- 3 whole anise stars
- 1 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 1 tsp whole white peppercorns (optional)
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp coriander pods
- 10 whole cardamom pods, lightly crushed (don't lose the black seeds!)
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- about 9 ounces dry rice, wheat, or buckwheat Asian noodles
- 3/4 pound sirloin steak (or any steak you like)
- sliced green onions
- bean sprouts
- hard cooked egg
- sliced mushroom
- red pearl onion
- sesame seeds
- fresh cilantro leaves
- lime wedges
- sesame oil (just a few drops!)
- chili garlic sauce (like Sriracha)
Instructions
- Lightly coat a skillet with olive oil and heat over medium high heat. Halve the onion and place, cut side down, in the pan and cook for a few minutes until golden brown.
- Pour the Swanson Beef Cooking Stock into your slow cooker. Add all the rest of the broth ingredients. Set the cooker to low and let cook anywhere from 6-10 hours, depending on what is convenient for you. When the broth is done, strain it and discard the solids.
- Put the steak in the freezer for 30 minutes, then remove and slice as thinly as you can. Wrap and refrigerate until needed.
- Make sure your toppings are prepped.
- Once the broth is done, cook your noodles according to the package directions. Divide them into individual bowls. Divide the steak among the bowls, and then pour the steaming hot broth over the meat and into the bowls. The heat of the broth will cook the meat. If you prefer you can cook the steak ahead of time.
- Immediately arrange the toppings on the bowls, and serve.
notes:
- If your slow cooker can hold it, add as much stock as you like. You don’t need to alter the amount of spices, etc.
- This can be done on the stove top as well, use a heavy, lidded pot, and cook over very low heat for at least 2 hours.
- If you are topping your slow cooked weeknight pho with chicken or pork, DO NOT use it raw, be sure to cook it first.
- Don’t stress about what kind of noodles to use in pho, any Asian variety will do.
- The noodles can be cooked ahead and stored in the refrigerator.
don’t forget to pin it!
47 Comments
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June 21, 2018 at 7:16 am[…] easy slow cooker pho recipe […]
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April 12, 2018 at 6:44 am[…] SLOW COOKER PHO – The View From Great Island | Pho is mainly about two things: the broth and the toppings and Susan, as usual, has nailed it with her slow cooker version. The broth cooks for hours on its own so when it’s done you have a deeply flavored savory base for the soup. This is definitely a must-try! […]
Margaret Cox
March 13, 2018 at 8:41 pmWhat a versatile soup
Klein
February 19, 2018 at 9:56 amFun! Hands down a favorite of ours :) So excited to try this in the slow cooker!… However will omit the wheat noodles and use a traditional rice noodle instead.
Sue
February 19, 2018 at 10:03 amSounds good :)
Joyce Hill
March 10, 2018 at 6:33 pmI have only had chicken Pho can I change all the beef to chicken and use your recipe.?
Sue
March 10, 2018 at 7:09 pmYes, for sure Joyce.
Kumar vishwas Pagli ladki
January 17, 2018 at 8:42 pmDelicious. Will definitely make again
Jean | DelightfulRepast.com
December 15, 2017 at 6:00 pmSounds great, Sue! How did I miss this one before?! And it looks soooo pretty.
Sue
December 15, 2017 at 8:11 pmGlad you caught up with it Jean :) Have a wonderful holiday!
John Sparks
November 19, 2017 at 1:34 pmThinking of adding some beef neck bones to the brothr to cook overnight.
Sue
November 19, 2017 at 1:59 pmThat would add a ton of flavor :)
Amy Dolberry
October 27, 2017 at 9:23 amAm I able to print the recipe?
Sue
October 27, 2017 at 9:28 amThere is a print button on the upper right of my recipes, Amy. Let me know if you still can’t print and I can send it to you!
michelle
February 14, 2017 at 8:42 amThis looks so amazing…do you think this would work with chicken and chicken broth rather than
the beef??
Sue
February 14, 2017 at 11:44 amI think it would, Michelle, I’ve definitely had chicken pho before. Good luck!
Sue
February 14, 2017 at 11:44 amPS ~ make sure you cook the chicken first, it’s not safe to try to cook it with the hot broth like I do with the beef.
Gina @Running to the Kitchen
February 3, 2017 at 8:44 amUmmm, yeah, this seriously looks so amazing! Such a great meal!
Robyn Gleason
February 3, 2017 at 4:30 amWow, Sue, this is the most mouth-watering soup I’ve ever seen. The colours, ingredients and the love that you put into this dish has created perfection. Fabulous!
Matt
February 2, 2017 at 8:27 pmI love that you did a slow cooker pho!
Mary
February 2, 2017 at 6:15 pmOh my Goodness this looks amazing – such great flavors and recipe:)