This Instant Pot Oxtail beef pho is irresistibly delicious and can be made in less than two hours. It’s an easy recipe where the Instant Pot infuses all the amazing flavors of the beef bones, aromatics and Vietnamese spices into a savory broth. It’s a restaurant-quality bowl of noodle soup that will leave you wanting more after every slurp!
Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is one of the most popular Vietnamese dishes. It’s a noodle soup, with a stock made from chicken or beef bones, and served with rice noodles, meat and fresh herbs. Restaurant oxtail pho usually simmers for hours on the stove, as the spices, ginger, onion and beef bones release their flavors, becoming a rich and complex broth. With the magic of the Instant Pot, you can make this dish in a couple hours – instead of tending to a simmering pot all afternoon.
Don’t be intimidated by the ingredients and cooking technique, just like my Instant Pot chicken soup, this traditional oxtail (duoi bo) pho recipe is super simple to put together, I promise!
Ingredients
Beef oxtail (duoi bo) – Oxtail is the tail of the cow. It’s the perfect cut for pho and makes a rich broth, yielding tender meat when it’s braised, slow cooked or pressurized.
Most large Asian markets sell this cut of meat.
Pho spices – Essential for pho, you can buy the spices individually or save the time and effort and get them prepackaged at most Asian stores. I like to use this Gia Vi Nau Pho Bac brand, as it comes with herbs you can toast, then add the toasted spices to the included filter bag and add to the broth.
If you cannot find this particular brand you can also try out other pho spice packets like Pho Hoa or Pho Pasteur, which already come in the filter bag and do not need to be toasted.
Mushroom powder – You can get this at most Asian markets. It adds additional umami flavor to the broth.
Rock sugar – Helps to balance out the richness of the broth with a bit of sweetness.
Fish sauce – Adds saltiness and umaminess to the broth.
Aromatics – Onion and ginger are charred on the outside which provides additional flavor to the broth.
Rice Noodles – Pho noodles can be found at most major Asian stores. They are sold fresh in the refrigerator aisle or as packaged dried noodles.
Pho Accompaniments
Herbs and aromatics – A bowl of pho is never complete without the herbs! The most common herbs to add to any pho bowl are cilantro, Thai basil, bean sprouts, jalapeno, thinly sliced white or yellow onions, sliced green onion, and fresh lime.
Dipping sauce – Hoisin and Sriracha are traditional sauces served with pho, you can dip your noodles and meat into them for a more flavorful bite. Get them at your local Asian market or at some mainstream grocery stores.
Additional meats – This is optional, but if you want a variety of meats in your beef pho, you can add other beef cuts like brisket or short rib, tripe, and precooked and packaged Vietnamese meatballs (bo vien). Get them at most Asian markets in the refrigerator aisle.
You can also add thinly sliced meats like beef tenderloin, sirloin or ribeye.
Equipment
For this recipe, I’m using a 6 quart DUO Instant Pot.
Instructions
1). Char the onion and ginger in an oven broiler for 20 minutes, turning until blackened on all sides. Or you can char it on top of your gas range, rotating with tongs when each side gets black.
2). Rinse and clean the roasted onion and ginger.
3). Meanwhile, clean the oxtail by boiling it in hot water for 5 to 10 minutes.
4). Rinse the oxtail with cold water, rubbing any scum and residue off.
5). Toast the pho spices in a skillet on the stovetop. Then add it to a filter bag. If you’re using a spice packet like Pho Hoa, you simply add the packet to the pot.
6). Add all ingredients to the Instant pot. Add the water, right below the max line, (about 16 cups). Set to 45 minutes on manual high pressure. Let the Instant Pot do it’s thing!
7). Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles in hot water according to the package instructions.
8). Rinse the noodles under cold water.
9). When the Instant Pot cooking cycle is done, take the meat out and shred (or keep it whole for presentation) and filter the soup into another stock pot.
10). Add fish sauce and mushroom powder in small amounts to your taste – you want a rich, deep flavor, but it shouldn’t be too salty or overpowering.
Assemble the pho bowl
Add the cooked pho noodles to the bowl, add your meats (if using bo vien, make sure to add this to the cooked soup and boil for 5 minutes), ladle the hot soup in and top with fresh herbs.
How to eat pho
Add a squeeze of fresh lime on your pho to add a nice zip of acidity, and to brighten the broth. Hold a soup spoon in one hand and with the other hand, use chopsticks to scoop up some noodles, meat, soup and herbs into the spoon. Dip some meat and noodles into the hoisin and sriracha sauce mixture and enjoy!
Pro Tips
- To save on the pressurizing time, use boiled water to add to the Instant Pot.
- I recommend using fresh pho noodles as the texture and taste is much better!
- It’s usually best to make the noodles right before you eat them. Try not to cook them in big batches as they can easily overcook and get mushy, which will break apart when eating.
- Do not overcook the pho noodles. When cooking fresh noodles, it only takes about 10 seconds to cook in hot water. Immediately after you strain the noodles, rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process.
Frequently Asked Questions
Say “fuh” like you’re asking a question, similar to “huh” but with an “f”.
The thinly sliced meats in the pho should not be raw. It should be cooked to a medium, medium rare from the hot broth. It is okay to eat if you like your meat on the medium rare side. If it’s too rare for you, then boil the meat separately before adding it to your bowl.
Yes! Pho is good for any meal of the day. I love a hot bowl of pho to warm me up in the morning!
No, soy sauce is not an ingredient used in pho. The saltiness comes from the fish sauce.
More soup recipes to enjoy
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Instant Pot Oxtail Pho (Pho Duoi Bo)
Equipment
- 6 to 8 quart size Instant Pot
Ingredients
Pho Broth
- 3 pounds beef oxtail
- 1 packet pho seasoning spices I use the Gia Vi Nau Pho Bac brand *see notes below to make your own pho seasoning
- 1 medium yellow onion, sliced in half
- 1 2 to 3 inch knob of ginger, sliced in half lengthwise
- 1 ounce rock sugar
- 3 tablespoons fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons mushroom seasoning
- 16 cups water
Accompaniments
- 1 to 2 package pho rice noodles preferably fresh
- Sriracha
- Hoisin sauce
- Thai basil
- fresh cilantro leaves
- green onions, thinly sliced
- bean sprouts
- jalapeno slices
- fresh lime slices
Other Meats
- bo vien (Vietnamese meatballs) optional
- sirloin, ribeye, or eye of round steak, thinly sliced optional
Instructions
- Place the onion and ginger on a baking sheet and broil in the oven for about 20 minutes. Or place them directly over a stovetop burner flame on medium high heat. Use tongs to flip constantly until charred, about 10 minutes.
- Rinse and gently rub the loose charred skin on the onion and ginger under cold water and set aside.
- Toast the pho spices in a pan on medium high heat until fragrant, about 3 to 4 minutes. Remove and place in a filter bag.
- In a stockpot (or use the Instant pot) boil some water (just enough to cover the meat). Add the oxtail and 1 tablespoon of salt and boil for 5 to 8 minutes. Drain and rinse any scum under cold water.
- Place the oxtail, pho seasoning bag, onion, ginger in the Instant Pot. Fill the pot with about 16 cups of water (just to the max line).
- Seal the valve on the Instant Pot and set on manual high pressure for 45 minutes.
- Meanwhile make the pho noodles. Boil the noodles in a pot on the stovetop according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water and set aside.
- Wash and prep the garnishes and additional meat toppings.
- When the Instant Pot cycle is complete, allow for a natural release.
- Place a large strainer over a clean stock pot. When the Instant Pot is cool enough to handle, remove the oxtail and set aside. Then carefully drain the stock into the new pot. Use a ladle to skim off any fat or impurities.
- Add the fish sauce and mushroom seasoning to the broth. Taste the broth and add additional fish sauce and mushroom powder a teaspoon at a time to your taste. The broth should have a rich, deep beef flavor, but it shouldn’t be too salty or overpowering.
- Assemble the pho bowl: portion the cooked noodles to the bowl, add your meats (if using bo vien, make sure to add this to the cooked soup and boil for 5 minutes), ladle the hot soup in and top with fresh herbs.
Notes
- If you cannot find pho seasoning packets, you can make your own with 2 small cinnamon sticks, 3 whole cloves, 5 whole star anise, 2 tablespoons coriander seeds, 2 tablespoons fennel seeds, 3 whole black cardamom. Use a filter bag/cheesecloth to add the spices into after toasting.
- To save on the pressurizing time, use boiled water to add to the Instant Pot.
- It’s best to make the noodles right before you eat them.
- Do not overcook the pho noodles. When cooking fresh noodles, it only takes about 10 seconds to cook in hot water. Immediately after you strain the noodles, rinse them with cold water to stop the cooking process.
- To eat pho: Add a squeeze of fresh lime on your pho to add a nice zip of acidity, and to brightening the broth. Hold a soup spoon in one hand and with the other hand, use chopsticks to scoop up some noodles, meat, soup and herbs into the spoon. Dip some meat and noodles into the hoisin and sriracha sauce mixture and enjoy!