As a busy mom, I’m always on the hunt for quick, nutritious, and budget-friendly meals to fuel our busy family. During a recent trip to my local grocery, I spied a mysterious cardboard box labeled “Instant Pho Cubes” and decided to give it a try.
Much to my surprise, this “Instant Pho” turned out to be one of the most delicious, comforting bowls of soup I’ve ever tasted cooked in 15 minutes. With tender bites of beef and a fragrant broth packed with herbs and spices, it was love at first slurp! As you probably well know, pho is famous for its complicated and tricky soup and I was really surprised that these “instant pho cubes” turned out awesome.
Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is Vietnam’s iconic noodle soup that has captured hearts around the world with its simplicity and soul-warming nature. A staple breakfast item in Vietnam, Pho is also becoming a popular choice for lunch or dinner here in the States. Made with dried rice noodles in a rich, savory beef or chicken broth, Pho is practically the quintessential “one pot meal.” Just add your choice of meat like well-marbled beef strips or chicken breasts along with a mountain of fresh herbs, bean sprouts, lime wedges, and chilies. Then slurp, swirl and sip until the last savory drops are gone. What’s not to love about a dish that’s minimal effort but maximum flavor satisfaction?
A Pho by Any Other Name…
While most people are familiar with beef Pho, there are actually many regional variations across Vietnam. Order a bowl of Pho in Hanoi in Northern Vietnam and you’ll get a clear, light brown broth with thin rice noodles. Head south to Ho Chi Minh City formerly known as Saigon, and the broth takes on a redder, richer hue with wider noodles. Chicken or vegetable Phos are also widely available for non-beef eaters. No matter where you go, the magical medley of aromatics like ginger, star anise, and cinnamon in the simmering broth is what truly makes each bowl sing.
Elevating Your Homemade Pho Game Using Massel Instant Pho
As a soup fanatic, I couldn’t resist the urge to start making my own batches of beef pho at home. While there’s nothing quite like sipping a piping hot bowl of homemade goodness, sometimes even I don’t have the time or energy to make pho from scratch. On those nights when a homemade soup just isn’t realistic, I turn to my secret weapon – instant pho broth cubes! look ma, they’re available on Shopee!
Pho cubes are bouillon cubes made with all the authentic aromatics and long-simmered bones that give real pho broth its rich, complex flavor. So no need to buy those big batches of bones. They’re basically pho broth in a convenient cube form. By keeping a box in my pantry, I’m always just minutes away from a satisfying bowl when I’m craving pho but too tired to put in the hours of simmering.
All it takes is dropping a cube into boiling water. Within 10 minutes, I have a pot of piping hot, restaurant-quality broth. Then it’s just a matter of cooking your protein of choice – I usually go with sukiyaki cut beef or pork. Once it’s cooked through, slice it against the grain and divide among your bowls.
From there, it’s assemble-your-own pho time. I like to put out all the usual toppings – bean sprouts, Thai basil leaves, lime wedges, and Sriracha. Rice noodles are another quick cooking option so you don’t have to presoak anything. Just dunk them in the boiled water until softened and divide among your bowls. You can also add other veggies like julienned carrots and/or baby bok choy.
The best part is these instant pho cubes allow you to customize your bowls however you like. Some nights I go light on the noodles and heavy on the fresh herbs and sprouts for a lighter meal. Other times a big bowl of noodles is just what I need for comfort. Either way, it’s so satisfying to have piping hot pho with so little effort.
I always keep a box of pho cubes in my pantry for those days when I’m absolutely wiped but still want a homemade dinner. With just a cube and some toppings, you’ve got a crave-worthy bowl of pho on the table in around 15 minutes. It’s the perfect solution when you’re craving the coziness of pho without the hours of prep.
No need to deny your pho cravings just because you’re short on time- keep these cubes on hand for an instant quick pho recipe!
How To Cook Pho Rice Noodles
Before you begin your instant pho noodles soup base, prepare your noodles first. The noodles I had were those chewy sturdy ones that you had to boil for a long time like spaghetti noodles. They were Thai Rice Sticks that you use for making Pad Thai.
Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. You’ll want plenty of water so the noodles have room to move around freely.
Once the water is boiling, add your rice noodles. For Pho, you typically use thin rice vermicelli noodles. But like I mentioned in the full post, you can substitute other types of noodles if vermicelli is hard to find where you live.
I’ve had great success using thick Asian egg noodles or angel hair pasta in place of the rice noodles. Just be sure to check the cooking time on the package and don’t overcook them. You want the noodles to be tender but not mushy.
For rice vermicelli, the cooking time is usually only 1-2 minutes. Thicker noodles may take 3-5 minutes depending on the brand.
As soon as the noodles are tender but still have a bit of bite to them, drain them in a colander or strainer. Rinse quickly with cool water to stop the cooking and prevent sticking.
Then simply add the drained noodles to your bowls of hot Pho broth right before serving. The residual heat from the broth will gently warm through the noodles without overcooking them.
How to Make Your Instant and Quick Pho Recipe
To make your quick pho recipe, all you need is:
- Pho broth cubes (I like using a box of Massel brand cubes)
- Rice noodles
- Your favorite protein like beef sukiyaki cut, chicken or tofu
- Mix and match fresh herbs and veggies for topping (White onions, cilantro, basil. thinly sliced carrots, bean sprouts, etc)
- Mix and match sauces -Sriracha, Hoisin Sauce, Sesame Oil (depending on what you have, all optional)
Here’s what you do:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, add in 1-2 pho broth cubes depending on how strong you like the flavor. Crumble the cubes with your hands as you drop them in.
- Let the broth cubes dissolve fully and slow boil for about 5-10 minutes. The pot should be filled with a clear, aromatic broth that smells just like a good bowl of pho.
- While the broth is simmering, quickly cook your protein. For your beef steak, pan sear it 1-2 minutes per side until browned but still pink inside. Slice thin against the grain. If you’re using sukiyaki cut, I just arrange it on top of the noodles and pour the soup on top since they’re very thin.
- Soak rice noodles in hot water from the tap until softened, about 5 minutes. Drain thoroughly.
- Divide noodles among your bowls. Top with sliced steak or your protein of choice.
- Ladle the hot pho broth over top. Garnish with fresh herbs like Thai basil, bean sprouts, lime wedges, and other veggies of your choice. Add Sriracha or hoisin sauce to taste.
Enjoy your INSTANT bowl of nourishing pho in under 15 minutes! The pho broth cubes do all the heavy lifting to make a deeply flavorful broth without hours of simmering.
Here are some of my tips for taking your instant Pho to the next level:
- Finishing touches are key. Fresh herbs, tender beef, chili garlic or hoisin sauce – play around with your favorite toppings until it’s Pho-nominal!
- Pay attention to noodle texture. Soak dried rice noodles just until pliable but still somewhat firm before ladling over hot broth at the table.
Sign Me Up for More Pho, Please!
Whether you pick up a kit at the store for a quick pho recipe or DIY a batch from scratch, I hope you’ll be inspired to dive headlong into the wonderful world of Vietnamese Pho. Sometimes all it takes is that first slurp of soothing beef broth to turn you into a quick Pho evangelist too.
As for me, I’ll be Pho-ing it up on the regular now that I’ve discovered this quick and comforting Asian noodle soup. It’s healthy, budget-friendly, and utterly delicious – what more could a new mom ask for, right? Let me know if you give Pho a try, and don’t forget to subscribe to my newsletter below for more budget meal and parenting hacks!
As always, let me know if you have any other kitchen shortcuts questions. Happy eating!
Mang ý nghĩa lành mạnh và hạnh phúc trong bát phở của bạn! (Wishing you goodness and happiness with each bowl of Pho!)
