Instant Pot Pho

Introduction

Craving restaurant-quality pho but don’t want to spend hours simmering broth? This Instant Pot Pho recipe captures all the complex, aromatic flavors of classic Vietnamese noodle soup in a fraction of the time. With aromatic spices, a rich broth, and tender noodles, this recipe is perfect for busy weeknights or when you’re craving a comforting, flavorful meal.

Why This Instant Pot Pho Is a Game-Changer

Traditional pho requires simmering bones and spices for hours to develop its signature depth of flavor. Thanks to the Instant Pot, you can achieve a flavorful, intensely aromatic broth in under an hour. The combination of toasted spices, hearty broth, and fresh toppings makes this dish a standout that will satisfy any soup lover and impress a crowd.

Building a Rich Instant Pot Pho Broth

The secret to an amazing pho broth is toasting the spices and aromatics before pressure cooking. This step unlocks deep, complex flavors, ensuring that every spoonful tastes authentic. Using chicken or beef (or a combination) as your protein base, the Instant Pot does the heavy lifting—extracting savory notes and mellowing the spices with no babysitting required.

Assembling Your Instant Pot Pho Bowls

Once your broth is finished, it’s time to assemble your pho. Ladle the fragrant broth over cooked rice noodles, then top with your favorite proteins (such as thinly sliced beef, shredded chicken, or tofu). Finish with classic add-ons: bean sprouts, fresh basil, cilantro, lime wedges, chili slices, and hoisin or sriracha for customizable flavor.

Serving Suggestions for a Truly Satisfying Pho

Serve pho piping hot alongside small dishes of hoisin sauce, chili garlic paste, and extra herbs so everyone can personalize their bowl. Add a side of Vietnamese spring rolls or a refreshing cucumber salad for a complete Vietnamese-inspired meal. This dish is perfect for cozy evenings or sharing with friends and family.

Nutritional Information and Serving Size

This recipe makes approximately 6 generous servings, with each bowl containing about 300-400 calories (depending on protein and toppings chosen). Pho is naturally low in fat and packed with fresh herbs, making it a nutritious and satisfying choice for any meal.

Deliciously Simple Instant Pot Pho (Recap)

Instant Pot Pho brings together everything you love about this iconic soup—fragrant broth, slurp-worthy noodles, and crisp, fresh toppings—without the long wait. It’s a joy to prepare and even more delightful to serve, making it an instant favorite for any home cook.

💡Meal Planning Tip: Save this recipe to automatically generate a smart shopping list with all ingredients sorted by grocery store sections. It’s the easiest way to organize weeknight dinners and keep track of what you need!

Instructions

1. Set your Instant Pot to sauté and add the onion and ginger. Cook for 3-5 minutes, turning until each side is lightly charred (for a deeper flavor).
2. Add star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick, and coriander seeds. Toast spices for about 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add beef bones (and/or chicken), water, fish sauce, soy sauce, and salt to the pot.
4. Lock the lid, set Instant Pot to Pressure Cook (Manual) for 45 minutes.
5. Once cooking time is up, allow a natural pressure release for 10 minutes, then do a quick release for any remaining pressure.
6. Strain the broth, discarding bones and spices. Skim off excess fat if desired. Taste and adjust seasoning with more fish sauce or salt.
7. While broth cooks, prepare rice noodles according to package instructions. Rinse and drain. Prep toppings: wash herbs, slice limes and jalapeños, gather bean sprouts.
8. To assemble: Divide cooked noodles among bowls. Top with thinly sliced beef (it will cook from the hot broth), shredded chicken, or tofu. Ladle hot broth over toppings.
9. Garnish with fresh herbs, bean sprouts, jalapeño, onions, and a squeeze of lime. Serve immediately with hoisin and sriracha on the side.

Weekly Meal Planning

Pho is ideal for meal planning—make a big batch of broth, refrigerate or freeze leftovers, and simply add fresh noodles and toppings when you’re ready for another bowl. Save and schedule this recipe in your meal planner to generate organized shopping lists and consolidate ingredients for the week.

Key Planning Benefits:

• Combine ingredient totals across recipes for streamlined shopping
• Shopping lists organized by grocery store sections for quick trips
• Effortlessly plan pho nights and mix with other meals for variety
• Reduce waste by tracking what you’ll really use

Pro tip: Schedule all your weekly meals in one place so you never overbuy, and get suggestions for other recipes that use leftover herbs, noodles, or protein.

Cook and Prep Times

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes

Enjoy the rich, authentic flavors of pho at home with minimal fuss—the perfect weeknight win!