Quick Summary: A deeply flavored beef pho made in the slow cooker with charred ginger, toasted spices, and rich bone broth. Swap rice noodles for shirataki to keep it slow carb friendly. The broth simmers hands-off for 8 hours, but can be made ahead for quick weeknight assembly. Prep: 15 min | Cook: 8 hrs | Serves: 4
Jump to: RECIPE | Restaurant vs Homemade | Slow Carb Modifications | 3 Keys to Flavor | Accompaniments & Assembly | How to Make It?| | FAQ
The best pho I’ve ever had was at Pho 96 in Denver, and I came home determined to recreate it.
Traditional pho can take three days. This slow cooker version takes 15 minutes of hands-on prep and 8 hours of hands-off simmering, and it comes remarkably close. The bone broth is rich and aromatic, layered with charred ginger, toasted spices, and fish sauce.
For slow carb compliance, I used shirataki noodles instead of rice noodles. Make the broth ahead, refrigerate it, and dinner comes together in 30 minutes.
Restaurant Pho vs Homemade Slow Cooker Pho
On a recent trip to Denver my daughter and I were looking for a good Vietnamese restaurant, and ended up at Pho 96. While we didn’t have a chance to sample the other Vietnamese restaurants in Denver, Pho 96 delivered the best Beef Pho I have ever had.
After getting back home, I immediately tried to replicate our dining experience before the memory faded.
As I researched different pho recipes, I saw that the most authentic looking Pho took around 3 days to make and I simply can’t handle that right now, no matter how good the food is.
I ended up adapting recipes to be slow cooker friendly, and it came very close to the food memory of the Denver Pho dish.
The good thing is you can make the bone broth ahead of time, refrigerate it and put the pho together quickly as a weeknight meal.
Just heat up the long-simmered broth and have your favorite fresh accompaniments available and you’ve got a 30-minute dinner!
How to Make Beef Pho Slow Carb Friendly
I have been living a slow carb lifestyle for many years now and am constantly modifying recipes to eek out the most flavor while remaining compliant with slow carb. Beef pho is extremely easy to modify without a loss of flavor.
The following photo shows you all the ingredients you will need for this recipe. For details on measurements, see the recipe below.
There are really only two things that need to be modified for this dish to be slow carb:
The Noodles
The rice noodles are really the main thing that is not compliant with a low carb diet. I opted for shirataki noodles (aka miracle noodles) which do not have carbs or sugar, but you could also use zoodles (zucchini noodles) or another noodle alternative (there are many on the market now).
I found the shirataki were the closest texture to rice noodles, and the texture (along with slurping ease) is really what the noodles offer. You don’t need a ton of shirataki noodles like you would rice noodles because they tend to be very filling.
The shirataki noodles are made from mostly water plus a small amount of konjac (elephant yam). They’re both low calorie and low-carb.
**Tip: If you use shirataki noodles they will cook with the beef when the broth is poured over. Just rinse them ahead of time. If you use rice noodles however, they will need to be cooked a bit before adding to the bowl.
The Sugar
Some pho recipes will use quite a bit of sugar. I used 1 tablespoon of brown sugar in 9 cups of broth which isn’t enough to sabotage your diet if you track carbs on a daily basis.
If you want to be stricter with the sugar you could use Truvia brown sugar which is a blend and is a good substitute.
What Makes Great Pho Broth?
The Spice Profile
The classic spices included in a pho broth include coriander seed, fennel seed, star anise, cinnamon, cardamom, and cloves. These are considered “warming” spices and most have a hard coat or shell to them.
Ginger is also key but it is treated differently than the spices.
Placing the spices in a “dry” skillet (no oil at all) to toast them prior to adding to the slow cooker broth, is an enhancement that is well worth your time.
The ginger is peeled and sliced and then placed under the broiler with the sliced onions to char. This is another flavor enhancer done before placing everything in the slow cooker.
The Bone Broth
You want to simmer the beef bones for a bit before putting in the crockpot. You can use any kind of beef bones, but you do need bones rather than just beef flesh to get the collagen.
Oxtail bones are good and they used to be inexpensive. They must have become popular in recent years, as I see they have really increased in price at the grocery store.
You will want to boil the bones for about 10 minutes prior to placing in the slow cooker. If you want a really clear broth, you will need to skim the scum off after boiling and rinse the bones.
The Long Cooking Time
Traditional pho involves simmering bones all day. Using a crockpot allows you to simmer all day, but without worrying about stirring or burning or checking the pot.
The hands-off use of the slow cooker is it’s beauty and is especially good for this kind of recipe.
You could use an instant pot, but I think the longer these ingredients have to meld together the better.
How to Make Slow Cooker Beef Pho
The ingredient and recipe details are listed in the recipe card below. In short:
- Boil beef bones for 10 minutes and rinse.
- Char sliced onion and ginger under the broiler. Toast the spices in a dry skillet.
- Add everything to the slow cooker with water, beef broth, fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Cook on low for 8 to 10 hours.
- Strain, taste for salt, and ladle simmering broth over bowls of shirataki noodles and thinly sliced raw beef. Serve with fresh accompaniments.
How to Assemble Beef Pho
Keep the broth hot in the slow cooker, slice the meat very thin, and pour the hot broth over the shirataki noodles and the sliced meat. Serve with the following accompaniments:
Traditional pho has a range of accompaniments to add to the soup. Since I was trying to replicate the pho I had in Denver, I used the following:
- Mint
- lime
- culantro,
- bean sprouts,
- spicy chile peppers,
- Sriracha.
Other accompaniments that are often used include:
- Thai basil
- Cilantro
- Sliced jalapeno peppers
- Scallions (green onions)
- hoisen sauce
** Tip: freeze meat for 15 minutes prior to slicing to make it easier to slice thinly
FAQ
Pho is pronounced “fuh.” The word comes from a Chinese term meaning to boil something down until concentrated.
Yes, and you should. The broth keeps refrigerated for 5 to 7 days or frozen for 2 to 3 months. Reheat to a simmer before pouring over noodles and beef
Yes. Shirataki noodles have no carbs, and the broth uses only 1 tablespoon of brown sugar across 4 servings. For stricter compliance, use a sugar substitute.
Eye of round, sirloin, flank, or London broil all work. The key is slicing very thin so the hot broth cooks the meat instantly. Freeze the beef for 15 minutes before slicing to make this easier.
Yes, but of course then it is not a classic beef pho. The chicken will need to be cooked first rather than just pouring simmering broth over the raw meat.
Culantro (also called sawtooth herb or Vietnamese cilantro) has a stronger flavor than cilantro and is traditional in Vietnamese pho. Look for it at Asian markets. Cilantro or Thai basil are good substitutes.
Use chopsticks for the noodles, beef, and garnishes. Use a spoon for the broth. Slurping is encouraged.
Interested in the Slow Carb Diet? Check out this comprehensive E-Guide on Fat Loss through a Slow Carb Diet.
Low Carb Beef Pho in the Slow Cooker
Ingredients
- 2 lbs. Oxtails or beef bones can use short ribs as an option
- ½ onion sliced
- 3-4 inches ginger root Peeled and sliced into 1/4" slices
- Spice medley to include: 2 tsp whole coriander, 1 tsp fennel seeds, 5 whole star anise, 6 whole cloves, 2-3 cardamom pods), a 3-4” cinnamon stick
- 7 cups water
- 2 cups beef broth
- 2 Tbsp fish sauce
- 1 Tbsp brown sugar use truvia brown sugar for low carb or keto compliance
- 2 tsp kosher salt divided
- 1 lb Shirataki (Miracle noodles) can use zoodles for keto or low carb compliance, rice noodles for traditional pho
- ½ lb. eye of round steak sliced as thinly as possible (can substitute sirloin, flank or london broil); ** tip: freeze meat for 15 minutes prior to slicing to make it easier to slice thinly)
- variety of accompaniments *see notes below for ideas; most include limes, bean sprouts, peppers, and a range of sauces
Instructions
- Turn oven to broil and bring a large stockpot of water to a boil.Add the oxtails or beef bones to the pot and boil hard for 10 minutes. Brown scum will rise to the surface. Remove the bones with slotted spoon and rinse with cold water. If you want the resulting beef broth to be clear (classic pho has a clear broth), then skim the scum from the top of the pot and rinse the bones before placing in the crockpot. Alternatively, use a prepared beef broth and the rinsed bone.Add the bones to the crock pot and set the broth aside.*note: it is OK to use the bone broth without getting all of the scum off. You may have to skim the scum from the crockpot at the end if you want a clear broth.2 lbs. Oxtails or beef bones
- While the bones are boiling, place the onion slices and the ginger slices on a baking sheet lined with foil and transfer to the oven. Broil for 2-4 minutes until charred and then turn onion and ginger over to char the other side. Remove from oven and add ginger and onion to the crock pot.1/2 onion, 3-4 inches ginger root
- Dry toast the Pho spices by placing them in a sauté pan over medium-low heat. Toast until fragrant (2-3 minutes), shaking often so as not to burn. Add the toasted spices to the crock pot. You can strain them out later if you want a clear broth. *Alternatively, place the spices in a cheesecloth bag and place in slow cooker.Spice medley to include:
- Add the water, beef broth, fish sauce, sugar and 1 teaspoon salt to the slow-cooker and set on lowest setting for 8-10 hours.7 cups water, 2 cups beef broth, 2 Tbsp fish sauce, 1 Tbsp brown sugar, 2 tsp kosher salt
- About 15 minutes before serving prepare your accompaniments. For the accompaniments: slice limes and arrange herbs, sprouts, peppers and sauces on a platter.variety of accompaniments
- When broth is finished cooking in crockpot, skim any scum that has risen to the surface. Remove the bones and spices from the slow cooker by straining broth into a large bowl. Taste broth and add more salt, if necessary. Keep the broth at a simmer until the bowls of steak and noodles are ready.
- If you are using shirataki just rinse the noodles. Drain immediately and place in the bottom of four large, individual soup bowls.If you are using rice noodles, they should be cooked in boiling water for a few minutes.Distribute the thin (raw) steak slices evenly on top of the noodles in the four bowls. Ladle the hot broth into each bowl. The broth should be simmering and it will instantly cook the thin steak slices and the shirataki noodlesServe bowls of pho with the platter of accompaniments at the table.1 lb Shirataki (Miracle noodles), 1/2 lb. eye of round steak
Video
Notes
- 1-2 limes, cut in wedges
- fresh herbs (I used basil, mint and cilantro. Pho 96 also used Ngo gai, which is a Vietnamese sawtooth herb they called Vietnamese cilantro)
- 2-3 Thai or Serrano chilies, sliced thinly
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- Hoisin sauce
- Sriracha hot chili sauce
Dorothy, I just happened to come across your recipe. My mother usually prepares the pho the long…ver long way. I on the other hand cannot cook to save my life, but have been trying to learn slowly. I sure am not going to take days to make my mom’s pho. So thank you for this recipe…I will try it out. But to answer your question about that “spikey herb” the English name is Culantro. I own an herb shop in Nederland,Tx and love to to learn about any type of herbs, so I decided to learn all the names for the vietnamese herbs…in English that is bc I grew up knowing the vietnamese names!
Thank you so much for the name of the herb. It doesn’t look anything like Cilantro, so when the restaurant owner pronounced it like Cilantro, I thought he was trying to please me with something I would know the name of. I’ll have to look for it next time I am in Minneapolis…they have some good ethnic groceries there. Hope you like the slow cooker version!
And one more thing. I also follow the Paleo way of eating…so no rice noodles… but I use kelp noodles. Its made from clear seaweed. Has not taste to it and it compliments pho very well. You can order it online or at a wholefoods or basic foods store! Just wanted to tell you about it bc I saw that you are on a low carb diet.
I love the idea of kelp noodles! I have never heard of them, but will have to try. It sounds like it might give the texture of rice noodles without the carbs. Thank you!
No prob! And remember its Culantro with a “U” and not cilantro. Same family. Lol
Dorothy thank you for the recipe… The herb you’re asking about is called Culantro in English.
I am trying a version of this recipe tomorrow with kelp noodles as well! I follow Maria Emmerich’s blog (low carb but not paleo) and she has been experimenting with kelp noodles in a slow cooker. She says the noodles soften/expand as they cook in the slow cooker, so I am going to throw the kelp noodles in the broth for the 8-10 hrs. I’ll let you know how it goes!
I am trying a version of this recipe tomorrow and am using kelp noodles to keep it low carb. I love pho and the best Pho I’ve had is here in my home town, but the egg noodles (I like the egg noodles over rice noodles–more like ramen) make it a carb bomb and the MSG makes me feel extremely weird for a while after I consume it. Anywhoo, I follow Maria Emmerich’s blog (low carb but not paleo) and she has been experimenting with kelp noodles in the crock pot, and she reports that if you put the kelp noodles in the crock for several hours, they will soften up and be more noodle like. I am going to try this tomorrow and just dump them in the broth for the 8-10hrs. I’ll let you know how to goes!
Thanks for the info Stacy. I would indeed like to know how it goes. Won’t they disintegrate after 8-10 hours?
So, a few days late, but I am working on the broth as we speak. It has been on low in the slow cooker all day. Almost 8hrs. Decided I’ll keep it on warm tonight with the bones in it, and then tomorrow take the bones out and add some Trader Joes beef broth to make up for the volume lost as a result of taking out the bones. I am then going to put the kelp noodles in and check them every hour until they get soft. I imagine it will take 4-6hrs, but I’ll let you know! Here’s to hoping for a big delish bowl of low carb soup for dinner tomorrow!
I cook my kelp noodles seperately just like when you cook the rice noodles. It takes a little bit longer to cook but is all worth the time.
I would like to see more crock pot recipes please!
Look for a Moroccon Beef Stew with Garbanzo Beans in about a week.
Try using Thai basil and Vietnamese mint – you won’t regret it!
Thank you Ashley, I think I will do just that.
[…] I just got back from a visit to my daughter in Denver where we had the most wonderful Pho dishes (Vietnamese noodle soups with a complex broth, fresh herbs and meat or tofu). Â A traditional Pho broth takes 2-3 days of long simmering, and I am anxious to try it out this winter, but for now, I’m still in the quick and easy mode. Â ** note, I did try out the Pho later and you can see that recipe here. […]