Traditional Oxtail Pho Noodle Soup
Traditional Oxtail Pho Noodle Soup brings a deeply aromatic broth layered with star anise, cinnamon, and fish sauce, enriched by slow-simmered oxtail. Chewy rice noodles, tender sirloin slices, beef meatballs, and fresh herbs create a balanced bowl with bright lime and crisp sprouts. Serve for a cozy weekend dinner or a special gathering when you want a comforting, restaurant-style pho at home.
- Prep20 mins
- Cook6 hrs 5 mins
- Serves8
- DifficultyHard
easyChef Pro health score
Calculated from USDA-referenced nutrient data for the ingredients in Traditional Oxtail Pho Noodle Soup, not estimated by an AI model. The same recipe returns the same score every time.
- Glycemic ImpactFair
- 55 / 100
- Carb quality, not quantity. Higher is better.
- Nutritional DensityPoor
- 0 / 100
- Nutrients per calorie. Higher is better.
- Energy DensityFair
- 57 / 100
- Calories by weight. Higher means more food for fewer calories.
- NOVA Unprocessed or minimally processed
- 1 / 4
- Processing level, 1 (whole) to 4 (ultra-processed). Lower is better.
How it scores for each health goal
The same recipe scores differently against different goals, because the goal changes the calculation rather than filtering a list. Set your goal in easyChef Pro and every recipe is scored against it.
- 27
- Heart Health
- 65
- Metabolic
- 27
- Digestive
- 21
- Inflammatory
- 34
- Performance
- 33
- General Wellness
- 1
Bring water and oxtail to a boil in a pot. Skim off the foam and oil from the surface. Add 1 onion, fish sauce, star anise, cinnamon, and salt. Stir in pho flavor paste and cover loosely with a lid. Reduce the heat and simmer the broth for at least 6 hours.
- 2
Cut the remaining onion in half and slice it very thinly. Place it in a bowl with scallions and cilantro.
- 3
Place noodles in a large bowl and rinse them. Cover with warm water and let them soak for 1 hour.
- 4
Drop meatballs into the soup 20 minutes before the broth is done.
- 5
Bring a small saucepan of water to a boil. Drain the noodles and dip them into the boiling water for 30 seconds. Transfer the noodles into 8 large bowls.
- 6
Top each bowl with sliced sirloin. Ladle in broth, meatballs, and oxtail. Taste and season as needed. Squeeze 1 or 2 lime wedges into each bowl and mix in 1/2 teaspoon sugar. Top with the cilantro-onion mixture, bean sprouts, basil, and shallots.
- Calories 435.09 kcal High 22%
- Protein 20.94 g Good Source 42%
- Carbohydrate 65.4 g 24%
- Total Fat 10.82 g Moderate 14%
- Saturated Fat 4.66 g High 23%
- Trans Fat 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Cholesterol 45.4 mg Moderate 15%
- Sodium 461.45 mg High 20%
- Dietary Fiber 3.4 g Moderate 12%
- Total Sugars 5.15 g --
- Added Sugars 0.0 g Low Source 0%
- Calcium 105.68 mg Low Source 8%
- Iron 3.12 mg Moderate 17%
- Potassium 546.8 mg Moderate 12%
- Vitamin A 71.31 mcg Low Source 8%
- Vitamin C 6.03 mg Low Source 7%
- Vitamin D 0.0 mcg Low Source 0%
Values are per serving. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000-calorie diet.
- Fish 🐟
- Tomatoes 🍅
- Onions 🧅
About This Recipe
Traditional Oxtail Pho Noodle Soup is a Vietnamese dinner recipe made with 16 ingredients. It takes about 6 hrs 25 mins, serves 8, and is rated hard. Key ingredients include Bean Sprouts, Beef, Beef Meatball, and Cinnamon Sticks. Each serving provides about 435.09 kcal, and is a good source of protein.
Recipe Questions
- What is Traditional Oxtail Pho Noodle Soup?
- It is a Vietnamese soup recipe made with 16 ingredients, usually served for dinner or lunch or soup.
- What is Traditional Oxtail Pho Noodle Soup made of?
- The main ingredients are Bean Sprouts, Beef, Beef Meatball, Cinnamon Sticks, Fish Sauce. The full list of 16 is above.
- What goes well with Traditional Oxtail Pho Noodle Soup?
- Explore these Vietnamese side-dish recipes.
- How long does it take to make Traditional Oxtail Pho Noodle Soup?
- About 6 hrs 25 mins in total: 20 mins to prepare and 6 hrs 5 mins to cook.
- How many calories are in one serving?
- One serving provides about 435.09 kcal. The full nutrition breakdown is above.
- Is Traditional Oxtail Pho Noodle Soup easy to make?
- This recipe is rated hard, with 16 ingredients and 6 steps.
- Is Traditional Oxtail Pho Noodle Soup healthy?
- Traditional Oxtail Pho Noodle Soup has an easyChef Pro health score of 39/100. Per serving, it provides 435.09 calories and 20.94 g of protein, or 42% of the Daily Value. Worth noting per serving: sodium at 461.45 mg (20% of the Daily Value) and saturated fat at 4.66 g (23% of the Daily Value). It contains Fish, Tomatoes and Onions, so it may not be suitable for people with those allergies or dietary restrictions. Whether it fits your goals depends on your complete meal plan and nutritional needs. Remix it in easyChef Pro to adjust the ingredients and generate fresh nutrition and scores.
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