Slow-Cooker Beef Pho with Star Anise and Cinnamon

A comforting and deeply flavorful beef pho made easy in your slow cooker. The aromatic broth is infused with traditional spices like star anise, cinnamon, and cloves for an authentic taste without hours of simmering on the stovetop.

Prep Time

20 minutes

Total Time

8 hours 20 minutes (low) or 4 hours 20 minutes (high)

Calories

450 kcal

Difficulty

Easy

Equipment

4 items

Cost

£4.60/serving

Season:

Meal Type:

Cuisine:

Main Ingredient:

Cooking Style:

Quick & Easy•Slow Cooker

Mood:

Comfort Food

Ingredients

Servings

2lbsBeef Chuck Roast(Cut into large chunks)

£9.00

1lbBeef Bones(Optional, adds extra flavor to the broth)

£2.50

1largeYellow Onion(Halved)

£0.60

4inchGinger(Unpeeled, roughly chopped)

£1.00

4wholeStar Anise

£0.50

1wholeCinnamon Stick

£0.20

4wholeCloves

£0.15

1teaspoonFennel Seeds(Optional)

£0.10

1teaspoonCoriander Seeds(Optional)

£0.10

2tablespoonsFish Sauce

£0.30

1teaspoonSalt(Or to taste)

1tablespoonBrown Sugar(Optional, balances flavors)

£0.05

8cupsWater

12ozRice Noodles (Banh Pho)(Dried, cooked according to package instructions)

£2.00

2cupsBean Sprouts(For serving)

£1.00

1cupFresh Basil(For serving, roughly chopped)

£1.50

0.5cupFresh Mint(For serving, roughly chopped)

£1.25

0.5cupCilantro(For serving, roughly chopped)

£1.00

1as neededLime Wedges(For serving)

£0.50

0.5cupSliced Green Onions(For serving)

£0.75

1as neededSliced Jalapeños(For serving, optional)

£0.60

1as neededSriracha(For serving, optional)

£2.00

1as neededHoisin Sauce(For serving, optional)

£2.50

Total Cost

£27.60

£4.60 per serving

Instructions

1.
Toast Spices: In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the star anise, cinnamon stick, cloves, fennel seeds, and coriander seeds (if using) for 2-3 minutes, or until fragrant. Be careful not to burn them.
2.
Char Aromatics: Place the halved onion and ginger in the same skillet. Char them until slightly blackened and fragrant. This adds depth of flavor to the broth. Remove from heat.
3.
Combine Ingredients: Place the beef chuck roast, beef bones (if using), toasted spices, charred onion and ginger, fish sauce, salt, and brown sugar (if using) in the slow cooker.
4.
Add Water: Pour water over the ingredients, ensuring the beef is mostly submerged. If needed, add a little more water.
5.
Slow Cook: Cover and cook on low for 8 hours or on high for 4 hours, or until the beef is very tender.
6.
Prepare Noodles: While the pho is cooking, cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain and set aside.
7.
Strain Broth: Once the pho is cooked, remove the beef from the slow cooker using tongs and set aside to cool slightly. Use a slotted spoon to remove the onion, ginger, and spices. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a large pot.
8.
Shred Beef: Shred the beef using two forks.
9.
Assemble Pho: Divide the cooked rice noodles among bowls. Top with shredded beef. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and beef.
10.
Garnish and Serve: Garnish with bean sprouts, fresh basil, mint, cilantro, sliced green onions, lime wedges, and sliced jalapeños (if using). Serve immediately with sriracha and hoisin sauce on the side for dipping.

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My Notes

Nutrition Information

Nutrition per serving (500g)

450 kcal / 1883 kJ

Carbs

30g

12% of RDA

Fat

18g

26% of RDA

Protein

40g

80% of RDA

Detailed Breakdown

Fibre

4 g

13% of RDA

Sugar

8 g

9% of RDA

Sodium

750 mg

33% of RDA

Saturated Fat

7 g

35% of RDA

Chef's Tips

For a clearer broth, skim off any impurities that rise to the surface during the first hour of cooking.

If you don't have beef bones, you can use beef broth in place of some of the water for a richer flavor.

Adjust the amount of fish sauce and salt to your liking.

Leftover pho broth can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

Cooking Equipment

Slow Cooker

Large Pot

Tongs

Slotted Spoon

Wine Pairings

No wine pairing suggestions available for this recipe.

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Chef's Tips

For a clearer broth, skim off any impurities that rise to the surface during the first hour of cooking.

If you don't have beef bones, you can use beef broth in place of some of the water for a richer flavor.

Adjust the amount of fish sauce and salt to your liking.

Leftover pho broth can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 2 months.

Slow-Cooker Beef Pho with Star Anise and Cinnamon

Ingredients

Instructions