Is Pho Considered Soup?

Fragrant cardamom, ginger, coriander, cloves, cinnamon, and star anise are the signatures of a good bowl of pho. The rich aroma of this spice blend is the first thing to ensnare the senses when you sit down to eat. Then, you'll dig into piles of rice noodles, thinly sliced meat, a few vegetables like carrots and broccoli, and fresh herbs like cilantro and basil. The whole thing sits in a bath of bone broth, garnished with lemon, bean sprouts, and green onions. Sometimes, a bowl of pho also includes cabbage, sugar snap peas, and sautéed shiitake mushrooms. The best pho is made with lean cuts of beef, chicken, shrimp, or tofu. The ingredients vary depending on who's making the dish, but one thing always remains the same: Pho is always a noodle soup made with a rich broth.

When it comes down to the details, there's some debate about whether one should classify pho as a soup. Some say the ever-present bone broth in the dish makes it a soup by default, while any added ingredients simply make it a noodle soup. Others say classifying the dish as a soup implies it is an appetizer or side, but pho is a main dish, the crux of a meal that should be classified as a Vietnamese noodle dish instead of just a soup. Pho enthusiasts point out the combination of a complex broth, protein, and fresh garnish puts Vietnamese pho into its own category completely, although it is still considered by many to be a soup.

Broth is the heart and soul of a good bowl of pho, the keystone quality, the only thing that matters in the eyes of a true pho fan. In short, a good pho isn't anything without its broth. Pho broth should be somewhat clear and highly fragrant with layers of flavor, made by slow cooking bones for hours and hours over low heat.

No two batches of pho are the same, so it's standard for each chef to have a signature style of pho that keeps family, friends, or customers coming back for more. The point of pho is that it's a homestyle dish, one that changes with every person that adds in some ingredients. It tastes amazing ordered from a restaurant, but you can even buy ready-to-make pho at the Dollar Tree and other discount stores. 

Standard ingredients for pho broth include yellow onions, ginger, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, salt, fish sauce, yellow rock sugar, and marrow-rich beef bones; sometimes beef knuckle bones and a few more beef chunks are added for extra measure. All these ingredients are simmered together for a minimum of three hours, but many recipes suggest simmering them for six hours or longer. The restaurant-quality dish might simmer for 12 hours or more to create an extraordinary depth of flavor in a nutrient-rich broth, which is why restaurant pho tastes so amazing.

Pho is Vietnam's national dish, but its roots go back far into several different cultures and the origin of pho is a bit of a mystery. It was likely invented in the 20th century in the Vietnamese capital of Hanoi, influenced by Chinese, French, and local cooking styles. When the French took control of the province of Nam Dinh in the Red River Delta, different culinary styles blended to create pho. The dish was probably first served as a street food along the Red River in northern Vietnam.

The gradual mixture of culinary influences that contributed to pho's creation is reminiscent of the slow-boil process of making pho broth. It takes hours, sometimes even days, for beef marrow to melt into a savory broth. A wide variety of spices and herbs used in many different cooking styles come together in pho broth to create this unique dish. The different influences in the dish's origin give you plenty of options for making your own pho at home. You can use any protein and vegetables you want, and can invest as little or as much time as you'd like into the broth. You could tend to a homemade broth for days or make an easy pho in 30 minutes using pre-made or store bought chicken or beef broth, which will make for less complex-tasting, but still rich and delicious dish.