Top 8 Variations of Pho

Thinly rolled rice noodles, wrapped around thinly sliced beef that’s stir-fried with lettuce and fresh herbs. Pho Rolls are served with a sweet and sour dipping sauce. The filling of pho rolls can also be adapted to include chicken, pork, sour shrimp, or a mixed variety of ingredients.

The fusion of humble ingredients creates a robust yet refined flavor, colorful and vibrant. The visual appeal is a key element for chefs, with the translucent rice noodles, the green of the herbs, the red and green dipping sauce with chili, and the addition of pickled vegetables on the side. This is one of the must-try dishes for visitors in Hanoi.

The pho is pressed into a circular shape and then pan-fried until both sides are crispy, served with a rich and flavorful thick sauce. Common ingredients for the sauce include beef or seafood, tomatoes, Chinese cabbage, and celery. The rice noodles are fried in a generous amount of oil, forming a thin, round, firm piece that’s crispy on the outside and soft inside.

Pan-fried Pho is a relatively simple dish made with easily accessible ingredients like rice noodles, herbs, bean sprouts, and beef. You can quickly prepare this dish for your family on the weekend.

Sour Pho is a unique dish from Lang Son. The key ingredients include rice noodles, sweet potatoes, char siu pork, pork skin, liver, shredded chicken, crispy fried onions, taro, roasted peanuts, dried shallots, cucumber, and sausages... The defining element of Lang Son’s sour pho is the 'sauce,' known locally as 'nuoc du.' To make this flavorful broth, one must sauté garlic and onions, then simmer with chili, tomatoes, vinegar, sugar, fish sauce, and ginger. Afterward, thickening flour is added to create the right consistency. The most distinctive seasoning in this broth is the sweetened vinegar, which is made from ripe bananas—a special feature of Lang Son.

Lang Son Sour Pho is a delicately prepared dish, both visually intriguing and offering a unique flavor that surprises travelers from afar. When visiting Lang Son, this is definitely a dish you must try!

If you’re tired of the traditional pho soup and are looking for something new to spice up your taste buds, don’t miss out on stir-fried pho.

Fresh pho noodles are stir-fried with sliced beef, onions, and vegetables over high heat. The dish is infused with the aromatic flavors of garlic and black pepper. It's a simple yet bold combination. The ingredients can be flexible as well, with options to substitute beef with chicken, pork, or offal, and the vegetables can include leeks, celery, and carrots.

Mixed Pho is a dish that is loved by many Vietnamese. It offers a distinct flavor, quite different from the traditional pho soup. It’s also a super easy dish to try making at home, perfect for impressing your loved ones and family.

The preparation is relatively simple, but the taste of mixed pho is just as delicious as the classic pho. A serving of mixed pho includes pho noodles, shredded boiled chicken, or sliced beef, garnished with coriander, crispy fried onions, and roasted peanuts. The broth is carefully mixed to suit individual tastes, following the secret recipe of each restaurant. To enjoy, simply drizzle the broth over the pho, toss everything together, and savor.

Pho is a soup-based dish, typically consisting of broth, pho noodles, beef (or chicken), and egg. When enjoying pho, you can add various seasonings to suit your taste, such as MSG, fish sauce, lime, chili paste, etc., and it is usually served with fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, and bean sprouts. This is considered the traditional pho, the base of all its variations. The key components of pho are the pho noodles and broth, accompanied by thinly sliced beef or chicken. Additional seasonings like soy sauce, pepper, lime, fish sauce, and chili are added based on individual preferences. In the South, pho is often served with herbs like cilantro, basil, and bean sprouts.

These seasonings are added according to each person’s personal taste.

Dry Pho, also known as Two-Bowl Pho, is a unique dish from Gia Lai. It is traditionally served in two separate bowls: one with the pho noodles, and the other with the rich broth. Diners enjoy the pho first, followed by sipping a bit of the broth, paired with fresh herbs and a special dark sauce prepared with traditional recipes unique to each restaurant.

Gia Lai Dry Pho uses thin, round pho noodles rather than the usual flat ones. The texture of these noodles is similar to that of 'hu tieu' noodles, but this variety can only be found in Gia Lai. The dry pho is made with a delicious bone broth, served with bean sprouts, lean meat, and crispy fried onions. Depending on your taste, you can add a little lime, chili paste, or soy sauce.

Fresh pho noodles, layered 3-5 times, are cut into 3x3 cm squares and fried until they puff up and turn golden brown in hot oil. Crispy Fried Pho is served with tender stir-fried beef and sweet greens, all topped with a savory sauce. The process involves cutting the pho into small squares, frying them in hot oil until they puff up into small, golden boxes, and then placing them on a plate. The stir-fried beef and vegetables are then added on top with a sprinkle of seasoning and pepper, creating a delightful and distinct meal.

Each crispy piece of pho, combined with beef and vegetables, creates a delicious dish that everyone will enjoy. You can also prepare crispy fried pho at home with a simple recipe!