Artificial Food Coloring Free Asian Pho-Style Beef Broth
Few things are as deeply satisfying as a bowl of steaming, fragrant beef broth loaded with tender noodles and fresh herbs — and this recipe delivers every bit of that comfort from scratch. The magic starts with a proper bone blanch to pull out impurities, followed by charring the onion and ginger under the broiler, which builds that signature smoky-sweet depth without relying on any packaged seasoning blends or flavor shortcuts. Ceylon cinnamon, whole cloves, and ground turmeric give the broth its warm, complex backbone, while coconut aminos stand in for conventional soy sauce, keeping the ingredient list clean and free of synthetic additives. Store-bought broths and pho concentrates are notorious for sneaking in artificial colors and dyes to achieve that rich amber appearance, but here the color comes entirely from the charred aromatics and long, slow simmering of real bones. Spiralized zucchini replaces traditional rice noodles, soaking up the broth beautifully while keeping every component whole and recognizable. The raw beef sirloin cooks gently right in the bowl from the heat of the ladled broth, a technique that feels almost theatrical and tastes absolutely restaurant-worthy. Finish with scallions, cilantro, and fresh basil, and you have a bowl that looks stunning and tastes like it took all day — because, honestly, it kind of did, and it is completely worth it.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the broth
- 3 lb beef marrow bones or knuckle bones
- 1 lb beef oxtail or short rib pieces
- 1 large yellow onion, halved
- 1 piece fresh ginger (about 3 inches), halved lengthwise
- 1 stick ceylon cinnamon (about 3 inches)
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 10 cups cold water
- 1 tsp salt, plus more to taste
For serving
- ¾ lb beef sirloin or eye of round, very thinly sliced
- 4 medium zucchini, spiralized or peeled into ribbons
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ½ cup fresh thai basil or regular basil leaves
- 1 lime, cut into wedges (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Place the beef bones and oxtail in the stockpot and cover with cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 10 minutes, until a grey foam rises to the surface. Drain, discard the blanching water, and rinse the bones and pot thoroughly under cold running water.
- 2
Set the oven broiler to high. Place the halved onion and ginger cut-side up on a baking sheet and broil 4–5 inches from the element for 8–10 minutes, until the cut surfaces are deeply charred and fragrant.
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