Heart Healthy Beef Pho with Rice Noodles

Yes, this homemade beef pho is a healthy meal and here’s why:

• Nutrient-rich broth: The combination of beef and chicken broth provides your body with essential vitamins, minerals and amino acids.
• Lean protein: Lean beef flank or sirloin is a good source of protein but with very minimal fat.
• Low in calories: Compared to many other noodle soups, pho is relatively low in calories, making it a satisfying and healthy meal option.
• Gluten-free: This homemade beef pho recipe can easily be made gluten-free. The main ingredients, broth and rice noodles, are naturally gluten-free. Adding gluten-free soy sauce (also called tamari sauce) and fish sauce make this healthy beef pho recipe a good choice for those following a gluten-free diet.
• Low in sodium: Homemade pho gets its rich, deep flavor from simmering the broth with flavorful sodium-free aromatics. By using low-sodium soy sauce (or gluten-free tamari sauce), you can enjoy this comforting recipe while still maintaining your low sodium diet.
• Customizable: You can customize your pho with different toppings, such as lime wedges or chili oil, to tailor it to your taste preferences as well as dietary needs.

However, it's important to note that not all pho is created equal. Many restaurant versions are much higher in sodium and fat as well as made with ingredients that aren’t as healthy. To ensure you're enjoying a heart-healthy bowl of pho, it’s best to make it at home using high-quality ingredients.

Despite the long list of ingredients for this recipe, this beef pho is actually very easy to make. Here are a few tips and tricks to make the recipe even easier to prepare:

• Read the full recipe before you start to prepare the recipe. This beef pho recipe is easy to make. However, there are several steps and quite a few ingredients involved. It’s easy to miss a step or an ingredient if you haven’t read the recipe before you start cooking.
• Measure and prep all of the ingredients before you start cooking. If you measure and chop every ingredient as you are cooking, the recipe will take quite a bit longer to finish and some of it (mainly the thinly sliced beef) will likely overcook. Prepping all of the ingredients in advance will take a few minutes, but it’ll save you quite a bit of time in the long run.
• Prepare the broth in advance. Prepare the pho broth according to the recipe directions. After it has simmered, strain and refrigerate it in a sealed container. When you are ready to prepare the homemade pho, gently heat the broth while you are preparing the rest of the recipe.
• Slice the beef in advance. Thinly slice the beef a day or two before you make the pho to save time on a busy weeknight.

This homemade beef pho recipe is delicious as-is. However, there are a few ingredients that can be substituted depending on your dietary needs and food preferences. Just keep in mind that any substitutions can affect the nutrition content and taste.

• Thinly sliced turkey or chicken breast can be used instead of beef.
• Leftover cooked meat is also a quick and easy substitution. Place the leftover meat in the bowls with the cooked pho noodles and ladle the hot broth into the bowls. Then, top with the remaining ingredients.
• To make this dish vegetarian, you can use thinly sliced tofu or mushrooms (Portobello mushrooms are a great choice) as well as mushroom broth and vegetable broth. Be sure to omit the fish sauce. If you are using earthy mushroom broth, you shouldn’t miss the fish sauce. 
• Coconut aminos can be used instead of low sodium soy sauce for a gluten-free alternative. 
• Shredded carrots or sliced snow peas can be used instead of bean sprouts.
• If you don’t like the taste of cilantro, simply omit it from the recipe.