Pho

Pho is a tasty soup from Vietnam.

It has soft rice noodles in a warm broth. People add meat like beef or chicken. Some people also add fresh herbs.

Long ago, men sold it on the street. They carried it on long poles. Now, people eat it in many lands. It is a very famous food. Many people love this special meal.

Pho is a famous soup from Vietnam.

It is made with soft rice noodles and a warm broth. Most people eat it with beef. Some people also enjoy chicken pho.

This soup first appeared in Northern Vietnam in the early 1900s. Some people think it came from French or Chinese food. For example, the French had a beef stew called pot-au-feu. Others think it came from Chinese beef noodles. Long ago, men sold pho on the street. They carried it on long poles. One side of the pole held a pot over a fire. The other side held noodles and spices. Today, people eat pho in many ways. In the South, people add lime and bean sprouts. They might also add basil or hot sauce.

Pho is now loved all over the world. Many people moved to new lands and brought the recipe with them. Vietnam even has a special "Day of Pho" every year. It is a dish that brings people together.

Pho is a famous soup from Vietnam that people love to eat.

It is a warm dish made of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat. Most people eat it with beef, but some people enjoy chicken pho.

This soup is very popular in Vietnam. You can find it in homes, small street stalls, and big restaurants. It is a special part of the culture for many people. Vietnam even has a special day called "Day of Pho" on December 12.

Making a bowl of pho involves several tasty parts.

First, a warm broth is made using spices and meat. Many people use beef bones to make the liquid taste rich. Next, soft rice noodles are added to the bowl.

People often add different toppings depending on where they are. In the South, people like to add lime, mung bean sprouts, and basil. They might also add Hoisin sauce or hot Sriracha sauce to make it spicy. These fresh ingredients make every bowl feel special.

The history of pho is a bit of a mystery. It first appeared in written records in Northern Vietnam during the early 20th century. Some people believe it started in Nam Định Province. There are many ideas about where the name and recipe came from. Some think it was influenced by French beef stews called pot-au-feu. Others think it came from Chinese beef noodles called ngau juk fun. Because there are not many old records, experts still debate its exact start.

Long ago, pho was sold very differently than it is today.

In the early 1900s, street vendors sold it as a snack at dawn and dusk. Men would carry heavy wooden cabinets on long poles across their shoulders. One cabinet held a large pot over a wood fire. The other cabinet held the noodles, spices, and cookware. As time passed, people began opening fixed shops instead of walking with poles. By 1925, a man named Vạn opened the first "Nam Định style" stand in Hanoi.

Today, pho is a dish that connects people all over the world.

After the Vietnam War, many refugees moved to new countries. They brought their recipes with them to places like the United States, Canada, and Australia. In 1980, the first pho restaurants opened in Little Saigon, California. Now, you can find pho in many big cities and even on college campuses. It has grown from a simple street snack into a meal enjoyed by many different cultures.

Phở is a traditional Vietnamese soup that has become a global culinary icon.

It consists of a fragrant broth, soft rice noodles, various herbs, and meat. While beef is the most common protein, chicken phở is also widely enjoyed.

This dish is a staple in Vietnam, served in private homes, street-side stalls, and formal restaurants. Its importance to Vietnamese culture is so great that the government designated December 12 as "Day of Phở." In 2024, specific regional styles were even recognized as national intangible cultural heritage.

The preparation of phở relies on a careful balance of flavors and textures. The foundation is the broth, which is often made by simmering bones and spices.

For beef phở, bones are boiled to create a rich, clear liquid. Next, thin rice noodles, known as bánh phở, are added to the bowl.

The meat is then placed on top, followed by fresh garnishes. In some regions, diners add lime, mung bean sprouts, or herbs like culantro and cinnamon basil. Sauces like Hoisin or Sriracha are also used to customize the taste.

Phở is not a single, uniform dish; it has distinct regional variations. The Hanoi style in the North is generally different from the Saigon style in the South. Northern versions often focus on a simpler, clearer broth and different noodle widths. Southern styles tend to be sweeter and include more variety in herbs and sauces.

There are even modern innovations like phở cuốn, where the ingredients are wrapped in fresh rice noodles. Some high-end chefs even deconstruct the soup into multi-course fine dining meals.

The exact history of phở remains a subject of intense scholarly debate. Most evidence suggests the modern form emerged in Northern Vietnam between 1900 and 1907. Many believe it originated in Nam Định Province, specifically in villages like Đông Xuân. Some historians suggest the dish evolved from xáo trâu, a traditional dish made with water buffalo meat. Others link its rise to the availability of beef during the French colonial period. Because written records from that era are limited, the precise moment of its creation is still unknown.

Two main theories attempt to explain the etymology, or the origin of the name. One theory suggests a French connection to the stew known as pot-au-feu. This theory points to the French introduction of beef consumption and the use of beef bones for broth. Another theory suggests a Chinese influence, specifically from Cantonese beef noodles called ngau juk fun. This idea is supported by the use of rice noodles and specific spices common in Chinese traditions. Some even suggest the name comes from the sound of French soldiers shouting "feu!" (fire) to describe the steam rising from the pots.

In the early 20th century, phở was primarily a mobile street food. Vendors used a system of carrying poles, called đòn gánh, to transport their kitchens.

One wooden cabinet held a large cauldron over a wood fire to keep the broth hot. The other cabinet stored noodles, spices, and various pieces of cookware. These vendors were typically men who wore distinctive felt hats. By 1925, stationary stands began to appear in cities like Hanoi, marking a shift from mobile peddlers to fixed eateries.

Phở has experienced massive growth through globalization and migration. Following the Vietnam War, refugees carried the recipe to countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia.

In 1980, the first specialized restaurants opened in Little Saigon, California. By the 2000s, phở restaurants in the U.S. were generating an estimated US$500 million in annual revenue. Today, the dish is part of the mainstream global diet, appearing in everything from college cafeterias to Michelin-starred restaurants.