Shop
My
Custom
Free Printable: Low Carb & Keto Food List
Get It NowMy Keto Pho Has All The Vietmanese Flavor In A Fraction Of The Time
What is pho? It’s a Vietnamese soup with a fragrant broth, noodles, thinly sliced meat, and fresh garnishes. I’ve been ordering it at Vietnamese restaurants for years because the rich, aromatic broth and naturally gluten-free rice noodles always hit the spot. But I never made it at home because traditional pho is an all-day project with 15–20 ingredients and a pot of bones simmering for hours. This keto pho recipe keeps the best parts, skips the rest, and still delivers all the comfort. Here’s why I think you’ll love it too:
- Way less ingredients – I streamlined traditional pho’s 15–20 components down to the essentials you actually need for flavor. They’re all easy to find at most grocery stores, and if not, I’ve ordered the spices online many times.
- No simmering bones for hours – I’ve tested the long-simmer method and the flavor difference just isn’t worth the time for a weeknight. Using quality beef bone broth gives you that same rich, complex taste in about 35 minutes.
- Healthy & keto friendly – I love how my version sneaks in extra veggies with zoodles, but the best part is it still has all the classic pho flavor with just 4.8g net carbs per serving.
Once you try this keto pho, you’ll see how easy it is to get all the cozy, aromatic flavors of your favorite Vietnamese soup at home. Make it with me!
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here I explain the best ingredients for my Vietnamese pho recipe, what each one does, and substitution options. For measurements, see the recipe card.
Vietmanese Pho Broth:
- Beef Bone Broth – I use a good quality beef bone broth for deep, rich flavor without having to simmer bones all day. You can use homemade bone broth if you have it.
- Fish Sauce – Just a splash adds that savory, umami depth that makes pho taste authentic. If you don’t have it, soy sauce or coconut aminos can work in a pinch.
- Besti Monk Fruit Allulose Blend – Traditional pho has a little sugar, but I use this sweetener for the same flavor without the carbs. It dissolves easily, and if you prefer, you can skip it or use another sugar-free sweetener.
- Spices – I narrowed down the spices for this keto pho broth from the long list you’d see in traditional recipes to just star anise, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves, coriander seeds, ground ginger, and sea salt. It’s still aromatic and warming, but without the 15+ spices most recipes call for.
Keto Pho soup:
- Steak – I used flank steak because I had it on hand, and it’s flavorful and budget-friendly. Sirloin or skirt steak works just as well if you prefer, and you can even swap in chicken (check my recipe tips below for cooking instructions).
- Zucchini – Zucchini noodles are my favorite for healthy pho because they cook instantly when you pour the hot broth over them. You can use spaghetti squash or konjak noodles for a similar vibe, but it’s less convenient since you’ll need to cook them first.
- Optional Toppings – I like to load my Vietnamese pho with Thai basil, cilantro, lime wedges, red chili or jalapeño slices, scallions, and a drizzle of sriracha. Feel free to mix and match!
How To Make Keto Pho
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions with amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Toast the spices. Heat a Dutch oven over medium-high heat (no oil needed) and toss in the star anise, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves, coriander seeds, and ground ginger. Toast until they smell amazing.
- Make the broth. Pour in the beef bone broth and fish sauce, give it a stir, bring it to a boil, then lower the heat and let it simmer until all those flavors come together.
- Prep the zoodles. While the broth simmers, I spiralize the zucchini into noodles and divide them between 4 bowls.
- Slice the steak. Take the steak out of the freezer and slice it super thin against the grain. Lay the slices over the zoodles.
- Strain and season. Once the broth is done, stir in the sweetener if you’re using it, adjust the salt, and strain out the whole spices.
- Assemble and serve. Pour the simmering broth over the bowls, making sure the steak is fully submerged so it cooks through. Add any toppings you like, and just like that, you’ve got a steaming, cozy bowl of keto pho.
My Recipe Tips
- I freeze the steak for about 30 minutes. This firms it up so you can get those extra thin slices, and that’s key for perfect Vietnamese pho.
- Don’t use oil when toasting the spices. Dry toasting helps release their natural oils and aroma, giving the pho broth a deeper, more fragrant flavor.
- Make sure your zoodles are the same thickness so they soften evenly when the hot broth hits them. I use this countertop spiralizer with a suction base so it stays put while I work.
- Will my steak be raw? If you slice it super thin (and trust me, this part matters), the hot broth will cook it instantly when you pour it over. But if you’d rather be sure, you can always add the steak to the pot and let it simmer for a couple of minutes before serving.
- I highly recommend eating this right away because the zoodles get kind of mushy after sitting in the broth for a while. However, I’ve made the broth in advance and stored it. Then just simmer again when ready to serve and pour over zoodles and sliced steak.
- Want to use chicken instead? Once the broth is ready, add raw chicken and let it simmer until cooked through. I like to shred it before adding it to the bowls over the zoodles, then pour the hot broth on top so everything warms through and soaks up the flavor.
Vietnamese Pho (Keto-Friendly & Healthy)
Keto pho meets healthy Vietnamese pho in this rich, aromatic broth with tender beef and zucchini noodles—low carb comfort in 30 minutes.
Remove Ads
Ingredients
Tap underlined ingredients to see the ones I use.
Pho broth:
Pho soup:
Optional pho toppings:
Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
-
Place the steak in the freezer for 30 minutes to make it easier to slice thinly.
-
Meanwhile, heat a dutch oven over medium-high heat, WITHOUT oil. Add the star anise, cardamom pods, cinnamon sticks, cloves, coriander seeds, and ground ginger. Toast for 2-3 minutes, until fragrant.
-
Add the bone broth and fish sauce. Stir together. Bring the pho broth to a boil, then simmer for 30 minutes.
-
Meanwhile, use a spiralizer to make zoodles out of the zucchini. Divide the zucchini noodles among 4 bowls.
-
Once the steak in the freezer is firm, take it out and slice very thinly against the grain. Place the steak on top of the zoodles in each bowl.
-
When the broth is done simmering, stir in sweetener to dissolve (if using), and adjust salt to taste. Strain the broth into another pot or bowl. Discard the whole spices caught in the strainer.
-
While broth is still simmering, immediately pour it over the prepared bowls, ensuring that you submerge the steak so that it cooks through. (Alternatively, you can stir the steak into the simmering broth first.)
-
Garnish with toppings of your choice – Thai basil, cilantro, lime wedges, jalapeno or chili pepper slices, scallions, and/or sriracha.
Did You Like It?
Leave a rating to help other readers (this also helps me continue to provide free recipes on my site), or get the recipe sent to your inbox.
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: ~2 cups, or 1/4 entire recipe
- Tips: Check out my recipe tips above to nail ultra-tender steak, boost your broth’s flavor, and make zoodles that turn out perfect every time.
- Store: Keep the broth in the fridge for 5–7 days, but stash the noodles, beef, and toppings in separate containers so everything stays fresh.
- Meal prep: Since the broth takes the most time, I like to make it ahead and refrigerate it. Spiralize your noodles (don’t cook them yet) and prep the toppings, but wait to chop the fresh herbs until you’re ready to eat.
- Reheat: Warm the broth until it’s just simmering, then assemble your keto Vietnamese pho fresh for the best flavor and texture.
- Freeze: The broth freezes beautifully for 2-3 months. Just skip freezing the fresh veggies, noodles, and herbs.
- Note on nutrition info: The nutrition info doesn’t include the whole spices, since they’re strained out and not eaten.
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
Add Your Notes Your Notes
Try More Of My Recipes
© Copyright Maya Krampf for Wholesome Yum. Please DO NOT SCREENSHOT OR COPY/PASTE recipes to social media or websites. We’d LOVE for you to share a link with photo instead.
Keto Pho
More Easy Keto Soup Recipes
If you loved this keto pho, you might want to add these other easy keto soup recipes to your list for cozy, flavorful meals all year long:
21 Comments
Jules
1Thank you so much. This is simply delicious and easy. I substitute the noodles with mung beans sprout. It hits the spot! This recipe is a keeper for me.
Charlie
0Why don’t you use Konjak noodles?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Charlie, Feel free to use konjac noodles if you like.
Lindsey Bieligk
0Better with black cardamom or green?
Wholesome Yum D
0Hi Lindsey, The ones I used in this recipe are green.
Doreen
0Thank you
SEBoots
0FANTASTIC & DELICIOUS – thank you Maya!
Kim
0Morning
LOW CARB KETO PHO RECIPE
I am sensitive to beef can I use chicken stock?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Kim, Yes, chicken stock will work just fine in this recipe. Enjoy!
Kim
0This was delicious! My family doesn’t like zucchini so I subbed in konjac noodles (shiritaki noodles). I dry pan-fried them, then followed the recipe exactly. Thanks, Maya!
Cori Deatherage
0What would the nutrition information be without the zucchini? I’m thinking of using healthy noodles instead but I want to have the proper nutritional facts. Thanks.
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Cori, I am not sure what the nutrition would be off-hand. Feel free to copy and paste the recipe into an online recipe calculator to get an accurate idea of the nutrition without the zucchini noodles.
Neema
0Have you tried this with Shirataki noodles?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Neema, I have not, but they should work just as well in the recipe! Enjoy!
AstroTalk
0thanks for this amazing recipe. I loved this
Jovita
0I LOVE Pho but I have never thought about making it with zoodles. Brilliant idea! 🙂
Toni
0I really love how flavorful and comforting this is!! So good!
Colleen
0I am a huge fan of pho, but trying to cut carbs and this recipe is perfect! Time to dig out my spiralizer.
Charla
0This Pho sounds delicious. I’m embarrassed to say that I had Pho for the first time last summer. I cannot wait to give your quick and easy recipe a try!!
Beth
0This is such a delicious pho. I love easy recipes and didn’t even miss the noodles! The spices in the broth are delicious as well!
Liz
0This is such a fun recipe idea!! My husband loves pho so I can’t wait to try this healthier version!