Making Shrimp Pho at home is a lot easier to make than you think! This recipe is ready in under 30 minutes and features flavorful spiced broth, steamed shrimp, bok choy, rice noodles and fresh cilantro!
Love soup? Then you must try my Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup and Slow Cooker Turkey Chili!
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Easy Shrimp Pho
There is nothing like a steaming bowl of soup on a cold day, especially one that is loaded with shrimp and a flavorful broth.
I simplified this shrimp pho recipe to make it in 30 minute for an easy weeknight dinner. This soup is extremely simple to make. (And it looks a lot more intimidating than it is!)
Typically Pho is made at the table with the ingredients placed on top of the broth. I like to make mine up ahead of time, and place the cooked noodles in the bottom of the bowl.This homemade Shrimp Pho soup is warm and comforting, light yet filling. Best of all, it’s simple and flavorful!
HOW TO PRONOUNCE “PHO”
Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is a traditional Vietnamese soup made of noodles, thinly sliced beef, and beef stock. I made a twist on the original and used chicken broth and shrimp instead of beef.
Pho can be made a number of different ways. Feel free to try this with beef, tofu, chicken, or pork!
Ingredients
You only need a few pantry staples and some fresh produce to make your own Vietnamese-style shrimp pho at home!
- Rice Noodles: You can use either thin or wide rice noodles. If you can’t find them at your local grocery store you can always use spaghetti instead.
- Neutral cooking oil: I used canola oil to bloom the spices and saute the ginger and garlic.
- Spices: I add both star anise and a cinnamon sticks and bloom them in oil to enhance the flavor of the spices.
- Ginger: Minced ginger is sautéed along with the garlic. I
- Garlic Cloves: I used 4 cloves of garlic! Feel free to use more or less depending on your taste!
- Jalapeño: I slice up 1 whole jalapeño and add half of it to the broth and reserve the other half for garnish! Feel free to use more to amp up the spice level.
- Chicken Broth: Make your own, or opt for low-sodium so you can better control the amount of salt and savory flavors of the soup.
- Fish Sauce: These pack in a ton of flavor in small amounts, be careful not to overdo it.
- Soy sauce: I like to use low sodium soy sauce since the fish sauce and the chicken broth can be a bit salty.
- Bok choy: I use 2-3 heads of chopped up bok choy. You could use whatever veggies you have on hand mushrooms and bean sprouts would also be good in this!
- Lemon Grass: I used 1 stalk of lemon grass in the broth. You could also use the lemon grass paste as well.
- Shrimp: Save your shrimp shells! For extra flavor I like to simmer the shrimp shells in the broth. If have deshelled shrimp you can skip this step!
- Lime Juice and Cilantro: These serve as garnishes and really compliment the shrimp and light broth.
How to make Shrimp Pho
- Cook rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Add oil to a large pot over medium high heat. Add the star anise and cinnamon stick to a large pot. Toast the spices for 2 minutes or until they start to become fragrant.
- Stir in the ginger and garlic and saute for 2 minutes or until the garlic starts to brown slightly.
- Pour in chicken stock, fish sauce, soy sauce, lemongrass, half of the sliced jalapeno and the shrimp shells (if using).Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavor to develop.
- Strain out the spices and the shells using a metal sieve.
- Place the pot back on the stock and stir in the bok choy and shrimp.Cook for about 2 minutes or until the shrimp turns a light pink and plumps up.
- Take off of the heat and stir in the ime juice, and cilantro.
- Divide the noodles among the 4 bowls and pour the soup on top.
More Soup Recipes To Try
- Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
- Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
- Italian Meatball Soup
- Stuffed Pepper Soup
- Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup
Spicy Shrimp Pho
Ingredients
- 8 ounces rice noodles, uncooked
- 1 tbsp oil
- 3 star anise
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 tsp ginger, minced
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 6 cups low sodium chicken broth
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce
- 1 stalks lemon grass
- 1 jalapeno, sliced and divided
- 12 ounces large shrimp, peeled and deveined (save the shells!)
- 2-3 leaves bok choy, chopped
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- 2 tbsp cilantro, plus more for serving, chopped
Optional
- 1 cup button mushrooms, thinly sliced
Instructions
- Cook rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Add oil to a large pot over medium high heat.Add the star anise and cinnamon stick to a large pot. Toast the spices for 2 minutes or until they start to become fragrant.
- Stir in the ginger and garlic and saute for 2 minutes or until the garlic starts to brown slightly.
- Pour in chicken stock, fish sauce, soy sauce, lemongrass, half of the sliced jalapeno and the shrimp shells (if using).Bring to a simmer and cook for 10-15 minutes to allow the flavor to develop.
- Strain out the spices and the shells using a metal sieve.
- Place the pot back on the stock and stir in the bok choy and shrimp.Cook for about 2 minutes or until the shrimp turns a light pink and plumps up.
- Take off of the heat and stir in the ime juice, and cilantro.
- Divide the noodles among the 4 bowls and pour the soup on top.
- Garnish with more cilantro and the remaining jalapeno if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition Information
Did you make this?
I’d love to hear your feedback! Leave a review and make sure to share your pictures on social media! Don’t forget to follow @thechefsavvy.
Mira
Looks fresh and delicious Kelley! I love shrimp! Pinned!
Kelley
Thanks Mira!!
GiGi
I ADORE shrimp, I cannot for the life of me remember the last time I had any though 🙁 I must change that with this recipe!
Kelley
Thanks Gigi!!
Dannii
I love Pho! This looks so fresh and yummy too.
Kelley
Thanks Dannii!
Natalie
It is extra cold today, and this soup would really hit the spot for dinner tonight! Looks just delicious. I’ve never made Pho before, but sure do love it. Can’t wait to make this!
Kelley
Thanks Natalie! You have to give Pho a try you’ll love it!
Cheyanne
Love your creative twist on this! I absolutely must try it… sounds warm and inviting… perfect for this cold weather (even here in FL it’s cold). Thank you for sharing!
Kelley
Thanks Cheyanne!
Rachael
I just made this recipe, added a little powdered madras for an extra kick and used rice noodles – it was fantastic, thanks for sharing!
Kelley
So glad you liked it Rachael!
Tai Elle
I used every ingredient except the minced jalapeños instead I used green chiles sliced with red crushed peppers. I also, added more pepper to my personal bowl for an extra spicy taste. But all in all this recipe was great especially when watching what you eat.,
Kelley
So glad you enjoyed it Tai!
Brenda Hill
I just made this for dinner with your chicken potstickers, Everyone loved it. I had Lo Mein noodles on hand so I used them. Thanks so much for the recipes
Heather
Doesnt say when to add the noodles after you cook them al dente?? In the middle of making this right now so that kind of sucks guess ill have to wing it
Kelley
Hi Heather,
So sorry about that! You are going to add the noodles to the bowls and pour the soup on top. I updated this in the recipe.
Thank you!
Kelley
TQ
Sorry, I know this is your “take”, but this is not pho. Traditional pho most commonly uses beef broth (though if you have pho ga, it will have chicken broth), and never have I heard of my traditional dish containing shrimp. Also, effectively using spaghetti over rice noodles effective makes it NOT pho.
Call it what it is: shrimp noodle soup.
Thao Hoang
Pho can be made with shrimp but the base of it is cinnamon, anise, coriander seeds, clove, ginger and onion.
Dave
STFU, she said her take. That doesn’t mean you leave a 1 star and criticize the recipe so bad. Don’t like it, move on. Simple. I’ve been to Vietnam and have had it made with shrimp so that part of you’re argument is worthless.
Vicki Harland
What don’t you people understand that it is her twist on pho. Omg! Get over yourselves!!!!!!!
Vân
These criticisms are valid. You wouldn’t make fettuccine alfredo and call it a twist on spaghetti. Even though both those dishes are noodles and sauce, they’re not the same dish.
Gypsy Queen
EXACTLY! This is not Pho plain and simple. It sounds delicious but it is NOT Pho