Shrimp Pho

This Spicy Shrimp Pho recipe is a twist on the traditional Vietnamese soup made with hot steaming chicken broth, shrimp, cilantro, and fresh squeezed lime juice. Perfect for both cold, winter nights and hot summer days!

Love soup? Then you must try my Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup and Slow Cooker Turkey Chili!

Easy Shrimp Pho

There is nothing like a steaming bowl of soup on a cold day, especially one that is loaded with shrimp and spicy broth. Typically rice noodles are used in a traditional pho recipe, but I substituted whole wheat thin spaghetti for the pho noodles. And instead of the typical aromatic spices like star anise anise and cinnamon, I used cilantro and lime to bring out the lighter flavors of the shrimp.

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!

Key Ingredients

You only need a few pantry staples and some fresh produce to make your own Vietnamese-style shrimp pho at home!

• Whole Wheat Thin Spaghetti: Or your long pasta of choice. Zoodles also work well with this recipe!
• Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Or another light-tasting oil with a high smoke point, like avocado. Avoid butter.
• Garlic Cloves: Minced. I used two, but you could use as many as four.
• Jalapeño: I used just one tablespoon because that was enough spice for my family, but feel free to use more if you like it hot!
• Green Onions: These impart a solid onion flavor without being too strong. And the green looks nice in the soup!
• 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 and Sesame Oil: These pack in a ton of flavor in small amounts, be careful not to overdo it.
• Mushrooms: I like button mushrooms, but you can use whichever you like best. Just slice them thin so they cook. Not a mushroom fan? Just leave them out!
• Shrimp: Leave them raw so they cook in the steaming hot broth!
• Lime Juice and Cilantro: These serve as garnishes and really compliment the shrimp and light broth.

How to make Pho

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.

To make this Shrimp pho broth, start by sautéing garlic, green onions and jalapeño in a large pot or dutch oven. Add in chicken broth, fish sauce, and sesame oil. Bring to a simmer and toss in shrimp and mushrooms. Ladle on top of cooked pasta. Garnish with extra jalapeño slices, chopped cilantro, and lime wedges. Yum!

Store in an airtight container in your fridge for up to 4 days. You can also make a large batch of the broth and freeze it to speed things up the next time you make shrimp pho.

More Soup Recipes To Try

• Instant Pot Chicken Noodle Soup
• Slow Cooker Turkey Chili
• Italian Meatball Soup
• Stuffed Pepper Soup
• Slow Cooker Minestrone Soup

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