Pho is one of the most popular dishes in Vietnam and is also gaining popularity in the United States.
There are many types of Pho, each with unique broth and ingredients. But who isn’t always something you can find on a menu or at the grocery store?
However, knowing about the different Pho types will make ordering at your favorite Vietnamese restaurant easier. Or to try to make your own at home!
Pho ca (fish pho)
This broth-based Pho features slices of raw fish on top instead of meat. It’s often served with a side dish called mam nem (cucumber salad) and herbs like mint, perilla, and basil.
These garnishes are so central to enjoying Pho ca that a restaurant without them isn’t worth your time.
In addition, ordering Pho ca in Vietnam is as easy as asking for phở đũa cá—fish noodle soup with chopsticks.
At many restaurants, you can also specify if you want certain pieces of fish or other ingredients left out. Remember to say no (pronounced không) before listing your preferences for different types of Pho.
Pho muc (squid pho)
Squid pho has a distinct smell, although you may enjoy it as much as I do. Unlike shrimp or fish pho, squid gives off an intense, salty taste that’s sometimes sweet. Squid pho is not for everyone, but try it if you are daring enough.
You will not be disappointed! Ensure you don’t scare your friends away while eating different types of Pho. With all those looks on your face! LOL. I know from experience!
Pho Tiu
A great introduction to Pho, pho tiu is simple—it comes with brisket, flank, and tendon slices. Sometimes, you’ll see tripe as an addition, and while it’s not technically part of a different type of pho tiu, it sure is delicious. Tender meat and noodles in a delicious broth—pho tiu is accessible on any palette.
Notwithstanding, if you haven’t tried different types of Pho yet but would like a traditional bowl, order one! It won’t disappoint. It can be found throughout Vietnam.
And it isn’t known for being difficult to find. Look for restaurants with locals rather than tourists in an excellent spot.
Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup (Phở)
It is a different type of pho noodle soup originating in Vietnam and is now enjoyed across several Asian countries.
Beef bones are simmered for hours with spices, aromatics, and herbs like star anise, cinnamon sticks, ginger, onions, and scallions. The resulting broth is hearty but not heavy and then poured over rice noodles (often served long like fettuccine).
Also, bean sprouts, sprigs of cilantro and basil, and thinly sliced pieces of raw beef. The combination creates a dish that’s sweet from caramelized beef drippings.
Savory from the fish sauce or soy sauce of different types of Pho is added at just the right moment. What Makes a Good Bowl of Pho?
Chicken Noodle Soup (Canh Ga, or Canh Ốc)
Chicken noodle soup is a simple and delicious dish with a different type of Pho. However, it lacks some bold, complex flavors in other kinds of Pho. Despite this, it’s still good comfort food that’s very easy on your stomach.
Here are a few local places to get chicken noodle soup of different types of oho. Hien Vuong Café (Canh Ga Hap) – 1109 El Camino Real Sunnyvale, CA 94087 Number One Chinese Restaurant (Canh Ga Hap) – 1453 East Capitol Ave. San Jose, CA 95122 Vietnam Restaurant (Canh Gáp Gia Đình) – 1901 Calle Mayor San Jose, CA 95112
Oxtail Stew with Broken Rice (Mướp Đen Nóng Cháy)
Oxtail soup has a rich, savory flavor that many Vietnamese people find impossible to resist. This oxtail stew uses oxtail meat, daikon radish, and vegetables.
The broth is made with herbs and spices, including cinnamon bark, cloves, anise seed, fennel seed, and ginger slices.
Or fresh ginger root sliced into thin pieces like coins, dried red chilies (or fresh ones sliced thinly), and lime wedges.
However, to serve different types of Pho, it is traditionally eaten with broken rice. Rice noodles may be substituted for broken rice, and sprouts from Chinese cabbage or lettuce leaves may be used to wrap hói đen (thinly sliced raw beef). Sweet bean sauce and lemons may also be squeezed over the top as desired.
Pig’s Trotters Soup (Bun Rieu Cua)
If you’re not a seafood eater and still want to eat your different types of Pho, try pig’s trotter soup. The Trotters are knuckles and feet rich in collagen and gelatine.
While slurping down these parts can sound strange, once you’ve tried it, you’ll never find a regular bowl of Pho quite as satisfying.
Nevertheless, the broth is rich and savory while still being light. It makes for a highly satisfying meal – something hard to come by in a city like Saigon, where food options often seem far between. A must-try for all pho lovers looking for new flavors without having to stray too far from their usual bowl!
Pork Leg Bone Broth with Ears and Hooves (Sườn Gà Khô Với Măng Bò Khô)
Vietnamese cuisine is often described as high in taste and low in presentation. Different types of Pho are a clear example of that principle in action: It’s a beef noodle soup.
And when it comes down to it, you don’t need anything else—meat, fresh veggies, herbs, hot sauce—to enjoy it. (And why would you want anything else?).
However, that doesn’t mean Pho can’t be fun or exciting if you live in or are visiting Houston or its surrounding areas.
Then, there are five places where you can find particularly excellent bowls. But before we get into specifics, let’s ensure we’re all on the same page with how exactly one makes a great bowl of Pho.
Special Vietnamese Snacks with Pho Dough Noodles (Chim Cút Giò Thịt Nướng, Chim Cút Lòng Tôm, Chim Sắn và Bánh Sì Xào Tôm)
Vietnamese spring rolls (Chim cút) are also called fresh, summer, or salad rolls. Rice paper is used to roll a whole set of ingredients, which are then dipped in a delicious peanut sauce.
In Vietnamese cuisine, rice paper is mixed with meat and velvet tables and served with different sauces (e.g., mint, coriander, peanut sauce).
Moreover, thin slices of pork cooked with lemongrass are wrapped in rice paper to make summer or spring rolls. Another famous dish of different types of Pho is the deep-fried spring roll.
Chim sắn) is a variety of different kinds of Pho made from minced pork wrapped in rice paper. It is deep-fried and then topped off with a sweet-sour nuoc cham dipping sauce.
Pho Ap Chao Gion
This pho is served with bean sprouts, Thai basil, and sawtooth herbs. Vietnam war veterans in America mainly eat it, and it is considered one of the most popular dishes around Hanoi.
The dish consists of other ingredients such as rare steak, flank or tendon (phở ngưu), and tripe (phở hành) of different types of Pho.
It has many variations, but these are mainly boiled beef parts such as tendons, which gives it its unique flavor among all pho varieties. This variation can be found mostly in northern Vietnam.
Pho heo (pork pho)
Pho, which means rice noodles in Vietnamese, is one of Vietnam’s national dishes. It is traditionally made with beef and served with fresh herbs, cucumbers, bean sprouts, and a squeeze of lime on top.
Pho has gained popularity among different types of Pho worldwide as a quick meal to be eaten anytime.
Rice noodles are chewy and firm when cooked correctly but yield when dipped into a hot broth. Pho is often served with different cuts of meat, such as brisket or steak.
An additional healthy type of Pho is an alternative to Western soups. Pho provides plenty of protein without too much fat or carbs.
Pho Cuon (pho rolls)
While Vietnamese noodle soups are traditionally eaten with chopsticks of different pho cuon, rice paper rolls filled with meat and fresh herbs are usually picked up by hand; pho cuon’s simplicity makes it a perfect food to eat on the go.
However, grab a few sheets of rice paper and a leaf or two of lettuce and roll. Popular fillings include:
- Steak (pho tai).
- Chicken (pho ga).
- Prawns (Pho he).
- Grilled pork/beef balls in seasoned broth (com Luc lac).
And ground pork or beef with fried shallots (thit nuong). The best thing about pho cuon is that it can be easily customized to taste.
Pho Chua (sour Pho)
To make pho Chua:
- Cook chicken or beef bones in water until they turn gelatinous.
- Toss them into a large pot and add fresh veggies such as daikon radish, onions, ginger, lemongrass, and bean sprouts.
- Bring to a boil before adding rice noodles, and let simmer.
Moreover, Pho Chua is finished when it turns bright red from chili peppers added during cooking.
The red hue isn’t just visually appealing; it’s also spicy (hot), which adds a kick to meat-based soups like pho bo vien (beef balls) or pho ga (chicken soup).
Even if you don’t prefer hot soup, consider adding spicy condiments like chili sauce or Thai chili peppers to your bowl of different types of Pho.
Pho Burger
Vietnamese food isn’t traditionally considered burger and fries fare, but many restaurants successfully combine these two worlds.
Pho is a traditional Vietnamese soup consisting of broth, rice noodles, herbs, and meat. It’s usually beef-based and served with a side plate containing bean sprouts, basil leaves, lime wedges, and hot chili sauce.
Nonetheless, in America, Pho is often made into a burger (called a Pho Burger)—ground beef with egg rolls substituted for buns.
A different typical type of pho menu also offers other Vietnamese dishes, such as Banh Mi sandwiches (pork or chicken), spring rolls, and vermicelli bowls topped with veggies and herbs.
The pho cocktail
If you love different types of Pho, you’ll love these cocktails made with a delicious blend of Asian flavors. Watch as Jamie from Delish walks us through how to make one tasty concoction.
Enjoy a Pho’ Dirty Martini: .5 oz vodka, .5 oz Lillet Blanc, .75 oz soy sauce, and a dash of ginger syrup. Shake all ingredients in a cocktail shaker with ice.
Notwithstanding, Strain into a martini glass. If desired, garnish with lime or lemon wedges or half-moons, blue cheese olives, and cilantro sprigs.
A Le Spice Manhattan: 11⁄2 ounces rye whiskey, one tablespoon sweet vermouth, two dashes Angostura bitters maraschino cherry. Combine ingredients in a mixing glass with ice and stir until thoroughly chilled and diluted.
Pho Xao (stir-fried Pho)
You may be asking yourself, what exactly is ‘pho xao’? The answer is quite simple: it’s Pho with a twist. Strictly speaking, pho xao (as opposed to pho bo) refers to a different type of pho dish that is stir-fried instead of boiled.
Moreover, Some people also refer to dishes like pho Kem or pho chay as pho xao because they include fried rice noodles (or other noodles).
Others still call any variation on pho xao, including variations slightly different from traditional Phở tái nguyên.
Pho tron
If your child loves different types of Pho, why not name her after it? Pho is a Vietnamese noodle soup with beef or chicken broth.
The typical ingredients include rice noodles, herbs like mint and basil leaves, onions, bean sprouts, and meat such as beef or chicken. Many consider Pho more than just food—it’s a cultural experience.
In contrast, it is no surprise that some people have decided to honor their love of different types of Pho. By naming their daughters Pho (pronounced Fuh).
Pho Chay
This Vietnamese soup is a delicious vegetarian option and super easy to make. It’s like Pho’s hippie cousin but just as tasty.
Noodle bowls made with tofu, broccoli, and mushrooms balance lime juice, chili sauce, and hoisin flavors. They’re also loaded with bean sprouts, cilantro, and basil leaves, giving each bite lots of authentic flavors.
This is to say, cook up some rice noodles at home. Then toss them in your favorite Asian-inspired sauce for a bowl that will satisfy vegetarians and carnivores alike.
Serve it chilled or at room temperature—be sure to have plenty of napkins on hand. These noodle bowls are finger-licking good for different types of Pho!
Conclusion
In conclusion, Pho is a type of soup dish in Vietnam. It typically has noodle and meat combinations such as chicken and steak. The name pho comes from Japan, and its pronunciation is Vietnamese.
Pho is also served with garnishes such as bean sprouts, sliced chili peppers, lime juice and b, and basil leaves.
There are different types of Pho depending on how it’s prepared. For example, some prefer flat rice noodles, while others choose round egg noodles.
On the other hand, different types of broth, such as beef or chicken broth, are also used to prepare Pho. Some people prefer to add hoisin and Sriracha sauce to their bowl of Pho. We hope you have learned about different types of Pho by reading our post today!
