Low Sodium Pho Soup
This low sodium pho soup recipe is a cozy, flavorful, and comforting bowl of noodle soup. It’s loaded with rice noodles, thinly sliced beef, bean sprouts, jalapeno peppers, basil, and a super flavorful beef broth.
A great low sodium version of this classic Vietnamese soup – with much less sodium than the original version, and some great flavor swaps. See our step-by-step photos and directions below to make this soup today!
Want more low sodium soup recipes? Try our low sodium potato soup, low sodium chicken noodle soup, and our favorite low sodium stuffed pepper soup!
Pho has always been a favorite of mine since I lived in California, and I wanted to make a low sodium version that we could still enjoy at home. I recently had some amazing pho soup while visiting my family in Calgary, and it gave me the inspiration to develop this version!
If you haven’t had pho soup before, it’s a really fantastic and flavorful soup… but is usually served with a salty beef broth. Our version uses some flavor swaps like spices and fresh lime juice to get a similar flavor that is close to the original. This is a full meal in a bowl, and is great for a weekend dinner! Just a note, this isn’t a traditional pho soup recipe, but it’s a low sodium version that I adapted to try and keep the same flavors of the original without salt!
Notes from Our Kitchen
- This low sodium pho soup is bright, fresh, flavorful, and has a really great homemade broth.
- The key is making your own beef broth, so you can get a wonderful flavor in the soup right from the start.
- It’s loaded with cooked beef slices, tender rice noodles, and crisp bean sprouts for a variety of textures.
- A great low sodium version of Vietnamese pho soup!
- Anyone can successfully make this dish by following our step-by-step photos and directions below.
Ingredients You’ll Need
See the recipe card below for a full list of instructions and ingredient amounts!
This recipe starts by making your own beef stock. I use flavorful beef marrow bones (that I asked the butcher counter for at my local grocery store), no-salt-added beef broth, and a cinnamon stick which is traditional in pho broths. I also add a little low sodium soy sauce and plenty of fresh lime juice to give it a good flavor.
To the broth, you simmer thinly shaved steak, and cook it a few minutes until tender. And the broth and meat is served over long rice noodles.
The BEST part about this soup are the toppings! Fresh bean sprouts (I use mung bean sprouts), sliced jalapeno peppers, fresh Thai basil, and cilantro are all traditional and add a great flavor.
Additions and Substitutions
You could add your favorite low sodium hot sauce for a bit of spice, or sriracha on top of the soup when you serve it. A little heat adds a great flavor. Alternatively, if you don’t like spice, you can leave out the jalapeno peppers too.
If you want to avoid red meat, you could try making this recipe with no-salt-added chicken stock and thinly sliced chicken. Just be sure the chicken is fully cooked in the broth before serving.
If you can’t find Thai basil, regular Italian basil works just as well!
And if you’re store doesn’t have marrow bones, you can use any beef bones for simmering the stock in. The marrow bones give the soup a delicious fatty texture, but any bones will do.
How To Make This Recipe
Step 1: In a large soup pot, add the marrow bone or beef bones and cover with no-salt-added beef broth. Add in the whole cloves and cinnamon stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for at least 1 hour.
Step 2: After the broth has finished simmering, strain it to remove the solids. Return the clear broth to the pot and discard the bones and spices.
Step 3: Prepare the rice noodles and cook them according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Step 4: To the broth, stir in the lime juice and low sodium soy sauce. Add the shaved thinly-sliced steak directly to the hot broth and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the meat is no longer pink.
Step 5: Add in the jalapeno peppers and continue to simmer for a few minutes.
Step 6: Add the cooked noodles into the broth, and stir well.
Step 7: Divide soup into individual bowls. Top each bowl with bean sprouts, basil leaves, and fresh chopped cilantro. Serve hot and enjoy!
Recipe FAQs
Can you make pho low sodium?
Yes you can! By making your own beef stock by simmering beef bones with salt-free spices, you can get a really nice flavor in the broth without adding a lot of sodium.
What is the best meat to use in pho
Pho can be made with different types of beef – traditional pho is made with a few different cups. I found shaved steak to be the easiest option to find at my local grocery store, so I use that.
How to store leftover pho soup
If you have leftovers, I would recommend storing the rice noodles seperately from the both and meat. This way, the noodles won’t get soggy as you store the soup. Refrigerate the leftover noodles and broth separately in airtight containers and store for up to 2 days.
Expert Tips
- You can slice your own steak, or get pre-shaved steak from the grocery store. Either works!
- Feel free to add as many toppings as you like – I usually like to double the bean sprouts in mine, whereas my husband likes extra jalapeno in his!
- You can omit or reduce the low sodium soy sauce if you like. I found mine needed a bit of flavor, but it’s optional.
More Low Sodium Beef Recipes
- Low Sodium Teriyaki Beef and Vegetables
- Low Sodium Pot Roast
- The best Low Sodium Beef Stir Fry
- Low Sodium Shepherd’s Pie
- Low Sodium Southwest Steak Bowls
Let’s keep in touch – don’t forget to follow over on Instagram, Facebook, & my Youtube channel for more easy low sodium recipes.
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Low Sodium Pho Soup
Equipment
- Soup Pot
Ingredients
- Marrow bones or beef bones, 1 large or 2-3 medium
- 8 cups no-salt-added beef broth
- 2 cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 6 ounces shaved steak use sirloin or flank
- 8 ounces rice noodles
- 4 limes juiced
- 2 teaspoons low sodium soy sauce optional
- 2 jalapeno peppers
- ½ cup fresh basil
- 6 ounces mung bean sprouts
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
Instructions
- In a large soup pot, add the marrow bone or beef bones and cover with no-salt-added beef broth. Add in the whole cloves and cinnamon stock. Bring to a boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for at least 1 hour.
- After the broth has finished simmering, strain it to remove the solids. Return the clear broth to the pot and discard the bones and spices.
- Prepare the rice noodles and cook them according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- To the broth, stir in the lime juice and low sodium soy sauce. Add the shaved thinly-sliced steak directly to the hot broth and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, just until the meat is no longer pink.
- Add in the jalapeno peppers and continue to simmer for a few minutes.
- Add the cooked noodles into the broth, and stir well.
- Divide soup into individual bowls. Top each bowl with bean sprouts, basil leaves, and fresh chopped cilantro. Serve hot and enjoy!
Notes
Additions and Substitutions
You could add your favorite low sodium hot sauce for a bit of spice, or sriracha on top of the soup when you serve it. A little heat adds a great flavor. Alternatively, if you don’t like spice, you can leave out the jalapeno peppers too. If you want to avoid red meat, you could try making this recipe with no-salt-added chicken stock and thinly sliced chicken. Just be sure the chicken is fully cooked in the broth before serving. If you can’t find Thai basil, regular Italian basil works just as well! And if you’re store doesn’t have marrow bones, you can use any beef bones for simmering the stock in. The marrow bones give the soup a delicious fatty texture, but any bones will do.Expert Tips
- You can slice your own steak, or get pre-shaved steak from the grocery store. Either works!
- Feel free to add as many toppings as you like – I usually like to double the bean sprouts in mine, whereas my husband likes extra jalapeno in his!
- You can omit or reduce the low sodium soy sauce if you like. I found mine needed a bit of flavor, but it’s optional.
Nutrition estimate (for 1 serving)
*Please note, all nutrition content is estimated based on the ingredients we used in our kitchen. It will vary based on your ingredients. Always check your nutrition labels to verify your nutrition content and sodium amounts.
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