Description
Vietnamese pho with a low-carb keto twist offers rich, aromatic beef broth packed with tender meat and zucchini noodles. Warm spices and fresh herbs elevate this nutritious meal that satisfies keto dieters while honoring traditional Vietnamese cuisine.
Ingredients
Scale
- 8 cups (1.9 liters) beef bone broth
- 12 oz (340 g) flank steak (trimmed; or sirloin)
- 2 large zucchini (courgettes), spiralized into zoodles
- 1 tbsp (15 g) coriander seeds
- 4 whole star anise
- 2 whole cardamom pods
- 2 whole cinnamon sticks
- 2 whole cloves
- 1 tsp (5 g) ground ginger
- 1 tbsp (15 mL) fish sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 g) monk fruit allulose blend (optional, to taste)
- Sea salt (optional, to taste)
- Thai basil
- Fresh cilantro (coriander)
- Lime wedges
- Red chili pepper slices (or jalapeño)
- Scallions (spring onions)
- Sriracha
Instructions
- Chill Preparation: Freeze steak for 30 minutes to enable precise, ultra-thin slicing against the grain.
- Spice Infusion: Toast star anise, cardamom, cinnamon, cloves, coriander seeds, and ground ginger in a dry Dutch oven over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes until aromas become intensely fragrant.
- Broth Development: Add beef bone broth and fish sauce to toasted spices, bringing to a vigorous boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes to create a deeply layered flavor profile.
- Noodle and Meat Assembly: Spiral zucchini into delicate noodles, distribute among serving bowls, and layer gossamer-thin steak slices strategically atop the vegetable base.
- Flavor Refinement: Strain the broth to remove whole spices, adjust seasoning with optional sweetener, and ensure a perfectly balanced taste.
- Final Composition: Pour steaming broth over raw steak and zucchini noodles, allowing the heat to gently cook the meat to tender perfection.
- Garnish Explosion: Adorn with Thai basil, cilantro, lime wedges, chili pepper slices, scallions, and a sriracha drizzle to create a vibrant, multi-dimensional culinary experience.
Notes
- Prep Like a Pro: Freezing the steak for 30 minutes makes slicing ultra-thin a breeze, ensuring tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat.
- Spice Mastery: Toasting whole spices unlocks deep, complex flavors that transform an ordinary broth into a restaurant-quality experience.
- Zucchini Noodle Hack: Spiralizing creates perfect low-carb noodles that absorb broth beautifully without adding unnecessary carbohydrates.
- Garnish Game Changer: Fresh herbs and lime brighten the entire dish, adding layers of freshness and balancing the rich, deep broth flavors.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Category: Dinner, Lunch
- Method: Simmering
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 210
- Sugar: 2g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 10g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 8g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 26g
- Cholesterol: 70mg