How to make pho through this method only takes an hour and 40 minutes approximately. Firstly, should this be your first time using an Instant Pot, familiarize yourself with it a little bit. The steam release button, float valve, and other elements are important to know where they are located. Secondly, you will need to locate and decide what spices you want to use. Things like star anise, coriander seeds, or whole cloves can be essential to a broth. At your local grocery store, you’re unlikely to always find them whole. If you can’t locate these spices locally, you may choose to shop online or find alternatives.
Now, if healthiness is where your interest is and you don’t want to have white rice noodles, swapping them out for brown rice noodles or zucchini noodles is smart. Adding in streamed veggies can also help boost the nutritional value of your soup. Choosing a meat alternative, like tofu, Portobello mushroom, or simply making it with veggies can also be a way to go about creating the optimum pho dish.
On an Instant Pot, select the ‘sauté’ setting and preheat for five minutes. Add your spices one by one, stirring occasionally. Add in your meats. After everything’s in, let the Instant Pot do its thing. Close the lid, turn the pressure release valve to seal it, select the ‘manual/pressure cook’ setting, and set it to ‘high pressure’. Leave it for 15 minutes. It will require about 15-20 minutes to come up to pressure before your cook time begins. Sometimes, it takes longer. After the pressure releases naturally, turn the pressure release valve to the venting position and let the steam escape before removing the lid. From there, remove your meat and let it cook before shredding it. While it cools, pour your broth mixture into the cooker through a mesh strainer and discard any solids. Add noodles, stir, and let stand. Return your meat to the cooker. Lastly, garnish each bowl as needed!
For the nights when you don’t want to cook at home or if you don’t have an Instant Pot to rely on to cut down that cook time, enjoy authentically prepared Vietnamese cuisine and pho from Toronto Pho. We invite Canadians across the GTA and abroad to join us any night of the week, and take in Toronto’s best pho.
