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    Home >> Vietnamese

    Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad: Pho Tron

    Modified: May 30, 2022 · Published: Jul 21, 2019 by Analida · • Word count:1346 words. • About 7 minutes to read this article. • This post may contain affiliate links ·

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    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    You will love this cool salad with authentic Vietnamese flavors! Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad (Phở Trộn) is a delicious recipe for noodle salad mostly eaten during the hot summers in Hanoi or anywhere when you need a cool dish for lunch or dinner. This has some of the best Vietnamese contrast of flavors: salty, tangy, sweet, butter and some hot chillies for some heat too! Try some Pho Tron! So Good! | ethnicspoon.com

    A few nights ago my husband and I were Skyping with my daughter Erika's Vietnamese friend, Thanh. I've mentioned her before in some of my posts. She is the one who does the AMAZING street food tours in Hanoi. Well, we discussed various things, among them FOOD, of course! She told us "You guys need to make a popular authentic Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad: Pho Tron." This dish is typical of Hanoi"  Thanh told us.

    two bowls of pho tron with chili peppers, onions, and soy sauce on the left
    We wanted to find out about some popular summer Vietnamese dishes. Yes, we're totally enjoying long summer days here in the northern US. We've waited a long time for this. Anyhow, I don't want do digress. During our conversation she mentioned 3 or 4 recipes that I will making in the coming weeks.

     

    Jump to:
    • Ahh a Hanoian summer dish
    • Some tips for your pho tron
    • Here are the step by step photos to make Pho Tron:
    • Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad: Pho Tron

    two bowls of pho tron with chopsticks, a large bowl of salad, a bowl of noodles and bowls of sides on the left

    Ahh a Hanoian summer dish

    The one I am making today is Pho Tron, it is like a noodle salad of sorts with a broth that is used as a "dressing." Think of it as the Vietnamese version of an American steak salad plus the noodles, but a lot healthier. It is a great dish for hot weather when you cannot sit down to a bowl of hot steaming broth. 

    a close up of a bowl of pho tron with red chopsticks

    Don't let all the steps in this delicious dish discourage you. Really, it's a matter of organization. No complicated techniques here.

    a close up of pho salad with yellow chopsticks and a serving dish above

    Some tips for your pho tron

    For the bean sprouts, I suggest you blanch them. And whatever you do, don't skip crisping the shallots; it really adds a lot to the overall texture and flavor of this dish. When we were in Southeast Asia last year, we found that crispy shallots are a common garnish.

    By the way if you are looking for another popular Vietnamese dish, check out my recipe for bun cha. It's delicious. Also, many people like to enjoy Chả Giò with light meals, they're Vietnamese fried spring rolls dipped in a tangy sauce. 

    two bowls of pho tron with colored chopsticks

    This recipe is similar to the popular Vietnamese soup Pho; you could even say that Pho Tron is Pho's fair-weather cousin. So basically what you are doing is creating a salad with various  pho noodles, greens, beef and a broth like dressing that is a balance of flavors: sweet, salty, and sour. I think I've mentioned before that Southeast Asian food strives to create a balance of flavors. No flavor ever dominates.

    Need some more summery flavors for the table? Try my Vietnamese Sweet and Sour Mango Salad. You've never had mangoes like this before. 

    A Southern Vietnamese variation of this dish, Bún Thịt Nướng, features grilled lemongrass pork instead of beef and a different selection of veggies and herbs. Try it!

    Here are the step by step photos to make Pho Tron:

    A collage of photos showing the ingredients to marinate beef and make the dressing for Vietnamese beef salad: Pho Tron.

    1. Gather all your ingredients and have them chopped, measured and ready to go. Make the rice noodles according to the package instructions and then rinse with cold water and set aside. (I like to pour boiling water over them and let them sit for a few minutes until they are just soft and have a bit of chewiness. I then rinse them with cold water in a colander.)
    2. Mix together the marinade ingredients in a pitcher: Salt, ginger, black pepper, five spice powder, garlic and lime juice.
    3. Placed the sliced beef in a zip top bag and pour in the marinade.
    4. Purge the air and seal the bag. Give the bag a few squeezes to coat all the beef.
    5. To make the dressing, combine the vinegar, fish sauce, palm sugar (brown sugar will work), and tamarind paste.
    6. Whisk to combine until the sugar dissolves.
    7. Add the greens to a large bowl.
    8. Take the chilled blanched bean sprouts and toss with greens.
    9. Add 1 tbsp vegetable or canola oil to a skillet on medium heat and add the shallot slices. Fly them until crispy and brown.
    10. Place them on a paper towel to drain and cool until ready to serve as a topping for the salad.
    11. Cook the beef in a large skillet on medium heat with 1 Tbsp canola oil. (You can use the same skillet you just cooked the beef in.) Cook until the beef has browned and has nice crispy edges.
    12. Serve the greens in a bowl topped with the beef, shallots. Add the broth with the Thai chillies and rice noodles on the side. Enjoy!

    This is a really easy recipe to make any weeknight.
    I would love it if you leave me a comment AND share the recipe with your friends.
    If you enjoyed this alternative pho recipe, check out some authentic Vietnamese recipes I have some to share that you can easily make in your home.

    Bun cha: Vietnamese pork meatballs are served with a delicious golden broth, a variety of fresh herbs, greens, and rice noodles.

    Vietnamese coconut braised pork (Thit Kho Tau)is slow cooked, tender, salty and sweet.

    Cá Sốt Cà Chua or Fish in Tomato Sauce will wow your tastebuds with aromatic dill, sweet tomato, and tangy shallots. Pair it with rice. 

    Bò Sốt Vang or Vietnamese Beef Stew will blow away any beef stew that you've ever had. The spices in this one are reminiscent of mulled wine and then each bowl is topped with a generous helping of fresh cilantro. 

    You have to finish off your meal with a traditional Vietnamese Egg Coffee or ca phe trung (cà phê trứng) is a Hanoi espresso with a sweet meringue like topping. Two other Vietnamese coffee drinks that I cannot get enough of are Ca Phe Sua Da or Vietnamese Iced Coffee with Condensed Milk was one of my favorite ways to cool off on a hot day along with Vietnamese Coconut Coffee. 

    Looking for more recipes?  
    Sign up for my free recipe newsletter to get new recipes in your inbox each week!  You can also find me sharing more inspiration in Pinterest and Facebook.

    A photo of Vietnamese pho tron in a white bowl with chop sticks.

    Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad: Pho Tron

     A perfect meal for any weeknight, or Sunday dinner. The bright flavors of authentic Vietnamese food shine through in this easy to make dish.  This has some of the best Vietnamese contrasts of flavors: salty, sour, sweet, bitter and some hot chillies for some heat too!
    5 from 19 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Main dish
    Cuisine: Vietnamese
    Keyword: Hanoi recipe, hot weather food, noodle salad, pasta salad
    Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Marinate tine: 2 hours hours
    Total Time: 2 hours hours 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 6 servings
    Calories: 324kcal
    Author: Analida Braeger

    Ingredients

    • 8 oz rice noodles

    Broth/Dressing:

    • 6 Tbsp white vinegar
    • 4 Tbsp fish sauce
    • 1 ½ Tbsp palm sugar
    • 1 Tbsp tamarind paste

    Salad Greens:

    • 1 head green leaf lettuce
    • ¼ cup cilantro chopped
    • 12 leaves Thai basil chopped
    • 10 mint leaves chopped
    • 2 oz bean sprouts blanched

    Meat Marinade

    • 1 lb sirloin sliced
    • 1 tsp Kosher salt
    • ¼ tsp ginger ground
    • ¼ tsp pepper cracked
    • ⅛ tsp five spice powder
    • ½ tsp garlic powder
    • 1 lime juiced

    Topppings

    • 2 Tbsp peanuts chopped
    • 2 limes cut into wedges
    • 4 shallots thinly sliced and quickly fried
    • 2 Thai red chilies thinly sliced-optional

    Instructions

    Noodles

    • Cook noodles according to package instructions. Run under cold water and set aside.

    To cook the meat

    • Slice the beef into very thin pieces. Combine in a pitcher the salt, ginger, pepper, five spice powder, lime juice and garlic powder. Place the meat slices in a zip top bag and pour in the marinade. Purge the air then seal the bag and be sure all the meat is coated. Squeeze the meat around the bag a bit to cover in the marinade. Place in the refrigerator for about two hours.
       
    • Heat oil on medium. Add the beef and cook about 1-2 minutes on each side until brown and cripy on the edges. Set the beef aside and allow to cool before serving.
    • While the meat is resting assemble your greens. Mix lettuce, cilantro, Thai basil, and mint,  in a bowl. 
    • Blanch the bean sprouts, and when completely cool, add to the greens mixture.

    Dressing/Broth

    • In a small bowl whisk together the vinegar and the fish sauce. Add in the sugar, and stir well. The flavor should be more along the lines of sweet and sour.

    Crisping Shallots

    • Add 2 Tbsp of vegetable oil to a skillet on medium heat and place the shallot slices. Fry until crispy and brown. Remove and dry on a paper towel.

    To assemble

    • Portion equal amounts of each item on a plate/bowl. Top with peanuts, crispy shallots and slices of Thai chilies  if desired. Serve with rice noodles on the side.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 21g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 46mg | Sodium: 1471mg | Potassium: 624mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 7g | Vitamin A: 4765IU | Vitamin C: 40.3mg | Calcium: 85mg | Iron: 3.1mg

     

     

    You might also like to try these:

    • Vietnamese Egg Coffee (Ca phe trung)
    • Creamy Curry Chicken Salad Wraps
      Try a spicy new wrap! Creamy and spicy curry chicken salad wrap add a bit of ethnic flair to your lunch or dinner. You can also slice these narrow and serve as an appetizer too! The secret sauce: a bit of my homemade curry blend whipped into some Greek yogurt. This is a really healthy recipe wrapped in a large flour tortilla! | ethnicspoon.com
    • Cannellini Bean, Parsley, Tomato, Red Onion Salad
      Quick and easy! Here is a must try summer bean salad when you want to eat something cool or take to a picnic. The flavors are fantastic with fresh parsley and tarragon for nice herbal note. | ethnicspoon.com
    « Vietnamese Egg Coffee (Ca phe trung)
    Black Bean Burgers with Spicy Pico de Gallo »
    852 shares
    • 79

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Dominique | Perchance to Cook

      March 21, 2018 at 8:26 am

      This beef noodle salad looks sooo good! I'm sending this recipe to my father because he would love it! Yum!!

      Reply
      • Analida

        March 22, 2018 at 3:30 pm

        Thanks Dominique. I hope your father loves it! 🙂

        Reply
    2. Jenni

      March 22, 2018 at 6:53 am

      5 stars
      What a great recipe! This looks so flavorful and easy! Adding to my meal plan soon!

      Reply
      • Analida

        March 22, 2018 at 3:31 pm

        I hope you like it Jenni. I need to make it soon too. Have a great day!

        Reply
    3. Veena Azmanov

      March 22, 2018 at 8:27 am

      5 stars
      I love Thai food and those beef noodles look perfect. I love your clean crisp pictures too. I love rice noodles and these are so easy to make too. Definitely saving this for later.

      Reply
      • Analida

        March 22, 2018 at 3:31 pm

        Hi Veena. I hope you get to make it. Thanks for commenting. BTW... my husband is the photographer! 🙂

        Reply
    4. Kathryn @ FoodieGirlChicago

      March 22, 2018 at 8:39 pm

      5 stars
      This dish looks delicious! Nice mix of flavors and not too complicated to make!!

      Reply
      • Analida

        March 23, 2018 at 3:17 pm

        Kathryn, it's really easy to make. Yes, the flavor combo is really nice.

        Reply
    5. Amanda Mason

      March 23, 2018 at 4:34 pm

      5 stars
      This dish looks amazing and what a perfect dinner item here!! I love that you used bean sprouts - those are my favorite! And never would I skip out on those shallots! That provides so much flavor!!

      Reply
      • Analida

        March 23, 2018 at 6:00 pm

        Hi Amanda. I hope you like it. I am looking forward to summer so I can make this. It really is an amazing dish. Thanks for commenting.

        Reply
    6. Julie

      March 23, 2018 at 5:42 pm

      This looks SO good! I love that the beef is served over salad greens - what a great way to keep food light, fresh, and summer appropriate. Can't wait to give this a try!

      Reply
      • Analida

        March 23, 2018 at 5:57 pm

        Julie, I hope you like it. It's one of our favorites. I can't wait for summer so I can make it.

        Reply
    7. Abby @ WinsteadWandering

      March 23, 2018 at 10:52 pm

      How fun that you have someone to personally recommend authentic Vietnamese dishes to you! This definitely sounds like a great one to start with.

      Reply
    8. Kushi

      March 24, 2018 at 4:35 pm

      5 stars
      Totally in love with the recipe! Looks so yummy. Pinned for later!

      Reply
      • Analida

        March 24, 2018 at 4:56 pm

        Thanks Kushi! I hope you have a chance to try it soon. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Paige

      March 24, 2018 at 10:59 pm

      5 stars
      This looks healthy easy and tasty! Thanks for all the tips too, I will give it a try!

      Reply
      • Analida

        March 25, 2018 at 9:12 am

        I hope you get to try it soon Paige. Thanks for commenting. Yes, it is indeed healthy, easy, and tasty. Now, I need to make some soon too.

        Reply
    10. Sues

      March 25, 2018 at 7:29 pm

      5 stars
      This salad is all kinds of wonderful! The beef looks perfect and everything else looks so fresh and delicious!

      Reply
    11. Stacey

      March 25, 2018 at 9:38 pm

      5 stars
      All of these flavors sounds incredible and are some of my favorites! I'm looking forward to giving this a try!

      Reply
      • Analida

        March 26, 2018 at 6:01 pm

        Stacey, I hope you get to try it soon. The flavors are indeed incredible. 🙂 Thanks for your kind comment.

        Reply
    12. Matt Kearns

      March 25, 2018 at 10:33 pm

      5 stars
      Oh man I bet there is so much flavor in this salad! Vietnamese food is some of the best out there!

      Reply
      • Analida

        March 26, 2018 at 6:00 pm

        Thanks for commenting Matt! Yes, Vietnamese food is some of the best. Everyday I am learning more about it.

        Reply
    13. Michelle

      July 24, 2019 at 3:27 am

      5 stars
      This looks like a really great noodle salad! Love all the flavours in this, and love how authentic this is too!

      Reply
    14. Sharon

      July 24, 2019 at 9:51 am

      5 stars
      This pho noodle salad is just the kind of light comfort food that I love. This would make a great lunch.

      Reply
    15. Lindsey Pine

      July 24, 2019 at 9:57 am

      It sounds like there's so much flavor coming from this dish! I've never made vietnamese food at home, but I think that's about to change!

      Reply
    16. Kylee from Kylee Cooks

      July 24, 2019 at 10:00 am

      5 stars
      This is the kind of salad my husband dreams of! It's a lot of ingredients, but I like that each one adds a specific element to the dish. This is soooo delicious looking!

      Reply
    17. Michelle

      July 24, 2019 at 12:49 pm

      5 stars
      I love Vietnamese food. There's allot of love and delicious flavor in this dish. I have no idea where to start with making something like this, so I'm happy I found this recipe. Looking forward to trying it.

      Reply
    18. Mama Maggie's Kitchen

      July 25, 2019 at 4:29 pm

      5 stars
      Hmmmmm yum! I am so loving this Vietnamese Beef Noodle Salad! Really looks soooo tasty and I am sure my husband will love this too.

      Reply
    19. Cathleen @ A Taste of Madness

      July 27, 2019 at 6:27 pm

      5 stars
      I like that you have a link to what blanching is. I have always seen the word then quit the recipe because I didn't know what that was, haha.
      This looks so tasty. I always order something like this when I go for pho, but now I can make it at home 🙂

      Reply
    20. Anna

      July 28, 2019 at 12:14 pm

      5 stars
      I have felt in love with Vietnamese cuisine when we visited this country last year. Your version of this beef salad looks amazing, and so flavoursome, looking forward to trying it very soon!

      Reply
    21. Amy

      July 28, 2019 at 7:45 pm

      I have never hand anything like this before! I love how easy it is to put together. This looks like it’s pact with flavor. I can’t wait to try!

      Reply
    22. Amanda Mason

      July 28, 2019 at 10:33 pm

      5 stars
      Ok, yum! This looks so good and full of amazing authentic flavors!! I've not made many authentic Asian dishes but this one looks like the perfect recipe for me to make!!

      Reply
    23. Jagruti Dhanecha

      July 29, 2019 at 2:09 am

      5 stars
      A great noodle salad for summer, loving five-spice powder and always love to make authentic recipes.

      Reply
    24. Natalie

      July 29, 2019 at 8:13 am

      5 stars
      I love the sound of this dish. I never cooked Vietnamese food but now you got me convinced to give it a try. I have a store near my house with all sorts of exotic foods where I can get all the ingredients to make this. Can't wait to give it a try!

      Reply
    25. Stephanie

      January 23, 2020 at 3:49 am

      I enjoyed reading your recipes. I would definitely try making the Vietnamese salad, thanks! 🍀✌💗

      Reply

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    Analida profile pictureI have been researching and creating ethnic recipes for over 20 years. I love to share "mostly healthy" easy and affordable ethnic recipes using fresh ingredients, with a bit of culture and food history sprinkled in.... Read more-->

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