“Backpacking around Vietnam with Funnyman in 2010 was one of our best holidays ever! I recall having phở bo (pronounced “fuh” – not “foo” or “foh”) for the first time in Hanoi. I was blown away and happily slurped it down numerous times as we travelled north to south over several weeks. Now, many years later and hardcore into my very low-carb lifestyle, I wanted to relive those awesome memories. I created a quick 15-minute keto pho bo using the (konjac / shirataki) ‘noodles‘ to make it low-carb friendly. You could also use courgette noodles.” – Monya
Fats of Life® is a keto and low carb recipe blog that I love to run as a hobby in my spare time. I am also the author of the best-selling Keto Kitchen Series of cookbooks. This includes my debut best-seller Keto Kitchen (2020). The fun and exciting Lazy Keto Kitchen (2021). And, the clever and inspiring Budget Keto Kitchen (2022). My 4th cookbook, Quick Keto Kitchen (2023) is as fantastic as the first three, and packed with spectacular, easy creations!
The links above will take you to Amazon UK. For USA and other countries, see the global Amazon links here: Keto Kitchen ; Lazy Keto Kitchen ; Budget Keto Kitchen ; Quick Keto Kitchen.
The Glow Factor, 2025 by Penelope Corwin is available worldwide. The image above will link to Amazon UK. For USA and all other countries, click here.
More on Keto Pho Bo…
Pho Bo is a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup typically made with rice noodles, beef, and a flavourful broth. When adapted for the keto diet using shirataki konjac noodles and a highly seasoned beef broth, it can still be a delicious and satisfying low-carb option.
FOLLOW MONYA:
-
-
-
-
-
Shirataki konjac noodles are virtually carb-free, making them an excellent substitute for traditional rice noodles in pho. This helps you stay within your daily carb limit on the keto diet.
Steak is a great source of high-quality protein, which is essential for maintaining and repairing tissues in your body. Furthermore, a keto diet emphasizes adequate protein intake to help preserve muscle mass.
The combination of protein, fats, and konjac noodles can help you feel full and satisfied, reducing the likelihood of overeating or snacking between meals. More importantly, it’s delicious!
It is important to note that to maintain ketosis, it’s essential to track carbohydrate intake and ensure it aligns with your daily macro goals. Consulting with a healthcare professional is advised before making significant dietary changes. Scroll to the bottom to see the full macros and allergens for this Keto Pho Bo dish, as well as all the Soups, Stocks & Broths on Fats of Life®.
Easy Phở Bo
Per serving
Ingredients
- 400 g (14.1 oz) konjac noodles, noodle shape
- 1 TB lard
- 2 rump steaks, (approx. 130g / 4.6oz) each
- 2 star anise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 2 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 2 whole cloves
- 2 tsp whole coriander seeds
- 750 g (26.5 oz) beef stock, (best-quality)
- 1 thumb-size piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced
- 1 tsp fish sauce
- 1 lime, juice of
- 40 g (1.4 oz) bean sprouts
- 1 red chili, thinly sliced
- generous handful mint leaves
- generous handful coriander leaves
Instructions
- Remove the konjac noodles from the packaging and rinse very well under cold, running water. Do not be alarmed by the strange smell – just keep rinsing. And when you think you have rinsed it enough - rinse some more! Place the noodles into a pan of simmering water over low heat while you make the pho.
- Heat the lard in a separate pan and once hot, sear both sides of the steaks until browned. Remove and set aside to rest.
- Using a non-stick, deep-based pan, toast the star anise, cinnamon sticks, peppercorns, cloves and coriander seeds until fragrant. Pour in the beef stock and add the sliced ginger. Bring to the boil, then reduce to a simmer for 3-4 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat and allow the stock to infuse for 10 minutes.
- Strain the fragrant broth (discarding all the whole spices and ginger) into a clean pan and place on a low heat. Stir in the fish sauce and lime juice.
- Drain the warm noodles and divide between two bowls. Pour the broth into the bowls.
- Slice the steaks thinly and add to the bowls. Top each bowl with bean sprouts, sliced chili, mint and coriander leaves.
- Tuck in and ENJOY! (NOTE: The hot broth will ever-so-slightly partially cook the steak strips. If the idea of eating uncooked meat like this doesn’t sit well with you, simply fry the steaks until done to your liking and slice after at least 10 minutes of resting before adding to the broth.)
My name is Monya Kilian Palmer. If you loved this recipe, please follow and tag me @mkilianpalmer on Instagram so we can all see your lovely creations!
* * *
The links above will take you to Amazon UK. For USA and other countries, see the global Amazon links here: Keto Kitchen ; Lazy Keto Kitchen ; Budget Keto Kitchen ; Quick Keto Kitchen.
Nutritional Information per servingCalories 285Kcal / 1192kJ
Fat 15g
Carbohydrates 6.9g
Protein 31g
Allergens
Fish
Celery (may be present in beef stock - check label)
See all the Soups, Stocks & Broths on Fats of Life:
Disclaimer: The nutritional analysis, macro and allergen breakdown of the recipes on this site have been manually and carefully calculated using the cloud-based software NUTRITICS®. NUTRITICS® is fully approved by the relevant Trading Standards organizations and is EU and FDA-compliant. The macro calculations are provided as a courtesy to you based on the author's weighing of ingredients when creating the dishes. If Erythritol (a sugar polyol) has been used in any of the recipes, it has already been manually excluded from the final carbohydrate count. The author is a chef - not a medical professional - and this website has been designed to provide you with recipe ideas to suit the low carb lifestyle you have discussed with your GP.
1 Comment
Drop me a line if you have any questions or comments about this recipe. I will do my best to reply as soon as possible! Monya xxx