This shrimp pho recipe will get you a deliciously nourishing, flavor-laden bowl of pho that doesn’t take hours to make. In fact, it comes together in about 30 minutes.
How, you ask? After all, a good bowl of pho needs to be simmered for hours on end with bones! Spices! Herbs!

Well, there are shortcuts taken. Ready-made chicken stock, for starters. And I’m using shrimp for a reason – not only is it juicy and flavorful, it also cooks in minutes.
But the essentials remain. We’re still using seasoning to give it that distinctive pho flavor. And we’re definitely still roasting the spices and aromatics to get that hallmark pho taste.
Even with all that, it’s a quick-and-easy recipe.
That’s why it’s my go-to cheat pho for those times when I’m craving the deeply warming, satisfyingly aromatic taste of pho but I just don’t have the time.
Maybe it’ll become yours, too. Why not? It’s almost effortless. It’s delicious and healthy. And it really hits the spot.
Shrimp Pho Ingredients
This shrimp pho recipe takes just under 30 minutes to whip up, despite the fact that the broth tastes as close to legit pho broth as you’ll get for this level of prep.
So how do we pull that off? The answer is in the ingredients…

Chicken broth. I’m using home-made chicken broth that was actually made from the carcass of a whole Peking style roasted chicken. The resulting stock is excellent for pho. You can use any chicken broth – we’ll be pho-ing it up with spices and aromatics anyway – whether homemade or store-bought.

Aromatics. You’ll need fresh ginger, garlic, and shallots. We’ll roast them in oil until slightly charred to intensify their flavor.
Spices. To get that authentic pho flavor, you need spices. Star anise is a must have. We’ll also be adding coriander seeds and half a cinnamon stick. All the spices will be toasted. It only adds a couple minutes to the process and gives the broth a much more complex and bolder flavor.
Shrimp. Juicy, flavorful and so easy to cook – shrimp or prawns are perfect for a quick and easy pho. Go with peeled and deveined – it cuts down on any prep time for this ingredient.
Bean sprouts. Because you can’t have pho without bean sprouts. They are the perfect fresh and crunchy counterbalance to the tender noodles.
Rice noodles. You can go with flat rice noodles or vermicelli.


Pho soup seasoning. The seasoning is a simple combination of fish sauce, salt, sugar, and lime juice. The spices and aromatics carry most of the load in terms of flavor.
Garnish. No bowl of pho is complete without fresh herbs – cilantro! Thai basil!. Extra lime wedges and sliced chili peppers are a must.
Sauces. Perhaps serving a little dish of hoisin sauce and Sriracha sauce is not an authentically Vietnamese thing to do. But they’re so delicious, I always do it anyway.
And that’s it. It seems like a lot of ingredients but there’s not much prep involved for any of them.
How to Make Shrimp Pho
Like I said, there looks to be a lot of ingredients. But most of them require very little prep. This shrimp pho recipe is basically gathering all the ingredients, toasting and roasting and then assembling it all together.
Here’s how to do it…
Toast the Spices
In a large pot, add coriander seeds, star anise, and half a cinnamon stick (about 2 inches). Dry toast – without oil – for about 5 minutes until aromatic. Remove from pot and set aside.

Roast the Aromatics
Add about a tablespoon of to the same pot and place ginger, garlic, and shallots, cut side down. Let them grill for a minute or two until slightly charred.
Turn the shallots and let the other sides get some heat.


Make Pho Broth
Add 4 cups of chicken broth into the pot. Add the toasted spices. Add in the fish sauce, sugar, and salt.
Then bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for around 15 minutes.


Get Everything Else Ready
While the broth is simmering, it’s time to prepare the rest of the ingredients. Here’s what you’ll be getting ready…
Noodles: Prepare according to package instructions. I’m using rice noodles from M&S – they’re ready in 5 minutes. Just boil water, stick the noodles in, turn the heat off and let sit for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.


Prawns: I’m using de-veined and peeled raw shrimp. They require no prep and take all of 2 minutes to cook.
Bean sprouts: Wash and drain the bean sprouts. Set aside to add right at the end.

Herbs: Wash and drain whatever herbs you’ll be using – cilantro, Thai basil, mint, and so on.
Chili peppers: Red or green, if you want a kick. Birds eye, jalapeño – it’s your call.

Lime slices: Cut lime slices. Set aside.
Sauces: Get your hoisin and sriracha sauces ready.

Assemble and Serve
Everything is ready. Let’s put it together.
1. Add noodles to bowl

2. Add beansprouts

3. Add pho broth

4. Add shrimp and garnishes

Serve immediately. Enjoy!
What Else Can I Add?
This shrimp pho has a deliciously satisfying seafood flavor without being overwhelming. If you want to add more seafood taste to it, go ahead and add scallops, clams, mussels, imitation crab sticks, fish balls (fresh or frozen) or even chunks of white fish.
What Noodles Should I Use?
Pho noodles are rice noodles. At Asian markets, you can look for banh pho noodles (also dubbed rice sticks). In the UK, M&S has flat rice noodles that are great. Sainsbury’s also carries the Mama brand of rice noodles and has several other options as well.
If you can’t find the wide ones, vermicelli rice noodles are delicious as well.
And if you want a low-carb option to this already low-calorie meal, you can substitute with shirataki noodles as well.
What Kind of Shrimp Should I Use?
My recommendation is to always go with fresh or frozen, uncooked, peeled and deveined shrimp or prawns. The best frozen kind in the UK are the Aquahawk brand – hands down. I’ve had frozen king prawns from most places, including Costco, Waitrose, M&S and so on and nothing beats the size and quality of Aquahawk prawns.
Just keep in mind that unless you defrost them first, frozen shrimp or prawns will take a couple minutes longer to cook through.
In the rare occasions I’m out of Aquahawk frozen prawns, the next best option are the fresh, uncooked raw Honduran king prawns from M&S.

Shrimp Pho
Ingredients
Toasted Spices
- 1 star anise
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- ½ cinnamon stick
Roasted Aromatics
- 2 shallots
- 4 cloves garlic
- 2 inch ginger
Pho Broth
- 4 cups chicken stock (850mL or 1.5 pints)
- 1.5 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp salt
Pho Ingredients
- 165 grams shrimp or prawns
- 2 cups bean sprouts
- 2 servings rice noodles
For Garnish
- lime wedges
- cilantro
- Thai basil
- chili peppers
Instructions
- Add coriander seeds, star anise, and half a cinnamon stick (about 2 inches) to a large pot. Dry toast – without oil – for about 5 minutes until aromatic. Remove from pot and set aside.
- Add about a tablespoon of to the same pot and place ginger, garlic, and shallots, cut side down and leave for a minute or two until they’re slightly charred.Turn the shallots and let the other sides get some heat.
- Add 4 cups of chicken broth into the pot. Add the toasted spices. Add in the fish sauce, sugar, and salt. Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat and simmer for around 15 minutes.
- While the broth is simmering, it’s time to prepare the rest of the ingredients. Here’s what you’ll be getting ready…Noodles: Prepare according to package instructions. Just boil water, stick the noodles in, turn the heat off and let sit for 5 minutes. Drain and set aside.Prawns: I’m using de-veined and peeled raw shrimp. They require no prep and take all of 2 minutes to cook. Add them a minute or two before you turn off the heat.Bean sprouts: Wash and drain the bean sprouts. They’ll be added at the end.Herbs: Wash and drain whatever herbs you’ll be using – cilantro, Thai basil, mint, and so on.Chili peppers: Red or green, if you want a kick. Birds eye, jalapeño – it’s your call.Lime slices: Cut lime slices. Set aside.Sauces: Get your hoisin and sriracha sauces ready.
- Add the cooked noodles to a bowl, followed by the bean sprouts. Pour the broth in the bowl and top off with shrimp and garnishes. Serve and enjoy!