Season 10 - Dinner / S10D11
Puerto Rican Pho with Sofrito-Braised Short Ribs
Story
One foggy Sunday afternoon, Don Luis stood at his kitchen counter, stirring a bubbling pot of bone broth, humming along to a soft salsa tune. As the steam danced into the air, he remembered his grandmother’s sofrito — her secret weapon for every dish, always tucked away in a recycled glass jar. That day, he decided to blend cultures like flavors: Vietnamese comfort meets Boricua soul. He reached into the fridge, pulled out the sofrito, and gently braised beef short ribs until they surrendered — tender and bold, just like the island spirit. Instead of rice, he served them in a hot bowl of pho noodles with a whisper of lime and cilantro. The family gathered, bowls in hand, and one little cousin shouted, “¡Abuela en Vietnam!” They all laughed. A fusion dish was born — humble, heartwarming, and unforgettable. 💚🌍 Time & Nutrition
Ingredients
- For the short ribs:
- 2 lbs beef short ribs 🥩
- 0.5 cup sofrito (Puerto Rican style) 🫑🧄🌿
- 1 tbsp olive oil 🫒
- 1 tsp salt 🧂
- 0.5 tsp black pepper
- 1 tbsp tomato paste 🍅
- 2 cups beef broth 🥣
- For the broth:
- 6 cups beef broth
- 1 onion, halved 🧅
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed 🧄
- 1-inch piece of ginger, sliced
- 2 star anise ⭐
- 1 cinnamon stick 🌰
- 1 tbsp fish sauce 🐟
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- For the pho bowl:
- 8 oz rice noodles 🍜
- 1 cup bean sprouts 🌱
- 1 jalapeño, sliced (optional) 🌶️
- Fresh cilantro 🪴
- Lime wedges 🍋
- Thinly sliced red onion (soaked in cold water)
Instructions
- 1Sear the short ribs: In a Dutch oven, heat olive oil and sear the ribs on all sides until browned.
- 2Sofrito magic: Add sofrito and tomato paste. Cook until fragrant (about 3–4 minutes).
- 3Simmer: Pour in beef broth, add salt and pepper, then cover and braise on low heat for 2.5 hours or until tender.
- 4Prepare pho broth: In another pot, combine beef broth, onion, garlic, ginger, star anise, and cinnamon stick. Simmer for 1 hour. Add fish sauce and soy sauce. Strain before serving.
- 5Cook noodles: Boil rice noodles according to package, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
- 6Assemble: In each bowl, layer noodles, ladle in the aromatic pho broth, top with a generous piece of sofrito-braised short rib, bean sprouts, herbs, lime, and onions.
About the narrator
Don Luis · A character for three generations
Don Luis is the brand character and narrator for this catalog: a warm voice for Puerto Rican family recipes tested by the real creator behind the brand. The project carries three generations of flavor and writes each recipe step by step so any kid can follow it.
Read our mission →