Pho-Inspired Fries (Phries)
Pho-Inspired Fries are seasoned with a flavorful seasoning blend inspired by Vietnamese pho and topped with lime mayo and fresh herbs.
There is a small Vietnamese restaurant near my house that Mr. Dreamboat and I go to for lunch sometimes. I almost always get a banh mi. By default, they come with shrimp chips, but for a small upcharge, you can get them with “phries”.
They are fries seasoned with a savory, beef pho-inspired seasoning blend, drizzled with a nuoc cham-inspired mayo, and sprinkled with cilantro and minced red onion. They are for sure one of my favorite restaurant sides, and I wanted to test a DIY version that I could make for my family at home.
To make the pho seasoning, I read several pho recipes to choose the spices to add to powdered beef bouillon, which seemed like the obvious choice to add savory, salty flavor. To make the mayo, I simply added some lime juice and fish sauce, then I finished the fries by sprinkling them with minced cilantro and Thai basil (I’m not a huge fan of raw onion, so I skipped that part).
I tested the recipe during one of the final World Cup games, and while I wasn’t really expecting my kids to eat them, my whole family loved these Pho-Inspired Fries, and I ended up wishing I had purchased a bigger bag of frozen fries to cook up.
How to Make Pho-Inspired Fries
To make these flavorful, savory fries, start by making the pho seasoning. You will have enough to make several batches of fries, or it can be used on other foods, like popcorn.
Add the star anise and cardamom pods to a clean coffee grinder and grind until the spices are coarsely ground. Add the beef bouillon powder, onion powder, ginger, cinnamon, and coriander and grind again until everything is finely ground and evenly mixed.
Transfer the seasoning to an airtight container and set it aside until ready to use.
Now mix up the mayo. Add the mayonnaise, lime juice, and fish sauce to a small bowl and whisk until evenly mixed. Cover the bowl and transfer it to the fridge until ready to use.
Cook the fries according to the directions on the package. I like to use the air fryer for mine. Cook them until they’re crisp and golden brown, then transfer the fries to a large plate.
Sprinkle the fries evenly with ½ to 1 teaspoon of the prepared seasoning mix. Start with less than you think you need, and add more as needed. Next, drizzle the fries with as much of the lime mayo as you want, and/or transfer some to a small dipping bowl to serve on the side.
Finally, sprinkle the fries evenly with chopped cilantro or Thai basil, or a mixture of the two. Serve the fries immediately.
Pho-Inspired Fries Ingredients
- Beef bouillon powder – this will make up the bulk of the pho seasoning mix. It lends a savory, beefy flavor to replicate the flavor of beef broth. It can be very salty, so feel free to use a reduced-sodium version.
- Star anise – Star anise is a woody-looking, star-shaped spice that has a licorice flavor. It’s commonly found in Asian cooking, including in Vietnamese Pho. You can find it in the international aisle of well-stocked grocery stores or Asian markets. If you only want to buy a little bit, bulk bins are your best bet (you’ll be able to find it at Bulk Barn in Canada).
- Green cardamom pods – or you can substitute ground cardamom. Find whole cardamom in well-stocked grocery stores, or bulk stores. Ground cardamom should be available in the spice aisle of any grocery store.
- Onion powder – or granulated onion
- Ground ginger – find ground ginger in the spice aisle of any grocery store.
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground coriander – or you can use whole ¼ teaspoon coriander seeds (if so, add them to the spice grinder with the star anise and cardamom in step 1 of the recipe).
- Mayonnaise
- Lime juice – Fresh lime juice always has the best flavor, but bottled lime juice will work here if needed.
- Fish sauce – Fish sauce is a potent savory sauce made from salted fermented fish – a little bit goes a long way. You can find fish sauce in the international aisle of most grocery stores, but Asian markets will have a larger variety of higher-quality sauces.
- Frozen french fries – I developed this recipe using a commonly available, smaller-sized package, but you could also use a portion of a larger package. Use your favorite style of fries – I chose a crispy battered-style fry because that’s my family’s favorite. Don’t choose fries that are already seasoned.
- Chopped cilantro or Thai basil – I used a mixture of both, but you can use one or the other according to your preferences and what you happen to have in your fridge.
Want more Vietnamese-inspired recipes?
Pho-Inspired Fries Nutrition Notes
To make your pho fries gluten-free, make sure the fries you use are gluten-free. Some (mainly those with a battered coating) do contain gluten. Also check the ingredients of the beef bouillon powder you’re using, as some may contain gluten.
The nutrition information in the recipe is for one serving of fries if you cook a 650g package of fries and split it into 4 portions. The nutrition information for this recipe may vary because the nutrition information will differ depending on which type/brand of fries and/or beef bouillon powder you choose.
Pho-Inspired Fries (Phries)
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Add 1 whole star anise and 2 whole green cardamom pods to a clean coffee grinder. Pulse the grinder until the spices are coarsely ground. Add to the grinder 2 Tablespoons beef bouillon powder, ¼ teaspoon onion powder, ⅛ teaspoon ground ginger, ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon ground coriander and pulse until the spices are evenly ground and mixed. Transfer the seasoning mixture to a small airtight container.
- Whisk together ¼ cup mayonnaise, 1 teaspoon lime juice, and ½ teaspoon fish sauce in a small bowl. Cover the bowl and transfer to the fridge until ready to use.
- Cook 650 grams (24 oz) frozen french fries according to the directions on the package (I find cooking them in the air-fryer yields the crispiest results).
- When the fries are golden brown and crispy, transfer them to a large plate. Sprinkle the fries evenly with ½ to 1 teaspoon pho seasoning (you will have seasoning left over – save it for future batches or use it on other foods, like popcorn) and drizzle them with 1 to 2 Tablespoons lime mayo. Sprinkle 1 Tablespoon chopped cilantro and/or Thai basil over the fries and serve immediately with excess lime mayo to dip.
Nutrition
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