Pho Burger // Photo: Peter Pham

Recently I was asked to create something out-of-the-box with some microwavable burger patties. All I had to do was turn on some imagination. Unfortunately, we were out of bacon, and mac & cheese had already been done to death. So I went with something I had a casual understanding of: Vietnamese food.

With the advent of the ramen burger, naturally, a pho burger came to mind.

The process was pretty simple, and straightforward.

Pho Noodle Bun

Making the buns was probably the most difficult thing about the burger, and even then it didn’t take too long.

I opened a package of uncooked pho noodles and boiled it in water. Don’t leave them cooking for too long, or else they’ll get soggy. About 30 seconds to a minute should be plenty of time under water. Drain the noodles and run cold water over them. You can set them aside to cool, but it’s just a waste of time.

Let the pho noodles drain as much as you can. Unlike the texture of ramen noodles, the pho noodles will retain more water.

Beat an egg and mix into the noodles until there’s a foamy layer around everything.

Find two smalls bowl that can shape your pho bun. Try your best to find a bowl that is roughly the same size as your burger patty.  Mold your noodle and egg mixture into the bowls. Then throw it in the freezer for an hour.

Once said hour is up, the noodles should be firm enough to gently remove. Carefully slide the bun onto a spatula and slip gingerly into a couple inches of hot oil.

Allow the buns to fry for about 30 seconds or until golden brown. Then remove them from the oil and set them aside.

The deep-fried Pho Bun // Photo: Peter Pham

Sriracha Beansprout Slaw

Take a few cups of bean sprouts and add sriracha and mayonnaise.

Also, a dash of salt and pepper definitely doesn’t hurt.

Garnishing

It’s a pho burger, so you’re gonna want to use pho toppings.

I made a hoisin butter sauce to go on top of the Ball Park Flame Grilled Burger Patties I used. Two tablespoons of butter and one teaspoon of hoisin sauce.

For the veggies, I used some raw onions, green onions and cilantro. If you like some heat, add some red and green chili peppers. Keep some lime on hand for more flavor.

Typically folks will throw basil on pho, but my fridge was fresh out. I substituted with mint instead, which tastes just as good, IMO, and makes for a prettier picture.

Stack the burger to your heart’s content and prepare to chow down.