Five-Spice Beef Noodle Soup

There are hundreds of weeknights in a year. That’s a lot of dinner! Test kitchen editor Kendra Vaculin is here to help. In her series Speedy Does It, she shares whoa-worthy meals you can get on the table like *snaps fingers* that.

Inspired by the flavors of Vietnamese pho, this ground beef and rice noodle soup comes together in just 20 minutes. Ground five spice and a bit of fish sauce add warming, aromatic flavor and a savory depth to boxed broth, giving it that cooked-all-day flavor in a fraction of the time.

While they may seem like extra steps, don’t skip either draining off the fat from the ground beef before adding the aromatics, or skimming any foam off the top of the stock while it cooks. Both help keep the broth clear and flavorful, allowing the beef itself to shine.

Cook's Note: While you could absolutely use beef stock (or vegetable!) in this recipe, we found in testing that chicken provided the best platform for the five spice and aromatics to come to the forefront of every bite.