Vegan Pho (Phở Chay) 越南河粉汤
The most comforting Vegan Pho (Phở Chay) is here! The broth is flavorful, light, and packed with lots of aromatic spices. The broth is made from charred vegetables and toasted spices to create that complex flavor. It's then served with rice noodles along with a variety of herbs and fresh mung bean sprouts. The recipe is delicious and naturally gluten-free.
Prep Time20 minutes mins
Cook Time1 hour hr 10 minutes mins
Total Time1 hour hr 30 minutes mins
Course: Breakfast, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: Asian, vietnamese
Keyword: glutenfree, Noodlesoup, Pho
Servings: 5
Author: woonheng
Pho Broth
- 1 daikon radish cut into round cubes
- 1 large onion cut into wedges
- 4 slices of ginger
- 1 apple cleaned and core removed
- 1 ear of corn
- 3 carrots cut into small chunks
- 1 leek cut into large chunks
- ½ medium-sized jicama diced
- 5 dried shiitake mushrooms softened and stems removed
- 12 cups of water
- 1 tablespoon rock sugar
- umami seasoning of choice
- salt to taste
Spices or use store-bought mix
- 1 cinnamon stick used Cassia bark
- 1 black cardamom
- 4 star anise
- 1 teaspoon clove
- 1 teaspoon white peppercorn
- 1 teaspoon fennel seeds
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
Toppings and Garnishes
- 7 oz tofu cubes pan-fried and seasoned with salt
- 2 cups Mung bean sprouts
- Jalapeño slices
- Lime wedges
- a handful of: Thai basil, Culantro, Mint, thinly sliced onion, cilantro, green onion
Make the Pho broth
In a heated non-stick pan, toast or char spices until aromatic. Transfer the toasted spices into a spice bag and set aside.
Then, toast daikon, onion, and ginger until they look char on both sides.
Fill a 5-quart pot with 12 cups of water. Place all the soup ingredients and spices in the pot and cover it with a lid.
Bring the mixture to a rolling boil, then lower the heat and simmer for an hour. You may use Instant Pot to reduce the cooking time.
Once it's ready, strain the mixture and season to taste. I used umami seasoning that's made from leek or you can use mushrooms seasoning.
How to serve
Prepare your favorite toppings. I used pan-fried tofu cubes that were seasoned with salt.
To put everything together, cook noodles as directed. Place noodles in a bowl and ladle the hot soup over.
Top with herbs and veggies of choice and don't forget the lime juice. Serve warm and enjoy!