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–+ servings

Vegan Pho

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Serves 4
This vegan pho recipe features a richly spiced broth filled with noodles, tender veggies, tofu, and fresh herbs. It's a delicious vegetarian version of the classic Vietnamese soup!
To get ahead, feel free to make the broth in advance. It keeps in the fridge for a week and in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Ingredients

For the broth

  • 1 white onion, quartered
  • 1 (3-inch) piece fresh ginger, halved lengthwise
  • 4 star anise
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
  • ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
  • 8 cups water
  • Stems from 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 (4-inch) piece kombu
  • ¼ cup tamari, plus more for serving

For the soup

  • 2 tablespoons avocado oil
  • 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
  • Sea salt
  • 2 baby bok choy, quartered lengthwise
  • 2 teaspoons rice vinegar
  • 8 ounces rice noodles
  • Baked tofu
  • Mung bean sprouts, optional
  • 2 jalapeño peppers, stemmed and thinly sliced
  • Fresh basil or Thai basil leaves
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Lime wedges, for serving
  • Sriracha or chili oil, for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven broiler to high and line a baking sheet with foil.
  • Make the broth: Place the onion wedges and ginger, cut side up, on the baking sheet. Broil for 10 to 20 minutes, or until charred. If the ginger is ready before the onions, remove it from the baking sheet and continue broiling the onion until soft and well charred around the edges.
  • Heat a large pot or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the star anise, cloves, cinnamon sticks, coriander, and fennel seeds and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes, or until fragrant. Add the water, onions, ginger, mushroom stems, kombu, and tamari. Simmer for 30 minutes.
  • Place a fine mesh strainer over a large heatproof bowl and strain the broth into the bowl. Discard the spices, onions, ginger, mushroom stems, and kombu.
  • Meanwhile, make the soup: Heat the avocado oil in a large skillet over high heat. Add the mushrooms and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring only occasionally, for 4 minutes, or until the mushrooms are browned and starting to soften.
  • Nestle the bok choy wedges into the skillet so that the cut sides make contact with the pan. Cook for 1 minute, then add the rice vinegar and cover. Reduce the heat to medium and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the bok choy is tender. If the pan becomes dry, add 2 tablespoons water. Remove from the heat and set aside.
  • Prepare the noodles according to the package instructions, then divide among four large soup bowls. Add the mushrooms, bok choy, and baked tofu. Ladle in broth to cover.
  • Top each bowl with bean sprouts, if using, jalapeños, basil, and cilantro. Serve with lime wedges for squeezing, sriracha, and more tamari.