Vegan Pho

Name: Vegan Pho
Prep time: 15 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 4 serving(s)
Ingredients: 1 large yellow onion, peeled, halved; 4 dried shiitakes (about 1/2 c.); 1 large piece of ginger (about 5 oz.), halved lengthwise; 2 tbsp. vegetable oil; 4 cardamom pods; 3 star anise pods; 2 (3") cinnamon sticks; 8 whole cloves; 8 c. low-sodium vegetable stock; 1 tbsp. white miso paste or dark miso; 2 tsp. soy sauce or tamari; 1 tbsp. palm sugar, rock sugar, or granulated sugar; 1 lb. banh pho noodles or dry rice noodles; 1 lb. fresh shiitake mushrooms (4 loosely packed c.); 2 heads of baby bok choy, halved lengthwise; Kosher salt; 1/2 bunch cilantro, roughly chopped; 1/2 bunch Thai basil leaves (about 2 loosely packed c.); 1/4 white onion, thinly sliced; 1/2 c. thinly sliced scallion greens; 1 (14-oz.) block soft tofu, cut into 1/2" cubes; 4 oz. bean sprouts; 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced; Lime wedges, soy sauce or tamari, and vegan sriracha, for serving

By Maria DoPublished: Jan 5, 2023

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PHOTO: RACHEL VANNI; FOOD STYLING: BROOKE CAISON

Pho is my all-time favorite cold weather comfort food, and vegan pho is no less satisfying due to the iconic spice combination common in Vietnamese pho. I grew up eating countless bowls of pho every Sunday after church in New Orleans that the flavors of pho are embedded in my taste memory. Even the slightest smell of savory cinnamon, ginger, and star anise transport me back to those Sunday mornings with family. Those countless bowls of pho have prepared me to make a satisfying vegan version of this Vietnamese classic, and this recipe and its 30-minute broth has cracked the code.

The trick to a super-flavorful vegan pho broth is to toast the whole spices—star anise, cinnamon, and cloves. Toasting alongside the spices are onion and ginger, which should be browned, even charred, in the pot before adding veggie broth. For umami, I added white miso and dried shiitakes to amp up the savoriness that would otherwise come from fish sauce in traditional pho. Finally, palm sugar adds a mellow sweetness common in pho, but you can also use rock sugar or raw sugar if you don’t have palm.

All of these ingredients come together with veggie stock and get simmered for just 20 minutes before serving with pho noodles, mushrooms, bok choy, tofu, or any other vegetables you enjoy!

Made this? Let us know how it went in the comments below!

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Yields:: 4 serving(s)
Prep Time:: 15 mins
Total Time:: 50 mins
Cal/Serv:: 721

Ingredients

Broth

1
large yellow onion, peeled, halved
4
dried shiitakes (about 1/2 c.)
1
large piece of ginger (about 5 oz.), halved lengthwise
2 tbsp.
vegetable oil
4
cardamom pods
3
star anise pods
2
(3") cinnamon sticks
8
whole cloves
8 c.
low-sodium vegetable stock
1 tbsp.
white miso paste or dark miso
2 tsp.
soy sauce or tamari
1 tbsp.
palm sugar, rock sugar, or granulated sugar

Assembly

1 lb.
banh pho noodles or dry rice noodles
1 lb.
fresh shiitake mushrooms (4 loosely packed c.)
2
heads of baby bok choy, halved lengthwise
Kosher salt
1/2
bunch cilantro, roughly chopped
1/2
bunch Thai basil leaves (about 2 loosely packed c.)
1/4
white onion, thinly sliced
1/2 c.
thinly sliced scallion greens
1
(14-oz.) block soft tofu, cut into 1/2" cubes
4 oz.
bean sprouts
1
jalapeño, thinly sliced
Lime wedges, soy sauce or tamari, and vegan sriracha, for serving

Directions

Broth
1. Step 1In a large pot, combine onion, shiitakes, ginger, oil, cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, and cloves. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until onions are charred and spices are fragrant, 4 to 5 minutes.
2. Step 2Add stock, miso, soy sauce, and palm sugar. Cover, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil. Cook until slightly reduced, about 4 minutes. Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally, until onion is translucent, 18 to 20 minutes.
Assembly
1. Step 1In a large pot of boiling water, cook pho according to package directions. Drain and divide among large bowls.
2. Step 2When broth is ready, strain to remove solids and return to pot. Add mushrooms and cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until tender, 2 to 3 minutes. Add bok choy and cook, stirring, until stems are tender, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove from heat; season with salt.
3. Step 3Top noodles with broth, mushrooms, bok choy, tofu, cilantro, basil, onion, scallions, bean sprouts, and jalapeño. Serve with lime wedges, soy sauce, and vegan sriracha alongside.