Go Back
+ servings
vegan pho soup next to fresh mint, pak choi, and sambal

Vegan Pho

This vegan pho soup recipe is bursting with flavor, healthy, and easy to follow. It's made with the most delicious homemade pho broth and comes with vegetables and tofu.
Author : Aline Cueni
5 from 2 votes

Click on the stars to leave a vote!

Prep Time :30 minutes
Cook Time :1 hour
Total Time :1 hour 30 minutes
Servings : 4
Calories : 258kcal

Ingredients
 

Pho Broth

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 white onion peeled and quartered
  • 2 cloves cloves garlic peeled and mashed
  • 2 inch piece (5 cm) ginger sliced
  • 1 carrot peeled & sliced
  • 1 stalk leek sliced (use both green & white parts)
  • 5 star anise
  • 5 cloves
  • 1 stick cinnamon
  • 6 cups (1 ½ L) water
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • ½ tsp sambal oelek or Sriracha, to taste

Marinated Tofu

Pho Soup

  • 3.5 oz (100 g) rice noodles
  • 3.5 oz (100 g) shiitake mushrooms sliced
  • 2 pak choi stems separated or roughly chopped
  • a bunch cilantro roughly choopped
  • a bunch mint roughly choopped

Instructions
 

Pho Broth

  • Heat a large pot with oil. Add the onion, garlic, and ginger, and roast for 3-5 minutes over high heat. → You want it lightly burned for a beautiful roasting flavor.
  • Stir in carrot, leek, star anise, cloves, and cinnamon (add more oil if necessary). Cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
  • Pour in water and soy sauce, bring to a boil, pop on the lid, and let it simmer for one hour over low to medium heat.
  • Drain it over a fine-mesh strainer into a large bowl/pot. Transfer back into the pot and feel free season to taste with sriracha/sambal oelek and more soy sauce. → Add a few splashes of lime juice if you like!

Marinated Tofu

  • Cover the tofu in a paper towel and press to remove excess water (or use a tofu press). Cut into thin 12 slices and place them in a deep dish.
  • Mix soy sauce, sesame oil, sambal oelek, ginger, and black pepper in a small bowl. Pour over the tofu and let it marinate for at least 15 minutes.
  • Heat a skillet with some oil (~1 tbsp) and cook each side of the tofu for 5 minutes until brown and lightly crispy. → Add the remaining marinade in the last few minutes to the skillet.

Pho Soup

  • Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions and rinse under cold water.
  • Arrange the rice noodles, tofu, and pak choi in 4 bowls.
  • Add the sliced shiitake mushrooms to the pho broth and bring to boil. Pour over the bowls and top with cilantro and mint.

Notes

Feel free to add in any other vegetables of your choice (bean sprouts, scallions, julienne carrots, leek, cabbage). If you prefer your veggies soft, add them with the shiitake mushrooms to the pho broth.
Optional: Serve with sambal oelek/sriracha, soy sauce, lime wedges, or sliced chilies on top.
Leftovers & Make-Ahead: The pho broth can be stored for up to 3 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer (freeze already in portions). 
The recipe is quite a task - to make it easier: Precook the pho broth one day in advance! The tofu can also be prepared in advance and marinated overnight in the fridge.

Nutrition

Calories: 258kcal | Carbohydrates: 32g | Protein: 9g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 1123mg | Potassium: 221mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 5062IU | Vitamin C: 29mg | Calcium: 170mg | Iron: 2mg