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    You are here: Home / Entrees / Easy Vegan Pho

    LAST UPDATED: January 25, 2022 • FIRST PUBLISHED: November 3, 2015

    Easy Vegan Pho

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    Easy Vegan Pho

    Toasty spices and veggies are simmered in vegetable broth and ladled over silky rice noodles and crispy pan-fried tofu before being topped with hoisin sauce and fresh herbs to make this restaurant-worthy vegan pho. The best part? It comes together in less than an hour!

    Easy Vegan Pho

    I've enjoyed quite a bit of Vietnamese food, but it was forever before I actually got to try what is perhaps the best known Vietnamese dish of all: pho. Nobody has a vegetarian version! Most of the Vietnamese places I've frequented offer a vegetarian option called something like "vegetarian noodle soup," which is not pho. I know this because I finally found some veggie pho, and it was way better.

    So have you had pho? It's amazing. Tastes like Christmas. Seriously! I actually thought of holding off on posting this until we were well within the holidays, because it would make some mean party food. Dress your own pho party complete with toppings bar? You know you want to.

    Easy Vegan Pho

    When I started seeking out pho recipes I figured out why nobody has a vegetarian version. Normal pho involves hours and hours of simmering meaty things in broth. I guess the restaurants I visited didn't feel like bothering with a separate meatless broth, for simple lack of demand.

    So, did I simmer meatless things for hours and hours to make my vegan pho? No, I took some shortcuts, but don't worry, it was still like magic in my mouth. Normal pho recipes call for charring onions and ginger over an open flame, which I could do, but figuring not everyone has a gas stove, I gave broiling a shot. It worked! Then I simmered whole spices. I had the whole spices on hand, and perhaps you could sub ground spices, but I don't know if that would be as good. It certainly wouldn't be as fun or look as cool. So splurge for some spices. A brief 30 minute simmer did the trick.

    Easy Vegan Pho
    Close Up of a Bowl of Vegan Pho with Spoon
    4.73 from 18 votes
    Print

    Easy Vegan Pho

    Toasty spices and veggies are simmered in vegetable broth and ladled over silky rice noodles and crispy pan-fried tofu before being topped with hoisin sauce and fresh herbs to make this restaurant-worthy vegan pho. The best part? It comes together in less than an hour!
    Course Soup
    Cuisine American, Vietnamese
    Prep Time 10 minutes
    Cook Time 40 minutes
    Total Time 50 minutes
    Servings 4
    Calories 320 kcal
    Author Alissa

    Ingredients

    • 2 quarts vegetable broth
    • 1 large onion quartered
    • 4 inch piece fresh ginger
    • 2 cinnamon sticks
    • 4-6 whole star anise *
    • 4 whole cloves
    • 2 tbsp. soy sauce or tamari
    • 8 oz. rice noodles
    • 1 lb. extra firm tofu, drained, pressed and cut into ½ inch cubes
    • 1 tbsp. vegetable oil
    • 2 cups shiitake mushroom caps sliced
    • 1 cup julienned carrots

    For Topping

    • lime wedges
    • hoisin sauce
    • sriracha sauce
    • soy sauce
    • jalapeño slices
    • fresh cilantro
    • scallions
    • fresh basil

    Instructions

    1. Pour vegetable broth into a large pot and place over high heat. Bring to a simmer.
    2. While broth heats up, place onion and ginger onto baking sheet and place under broiler. Cook until lightly charred on top, about 4 minutes, watching carefully to avoid burning. Rotate and cook until charred on opposite sides. Add onion and ginger to broth, along with cinnamon, star anise, cloves and soy sauce or tamari. Allow to simmer for at least 30 minutes, adding a bit of water if the mixture reduces too much.
    3. While broth simmers, cook noodles according to package directions. Drain into a colander and rinse with cold water.
    4. Coat the bottom of a large nonstick skillet with oil and place over medium heat. Add tofu cubes and cook about 10 minutes, flipping once or twice, until browned on multiple sides. Remove from heat and transfer to a paper towel.
    5. When broth has simmered for at least 30 minutes, use a slotted spoon to remove onion, ginger and spices. Add shiitakes and simmer until tender, about 4 minutes. Add carrots and simmer just until slightly tenderized and bright orange, about 1 minute.
    6. Divide noodles and tofu among bowls and ladle broth and veggies over top. Serve with toppings of choice (preferably all!).

    Recipe Notes

    I used 6 star anise, but I really like a lot of anise flavor. Just a warning so nobody overdoes it!

    Nutrition Facts
    Easy Vegan Pho
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 320 Calories from Fat 102
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 11.3g17%
    Saturated Fat 2.5g13%
    Sodium 2198mg92%
    Potassium 841mg24%
    Carbohydrates 35g12%
    Fiber 4.7g19%
    Sugar 7.6g8%
    Protein 21.8g44%
    Calcium 210mg21%
    Iron 3.8mg21%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    « Vegan Broccoli Cheese Casserole
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    About Alissa Saenz

    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors! You can read more about me here.

    I'd love to connect with you on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Allysia says

      November 03, 2015 at 10:15 am

      I love Pho! Basically anything that can be served family-style (do-it-yourself toppings) is great, and soup is great, and spicy food is great, so you really can't go wrong with it. Charring the onion is a good call, I'll have to give that a whirl next time.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        November 04, 2015 at 10:48 pm

        I'm definitely with you on all of that! The charring gives it a little bit of smoky flavor. Enjoy!

        Reply
    2. Jess says

      December 04, 2015 at 4:17 pm

      I made this recipe last night, and it was amazing! Followed directions exactly as indicated except that I didn't have star anise on hand so had to sub anise seed (1 tsp = 2 star anise). Thanks so much for the recipe--it's definitely a keeper.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 06, 2015 at 8:51 pm

        Yay! So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Jess!

        Reply
        • Lanie says

          October 18, 2020 at 5:51 pm

          5 stars
          Thank you for this simple, delicious recipe! I added bokchoy. So good!

          Reply
    3. Stephanie Diersing says

      January 06, 2016 at 5:35 pm

      I thought I'd never be able to have Pho again from our local Vietnamese restaurant because it's made with beef or chicken broth. Even with my tweaks (adding some ingredients, missing others and sauteeing rather than broiling) it still came out delicious! Excellent recipe. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    4. Chery says

      December 01, 2016 at 3:33 pm

      See if you can find Thai (purple) basil and Asian cilantro. They will make this dish taste more "authentic".

      Also I always glaze the tofu with a mixture of soy sauce, sweetener and sesame oil, sometimes a bit hot sauce as well.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 04, 2016 at 10:34 am

        That sounds delicious! I always have a hard time finding Thai basil, so this summer I actually planted some in the garden, but my garden did terrible this year so I never got to try it! Maybe next year. I totally agree though, I love the Thai basil when I get it at Asian restaurants. Asian cilantro is new to me, so I'll definitely have to explore that. :)

        Reply
    5. Michelle says

      February 09, 2017 at 10:58 pm

      Best veggie pho recipe I've found so far! Thank you!!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        February 12, 2017 at 12:15 pm

        I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks Michelle!

        Reply
    6. Emily says

      February 20, 2018 at 3:34 pm

      5 stars
      This was my first time making homemade pho and it turned out great! I will make this again.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        February 21, 2018 at 4:26 pm

        Glad you like it!! Thanks Emily!

        Reply
    7. GK says

      March 26, 2018 at 3:08 pm

      5 stars
      Just made this soup - WONDERFUL!
      I didn't have bamboo shoots or bok choy but I added broccoli and carrots. Added an extra Tbsp of sugar, rice vinegar, sriracha. and soy sauce. (used sriracha in place of the chili paste) as well as a bit of sesame oil.

      Love it!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 28, 2018 at 9:55 pm

        Awesome!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much!

        Reply
    8. Toni says

      April 08, 2018 at 9:46 am

      5 stars
      This was easy to make, and tasted so great!!! Saved this one for sure. I am about to make more since the first pot is gone!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        April 08, 2018 at 6:32 pm

        Awesome!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Toni!

        Reply
    9. Jonna appleby says

      October 11, 2018 at 11:59 pm

      I am going to make and tweak .. I don’t like anise so I will jot be using I will use other spices ... I will sauté onions til nice and caremlozed and add fresh grated ginger o will
      Make my tofu crispy by dredging in cornstarch then sautéing ... I also want to try my better than bouillon veg base I might add snow peas as well

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        October 14, 2018 at 8:55 pm

        I'd love to hear how it turns out!

        Reply
    10. Sandy says

      November 26, 2018 at 8:10 pm

      This looks good! Can I use cinnamon powder in place of cinnamon sticks?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        November 28, 2018 at 4:22 pm

        I think so! I'm just not sure how much you'd need. I'd start with just a tiny bit and add more at the end if needed.

        Reply
    11. Diane says

      December 03, 2018 at 11:45 pm

      5 stars
      I made this as written other than improvising the charring technique. I also threw in whatever veggies I had in the fridge (I.e. Brussels sprouts, broccoli and cauliflower).
      All I can say it that this soup makes your mouth happy 😊
      Thanks for posting this! It’s a definite keeper and will be made over our Christmas holiday!!!

      Diane

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 06, 2018 at 5:27 pm

        I'm so happy to hear that and I love the additional veggies - especially the Brussels sprouts! Thanks Diane!

        Reply
    12. Miki says

      December 14, 2018 at 12:23 pm

      Is the mushroom dry or fresh?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 16, 2018 at 10:58 am

        Fresh! :)

        Reply
    13. Jenny Baker says

      December 18, 2018 at 10:59 am

      4 stars
      Ok help me...I made this last night and the family loved it BUT the anise flavor got lost from pot to bowl! And what broth do you use? I used the Whole Foods brand and it was really strong. I'm thinking the Pho at our local place is also full of sodium. My kiddos asked for salt in it and when I finally gave in they said it tasted more authentic lol.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        December 20, 2018 at 3:59 pm

        Oh wow! That's odd, but you can always try using extra anise when you make it again. I think I used Pacific Foods broth. You can also try bullion or something like Better Than Bullion - that will allow you to just make it as strong as you like. I hope that helps!

        Reply
        • Jenny says

          December 23, 2018 at 2:28 pm

          5 stars
          Ok, good news!!! I ate it for lunch that day after letting it sit out all night and it was glorious!! I suspect I like more of the anise flavor than maybe others. After making this again and letting it simmer longer I realized this might be the perfect pho recipe! Thank you!

          Reply
          • Alissa Saenz says

            December 24, 2018 at 10:45 am

            Yay!! I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks so much Jenny!

            Reply
    14. Sharon says

      January 25, 2019 at 11:14 am

      when you say 4 cloves.. is that garlic?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 27, 2019 at 3:10 pm

        Just regular old cloves, like these: https://www.mccormick.com/spices-and-flavors/herbs-and-spices/spices/cloves-whole

        Reply
    15. Dawn says

      January 29, 2019 at 12:04 pm

      5 stars
      I made this today and it is fabulous! I added broccoli and left out the tofu. It's very versatile. Thanks so much for this recipe! This is definitely a keeper.

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        February 01, 2019 at 6:45 pm

        Yay! Glad you like it! Thanks Dawn!

        Reply
    16. Hannah says

      March 26, 2019 at 6:59 pm

      5 stars
      THIS WAS AMAZING! My whole family enjoyed the rich broth which filled the house with its comforting aroma. Printed the recipe immediately and put it in our recipe binder. Thank you! I am about to make a big batch of the broth and freeze it so we can have it on hand anytime a pho craving comes along...which is a lot!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        March 27, 2019 at 9:23 am

        Oh, great idea!! I'm definitely making a double batch and freezing some of the broth next time! I'm so glad this was a hit. Thanks Hannah!

        Reply
    17. Zak says

      May 08, 2019 at 1:23 am

      5 stars
      I've now made this recipe twice and it's unbelievably delicious. The broth is so insanely flavorful (especially the second time, having simmered the spices for an hour). I top off a bowl of this with juice of half a lime, cilantro, basil, a little hoisin sauce, and a squeeze of sriracha. I eat so much of this pho that I feel sick! Thanks so much for the recipe :)

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        May 12, 2019 at 4:15 pm

        Wonderful!! I'm so glad you're enjoying it! Thanks Zak!

        Reply
    18. Joshua Howard says

      September 02, 2019 at 1:21 pm

      Hi Alissa! Thank you for this recipe! I have a question. What mushrooms can be used to replace shiitake mushrooms?

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        September 08, 2019 at 4:24 pm

        Just about any common variety would work! If you can get your hands on some oyster mushrooms I think they'd be delicious, but otherwise white button or cremini mushrooms would work just fine. I hope you enjoy it!

        Reply
        • Joshua Howard says

          September 27, 2019 at 1:34 pm

          5 stars
          Thank you! I made it with oyster mushrooms and the taste was awesome!

          Reply
          • Alissa Saenz says

            September 29, 2019 at 2:58 pm

            That sounds wonderful - I love oyster mushrooms! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!

            Reply
    19. Tinea says

      October 09, 2019 at 3:02 pm

      5 stars
      I never write reviews but I had to in this case! This is the second recipe that I’ve tried of yours that was AMAZING!!!
      This is another keeper. Thanks for sharing!!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        October 13, 2019 at 10:51 am

        Awesome!! I'm so glad you like it! Thanks so much Tinea!

        Reply
    20. Kendra says

      October 20, 2019 at 6:18 pm

      5 stars
      For the last like 2-3 years this is my go to pho recipe when we’re not feeling well and it’s amazing!! I ve tried a few others but it’s never this good!!

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        October 27, 2019 at 2:10 pm

        I'm so happy to hear that! Thank you so much Kendra!

        Reply
    21. Luciana says

      January 11, 2020 at 1:34 pm

      DELICIOUS!!! My hubby claimed this is the BEST Pho he ever had. I totally agree!! Lots of flavor and I also love that it’s so much easier to make. I used to cringe at the lengthy process from other recipes and often the flavors weren’t even there... Your recipe has tons of flavor!! We added extra veggies as we are not fans of tofu. Thank you so much for your generosity in sharing with us all!! Appreciating you and your work. Luciana

      Reply
      • Alissa Saenz says

        January 12, 2020 at 10:45 am

        Wonderful!! I'm so glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks so much for stopping back to let me know!

        Reply
    22. Liz says

      March 18, 2020 at 11:50 am

      5 stars
      I’ve made this recipe about four times now, and LOVED it every time. I make it just as stated, except I season the tofu cubes with turmeric, curry, onion powder and garlic salt, then air fry them. This cuts out the oil, and saves on clean up, and they hold up in the broth very nicely.This is every bit as good as I’ve had in a Pho restaurant. Thank you so much for this recipe. Well done!!!!

      Reply
    23. Rita Delfing says

      April 02, 2020 at 6:18 pm

      I made this for the first time, it turned out well, I didn't have star anise so I used fennel just a little harder to scoop out of the broth. I was impressed with how well it tastes.

      Reply
    24. Becca says

      November 11, 2020 at 12:27 pm

      5 stars
      Delicious and totally addictive! I’ve made it twice and have added baby bok choy as will.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Alissa! I'm a former attorney turned professional food blogger. I love creating vegan recipes with bold flavors!

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