This vegan pho is made with tender veggies, silky rice noodles, and hoisin tofu in a savory broth that's packed with warming spices. The best part? It comes together in less than an hour!
Have you ever had pho? It's the most amazingly delicious Vietnamese noodle soup. Unfortunately, vegan pho seems to be in short supply. Most of the Vietnamese places I've frequented offer a meatless 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.
Legit pho is all about the broth. Pho broth is infused with whole spices and charred aromatics. It has a distinctive flavor that will absolutely warm you up when it's cold outside. This stuff isn't any ordinary noodle soup!
Not only is this vegan pho delicious, it's actually easier to make than traditional pho, which involves a long and involved meat cooking process. Obviously we don't have to worry about that here! A brief thirty minute simmer is all we need to infuse our broth with loads and loads of flavor.
Jump to:
Ingredients You'll Need
- Onion.
- Fresh ginger.
- Whole spices. These are essential. In some recipes you can cheat and use ground spices, but whole spices are necessary to getting the flavor of your pho broth right. You'll need cinnamon sticks, star anise, cardamom pods, fennel, cloves, and coriander seeds.
- Vegetable stock. I highly recommend using an unsalted or low sodium vegetable stock. This will allow you to season it with as much soy sauce as you'd like without risking oversalting it! I used Kitchen Basics unsalted vegetable stock.
- Soy sauce. Tamari or liquid aminos can be substituted if needed.
- Salt.
- Rice noodles. Ideally you'll want to use medium-sized flat rice noodles, though you can certainly make the recipe work with other types. I used Thai Kitchen stir-fry rice noodles.
- Peanut oil. Another high-heat oil such as canola oil, coconut oil, or avocado oil could be substituted.
- Shiitake mushrooms.
- Tofu. The recipe calls for super firm tofu. You can substitute with extra firm tofu, but you'll need to press it before cooking.
- Hoisin sauce. Look for this in the international foods section of your supermarket.
- Carrots.
- Accompaniments. Toppings and accompaniments are an essential part of a pho dinner! They can include fresh basil (preferably holy basil or Thai basil), cilantro, scallions (also known as green onions), bean sprouts, lime wedges, hot peppers, soy sauce, hoisin sauce and sriracha sauce. You don't necessarily need to use all of them, but the more the better!
Tip: To keep this vegan pho recipe gluten-free, just use gluten-free tamari and make sure your hoisin sauce is gluten-free.
How It's Made
The following is a detailed photo tutorial on how to make this dish. Scroll all the way down if you'd like to skip right to the recipe!
- The first step to making your broth is charring the onion and ginger. Quarter your onion and slice your piece of ginger in half, thickness wise.
- Option 1: Open flame. If you have a gas burner or another open flame you can use to char them (such as a barbecue grill), use it! Grasp the pieces with tongs and hold them each one over the flame for a few minutes until it begins to char.
- Option 2: Broiler. If you don't have an open flame you can use, simply place them on a baking sheet and under a broiler until they darken.
- Place a large pot over medium heat. Give it a minute to heat up, then add your whole spices. Toast them for about 1 minute, stirring often and keeping an eye on them to avoid burning.
- Add your charred aromatics to the pot, along with the broth. Heat it up, bring the broth to a boil, and let it simmer for about 30 minutes.
- Remove the spices and aromatics from the broth when it's done cooking, then season it with some soy sauce.
Tip: Feel free to let your broth simmer longer for extra flavor, but make sure to add some water if the liquid reduces too much.
- Cook your noodles while the broth simmers. You can refer to the package directions for how to do this, but most brands require just a few minutes of boiling.
- Cook the shiitakes. Heat some oil in a medium skillet, then add sliced shiitake caps. Cook them for a few minutes, giving them just one or two flips so they get browned all over.
- Take the mushrooms out of the skillet when they're done.
- Add a bit more oil to the skillet, then add cubed tofu. Pan-fry the tofu for a few minutes on each side, until browned and crispy.
- Pour some hoisin sauce over the tofu, flip it a few times and let everything cook until the sauce forms a thick coating on the tofu.
- Once your broth has finished simmering, divide the cooked rice noodles, tofu, mushrooms and julienne cut carrots among four bowls.
- Ladle the broth over everything, then pile on the toppings and enjoy!
Leftovers & Storage
Ideally you'll want to store each of the components of your vegan pho in a separate airtight container in the refrigerator, where they'll keep for 3 to 4 days.
The broth can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
More Vegan Noodle Soups
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Easy Vegan Pho
This vegan pho is made with tender veggies, silky rice noodles, and hoisin tofu in a savory broth that's packed with warming spices. The best part? It comes together in less than an hour!
Ingredients
For the Broth
- 1 large onion quartered
- 1 (4 inch) piece fresh ginger, sliced in half, thickness-wise
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 8 whole star anise
- 6 cardamom pods
- 6 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon whole coriander seeds
- ½ teaspoon fennel seeds
- 2 quarts vegetable stock (Note 1)
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce, or to taste
- Salt, to taste
For the Soup
- 8 ounces rice noodles (Note 2)
- 2 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
- 1 (16 ounce or 454 gram) package super firm tofu, cut into ½ inch cubes
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 cups shiitake mushroom caps, sliced
- 1 cup julienne cut carrots
Accompaniments
- Lime wedges
- Hoisin sauce
- Sriracha sauce
- Soy sauce
- Jalapeño slices
- Fresh cilantro
- Chopped scallions
- Fresh basil (Note 3)
- Bean sprouts
Instructions
Make the Broth
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Char the aromatics. Option 1: Char each of the onion quarters and ginger halves individually by holding it over an open flame (such as a gas burner) using a pair of tongs (Note 4). Option 2: Place the onion quarters and ginger halves on a baking sheet, then place the baking sheet under a preheated broiler. Broil the aromatics for a few minutes on each side, until they begin to char. Place each piece on a plate when done.
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Place a large pot over medium heat. Give it a minute to heat up, then add the cinnamon sticks, anise, cardamom, cloves, coriander, and fennel seeds. Toast the spices for about 1 minute, stirring constantly.
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Add the broth and charred aromatics to the pot. Raise the heat and bring the broth to a boil.
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Lower the heat and let the broth simmer for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally. Prepare the soup ingredients as instructed below while the broth cooks.
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Once the broth has finished simmering, remove the pot from heat and remove the spices and aromatics. Season the broth with soy sauce and salt to taste.
Prepare the Soup Ingredients
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While broth simmers, cook the noodles according to their package directions. Drain them into a colander and rinse them with cold water when done.
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Coat the bottom of a large nonstick skillet with 1 tablespoon of the oil and place it over medium heat.
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Once the oil is hot, add the shiitake mushrooms. Cook the mushrooms for about 10 minutes, flipping once or twice, until browned. Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a plate.
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Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pot, then add the tofu cubes.
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Cook the tofu pieces for about 10 minutes, flipping once or twice to achieve browning on multiple sides.
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Carefully pour the hoisin sauce over the tofu and flip the pieces a few times. Cook the tofu briefly until the sauce thickens and coats the pieces. Transfer the tofu to a plate.
Assemble
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Divide the noodles, tofu, mushrooms and carrots among four bowls and ladle the broth over everything.
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Serve with the accompaniments.
Recipe Notes
- For best results, use an unsalted or low sodium broth. This will allow you to season it with soy sauce to taste without risking oversalting it.
- Pad Thai noodles are just about the right size for pho.
- Use Thai basil or holy basil if you can get your hands on it. Italian basil works just fine if that's all you can get your hands on.
- Be particularly careful with the ginger, as the peel can catch fire.
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.
I'm definitely with you on all of that! The charring gives it a little bit of smoky flavor. Enjoy!
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.
Yay! So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Jess!
Thank you for this simple, delicious recipe! I added bokchoy. So good!
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!
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.
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. :)
Best veggie pho recipe I've found so far! Thank you!!
I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks Michelle!
This was my first time making homemade pho and it turned out great! I will make this again.
Glad you like it!! Thanks Emily!
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!
Awesome!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks so much!
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!
Awesome!! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Toni!
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
I'd love to hear how it turns out!
This looks good! Can I use cinnamon powder in place of cinnamon sticks?
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.
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
I'm so happy to hear that and I love the additional veggies - especially the Brussels sprouts! Thanks Diane!
Is the mushroom dry or fresh?
Fresh! :)
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.
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!
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!
Yay!! I'm so happy to hear that! Thanks so much Jenny!
when you say 4 cloves.. is that garlic?
Just regular old cloves, like these: https://www.mccormick.com/spices-and-flavors/herbs-and-spices/spices/cloves-whole
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.
Yay! Glad you like it! Thanks Dawn!
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!
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!
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 :)
Wonderful!! I'm so glad you're enjoying it! Thanks Zak!
Hi Alissa! Thank you for this recipe! I have a question. What mushrooms can be used to replace shiitake mushrooms?
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!
Thank you! I made it with oyster mushrooms and the taste was awesome!
That sounds wonderful - I love oyster mushrooms! I'm so glad you enjoyed it!
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!!
Awesome!! I'm so glad you like it! Thanks so much Tinea!
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!!
I'm so happy to hear that! Thank you so much Kendra!
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
Wonderful!! I'm so glad you both enjoyed it! Thanks so much for stopping back to let me know!
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!!!!
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.
Delicious and totally addictive! I’ve made it twice and have added baby bok choy as will.