This vegan pho is incredibly comforting and delicious with a wonderfully medicinal broth!
Pho is a Vietnamese soup dish that includes noodles, broth, herbs and traditionally meat. This version is vegan and just as delicious!
There is a vegan Vietnamese restaurant in Los Angeles that makes a really tasty vegan pho with just veggies and it’s one of my favorite things on the menu! I credit it to the homemade broth that provides such a rich depth of flavor.
Pho broth is unique as it is made with unique warming herbs and spices. It has a slight sweetness to it from spices like cinnamon and star anise. Star anise specifically is superb for warding off cold and flu symptoms with its anti-viral, anti-bacterial and anti-inflammatory benefits.
Making homemade broth is so worth it! This broth doesn’t take too long to make and the flavor from the fresh herbs and spices are really what makes this vegan gluten free pho so unique and tasty!
Ginger and cloves add extra medicinal and immune boosting benefits of this broth as well as enriching the taste of this Vietnamese noodle soup.
Making Traditional Recipes Vegan
Many traditional pho recipes contain fish sauce. To achieve a similar flavors I add a piece of a Kombu Seaweed to the broth, which also has a ton of minerals. As well as adding coconut aminos and vegan fish sauce to the broth. Adding vegan fish sauce is an optional step it’s still delicious with or without it!
This vegan pho is also easily made gluten-free using Gluten Free Pho Noodles. This is the brand I use for the Vegan Fish Sauce. It is also gluten and soy free and really brings the flavor!
You can find many of these spices at health food stores, asian markets or online!
I love add sweet potatoes and cruciferous vegetables like broccoli and cauliflower to this recipe. The vegetables cook in the broth making them absorb more of the rich flavors.
Sweet potato lends itself to the sweetness of the homemade broth and is a nice hearty plant based addition to this dish.
Choose Your Toppings
Traditionally pho comes with garnish toppings like fresh herbs, spouts and chili peppers. I like to add herbs of cilantro and fresh Thai basil if you have access it it, jalapeño or Serrano pepper slices and daikon radish.
Soup is such a comfort meal because its warming broth and noodles but I love how visually this vegan pho is as well!
I love adding daikon or watermelon radish and it’s fun cutting them into flower shapes. These are the Flower Vegetable Cutters I use. This is optional but such a nice way to present this dish!
You can also add in some leftover star anise from the broth (just for garnish, they are too hard to eat) but brings an incredible licorice type flavor to the broth when simmered.
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Delicious Homemade Vegan Pho (Vietnamese Noodle Soup)
Ingredients
Broth Ingredients
- 8 cups filtered water
- 2 cups carrots chopped
- 1/2 yellow onion
- 1 piece Kombu seaweed
- 3 whole star anise
- 2 inch piece ginger peeled
- 5 whole cloves
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 2 dried thai chilis
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tbsp sea salt
Remaining ingredients
- 4 cups sweet potato, peeled and diced
- 3 cups caulilflower florets
- 3-4 cups broccoli florets
- 1 package pho rice noodles
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp vegan fish sauce
Toppings
- cilantro
- thai basil
- diakon radish cut into flower shapes (cutter linked above)
- bean sprouts
- sliced jalapeno or serrano pepper
- lime slices
Garnish (for plating, not to eat)
- whole star anise
- dried thai chili peppers
Instructions
- Into a large pot, add all the broth ingredients. Cover with lid and bring to a boil.
- Then reduce to a low simmer (leaving the lid on) and simmer for at least 1 hour.
- Then drain over a mesh strainer into a large bowl. Removing all the broth ingredients leaving a clear broth. Pour the broth back into a the pot.
- Add in diced sweet potato and cauliflower florets and bring to a simmer. Cook for about 5 minutes then add in the broccoli florets. Mix and simmer for another 10 minutes. Add into coconut aminos, vegan sauce and stir.
- Cook rice noodles according to package instructions. (I used the Lotus Foods brand, linked above)
- Serve in bowls and add in cooked rice noodles and toppings of choice.
- I added fresh cilantro, jalapeño slices and daikon "flowers" and lime.
- Garnish with star anise and Thai chili peppers (not to eat, just for presentation)
- Enjoy!
Wow sounds soooo delicious.Will try it
And update
great! enjoy 🙂