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Herbivore's Kitchen

Vegan Pho With Fresh Vegetables

If you're looking for the perfect vegan pho, you're in the right place.  It starts with a made-from-scratch vegetable based broth and ends with a collection of brilliantly colored vegetables, some spices and fresh herbs.  The basis of the broth was originally developed by cookbook author Lukas Volger; shared with permission. 
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Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Course Main Course
Servings 4

Ingredients
  

Pho Broth

  • 1 large onion, cut into quarters
  • 1 3-4 piece fresh ginger, peeled and cut into thick coins
  • 2 tbsp peanut oil
  • 2 medium leeks, cleaned and sliced into 1-inch pieces use both the white and green parts of the leek
  • 2 large carrots, washed and sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 1 medium daikon radish, peeled and sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 10 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
  • 1 stalk lemongrass, coarsely cut and smashed
  • 3 whole star anise
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 2 whole cinnamon sticks
  • 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
  • 5 dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 small handful cilantro stems
  • 1/4 cup vegan fish sauce
  • 1/4 cup tamari or liquid aminos

Pho Toppings & Seasonings (All optional)

  • 1 large carrot, washed and shaved or sliced into thin pieces
  • 2 bunches broccolini, washed and cut into bite-sized pieces, including the stems
  • 10-12 shiitake mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
  • 2 heads bok choy, rinsed and cut into bite-sized pieces
  • 1 small handful mint
  • 1 small handful thai basil
  • 1 small handful cilantro
  • 2 scallions cleaned and sliced
  • 1 jalapeno, sliced into thin coins
  • 2 limes rinsed and cut into 8 wedges
  • 1 package rice noodles, prepared in accordance with the package
  • hoisin sauce, to taste
  • sriracha sauce, to taste

Vegan Fish Sauce

  • 4 cups water
  • 1/2 cup tamari
  • 3 cloves garlic
  • .25 ounces dried shiitake (or other) mushrooms
  • 2 tsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp whole peppercorns
  • 1 sheet torn nori
  • 2 tsp turbinado sugar in the raw

Instructions
 

Vegan Fish Sauce (Optional; Vegan Fish Sauce Can Be Purchased Pre-Made)

  • Add water, tamari, garlic cloves, dried mushrooms, tomato paste, peppercorns, torn nori and sugar to a small pot.  Bring to a boil and allow to simmer until the liquid is reduced by half.  About 30 minutes.  Strain out the whole ingredients.  Keep refrigerated.  
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Making the Pho Broth

  • Preheat broiler and place cut onions and ginger coins on a cookie sheet.  Place under the broiler, watching carefully until both the ginger and onions begin to char.  Remove and set aside.
  • In a large pot, heat the peanut oil until shimmering. Add the leeks, carrots, daikon radish, garlic, lemongrass, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, fennel seeds.  Toss the vegetables and spices to coat and allow to soften and become fragrant.  About 5 minutes.
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  • Add 4 quarts of cold water and the charred onions and ginger and shiitake mushrooms.  Bring to a boil then reduce to a simmer.  Simmer for 1 hour.  
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  • Allow the broth to cool and then separate the broth from the vegetables and spices.  I do this by placing a new pot in my sinker with a large strainer over the top.  I then pour the broth through it, collecting the vegetables and spices.  Be sure to use a fine enough strainer to catch the smaller pieces (i.e. the whole cloves, fennel seeds and smashed garlic). Discard the vegetables and spices. 
  • Place the strained broth on the stove and add the vegan fish sauce and the tamari.  Allow to heat for serving.  You'll want to broth to be hot so as to soften the vegetables you add as toppings.  
  • While the broth is reheating, prepare your rice noodles according to the packaging.  While the water for the rice noodles is heating, I like to steam my broccolini over the top of the pot in a small strainer.  I steam it until it is bright green and just slightly softened.  
  • When the noodles and broccolini are prepared, arrange a pho station for your dinner guests, laying out the broccolini, carrots, mushrooms, noddles, bok choy, scallions, limes and herbs, spices and sauces.  I highly recommend adding fresh squeezed lime juice to the final dish to brighten the flavors.  

Notes

I did not add any meat substitutes to this version, but in the past I've added a baked teriyaki tofu.  I love this as an addition and it does make for a more filling meal.  
Keyword pho, vegan pho, vegan vietnamese food, vegetable pho, vegetarian pho
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