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Vegan pho in a black bowl with fresh cilantro and lime.
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5 from 4 votes

Vegan Pho

This vegan pho is packed with flavor and a perfect blend of spices with shiitake mushrooms and tofu. This is comfort food in a bowl!
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour 5 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Diet: Vegan
Servings: 6
Calories: 449kcal
Author: Alison Andrews

Ingredients

Charred Onion and Ginger:

  • 1 Medium Onion White, Yellow or Brown, Peeled and Halved
  • 3 inch Piece of Fresh Ginger Halved
  • 1 teaspoon Sesame Oil

Spices:

  • 4 Star Anise
  • 4 Whole Cloves
  • 2 Cinnamon Sticks
  • 2 Cardamon Pods
  • 1 Tablespoon Whole Coriander Seeds

Broth:

  • 8 cups Vegetable Stock (1920ml) or Broth
  • 5 cups Sliced Shiitake Mushrooms (250g)
  • 1 Tablespoon Coconut Sugar
  • 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
  • 1 Tablespoon Rice Vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon Sea Salt
  • 16 ounces Firm Tofu (450g) Cubed
  • 2 Heads Baby Bok Choy

Noodles:

  • 8 ounces Flat Rice Noodles (226g) Dry Weight

Serving:

  • 1 cup Fresh Cilantro
  • 1 cup Basil Leaves
  • 2 Small Fresh Limes Quartered
  • 2 Fresh Chilis Sliced
  • ½ cup Green Onions
  • Hoisin sauce

Instructions

  • Prepare the charred onion and ginger: Preheat the oven to 390°F (200°C).
  • Rub the onion and ginger halves with the sesame oil and place them onto a parchment lined baking tray with the cut sides facing up.
  • Bake in the oven for 35 minutes until charred. You will use this in your broth. 
  • Prepare the spices. Add the star anise, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamon pods and whole coriander seeds into a spice infuser.
  • Prepare the broth: Add the vegetable stock/broth to a pot along with the sliced shiitake mushrooms and the roasted onion and ginger. Add in the infuser containing the spices.
  • Bring to the boil and then reduce heat, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes of simmering, remove the spice infuser and then remove the roasted onion and ginger from the broth. 
  • Add the coconut sugar, soy sauce, rice vinegar and sea salt and stir them into the broth. 
  • Add the cubed tofu and baby bok choy and stir in. Simmer for another 5 minutes.
  • Prepare the noodles: Cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions.
  • Assemble the Pho: Ladle the broth over cooked rice noodles in a bowl.
  • Add fresh herbs and garnishes as you like. 
  • Serve with a squeeze of lime.

Notes

  1. Gluten free - use a gluten free soy sauce or switch for tamari if you'd like to keep this gluten-free.
  2. Spring onions - are also called green onions or salad onions or scallions.
  3. Hoisin sauce - is optional but can be quite tasty added in to your bowl. Serve it on the side.
  4. Storing - leftovers can be stored in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-3 days.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serve | Calories: 449kcal | Carbohydrates: 72g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Sodium: 2494mg | Potassium: 1819mg | Fiber: 24g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1260IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 1039mg | Iron: 40mg