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This classic Vietnamese noodle soup has a rich and complex broth and comes with vegan beef, rice noodles, tofu, mushrooms, and plenty of fresh herbs! Check out this in-depth guide on how to make the best vegan pho! Super flavorful, easy to make, and SO comforting!
⭐️ Why You Should Try This Recipe
- It’s as close to authentic as possible: This easy vegan pho is based on many different versions I tried in Vietnam. Unlike many Westernized recipes, this one is adapted from authentic Vietnamese recipes. I also got tips from locals on how to make vegan pho. This recipe is Vietnamese-approved!
- The broth is rich and flavorful. With the perfect balance of saltiness and sweetness, the broth has complex flavors with a smoky aroma.
- It’s comforting, filling, and healthy!
🍜 What is Phở
Phở is one of the most popular Vietnamese noodle soups and is said to have originated in the early 20th century in the North of Vietnam. Phở consists of a broth infused with spices and served with rice noodles, beef or chicken, and fresh herbs.
Generally, it is usually enjoyed for breakfast, but it can also be eaten for lunch or dinner. Vietnamese people do not often cook phở at home. Hence it is usually bought on the street or from restaurants. The vegan version of Phở is called “Phở chay” in Vietnamese.
🥣 How to Make Vegan Pho
Broth
First, we start with the pho broth, which is one of the most important parts of the recipe. Here is what you will need:
- Carrots
- Radish – Daikon radish brings a lot of natural sweetness to the broth.
- Shallot and onion
- Salt and sugar – To season. You can use regular sugar, rock sugar, or coconut sugar.
- Vegan fish sauce – Optional. The addition of vegan fish sauce adds extra saltiness. If omitting, simply add more salt to taste.
- Mushroom seasoning – To improve the flavor, you can add some mushroom seasoning or glutamate. It is not mandatory at all, but it helps increase the overall taste of the broth.
Note: I only went with carrot and radish as the main components of the broth mainly because these are available year-round. Feel free to use corn as well, when it is in season, for a slightly sweeter and richer broth.
What is not used to make phở: Miso, soy sauce, or seaweed are not used to make authentic Phở broth. These ingredients are only used in Westernized recipes.
To prepare the broth:
Start by charring the onion and shallots in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Charred onions and shallots will deepen the flavors of the broth.
Next, peel and slice the carrot and radish and transfer to a large pot along with the charred onion and shallots.
Cover with water and season with salt and sugar. Bring to a boil and let simmer uncovered for 35-40 minutes.
Should I remove the vegetables from the broth? That’s up to you! Usually, most of the vegetables are discarded. I personally only remove the onions and shallots from the broth and keep some of the carrots and radishes.
Spices to Flavor the Broth
Next, we will infuse the broth with whole spices. The spices used differ depending on the region and the cook. Here, we will be using a combination of spices that are usually used in Southern Vietnam. Here are the spices you will need:
- Black cardamom – If there is one spice you should not omit, it’s the black cardamom. It gives the broth a smoky aroma. You can buy black cardamom online or find it in most supermarkets.
- Cinnamon – I went with two cinnamon sticks here. I do not recommend using ground cinnamon for this recipe.
- Anise star
- Fennel seeds
- Coriander seeds
- Cloves
- Ginger – Fresh ginger is best. However, dried ginger slices will work as well.
If you don’t want to bother buying each spice individually, simply use a pho seasoning pack!
Toast the spices for 2-3 minutes in a non-stick skillet. This will help develop their aroma. Next, transfer the spices to a tea bag or a cheesecloth tied with a string.
Place the bag containing the spices in the broth and let it sit for about 10 minutes. I found that time enough to give the broth a rich flavor without adding any bitterness.
Add-ins
- Noodles – To make authentic phở, you will need thin and flat rice noodles (called “bánh phở” in Vietnamese).
- Vegan beef – In this recipe, I went with TVP imitation beef slices, but you can use any vegan “beef” alternative.
- Mushrooms – Sautéed mushrooms bring more texture and some fat to the broth. To prepare the mushrooms, simply sauté some oyster or cremini mushrooms in a tablespoon of oil over medium heat. Deglaze with a teaspoon of soy sauce and remove from heat.
- Bean sprouts – Optional. For some crunch!
- Green onions – Also called scallions, for a vibrant green color and a sharp flavor.
- Thai basil – Different from regular basil, Thai basil has a licorice and anise flavor. It’s also a bit peppery.
- Cilantro – And/or culantro. Cilantro is only used sparingly. It is not the main herb used to flavor the broth.
- Onion – Raw onion slices add some crunch.
The addition of sautéed mushrooms and vegan beef brings that fatty component to the broth, making it even richer, so do not skip on those!
🥢 How to Assemble
Once your broth and add-ins are ready, it’s time to assemble!
- Arrange a handful of bean sprouts in a bowl.
- Top with cooked rice noodles, fried tofu, vegan beef, and sautéed mushrooms.
- Garnish with green onions, Thai basil, cilantro, and raw onion slices.
- Finally, pour the piping hot broth into the bowl and serve immediately!
Extra flavorings
Phở is always served with extra condiments:
- Hoisin sauce – Called “Tương đen” in Vietnamese, this sauce is salty and slightly tangy. Want to make your own? Check out this easy hoisin sauce recipe!
- Sweet chili sauce – For some spiciness, use homemade sweet chili sauce, or the Cholimex brand.
- Saté – Saté is also sometimes added to the broth for a hint of lemongrass and some heat.
- Lime juice – For a zesty flavor and a subtle tanginess.
📔 Tips
- Do not discard all of the vegetables used to prepare the broth: leave some of them in the broth; it will taste even better the next day! I would advise against leaving them all, though, as it will soak up some of the broth, and you will end up with less liquid. I usually just keep about 1/3 of the carrots and radishes.
- Make sure the broth is salty enough. Taste before serving, and do not hesitate to add extra salt if needed.
- Do not omit the herbs. Fresh herbs are essential to make a good phở!
💬 FAQ
Usually, most people will not drink the broth and just have a few tablespoons here and there between eating the noodles and the beef. That’s up to you though!
No, it doesn’t taste like the non-vegetarian version, as the broth here is not made from beef bones. However, it does have a similar aroma though, thanks to the spices.
The broth will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator. It tastes even better the next day!
This recipe serves about 3 bowls of phở. Feel free to double the recipe if you want leftovers!
I hope you are going to enjoy this vegan pho recipe as much as we do! It’s a Vietnamese classic that is SO delicious, filling, and quite easy to prepare!
🇻🇳 More Vietnamese-Inspired Recipes
Let me know in the comments if you try this recipe!
Vegan Phở
Ingredients
Broth
- 7 and 1/2 cup water
- 1 onion halved
- 3 shallots halved
- 1 carrot peeled and cut into 1-inch thick slices
- 1/2 daikon radish peeled and cut into 1-inch thick slices
- 1 and 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 and 1/2 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp mushroom seasoning optional
- 2 tsp vegan fish sauce optional, add more salt to taste if omitting
Spices
- 1 inch fresh ginger sliced into 1/2-inch thick slices
- 1 whole black cardamom
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 anise stars
- 1 tsp whole cloves
- 1/2 tsp fennel seeds
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
Vegan "Beef"
- 12 slices vegan beef slices soaked for 20 minutes
- 1 tsp sugar
- 2 tsp soy sauce
- 1/4 tsp ground black pepper
The Rest
- About 10 ounces dried flat rice noodles
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1/2 cup sautéed mushrooms
- a few slices of fried tofu
- 1/3 cup chopped green onions
- a handful of Thai basil
- 1/2 onion thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped cilantro or culantro
Instructions
Broth
- Start by charring the onion and shallots: heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the halved onion and shallots, cut side facing down. Char them for 3-5 minutes or until almost black. Note: you can also char them under the broiler in an oven.
- Transfer the charred onion and shallots to a large pot. Add the sliced carrots, daikon radish, salt, and sugar. Cover with the water and bring to a boil. Let simmer uncovered for 30-35 minutes.
- In the meantime, char the sliced ginger in a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat for 2-3 minutes. Add the whole spices and toast them for about 1 minute. Transfer the spices and ginger to a tea bag or cheesecloth closed with a string.
- After 30-35 minutes, turn off the heat and add the spices tea bag to the broth. Let infuse for about 10 minutes.
- Remove the spices bag, onions, and shallots from the broth. Add the mushroom seasoning and vegan fish sauce if using. Taste and adjust the saltiness and sweetness if needed.
- At this point, you can also remove the carrots and radish or leave them in the broth to serve later. Note: If planning to keep broth for one day in the refrigerator, I recommend removing all of the vegetables, otherwise they will soak up some liquid, and you will end up with less broth.
Vegan "Beef"
- Drain the vegan beef slices and rinse them under cold water a couple of times. Squeeze to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Transfer the beef slices to a bowl and add the sugar, soy sauce, and ground black pepper. Stir to coat. Let marinate for at least 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the vegan beef slices and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side or until slightly golden brown.
To Assemble
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Once boiling, cook the rice noodles according to the package instructions and drain well.
- Add a handful of raw bean sprouts to each bowl. Top with the cooked rice noodles, sautéed vegan beef slices, fried tofu, and sautéed mushrooms if using. Garnish each bowl with 2 tablespoons of chopped green onions, a few leaves of Thai basil, onion slices, and chopped cilantro. Pour in the piping hot broth over the noodles and serve immediately!
- The broth will keep for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
About the Author
Thomas Pagot is the founder, photographer, and recipe developer behind Full of Plants. He created the blog in 2016 as a personal cookbook for vegan recipes. Through years of recipe development, Thomas has successfully grown Full of Plants into a trusted resource for plant-based recipes.
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Would like to make this with sautéed tofu, not a fan of TVP (many have gluten) – would the addition of tofu replace the beef? Also, glutamate has gluten in it, can you recommend a substitution for that? Thanks! With celiac, I have to be extra cautious with certain ingredients.
I think you can find some brands of “beef” TVP that is just made from soy flour. Otherwise, sautéed tofu will work too.
Regarding the glutamate, I usually use mushroom seasoning, which is a great alternative to glutamate and is gluten-free.
I’m leaning how to make vegetarian food and this recipe has elevated my confidence in vegan cooking. Although my kids don’t like the smell of oyster mushrooms, they love the soup. Thank you! By the way, how should treat oyster mushrooms to mask the smell?
Thanks for your feedback Catherine 😉
Regarding the oyster mushrooms, you could try to fry them with some garlic and soy sauce. Otherwise, just use another type of mushrooms like cremini or white button.
We used to go to a vegan Vietnamese restaurant and my 8yr old’s favorite dish was Phở. We’ve tried many times to recreate that dish but something was always missing, until now….We tried this recipe and for the first time, nothing was missing.
WINNER RECIPE. Thank you!
I’m glad you enjoyed this Phở! Thanks for your feedback 😉
This was honestly the best vegan pho i have made. I have been searching for a recipe i liked for a few years now and i made this on the weekend – lucky i made a double batch of broth because i have enjoyed this throughout the week. Kids and Hubby agree this is a winner hands down and I will be making the broth regularly to have pho on hand. Thankyou so much!!!!
I’m so happy to hear you and your family enjoyed this pho recipe ^^
Thanks for your feedback Gen 🙂
Thomas – we would LOVE you to show us a vegan version of Bun Rieu as that is our second favourite vietnamese soup. Would that be one that you could make please?
I’m also a fan of Bun Rieu! I’ll take note 🙂
Another success enjoyed by my family! The smell was amazing!
Thanks Tetyana!