There are soups that warm you from the outside in. And then there are soups like this Vegan Pho — the kind that fills the kitchen with a fragrance so complex, so deeply spiced, so impossibly layered with star anise and cinnamon and charred ginger and clove, that everyone in the house arrives in the kitchen before you have called them, drawn by a smell that is ancient and comforting and unlike anything else in the world of soup. This is that bowl. The one that makes a broth so clear and so deeply flavorful that every spoonful delivers something new — a whisper of warming spice here, a hit of fresh ginger there, the clean brightness of the soy and the depth of the charred onion beneath it all. The one that makes every shop-bought, restaurant pho taste like a pale approximation of what pho is actually supposed to be. The one that proves, definitively, that the soul of this extraordinary dish is in the broth — and that a great vegan broth, made with patience and the right aromatics, is equal in every meaningful way to the original.
This recipe builds the broth the traditional way — charring onion and ginger directly over a flame or under a broiler until blackened and caramelized, toasting whole spices until fragrant, and simmering everything long and slowly with mushrooms, vegetable stock, and soy sauce into a broth that is crystal clear, deeply fragrant, and as close to the Vietnamese original as any plant-based kitchen can achieve. Served over fresh rice noodles with crispy tofu, bean sprouts, fresh herbs, lime, and chilli, this vegan pho is the complete, deeply satisfying bowl that Vietnamese food has always promised.
What makes this recipe so outstanding is the charring step — blackening the onion and ginger before adding them to the pot is not optional and not merely decorative. It is the technique that gives authentic pho its distinctive smokiness and its beautiful golden-amber color, and it is what separates a genuinely great pho broth from a merely spiced vegetable soup.
This recipe is 100% vegan, naturally gluten-free when made with tamari, takes about 90 minutes of mostly unattended simmering, and produces a pho so deeply fragrant and so thoroughly satisfying that it earns a permanent place at the center of every cold-weather dinner rotation.
Recipe Information
| Prep Time | Cook Time | Total Time | Servings | Calories |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 20 mins | 75 mins | 95 mins | 4 | ~410 kcal |
Ingredients
For the Pho Broth
- 2 large onions, halved (unpeeled)
- 1 large hand of fresh ginger (about 10cm), halved lengthways (unpeeled)
- 8 cups (2 litres) good-quality vegetable stock
- 4 cups (1 litre) water
- 6 dried shiitake mushrooms (adds deep umami)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 4 star anise
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 tsp coriander seeds
- 1 tsp fennel seeds
- 3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp sugar (rock sugar or brown sugar)
- Salt to taste
For the Crispy Tofu
- 400g extra firm tofu, pressed and sliced into slabs
- 2 tbsp neutral oil
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tsp sesame oil
For the Noodles
- 300g dried flat rice noodles (banh pho noodles, 3–5mm wide)
For the Toppings (Fresh Table)
- 2 cups (100g) fresh bean sprouts
- Large bunch of fresh Thai basil
- Large bunch of fresh cilantro
- 4–6 spring onions, thinly sliced
- 2 fresh red chillies, thinly sliced
- 2 limes, cut into wedges
- Hoisin sauce (for serving)
- Sriracha or chilli oil (for serving)
Instructions
- Char the onion and ginger. This step is the heart of authentic pho. Place the onion halves and ginger cut-side down directly over a gas flame, on a dry cast iron skillet over high heat, or under a hot broiler. Char until the cut surfaces are deeply blackened — not just browned, but genuinely blackened and caramelized in patches. This takes 5–8 minutes over a flame or 8–10 minutes under a broiler. The charred exterior is what gives the broth its distinctive smokiness, depth, and golden color.
- Toast the spices. In a dry skillet over medium heat, toast the cinnamon stick, star anise, cloves, coriander seeds, and fennel seeds for 2–3 minutes, stirring frequently, until deeply fragrant. Remove from the heat immediately when they smell toasted — they can burn quickly.
- Build the broth. In a large pot, combine the charred onion and ginger, toasted spices, dried shiitake mushrooms, vegetable stock, and water. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a gentle simmer. Add the soy sauce and sugar. Simmer uncovered for 60–75 minutes, skimming any foam from the surface occasionally. The broth should be fragrant, golden-amber in color, and deeply flavored.
- Strain the broth. Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve or cheesecloth-lined colander into a clean pot, discarding the solids. Taste and adjust seasoning — add more soy sauce for umami, more sugar for balance, or salt to taste. Keep warm over low heat.
- Cook the tofu. While the broth simmers, press the tofu and slice into slabs about 1cm thick. Heat the neutral oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu in a single layer and cook without disturbing for 4–5 minutes until deep golden on one side. Flip and cook another 3–4 minutes on the second side. Add the soy sauce and sesame oil to the pan and cook for 1 more minute until the tofu is glazed and caramelized. Remove from the pan.
- Cook the noodles. Prepare the rice noodles according to their package instructions — most require soaking in hot water for 5–8 minutes until tender and pliable. Drain and divide between four large, deep bowls.
- Assemble. Ladle the hot broth generously over the noodles in each bowl — be very generous, pho is meant to be a deeply brothy soup. Arrange slices of crispy tofu on top. Bring the bowl to the table immediately alongside the fresh toppings.
- Serve with the table spread. Arrange the bean sprouts, Thai basil, cilantro, spring onions, chilli, lime wedges, hoisin sauce, and sriracha on a plate or board in the center of the table. Each person adds their own toppings directly to their bowl — this is the essential, communal experience of eating pho.
Pro Tips
- Do not skip or rush the charring — this is the single most important technique in the recipe. The charred surface of the onion and ginger is what gives pho its color, its smokiness, and its depth. Pale-golden charring is not enough; genuine blackening in patches is what is needed.
- Toast the spices until they smell fragrant — the volatile aromatic compounds in star anise, cinnamon, and clove are activated by dry heat, and the spices added raw contribute far less flavor than toasted ones. A few minutes in a dry pan makes an enormous difference.
- Simmer gently, not rapidly — a rolling boil clouds the broth and extracts bitter flavors from the aromatics. A gentle simmer produces the clear, delicate, deeply fragrant broth that pho is famous for.
- Season at the end — the broth reduces slightly during simmering and concentrates. Always taste after straining and season from there rather than seasoning heavily at the start.
- Serve everything blazing hot — pho bowls should be warmed before serving and the broth should be at a full simmer when ladled. A warm bowl of pho cools very quickly; a scalding bowl stays perfect for much longer.
The Story of Pho
Pho is Vietnam’s most iconic dish and one of the most recognizable soups in the world — a bowl of clear, fragrant broth, rice noodles, and toppings that originated in northern Vietnam in the early twentieth century and has since spread across the Vietnamese diaspora to become a global phenomenon. Its origins are contested: some food historians trace it to the French pot-au-feu brought to Vietnam during the colonial period, others to Chinese noodle soups already present in the north, and most likely it emerged from a confluence of both influences adapted to local Vietnamese ingredients and technique. The name itself may derive from the French “feu” (fire), the Cantonese “fun” (rice noodles), or simply be the Vietnamese word for the dish. What is undisputed is the centrality of the broth — pho cooks prize their broth above all else, simmering bones and aromatics for hours to produce the clear, intensely flavored liquid that is the dish’s soul, and the best pho shops in Vietnam often use stocks that have been simmering continuously for days. The vegan version honors this tradition by investing the same care and patience in a plant-based broth — the result is not a compromise but a genuine reimagining that proves the soul of pho was always in the aromatics, not the bones.
Flavor Variations
- Mushroom Pho: Add a mixture of fresh shiitake, oyster, and king oyster mushrooms as the main protein instead of tofu for a deeply umami, earthy version.
- Spicy Pho: Add 2 dried Thai chillies to the broth during simmering for a version with building, fragrant heat throughout the entire bowl.
- Lemongrass Pho: Add 2 stalks of bruised lemongrass to the broth for a slightly more citrus-forward, Southeast Asian aromatic profile.
Nutritional Highlights (Per Serving)
| Calories | Protein | Carbs | Fiber | Fat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ~410 kcal | 18g | 62g | 4g | 11g |
Storage
- Broth: The strained pho broth keeps in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days and freezes beautifully for up to 3 months — make a double batch and freeze in portions for instant pho whenever needed.
- Noodles: Cook noodles fresh for each serving — pre-cooked rice noodles become sticky and clump together when stored.
- Tofu: Cooked crispy tofu keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days and reheats well in a hot skillet.
- Meal prep: The broth is the ideal make-ahead element — simmer a large batch, strain, and freeze. On the night of serving, thaw, reheat, cook fresh noodles and tofu, and assemble in minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make the broth in an Instant Pot?
Yes — combine all broth ingredients in the Instant Pot, cook on high pressure for 30 minutes, then allow to naturally release for 15 minutes. The result is deeply flavored and extracts beautifully under pressure, though the stovetop version has a slightly cleaner, clearer quality.
Where do I find banh pho noodles?
Flat rice noodles for pho are available in most Asian grocery stores and increasingly in the international aisle of larger supermarkets. Look for dried flat rice noodles labeled banh pho or rice stick noodles, 3–5mm wide. Vermicelli rice noodles are too thin; wide flat rice noodles (the kind used for pad see ew) are too wide.
Why is my broth cloudy?
A cloudy pho broth is almost always caused by boiling too vigorously. The broth should simmer gently with just small bubbles breaking the surface. Reduce the heat if the broth is boiling and skim the foam carefully in the first 15 minutes of cooking.
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