Dear reader,
When I think of brothy noodle dishes, I think back to the packaged cups I could purchase for less than a dollar – quintessentially the perfect budget friendly meal, but not exactly the most satisfying. This Vegan Pho recipe uses those budget-friendly, quick and easy concepts, but with a dash of extra nourishment to keep you feeling satiated for hours to come.
I come back to this recipe time and time again, as it’s such a warm and satisfying bowl of bites, sips, and slurps. It’s packed with plenty of vegetables, plant based protein, and tender rice noodles. Most importantly, it can be made to feed a party buffet style: take what you want, and leave what you don’t.
This Pho is a blank canvas… it’s all about the finishing touches. The more sauces and toppings, the bigger the flavor. Mix and match to create a broth base that is as spicy, sweet, salty, or sour as you’d like, and encourage your company to do the same. Season with abundance.
Until next time,
Bridget
Searching for more soups? Give this Creamy Vegan Buffalo Cauliflower Soup a try.
Vegan Pho
Ingredients
Pho Soup Ingredients
- Whole Spices: 4 star anise, 5 whole cloves, 2 cinnamon sticks, 3 cardamom pods, 8 whole black peppercorns, ½ tablespoon coriander seeds, ½ teaspoon of fennel seeds.
- 6 cups vegetable stock for the sake of time, this recipe uses store-bought stock. if you would like to make your own homemade stock, I have included a recipe in the notes below
- 1 large white or yellow onion sliced
- 1 cup of baby bella mushrooms (or one 8 ounce package) sliced
- 1 small head of broccoli chopped into bite-sized florets
- 2 medium bell peppers diced
- 1 cup of carrots diced
Sauces
- hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, tamari (or soy sauce) season to taste
For Serving
- rice noodles
- bean sprouts
- lime wedges
- fresh basil and/ or cilantro
- jalapeno thinly sliced
- rice vinegar per serving
- 1 block extra firm organic tofu
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1-2 teaspoons salt
Instructions
- Toss all of the whole spices into a large stockpot and toast them over medium heat for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant. Stir them consistently to ensure they do not burn.
- Add the vegetable stock and bring to a boil, then reduce to a medium-low heat allowing the broth to simmer for about 10 minutes.
- While the vegetable stock I simmering away, take out your tofu, pat all the sides dry with a towel, then slice it into 2×2 inch squares, that are about ½ of an inch thick.
- Heat a large skillet, add the olive oil, and lightly coat the bottom of the pan with the salt. Lay each piece of tofu on the pan, frying each side for 3-5 minutes or until lightly browned. You may have to do this in batches depending on your pan size. Note: for a more passive cooking method, you can also bake the tofu in the oven at 400°F for 20-30 minutes, flipping halfway through.
- Next, strain out the whole spices, and add all of the vegetables to the stock pot. Allow vegetables to simmer for 8-10 minutes, or until slightly softened.
To Serve:
- Remove from the heat, and fill each bowl with a serving of noodles and tofu. Pour the broth and vegetables over the noodles, and allow your guests to season their broth with sauces to taste.
- Garnish abundantly with sesame seeds, jalapeno, fresh basil and/or cilantro, lime wedges, and bean sprouts.
Notes
- Chili Garlic Sauce and Hoisin Sauce: both found at nearly all grocery stores, ibn the international or asian food section.
- Miracle Noodle, Noodle Ready Spaghetti Style- is what I use for grab and go noodles, or simply use brown rice noodles found at any grocery store in the international foods section.
Did you make this? Comment below and let me know what you think. Don’t forget to follow @sunnyandspiced on Instagram for more travel eats and plant based recipes.
s & S