30-minute quick and easy vegan pho recipe - Rhubarbarians (2024)

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30-minute easy vegan pho recipe! This quick Vietnamese noodle soup has a flavorful broth and is the perfect vegetarian one-pot meal for busy weeknights.

30-minute quick and easy vegan pho recipe - Rhubarbarians (1)

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I received a copy of Weeknight One-Pot Vegan Cooking by Nicole Malik for review and am sharing this vegan pho recipe with permission. All opinions are my own.

Hey, Rhubarbarians! Another day, another easy yet fantastic vegetarian meal.

This recipe today is kind of a cheater vegan version of your favorite Vietnamese noodle soup. Pho! We've made it 3 times in the last month and it's definitely a go-to recipe for us now. So good. It comes from the pages of Nicole Malik's cookbook Weeknight One-Pot Vegan Cooking!

Bookmark our mega list of easy vegetarian dinner recipes here!

Jump to:
  • Quick and easy pho
  • Make the broth
  • The noodles
  • The toppings
  • Weeknight One-Pot Vegan Cooking cookbook review
  • FAQs
  • Recipe
  • Comments and reviews

Quick and easy pho

Sometimes, we just want a big bowl of pho without having to go out to a restaurant. And we also don't want to let a pot simmer on the stove all day.

Sometimes, we just want some EASY WEEKNIGHT PHO. Right? Yes.

Putting authenticity aside, you CAN make a super flavorful broth for this pho in a very short amount of time. This entire recipe only takes 30 minutes!

Have you tried our Thai curried butternut squash soup?

30-minute quick and easy vegan pho recipe - Rhubarbarians (2)

Make the broth

The broth is, in my opinion, is the most important part of a bowl of pho. Vegan or not, it needs to be rich with flavor. This broth gets tons of flavor from mushrooms, onions, and Chinese five-spice powder.

  • Heat some oil in a pot and saute all of your aromatics together. Everything will begin to soften and become very fragrant.
  • Add vegetable broth (I like Better Than Bouillon's seasoned vegetable base) and bring to a boil.
  • Move on to the next step to add the noodles!

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The noodles

You've just GOTTA have noodles in your pho. And they definitely have to be rice noodles. The noodles are cooked directly in the broth in this recipe, which gives them more flavor.

If you're looking for the noodles in restaurant pho, look for flat rice noodles!

The toppings

Aaaaah, the pho toppings. We all have our faves.

  • Bean sprouts
  • Red chile pepper
  • Jalapeno
  • Lime
  • Fresh cilantro
  • Fresh basil
  • Hoisin sauce
  • Sriracha or red chile sauce

Have you tried our easy vegan stir fry sauce?

30-minute quick and easy vegan pho recipe - Rhubarbarians (4)

Weeknight One-Pot Vegan Cooking cookbook review

"Plant-based cooking just got easier than ever! Cleanup is a snap when your dinner cooks in one dish, and getting more plants into your diet is downright delicious with approchable yet inspired recipes."

You guys. This cookbook is AWESOME. Imagine "75 effortless recipes with maximum flavor and minimal cleanup." That's what you'll find in this book.

Weeknight One-Pot Vegan Cooking is written by Nicole Malik of Delicious Everyday. Her website is full of delicious and inspired vegetarian/vegan recipes. In this cookbook, she has compiled her favorite weeknight dinner recipes that are all made in just one dish.

Chapters include: Eat your veggies, Eat with your hands, Crowd-pleasing comfort food, Incredible grains, Bowls of deliciousness, Rise and shine, and Simply sweet one-pot treats.

You can find Nicole's cookbook on Amazon and don't forget to check out her website!

30-minute quick and easy vegan pho recipe - Rhubarbarians (5)

FAQs

  1. Can I make this in the Instant Pot? Well, yes. But it's really not necessary. It really wouldn't save you any time and the noodles would turn to mush. So, maybe not.
  2. How can I store the leftovers? This recipe honestly doesn't make great leftovers. The noodles and the toppings are best when eaten right away. See below for meal prep options!
  3. Can I make this for meal prep? YEP! You'll want to cook the broth and keep the noodles and toppings separate. When you're ready to eat, heat the noodles with the broth and then add the toppings.

Got more questions? Let me know in the comments below!

30-minute quick and easy vegan pho recipe - Rhubarbarians (6)

Recipe

30-minute quick and easy vegan pho recipe - Rhubarbarians (7)

Quick and easy vegan pho recipe

Nicole Malik

30-minute easy vegan pho recipe! This quick Vietnamese noodle soup has a flavorful broth and is the perfect vegetarian one-pot meal for busy weeknights.

4.80 from 15 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course dinner, entree, Main Course, Soup

Cuisine American, Vietnamese

Servings 4 servings

Calories 242 kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoon olive oil
  • 1 small onion, thinly sliced
  • 5 oz sliced shiitake mushrooms
  • 2 medium scallions, sliced, greens and whites separated
  • 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
  • ¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
  • 1 teaspoon ginger paste
  • salt, to taste
  • black pepper, to taste
  • 6 cups vegetable broth
  • 1 5oz package rice noodles

For serving

  • ¼ cup bean sprouts (optional)
  • sliced red chili pepper (optional)
  • fresh cilantro (optional)
  • hot sauce, such as Sriracha (optional)

Instructions

  • Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, scallion whites, Chinese five-spice powder, red pepper flakes, ginger paste, salt and pepper. Cook for 4-5 minutes, until the mushrooms begin to soften.

  • Add the vegetable broth and bring to a boil. Add the rice noodles and simmer for 5 minutes.

  • Top with the sprouts, red chili pepper and cilantro (if using). Garnish with the reserved scallion greens and serve with hot sauce.

Nutrition

Serving: 1bowlCalories: 242kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 1gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gSodium: 1416mgPotassium: 168mgFiber: 2gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 826IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 16mgIron: 1mg

Keyword vegan, vegetarian

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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30-minute quick and easy vegan pho recipe - Rhubarbarians (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in pho broth? ›

Sa sung—dried peanut worms—have been described as the secret ingredient of great pho.

What is vegan pho broth made of? ›

The most comforting Vegan Pho (Phở Chay) is here! The broth is flavorful, light, and packed with lots of aromatic spices. The broth is made from charred vegetables and toasted spices to create that complex flavor. It's then served with rice noodles along with a variety of herbs and fresh mung bean sprouts.

How healthy is vegan pho? ›

Vegan Pho, a super comforting Vietnamese food, nutritious and full of protein. Perfect for a cozy day, this dish is tasty, healthy and delicious! Pho soup is a traditional Vietnamese dish prepared with beef, rice noodles, broth, and some other ingredients.

What makes pho so delicious? ›

Simmering beef or chicken bones make traditional phở broth for several hours. The slow cooking process releases the bones' flavours and nutrients, resulting in a deep and complex broth. A combination of spices and aromatics such as star anise, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and onion is added to enhance the flavor profile.

What makes pho broth bitter? ›

Here goes the peeled Daikon radish! For the last remaining hour, add in the exotic spices. Although these spices are unique to the Pho flavor adding them too early will make the broth too potent and bitter.

What are the sea worms in pho? ›

The secret flavor bomb in that bowl of Phở

What are Sá Sùng (peanut worms)? They're marine (sea) worms that were first described in 1827 by a French zoologist. There are over 140 different kinds of these delicious flavor bombs, and some are teeny tiny (2 millimeters long) while others can be as long as 28 inches.

What herbs do you put in pho? ›

Fresh herbs: The more the merrier! I recommend a combo of fresh cilantro, fresh mint and fresh Thai basil (or you could sub Italian basil, in a pinch). Bean sprouts: You can find these in the produce section of your grocery store, or they are always available in southeast Asian groceries.

Is pho broth anti inflammatory? ›

Pho is very nutritious. From its ingredients, it's been shown to reduce inflammation and improve joint health. If you suffer from something like chronic pain or arthritis, you may want to entertain the idea of enjoying more pho. The broth particularly can be very anti-inflammation.

Is there soy sauce in pho broth? ›

Is pho gluten-free? Yes, this pho soup is gluten-free because the broth contains fish sauce and not soy sauce and the rice noodles are made of rice flour and water, and occasionally small amounts of tapioca or cornstarch as well. This means they are gluten-free, fat free, and vegan.

Is it OK to eat pho everyday? ›

Experts also suggest that if pho is used for breakfast, then you should avoid salt for the rest of the day. To avoid imbalanced nutrition, you should not eat pho too often, and you should switch up diet with other food products. Any food, no matter how good it is, won't be good for your body if consumed too much.

What does pho do to your body? ›

Pho is nutritious and is high in protein, but does have high sodium and calories. It may help reduce inflammation and improve joint health. Pho (pronounced “fuh”) is a hearty Vietnamese soup usually made with a meaty broth, rice noodles, various herbs, and either beef, chicken, or tofu.

Is pho healthier or ramen? ›

When talking about calories, a medium bowl of ramen contains 350 calories, while a medium bowl of pho contains 550 calories.. Ramen has more carbs and less protein while pho has more protein and fewer carbs. Pho has more sodium than ramen. The winner of this nutritional showdown is pho!

What is the brown stuff in pho? ›

Another pho signature spice, star anise, is a brown eight-pointed pod that lends a hint of licorice to the broth.

What are the crunchy things in pho? ›

Bean sprouts are young sprouted beans typically made from mung beans. These sprouts are prized for their crisp and crunchy texture, which contrasts wonderfully with the soft noodles and savoury broth of pho.

Why does pho taste weird? ›

Differences in the taste of Pho across different regions in Vietnam. Over time, as Pho evolved across the country, its flavor has been adjusted in each region. These variations differ in ingredients and cooking techniques, creating diversity for this national dish.

How do you make pho broth taste better? ›

For the most interesting flavor, use a variety.
  1. Onion and fresh ginger: I love the onion and ginger in this broth. ...
  2. Pho spices: Our broth simmers with cinnamon sticks, whole coriander seeds, fennel seeds, star anise, cloves, and a black cardamom pod. ...
  3. Rock sugar: Sugar balances the savoriness of our beef broth.

What makes pho broth different? ›

Pho Broth Spices and Other ingredients

The spices are toasted to bring out the flavour before adding into the pot. And the ginger and onion are charred to add a subtle smokey flavour into the broth – a secret little step that adds that extra something-something to make this pho recipe authentic and traditional!

What makes pho broth clear? ›

Hi korean recipes soak meat in cold water a half hour to remove blood and impurities before cooking to get a clear broth.

How do you enhance store bought pho broth? ›

Adding whole spices will add an earthiness to stock without overpowering the mixture—just look at the power of anise, cloves, and cinnamon in pho. Cardamom pods, allspice berries, cumin, coriander, yellow mustard, fennel, and peppercorns are all fair game.

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