Vegetarian Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

Experience the comforting warmth of *Vegetarian Pho Bo*, a flavorful plant-based twist on the classic Vietnamese beef noodle soup. This aromatic dish features a robust homemade broth infused with charred onion, ginger, cinnamon, star anise, and other fragrant spices, combined with fresh vegetables like carrots, daikon radish, and shiitake mushrooms. Silky rice noodles and golden pan-fried tofu serve as the hearty base, topped with a medley of fresh herbs—basil, mint, and cilantro—for a vibrant finish. Customize your bowl with bean sprouts, lime wedges, hoisin sauce, and a dash of Sriracha to suit your taste. Perfect for a cozy dinner, this vegetarian pho delivers all the soul-warming flavors of its traditional counterpart while remaining entirely meat-free.

Nutriscore Rating: 72/100

Prep Time:30 mins

Cook Time:60 mins

Total Time:90 mins

Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 200 grams rice noodles
• 1 large onion
• 1 4-inch piece ginger
• 1 piece cinnamon stick
• 2 pieces star anise
• 3 pieces cloves
• 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
• 1 pod black cardamom
• 2 medium carrot
• 1 medium daikon radish
• 100 grams shiitake mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 200 grams tofu
• 100 grams bean sprouts
• 1 cup fresh basil
• 1 cup fresh mint
• 1 cup fresh cilantro
• 2 whole lime
• 4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 4 tablespoons Sriracha sauce

Directions

Step 1

Peel the onion and ginger, then slice the onion in half and the ginger lengthwise.

Step 2

Place the onion halves and ginger on a baking sheet, cut side up, and roast under a broiler for about 5 minutes or until they get a good char.

Step 3

In a large pot, toast the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, coriander seeds, and black cardamom over medium heat until fragrant, about 3-4 minutes.

Step 4

Add the charred onion, ginger, carrots, daikon, and shiitake mushrooms to the pot along with 10 cups of water.

Step 5

Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce the heat and let it simmer uncovered for 45 minutes to infuse the flavors.

Step 6

In the meantime, cook the rice noodles according to package instructions, rinse under cold water, and set aside.

Step 7

Cube the tofu and pan-fry it in a little oil until golden on all sides. Set aside.

Step 8

After the broth has simmered, strain it through a fine sieve or cheesecloth into another pot, discarding the solids.

Step 9

Season the strained broth with soy sauce, salt, and sugar. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.

Step 10

To serve, divide the cooked noodles into bowls, pouring the hot broth over the noodles. Top with pieces of pan-fried tofu.

Step 11

Garnish generously with bean sprouts, fresh basil, mint, and cilantro.

Step 12

Serve with lime wedges, hoisin sauce, and Sriracha sauce on the side for each person to customize their bowl.

Nutrition Facts

Serving size	(1439.6g)

Amount per serving	% Daily Value*
Calories	1192.5

Total Fat 27.6g	0%
Saturated Fat 4.3g	0%
Polyunsaturated Fat 2.1g
Cholesterol 3.9mg	0%
Sodium 6569.7mg	0%
Total Carbohydrate 200.4g	0%
Dietary Fiber 37.2g	0%
Total Sugars 68.6g
Protein 56.3g	0%

Vitamin D 18IU	0%
Calcium 1175.6mg	0%
Iron 24.9mg	0%
Potassium 2858.1mg	0%

*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Source of Calories

Fat: 19.5%

Protein: 17.7%

Carbs: 62.9%