Vegan Pho (a classic Vietnamese soup made plant-based)

A popular contemporary soup from Vietnam, pho presents a pleasing composition of rice noodles and fresh herbs in a simple broth. It’s easy to swap beefy-style plant protein or seitan into this delicious vegan vegetable Vietnamese pho recipe. 

It’s a quick soup to prepare — you’ll be eating in about a half hour. A lovely change of pace from thick cold-weather soups and stews, this is light enough to be enjoyed year round.

Plant protein options

For this soup, you can use packaged beefy plant-based protein; or, seitan works quite well in this soup, too.

• 8 to 10 ounces plant-based beefy strips or tips
• 8 to 10 ounces packaged seitan or Easy Homemade Seitan (you’ll need about 1/3 of the recipe for this soup)

Look for brands like White Wave, Sweet Earth, Gardein, Viana, and others. Look for thin rice noodles in the Asian foods section of well-stocked supermarkets and in natural foods stores. Find about more about fine Asian rice noodles.

Recipe adapted from Plant-Powered Protein: 125 Recipes for Using Today’s Amazing Meat Alternatives ©2020 by Nava Atlas. Reprinted by permission. Photographs by Hannah Kaminsky, BittersweetBlog.com.

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Yield: 6

Homemade Vegan Pho (a classic Vietnamese soup made plant-based)

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A popular contemporary soup from Vietnam, pho presents a pleasing composition of rice noodles and fresh herbs in a simple broth. Here's a plant-based recipe for this classic soup.

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 3- to 4-ounce bundle thin rice noodles
• 2 tablespoons neutral vegetable oil
• 8 to 10 ounces beefy-style plant protein, cut into thin strips (see options in Notes)
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 3 to 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 6 cups water
• 2 vegetable bouillon cubes
• 2 teaspoons grated fresh or bottled ginger, or more to taste
• 1 cup fresh mung bean sprouts, plus more for topping
• 4 scallions, thinly sliced
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 2 teaspoons lime juice, or more to taste
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce, more or less to taste
• Freshly ground pepper to taste
• Thinly sliced lime sections for garnish

Instructions

1. Cook the noodles according to package directions until al dente, then drain and cut into shorter lengths suitable for soup. Set aside until needed.
2. Meanwhile, heat half of the oil in a small soup pot. Add the plant protein and sauté over medium heat until lightly browned on most sides, stirring often. Remover to a bowl; cover and set aside.
3. Heat the remaining oil in the same pot. Add the onion and sauté over medium heat until translucent. Add the garlic and continue to sauté until both are golden.
4. Add the water, bouillon, and ginger. Bring to a slow boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 7 to 8 minutes.
5. Stir the beefy strips into the soup along with add a cup of sprouts, half of the scallion, and half of the cilantro. Season with lime juice, soy sauce, and pepper. Simmer for 2 minutes longer, then remove from the heat.
6. Top each serving with a wedge or two of lime, the remaining cilantro and scallions, and a few sprouts. Serve at once.

Notes

Plant protein options

• 8 to 10 ounces plant-based beefy strips or tips 
• 8 to 10 ounces packaged seitan or Easy Homemade Seitan (you’ll need about 1/3 of the recipe for this soup)

If you like this quick Asian-style soup, you might also enjoy …

Asian Noodle Soup with Tofu, Greens, & Shiitake Mushrooms

Here are more delectable vegan soups.