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 pho
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.
Homemade 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. Here's a plant-based recipe for this classic soup.
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
- Cook the noodles according to package directions until al dente, then drain and cut into shorter lengths suitable for soup. Set aside until needed.
- 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.
- 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.
- Add the water, bouillon, and ginger. Bring to a slow boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 7 to 8 minutes.
- 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.
- 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.
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