This Vegan Pho-Inspired Soup recipe is a vegan interpretation that keeps all of the authentic flavors of traditional pho with nutritious ingredients. Pho is a heartwarming and incredibly flavorful Vietnamese noodle soup that traditionally uses noodles, broth, beef, and various vegetables.

Two bowls of brown broth with noodles and vegetables.

Ingredients & Substitutions

This vegan pho uses the following ingredients.

Ingredients for pho noodle soup on grey backdrop with text labels.

How to Make Vegan Pho

This is an all-in-one easy pho recipe ideal for a weeknight dinner. The hot broth soaks up the flavor of the vegetables and spices, making it an effortlessly delicious and nutritious meal.

Start with the star anise, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns in a large pot over low heat. Combine the spices and lightly cook until fragrant. It will be quick – it should only take about 30 seconds.

Once the spices are aromatic, add a pinch of sugar, ginger, fennel, bay leaves, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and scallions to the vegetable stock. Simmer the broth for 20 minutes. Strain the ingredients from the liquid and return the liquid back to the pot. Keep the broth hot until ready to serve the pho.

Three photos showing stock cooking in a pot with spices and vegetables added in.

To prepare the vermicelli noodles, place them in a large bowl and cover with the boiling water. Soak the noodles until they are just tender – start checking the noodles after 3 minutes of soaking to make sure they have the right texture.

Once cooked, drain the noodles, then rinse with cold water to cool them. Return the noodles to the bowl, add enough cold water to cover them completely, and let sit until you’re ready to serve them.

Pouring hot water from a kettle over white noodles in a large glass bowl.

Next, add your sweet baby broccoli (aka broccolini) to the simmering stock and cook them until tender. This should take around 5-8 minutes.

A large black pot of stock with broccolini in it

To serve, divide the noodles evenly between four bowls. Ladle the Pho broth into each bowl over the cooked rice noodles. Top each bowl with two sweet baby broccoli pieces and carrots.

Garnish the dishes with lime slices, radish sprouts, cilantro, basil, sriracha, chili peppers, more soy sauce, and soft-boiled eggs. Now enjoy your incredible pho!

Two bowls of noodle soup with vegetables and herbs on a marble countertop.

Have extra broth? You can easily freeze them using these silicone soup freezing trays.

More Noodles and Soups

If you love this pho recipe, you’ll love these other broth-based soups, too!

A close up bowl of pho noodle soup with vegetables and herbs.

Simple Vegetarian Pho with Broccoli

5 from 16 votes
Print Recipe Save
Pho is a heartwarming and incredibly flavorful Vietnamese noodle soup that traditionally uses noodles, broth, beef and an assortment of vegetables. This pho recipe is a vegan interpretation that keeps all of the authentic flavor with nutritious ingredients.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Main, Main Course, Soup
Cuisine: American, Asian
Servings: 4
Calories: 350kcal

Ingredients

  • 2 quarts vegetable stock or broth
  • Pinch sugar
  • 2 star anise pods
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 2 tablespoons black peppercorns
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce or sub. coconut aminos
  • 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
  • 4- inches ginger fresh
  • 1 fennel quartered
  • 10 ounces thin rice vermicelli
  • 8 sweet baby broccoli
  • 1 cup carrots julienne
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro
  • 1 bunch fresh basil or Thai basil
  • 4 scallions thinly sliced

Instructions

  • In a large pot over low heat, combine the star anise, cinnamon stick, and peppercorns, and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
  • Add the vegetable stock, pinch of sugar, ginger, fennel, bay leaves, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and scallions. Simmer for 20 minutes, then strain everything out and return the liquid back to the pot. Keep hot until ready to serve.
  • In the meantime, put the rice vermicelli in a large bowl and cover with the boiling water. Soak until the noodles are barely tender – start checking after 3 minutes. Drain the noodles, then rinse them with cold water to cool them down. Return the noodles to the bowl, add enough cold water to cover, and let sit until you’re ready to serve them.
  • Add the sweet baby broccoli to the stock and cook until tender, 5-8 minutes.
  • Divide the noodles between 4 bowls. Ladle the soup into the bowls over the cooked rice noodles. Top with 2 sweet baby broccoli per bowl and carrots. Serve with the lime slices, radish sprouts, cilantro, basil, sriracha, chili peppers, more soy sauce, and soft-boiled eggs.

Notes

Freeze the broth after step 2. Keeps for up to 3 months.
Keep the broth hot until ready to serve the pho.
Soak the noodles until they are just tender – start checking the noodles after 3 minutes of soaking to make sure they are the right texture. Once cooked, drain the noodles, then rinse with cold water to cool them. You can make them even an hour in advance.

Nutrition

Calories: 350kcal | Carbohydrates: 80g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 2890mg | Potassium: 536mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 6855IU | Vitamin C: 14mg | Calcium: 101mg | Iron: 2mg
Did you try this recipe?I’d love to hear what you think! Leave a Review to let us know how it came out, if you have a successful substitution or variation, or anything else.

18 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I’ve never made pho at home, but I’m so glad I came across this recipe because it is delicious and so simple! Can’t wait to make this winter. Thanks so much for sharing!

  2. 5 stars
    That is NOT soup!! THAT is a work of art. What a beautiful arrangement of vegetables. My mouth is watering just looking at it. The combination of flavors all in a tasty broth. So yummy and inviting. That is on my menu again this week.

  3. 5 stars
    What a beautiful bowl of pho! I love a good and delicious bowl of soup, espcially one that is vegan! I can’t wait to make this recipe again! YUM!

  4. 5 stars
    I really appreciate recipes like this. So comforting, and still easy to make! Love all the flavors used in this! Perfection!

  5. 5 stars
    I am so in love with pho, but have never made it myself at home. I love that you made a vegan version. I need to make it again!

  6. 5 stars
    I don’t even miss the meat in this! looks so comforting especially for a day like today…this is my idea of comfort food ^_^ Well done!

  7. 5 stars
    Pho has been rising in popularity yet I still haven’t had a chance to taste it! I feel like I’ve been living in a bubble. Beautiful pictures, as a person who’d go for a meat pho, this vegetarian variety was drool-worthy!

  8. 5 stars
    I love this vegan pho recipes. It would be perfect for the colder weather and to make a big pot to have leftovers for lunch the next day.

5 from 16 votes (7 ratings without comment)

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