My umma (mother-in-law) has loved pho long before she loved me, and that’s a fact because she’s only known me for a handful of years. Over the past couple of years, I’ve seen her diet shift quite a bit, and over time she started eating less and less meat; even at our favorite pho restaurants, she started ordering vegetarian pho exclusively. Now, being the great son I am, I wanted to make her a vegan pho my way, and with the launch of my Dear Mam Vegetarian fish sauce, I made a vegan pho I was really proud of. But the ultimate test would be her opinion of it.
When she took that first sip of the broth, she paused and asked Hanna and me if I had bought the pho, because she told me it was the best pho she had ever tried. Now I don’t know if she was just gassing me up, but my family and I all really loved it, and I genuinely hope you do too. So if you’re also looking to eat a little less meat these days and still want the savory richness of traditional pho, this recipe is for you. Its taste should remind you of the real-deal beef pho you already know and love, but it stands completely on its own.
Traditional pho gets its flavor from simmering beef bones for hours and hours, and hours. Plus a little fish sauce, too. Many vegan versions drop the fish sauce and reach for soy sauce, or a lesser-quality vegan fish sauce, which tastes flat by comparison. This recipe keeps that essential savory depth by using Dear Mam Vegetarian Fish Sauce, so the broth reads as pho, not as vegetable soup wearing pho spices.
The second secret is roasting all the aromatics to give it a charred flavor, then letting it simmer slowly for six hours to extract all its flavor. So while this broth doesn’t have the beefiness of traditional pho, it still has incredible depth. Plus, we’re using all the standard dried spices, so we’re not skipping out on tradition. And yes, I use MSG on purpose, and I’m a big proponent of it. If you think MSG is bad for you, I’d encourage you to do some research to see how many of the negative connotations associated with it are rooted in racism and not facts. MSG rounds out the broth and makes every other flavor taste more like itself. If you have ever wondered why restaurant pho tastes fuller than your homemade version, this is a big part of the answer. Use it with confidence.
This is not a shortcut soup, and I can’t pretend it is, because it genuinely takes half the day to make. It is the real, slow-simmered experience, and it rewards you for every minute. It’s full of depth. The combination of Dear Mam Vegetarian Fish Sauce, MSG, and a long veggie simmer builds the kind of umami most vegan pho recipes only hint at.
It is fully plant-based. No beef, no bones, and no compromise on flavor. Your vegan and vegetarian friends can eat it, and so can everyone else. The broth is built from scratch. Charred aromatics and toasted whole spices deliver that unmistakable pho aroma from the first bite.
It’s customizable! I only use mushrooms as the veggie toppings, but feel free to use broccoli, carrots, cauliflower, and whatever veggies you want to make it completely your own.
Start by roasting the cut-up onion, ginger, carrots, daikon radish, cabbage, and shiitake mushroom stems. Place the cut aromatics on a baking tray, set it toward the top of the oven, and broil on high for 7 to 8 minutes, until charred. If you prefer, you can use a butane torch to char the aromatics instead.
While that happens, toast the dried pho spices in a dry pan over medium-high heat for 3 to 4 minutes, or until they turn fragrant. Add the toasted spices to a spice bag so you can pull them out cleanly later.
In a big pot, bring 6 quarts of water to a boil. Add the roasted aromatics and the bag of dried spices, then lower the heat and simmer gently for 2 hours. After 2 hours, remove the onion, ginger, and spice bag. Pull them early on purpose, because leaving them longer lets them break down and overpower the broth. They have done their job, so discard them. Let the broth continue simmering for another 4 to 5 hours to fully draw out the flavor from all the vegetables. This slow extraction is what gives you that clean, sweet, savory depth.
Remove the vegetables from the broth, and optionally strain it through a mesh strainer if you want it especially clear. You should be left with just a clear stock. Season it with Dear Mam Vegetarian Fish Sauce, MSG, and salt. Adjust to your own preferences. Add the fried tofu puffs and simmer until ready to serve.
Separate the stems from the caps of the shiitake mushrooms. The stems already went into your broth, so slice the caps for the topping. The mini king oyster mushrooms are usually ready straight from the package, but if any look too big, cut them down to match the others. For the seafood mushrooms, cut off the root ends and halve them.
Heat a large pan over medium-high heat and add the shiitake and king oyster mushrooms first. Let them pick up color and soften for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the seafood mushrooms, toss to combine, and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes. Once the mushrooms brown, add a splash of oil and season with salt. Wait to add the oil until after the mushrooms soften. If you add it too early, the mushrooms soak it all up and turn greasy instead of browned.
While the broth simmers, prep your garnishes. Thinly slice the white onion and soak the slices in cold water to tame the raw bite, then drain. Slice the jalapeño, cut the limes into wedges, and rinse the bean sprouts. Finely chop the green onions and cilantro.
Bring a separate pot of water to a boil and blanch the rice noodles for just a few seconds. I like mine al dente and still chewy, so about 5 seconds is all it takes. Add the noodles to a bowl and top with bean sprouts, green onions, and cilantro. Top the noodles with the mushroom mixture, then ladle in the hot broth and tofu puffs. Finish with thinly sliced white onion, jalapeño, a lime wedge, and a little fresh ground black pepper. Enjoy!
This post is part of a collaboration with The Asian American Foundation (TAAF). All opinions…
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