Equipment
Ingredients
Broth Aromatics
- 2 yellow onion, peeled and halved
- 50 g fresh ginger, halved lengthwise
- 4 star anise pods
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 4 whole cloves
Broth Base & Vegetables
- 1500 ml vegetable broth, low-sodium preferred
- 45 ml soy sauce
- 200 g carrots, peeled and julienned
- 200 g white turnip, peeled and julienned
- 300 g broccoli florets, cut into bite-sized pieces
Noodles & Protein
- 250 g dried flat rice noodles
- 300 g firm tofu, pressed and diced into cubes
Garnishes
- 100 g mung bean sprouts, rinsed
- 20 g fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1 fresh lime, cut into wedges
- 30 ml hoisin sauce
- 15 ml sriracha sauce
Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is estimated per serving. Nutrients without complete source data are omitted.
Full nutrition
- Calories
- 448 kcal
- Protein
- 18 g
- Carbohydrates
- 86 g
- Fat
- 5 g
- Fiber
- 9 g
- Sugar
- 16 g
- Sodium
- 2179 mg
- Saturated Fat
- 1 g
- Monounsaturated Fat
- 1 g
- Polyunsaturated Fat
- 2 g
- Cholesterol
- 0 mg
- Potassium
- 1008 mg
- Calcium
- 280 mg
- Iron
- 3.8 mg
- Magnesium
- 98 mg
- Phosphorus
- 346 mg
- Zinc
- 2.2 mg
- Vitamin A
- 515 mcg
- Vitamin C
- 98 mg
- Vitamin E
- 1.4 mg
- Vitamin K
- 110 mcg
- Vitamin B6
- 0.5 mg
- Thiamin
- 0.32 mg
- Riboflavin
- 0.34 mg
- Niacin
- 2.6 mg
- Folate
- 120 mcg
- Water
- 723 g
Sources: Aggregated Public Data, USDA FoodData Central
Method
Place the halved onion and ginger cut-side down in a dry large stockpot over medium-high heat. Sear without moving them for 5 minutes until heavily charred. This creates the signature smoky depth of traditional pho.
Add the star anise pods, cinnamon sticks, and whole cloves to the pot with the charred onion and ginger. Toast them for 1 to 2 minutes until highly fragrant, stirring continuously to prevent the spices from burning.
Pour the vegetable broth and soy sauce into the pot. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil at 100°C/212°F, then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer at 90°C/194°F. Let the broth simmer uncovered for 30 minutes to extract the flavors. After simmering, use a fine mesh strainer or slotted spoon to remove and discard the onion, ginger, and whole spices.
Add the julienned carrots and white turnips to the strained, simmering broth. Cook for 5 to 7 minutes until they are tender but still retain a slight bite.
While the root vegetables simmer, set up a steamer basket over an inch of boiling water. Add the broccoli florets, cover, and steam for 4 to 5 minutes until tender-crisp and bright green.
Cook the rice noodles or soba in a separate pot of boiling water according to the package directions. Drain thoroughly and rinse under cold water to stop the cooking process and wash away excess starch, which keeps them from turning gummy.
Divide the cooked noodles, steamed broccoli, and diced tofu evenly among four large, deep serving bowls. Ladle the boiling hot, aromatic broth with the simmered carrots and turnips directly over the noodles to warm everything through. Serve immediately alongside plates of bean sprouts, fresh cilantro, lime wedges, hoisin, and sriracha.
Chef's Notes
- Charring the onion and ginger is non-negotiable for pho. The Maillard reaction creates complex, smoky sugars that mimic the depth usually provided by roasted beef bones.
- Julienning the root vegetables rather than thickly slicing them ensures they cook rapidly and evenly in the broth while matching the shape and texture of the noodles.
- Never cook your noodles directly in the pho broth. The starches released during boiling will cloud your beautifully clear broth and drastically change its consistency.
- If using tofu, you can elevate the texture by pan-frying the cubes in a small amount of neutral oil until golden before adding them to the bowls.
Storage
Refrigerator: 4 days — Store the broth, noodles, and vegetables in separate airtight containers to prevent the noodles from becoming mushy and soaking up all the liquid.
Freezer: 3 months — Freeze the broth only. Fresh vegetables, tofu, and noodles should be prepared fresh upon reheating.
Reheating: Bring the broth to a rolling boil on the stove, then pour directly over cold noodles and vegetables in a serving bowl to warm them through.
Troubleshooting
Broth tastes flat or lacks depth
Cause: Onions and ginger were not charred enough, or the vegetable broth lacked sufficient umami
Fix: Stir in a splash more soy sauce or a pinch of mushroom seasoning powder.
Prevention: Allow the aromatics to deeply blacken on the cut side before adding liquid; use a high-quality vegetable stock.
Noodles are mushy and falling apart
Cause: Noodles were overcooked or left sitting in the hot broth for too long before eating
Fix: Cannot be fixed. In the future, cook noodles slightly al dente.
Prevention: Rinse noodles in cold water immediately after boiling, and store them separately from the broth until serving.
Broth has an overpowering black licorice flavor
Cause: Too much star anise was used, or the spices were left to simmer for far longer than 30 minutes
Fix: Dilute the broth with a little extra water or plain vegetable stock, and re-season with soy sauce.
Prevention: Measure whole spices carefully and remove them promptly after 30 minutes of infusion.
Cultural Context
Pho is universally recognized as the national dish of Vietnam, originally emerging in the early 20th century in the northern regions near Hanoi. While traditionally a rich, slow-simmered beef noodle soup, Buddhist traditions and modern culinary adaptations have given rise to 'Pho Chay', the vegetarian variation. By leaning into heavily roasted aromatics, warming whole spices, and savory soy or mushroom elements, Pho Chay captures the soul-warming essence of the original while remaining entirely plant-based.
