This vegan take on pho bo, the classic Vietnamese beef noodle soup, swaps the beef for thin shreds of seitan and simmers everything in a garlicky, gingery vegetable broth. It's light but deeply warming, loaded with rice noodles, crisp bean sprouts, scallions, and fresh cilantro, and it's on the table in about 35 minutes despite the long-looking ingredient list.
Photos by Hannah Kaminsky.
It makes a welcome change of pace in winter from thick soups and stews, yet it's every bit as comforting. Everyone gets to finish their own bowl at the table with lime, herbs, and a squeeze of hot sauce, which is half the fun of pho.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
- Rice noodles. Thin, flat rice sticks or Vietnamese rice vermicelli are traditional. Bean-thread (glass) noodles work just as well and give the soup a slippery, translucent look.
- Seitan. The "beef" in this pho. Store-bought seitan is fine; tear or slice it into thin shreds so it soaks up the broth. Thinly sliced baked tofu or pressed extra-firm tofu is a good gluten-free swap.
- Low-sodium vegetable broth. Starting with a low-sodium broth lets you season with soy sauce without the soup getting too salty. A mushroom broth adds extra savory depth.
- Reduced-sodium soy sauce. Adds the salty, umami backbone. Use tamari or coconut aminos if you need the soup to be gluten-free (along with tofu instead of seitan).
- Fresh ginger, garlic, and shallot. These build the aromatic base. Grating the ginger on a microplane releases the most flavor; adjust between 2 and 3 teaspoons to taste.
- Bean sprouts, scallions, cilantro, and lime. The fresh finish that makes pho taste like pho. Thai basil and mint are lovely additions if you can find them.
Helpful Tips
Keep the noodles separate. Rice noodles keep soaking up liquid, so cook them on their own, then divide them among bowls and ladle the hot soup over the top. This keeps the broth clear and the noodles from turning mushy.
Snip the noodles. Long rice noodles are hard to wrangle from a soup bowl. After draining, a few cuts with kitchen scissors makes them much easier to eat.
Take the aromatics to golden. Sauté the garlic and shallot over medium-low heat until they turn golden, not brown. That gentle color adds a toasty sweetness to the broth, while scorched garlic turns it bitter.
Add liquid as needed. Once the seitan and sprouts go in, the pot can look crowded. Add another 1 to 2 cups of broth, or water if you've run out, so every bowl gets plenty of soup.
Crisp the seitan for more texture. Straight from the package is fine, but if you have a few extra minutes, sear the shredded seitan in a little oil over high heat until golden at the edges before adding it to the soup.
Variations
- Spiced broth. For a flavor closer to traditional pho, simmer a star anise pod and a small cinnamon stick in the broth, then remove them before serving.
- Tofu pho. Replace the seitan with cubes of baked or pan-fried tofu, as in this Asian Tofu Vegetable Soup.
- Mushroom pho. Add a cup of sliced shiitake or oyster mushrooms with the broth for a meatier, earthier bowl.
- Extra greens. Stir in baby bok choy or a couple of handfuls of spinach during the last few minutes of simmering.
- Mock duck. Canned mock duck makes a great swap for the seitan; it's also the star of this Lemongrass Noodle Bowl with Mock Duck.
Serving Ideas
Pho is a meal in a bowl, but it's best served with a plate of extra garnishes in the middle of the table: more bean sprouts, lime wedges, cilantro, sliced chiles, and bottles of Sriracha and hoisin sauce so everyone can season to taste.
For a bigger spread, start with fresh Tofu Spring Rolls, or browse our collection of Vegan Asian Noodle Recipes for a cold noodle salad to serve alongside. If you have seitan left over, use it up in a hearty Seitan "Meat and Potatoes" Stew.
Storing & Freezing
Store the broth (with the seitan and vegetables) and the noodles in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Keeping them apart stops the noodles from absorbing all the broth and going soft. The fresh garnishes are best added just before serving.
The broth freezes well for up to 3 months; the noodles and bean sprouts don't, so cook a fresh batch of noodles when you reheat. Thaw the broth overnight in the fridge, then warm it gently on the stovetop until steaming and pour it over the noodles. Finish with fresh lime, scallions, and cilantro.
More Vegan Asian Soups
If you loved this recipe, here are a few more you might enjoy:
- Vegan Ramen Miso Soup
- Vegan Wonton Soup Recipe
- 20-Minute Asian Vegetable Noodle Soup
- Miso-Butternut Squash Soup with Soba or Udon Noodles
Recipe
Vegan Pho Bo (Vietnamese Faux-Beef Noodle Soup)
Equipment
- Saucepan for the noodles
Ingredients
- 3 to 4 ounces thin rice noodles or bean-thread noodles
- 1 tablespoon neutral vegetable oil
- 3 to 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 shallot minced
- 4 cups low-sodium vegetable broth (one 32-ounce carton), plus 1 to 2 cups more broth or water as needed
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce plus more to taste
- 2 to 3 teaspoons fresh ginger minced or grated, to taste
- 6 to 8 ounces seitan cut into thin shreds
- 1 cup mung bean sprouts fresh
- 4 scallions thinly sliced, divided
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro minced, or more to taste, divided
- 2 teaspoons lime juice or more to taste
- freshly ground pepper to taste
- 1 lime cut into thin wedges, for garnish
- Sriracha for serving (optional)
- hoisin sauce for serving (optional)
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to the package directions until just tender (al dente). Drain, rinse briefly with cool water, and snip them into shorter lengths with kitchen scissors so they're easier to eat from a soup bowl. Set aside.
- Meanwhile, heat the oil in a soup pot over medium-low heat. Add the garlic and shallot and sauté, stirring often, until both are golden, 3 to 4 minutes.
- Add the broth, soy sauce, and ginger. Bring to a slow boil, then lower the heat, cover, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.
- Add the seitan, bean sprouts, half of the scallions, and half of the cilantro. Add 1 to 2 cups more broth (or water) so the ingredients aren't crowded. Season with the lime juice, pepper, and a little more soy sauce if you'd like.
- Simmer for 3 minutes longer, then remove from the heat.
- Divide the noodles among 6 bowls and ladle the hot soup over them. Garnish each serving with a lime wedge or two and the remaining scallions and cilantro. Pass Sriracha and hoisin sauce at the table, if you like.
Robin Garr says
Looks great, but where is the seitan? When does it go in, and do you marinate or brown it? I want to make this dish soon!