Vegan Pho Noodle Soup (Pho Chay) can be hearty with deep savory flavors. While this vegan pho is quicker to make than traditional beef pho, it is just as comforting and delicious.
A few weeks ago, I shared a photo of my bowl of Vietnamese beef pho on Instagram. Then I was asked if I had a recipe for vegan pho (phở chay). Up until that point, I had neither cooked or eaten vegan pho. Being exposed to quite a lot of amazing vegan/vegetarian dishes recently, I felt determined to create a vegan version of pho noodle soup. To my surprise, it wasn’t super challenging, and the result was absolutely satisfying and tasty. I really enjoy all aspects of it, from the vegetable-based broth to the vegan toppings. So, let’s touch on the main elements of this vegan pho before jumping to the recipe.
Vegetable-based Broth for Vegan Pho Noodle Soup
What is the most important element of Vietnamese pho noodle soup? Of course, it’s the broth. The answer is the same for vegan pho noodle soup. And how does regular beef pho broth taste? It’s aromatic, flavorful, hearty, savory with sweetness from simmering bones for hours. Since vegetables are naturally sweet, it’s quite easy to replicate the sweetness. The challenge here is how to make a hearty, flavorful and savory vegan pho broth while vegetable broth is usually on the light side.
