Easy Vegetarian “Pho”

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Easy Vegetarian "Pho"

Rachel Artus | April 1, 2020

• prep time: 10 minutes
• cook time: 15-20 minutes
• total time: 30 minutes
• servings: 2-3

Ingredients:

1-2 Tablespoons olive oil or other plant-based oil
1 small yellow onion, roughly chopped
1 whole bell pepper, chopped into long pieces
2 celery stalks, diagonally sliced
1 small head of broccoli
1-2 small or medium carrots, diagonally sliced
2 dried star anise
2-3 dried cloves
½ dried cinnamon stick
1 dried chili pepper, seeds removed (keep whole shell intact by cutting off the stem and shaking out the seeds)
32 oz. Nature’s Promise chicken or vegetable stock
Pinch of freshly grated ginger
1 garlic clove, minced
1 teaspoon chili garlic sauce
½ fresh lime, juiced
2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
1 Tablespoon fish sauce
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste
A Taste of Thai thin rice noodle (vermicelli)

To Garnish:
Fresh lime wedges
Fresh bean sprouts
Fresh cilantro and basil
Crispy garlic (sliced thin and sautéed in separate fry pan in olive oil until golden and crispy)

Instructions:

1. Heat oil in a stock pot over medium heat, then add onions, star anise, cloves, cinnamon, and chili pepper. This will allow spices to bloom and flavor the onions. Allow onions to sauté to translucent, then remove all dried spices from the pot.
   
   
2. Add bell pepper, celery, broccoli and carrots and sauté until partially soft. They will soften up more after simmering within the added stock. Then, add minced garlic, fresh ginger, and garlic chili sauce and sauté while stirring frequently to prevent garlic from burning. Add more oil as needed.
   
   
3. Allow garlic to cook on medium-to-low heat until it becomes soft and fragrant. Next, add vegetable or chicken stock, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, and Kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Allow ingredients to come to a low boil and then simmer for 15-20 minutes.
   
   
4. While broth is simmering, prepare the vermicelli noodles according to directions on the back of the packaging. Always rinse noodles directly after removed from hot water to prevent overcooking.
   
   
5. Once the vermicelli is cooked and broth is seasoned to desired taste, combine vermicelli, broth and its contents in a large soup bowl. Garnish with lime wedge, fresh basil and cilantro, fresh bean sprouts, and crispy garlic. Add more hoisin and chili garlic sauce as needed.

It looks like pho and tastes like pho, so I shall call it Easy “Pho”.  

Traditionally, pho is made with homemade beef or chicken stock, which takes hours to make (but is totally worth it because it’s delicious). Every so often I get a sudden craving for pho, so I decided to learn how to make an easy, plant-based version at home using some classic pantry staples, as well as some traditional Vietnamese ingredients.

Ingredients like star anise and garlic chili sauce may seem hard to buy, but you’ll likely be able to find them at any large grocery store near you in the international section or the spice section. I linked a few of the ingredients because it helps to know what they look like when you buy them for the first time (I was always a visual learner)! The dried spices are non-perishable and last for a good long time in the pantry and the sauces store well in the refrigerator. If you can’t find these ingredients, there are tons great grocery delivery services that can help, like InstaCart and Peapod.

Pho is one of my favorite Asian-inspired dishes and I try and order it out whenever I can! If you have 30 minutes and are craving a soul-warming soup with heaps of delicious noodles, this Easy “Pho” might just keep you full and satisfied.