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Rice Noodle Soup with pak choi, shiitake mushrooms, crispy tofu, cilantro, mint, ginger, garlic, limes

Vegan Rice Noodle Soup - Pho with Crispy Tofu

Author: Bianca Zapatka
Pho Bo soup is a popular Vietnamese rice noodle soup and with this recipe you can easily make the homemade vegan version without meat! Made of a hearty flavorful broth, gluten-free rice noodles, crispy tofu, and vegetables, this soup is not only delicious, but also very healthy!
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Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 45 mins
Course Appetizer, Lunch & Dinner, Main Course, Side Dish, Soup
Cuisine Asian, Vietnamese
Servings 4 Servings

Ingredients

Pho broth

  • 1 tbsp oil
  • 1 onion quartered
  • 4 garlic cloves crushed
  • ¼ inch (5 cm) piece of ginger thinly sliced
  • 1 large carrot sliced
  • ½ cup (120 g) parsley root or celery (sliced
  • 3 star anise
  • 4 cloves
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 8 ⅓ cup (2 l) vegetable broth
  • 1 tbsp miso paste
  • 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tsp sriracha or to taste

Crispy tofu

  • 14 oz (400 g) firm tofu
  • 1 tbsp sesame or peanut oil or other vegetable oil
  • 1 tbsp tamari or soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch

Pho soup

  • 7 oz (200 g) rice noodles
  • 3.5 oz (100 g) shiitake mushrooms whole or sliced
  • 2 pak choi bok choy, halved
  • jalapeños or green peppers, sliced
  • 1 bunch cilantro coarsely chopped
  • 1 bunch mint coarsely chopped
  • limes

Instructions 

*Note: Feel free to check out the step-by-step instructions above!

    Pho Broth

    • Heat the oil in a large pot. Add the onions, garlic, and ginger and sauté over high heat for about 3 minutes.
    • Then add carrots, parsley root, star anise, cloves, and cinnamon and sauté for another 3 minutes or so until fragrant.
    • Pour in the vegetable broth. Add miso paste, tamari, and sriracha. Cover the pot with a lid and simmer over low heat for at least 45 minutes - the longer it cooks the more flavor it gets. (Meanwhile, you can prepare the crispy tofu).
    • Pour the broth through a fine-meshed sieve into another pot, reserving the vegetables and spices. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary.

    Crispy Tofu

    • Preheat the oven to 392 °F (200 °C) heat and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Wrap the tofu in paper towels and press very dry. Then cut into cubes, pat dry again and place in a bowl. First mix the tofu cubes with oil and tamari. Then sprinkle with cornstarch and mix again until well coated.
    • Spread the marinated tofu cubes on the prepared baking sheet, leaving enough space between each cube and bake for 25-30 minutes until golden brown, tossing after 15 minutes. (Alternatively, you can fry the tofu cubes in a pan for 7-8 minutes until crispy).

    Pho Soup

    • Cook the rice noodles according to package directions. Then rinse under cold water and drain.
    • Heat some oil in a pan and sauté the shiitake mushrooms for 2-3 minutes. Then add to the pho broth with the pak choi and bring to the boil again.
    • Add the rice noodles into bowls and pour the soup over them. Top with crispy tofu and garnish with jalapeños, cilantro, mint and lime wedges as desired. Enjoy!

    Notes

    • The veggies for the pho soup can be varied in any way you like. You can also use soy or mung bean sprouts, leeks, scallions, cabbage, or other mushrooms. Instead of tofu, you can also use edamame or another meat alternative as a protein source.
    • Storage: The broth can be made ahead and then stored in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months.
    • For more information on the recipe, read the blog post above!
    Nutrition is calculated automatically and should be used as estimate.
    Did you make this recipe?Mention @biancazapatka or tag #biancazapatka!