Vietnamese vegetable pho

A Vietnamese vegan dish built on whole ingredients.

Servings: 4
Active time: 30 min
Total time: 1 h 30 min

Organic sourcing

Opt for organic carrots and bell peppers as they are on the EWG Dirty Dozen for high pesticide residues. Herbs like cilantro and basil also benefit from organic sourcing.

Ingredients

• 1 large onion
• 2 inch piece fresh ginger
• 4 cups vegetable broth (ideally homemade)
• 4 cups water
• 2 star anise
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 3 cloves
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• 200 g rice noodles
• 200 g firm tofu, cut into cubes
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 2 carrots, julienned
• 1 red bell pepper, thinly sliced
• 1 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
• 1 cup Thai basil leaves
• 2 limes, cut into wedges
• to taste salt
• to taste freshly ground black pepper

Method

1. Char the onion and ginger over a gas flame or in a broiler until blackened, about 5 minutes. Peel and slice the ginger.
2. In a large pot, combine the onion, ginger, vegetable broth, water, star anise, cinnamon stick, and cloves. Bring to a boil.
3. Reduce the heat to a simmer, cover, and cook for 45 minutes to develop the flavors.
4. Strain the broth and return it to the pot. Add soy sauce and season with salt and pepper.
5. Cook the rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
6. In the strained broth, briefly simmer the tofu cubes, carrots, and red bell pepper until the vegetables are tender.
7. Divide the noodles among four bowls and ladle the hot broth and vegetables over them.
8. Top with bean sprouts, cilantro, and Thai basil. Serve with lime wedges on the side for squeezing.

Notes

• For added heat, serve with sliced chili peppers.
• You can prepare the broth a day ahead and refrigerate.
• Substitute tofu with seitan for a different texture.

Source

Paraphrased from the culinary canon by Organic.is editors, 2026. Classic Vietnamese recipe. If you'd like a specific source for further reading, ask Tinni (bottom-right) for a book recommendation.