Vegan Pho
Rich and aromatic vegan pho chock-full of vegetables and flavour.
Pho (pronounced "fuh") is a type of Vietnamese soup with a richly spiced broth, vegetables, vermicelli, and meat. Typically, the broth is made by boiling soup bones and spices, but in the case of this vegan version, the spices do all the heavy lifting. It may not be a traditional pho, but I like to think it's just as yummy.
This recipe recommends a number of optional garnishes, which aren't included in the calorie count. But this flavourful soup is so low in calories that there is lots of room for added ingredients. If you love bean sprouts, water chestnuts, or other vegetables, feel free to add them and enjoy.
Ingredients
(Makes 4 servings)
5 whole cloves
5 whole peppercorns
3 whole allspice
3 star anise
1 cinnamon stick
8 cups water
1 sweet onion, rough chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 2-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and halved
1 cup shitake mushrooms, stems removed and reserved, caps chopped
1/2 cup tamari
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 stalks green onions, chopped
4 baby bok choy, quartered
1 yellow sweet bell pepper, rough chopped
1 cup edamame
2 cups vermicelli noodles
1 jalapeño, deseeded and sliced (optional)
1 red chili pepper, deseeded and sliced (optional)
fresh mint (optional)
lime wedges (optional)
Directions
In a large soup pot or Dutch oven over medium heat, add the cloves, peppercorns, allspice, star anise, and the cinnamon stick. Stir the spices and heat until they become fragrant. Add the water, onion, garlic, ginger, and mushroom stems. Cover and bring to a simmer then cook for 30 minutes.
As the broth cooks, add the vermicelli to a large bowl of hot water and soak. Set aside.
Strain the broth and return it to the pot (discard the solids). Add the mushroom caps, tamari, rice vinegar and green onions and bring the pot back to a simmer. Cook for 20 minutes then add the bok choy, bell pepper, and edamame. Cook an additional 10 minutes.
Rinse the vermicelli in cold water then add the noodles to the pot. Bring back to a simmer and cook for an additional minute. Taste and add any additional seasoning as needed.
Serve with additional tamari, sliced jalapeño, red chili pepper, fresh mint, and lime (optional).
Nutritional Information Per Serving:
total calories = 233 | total fat = 2.68g | saturated fat = 0.33g | cholesterol = 0mg | sodium = 2,027mg | net carbohydrates = 35.17g | dietary fibre = 6.39g | sugars = 6.62g | protein = 13.89g
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