30-minute quick and easy vegan pho recipe - Rhubarbarians (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in pho broth? ›

Sa sung—dried peanut worms—have been described as the secret ingredient of great pho.

PHO SOUP INGREDIENTS:

1 tablespoon olive oil (or any neutral-flavored oil) 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, thinly sliced. 2 heads baby bok choy, halved. optional: 1-2 cups extra veggies (such as sliced carrots, broccoli florets, snow peas, etc.)

Pho is usually considered a healthier choice than ramen because it tends to have fewer calories and less fat, making it a lighter meal. But both pho and ramen still give you a good amount of protein, vitamins, and minerals.

Simmering beef or chicken bones make traditional phở broth for several hours. The slow cooking process releases the bones' flavours and nutrients, resulting in a deep and complex broth. A combination of spices and aromatics such as star anise, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, and onion is added to enhance the flavor profile.

Spices: There are 5 important spices in pho broth — star anise, whole cloves, cinnamon sticks, cardamom pods, and coriander seeds. I really recommend using the whole (not ground) spices if possible, which we will briefly toast to bring out extra flavor.

Here goes the peeled Daikon radish! For the last remaining hour, add in the exotic spices. Although these spices are unique to the Pho flavor adding them too early will make the broth too potent and bitter.

For pho noodle soup and other pho noodle dishes, you want banh pho -- flat rice noodles. The round bun rice vermicelli noodles are used for other dishes, including rice noodle bowls and rice paper salad rolls (goi cuon, sometimes called fresh spring rolls).

Toppings for Pho: If you've ordered pho at a Vietnamese restaurant, then you know one of the most exciting things about it is the plate of optional toppings that comes with your big bowl of pho! We serve pho soup next to a plate of Thai basil, fresh mint, thinly sliced onion, crispy bean sprouts, and lime.

Experts also suggest that if pho is used for breakfast, then you should avoid salt for the rest of the day. To avoid imbalanced nutrition, you should not eat pho too often, and you should switch up diet with other food products. Any food, no matter how good it is, won't be good for your body if consumed too much.

Why is pho so good when sick? ›

The noodle soup has also been cited by doctors as an excellent cold remedy due to all the healing spices it's packed with, such as coriander and anise. Rice noodles don't offer much in the way of nutritional value, so Hartley suggests swapping them out for brown rice noodles to make your pho healthier.

Pho contains B vitamins - responsible for metabolizing the food we eat into energy - Vitamin C- great for fighting off viruses and aiding in iron absorption, Iron is important for maintaining healthy blood cells. Pho is also very high in calcium and is a great source of protein!

Crunchy flank is also called ve don in Vietnam. If you see that on a menu when ordering pho, you will instantly know it is crunchy flank. When the crunchy flank is cooked properly, it will have a crispy and slightly chewy texture. Of course, the taste will always be amazing and quite flavorful.

Traditionally made pho naturally contains anti-inflammatory, nutrient-dense ingredients that promote the detoxification of toxins, fight viral and bacterial infections, aid in digestion and supply the body with beneficial enzymes.

Bean sprouts are put in raw for the crunchy factor. Add a little at a time to maintain the crunchiness as you eat, or add them all while the broth is hot to cook them. The downside here is it takes heat to cook your sprouts, and as a result your broth will cool before you finish your bowl of pho.

Temperature control. For the most flavorful and clear broth, your pot needs to be in a constant simmer. Take your time in the first 15 minutes or so to make adjustments to your temperature. This ensures that you have true simmering in the next 3-5 hours; no rolling boiling water, no dead still water either.

Add spices.

Lightly crushed peppercorns can enhance chicken broth destined for chicken and dumplings, or you can add cinnamon sticks, star anise, cloves, and coriander to beef broth for a quick interpretation of pho.

The broth is the soul of pho, easily the most important component. Though chicken variants exist, pho broth is typically made from beef, onions/shallots, ginger, yellow rock sugar, fish sauce, and spices. The broth is where the flavor is and It's what makes pho, pho.