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Perhaps the most iconic (and beloved) dish to hail from Vietnam, the magic of pho lies in the broth. Herein lies the secret to delicious success …

You will need

Serves 2

Pho Broth

  • 1 brown onion, roughly chopped
  • 3 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 1 x 4cm piece of ginger
  • 2 cinnamon sticks
  • 4 whole star anise
  • 4 whole cloves
  • 8 cups vegan-friendly stock (chicken-style, beef-style or vegetable)
  • 2 tablespoons soy or tamari sauce, or to taste

Add-ins

  • 4 serves or 600g of flat rice noodles
  • 300g firm tofu, sliced
  • 1 cup broccoli, chopped
  • 2 carrots, chopped finely
  • 2 heads of bok choy, chopped

To serve

  • 1 cup bean sprouts
  • 1/2 cup Thai basil
  • Lemon wedges
  • Chilli, finely sliced
  • Chilli sauce

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Directions

15 mins to prep

30 mins to cook

  1. Step 1

    To make the broth, add the onion, garlic, ginger and all the spices to a large pot over high heat. Sauté for about 5 minutes until the onion and garlic is slightly charred and the spices are fragrant.

  2. Step 2

    Add the vegetable stock and soy sauce to the pot. Boil the broth for 10 minutes then reduce to a simmer for 20 minutes. If too much of the stock evaporates, add some water to the pot.

  3. Step 3

    Cook the noodles according to its packet instructions and set aside.

  4. Step 4

    Strain the broth into a large bowl reserving the broth. Discard the solids (onion, garlic and herbs).

  5. Step 5

    Return the broth to the pot and add the tofu and vegetables. Increase the heat to high and cook the vegetables for 5-10 minutes or until tender.

  6. Step 6

    Divide the cooked noodles into 4 bowls. Ladle the soup and vegetables over the noodles. Serve the pho hot with bean sprouts, basil, lemon and chilli or as desired.

Hot tip!

Some Asian supermarkets have a pre-made pho spice mix with all the spices needed for this recipe.
Vegan-friendly liquid stocks can be found in major supermarkets or health food stores. The brands Massel and Australia’s Own Organic have chicken-style and beef-style stocks that are vegan friendly. Campbells also has a liquid vegetable stock.