I tried a vegetarian pho recipe a couple of years ago that was essentially fat-free due to the use of vegetable broth and the absence of meat. As a result, it was lacking in body and depth of flavor. For this version, I intentionally sautéed the mushrooms in some oil to enhance their flavor and texture, and to add extra depth to the soup. Success!
Also of note, I used a combination of vegetable broth and water to make sure that the delicate notes of cinnamon, star anise, clove and ginger shine through. So, that’s why you might want to add some salt back in along the cooking process.
This is a fun, quick and delicious version of your favorite restaurant’s pho, and I hope you love it as much as I do. For a more intensely flavored broth, char your onions and ginger before adding them to the broth—it’s an extra step that takes 20 minutes but makes this pho taste a little more traditional (see recipe notes for details).
