Vegetarian Pho Instant Pot Recipe
The cold winter nights call for some comfort food, and there’s nothing better than digging into a bowlful of delicious soup right? And if some homemade pho is what you’re craving for, here’s a great recipe for a Vegetarian Pho Instant Pot recipe.
Table of contents
- Is this vegetarian Vietnamese food a vegan Vietnamese recipe?
- Are pho noodles gluten free?
- More Asian Inspired Recipes
- How can I make the veggie pho healthy?
- I don’t have rice noodles. Can I use other noodles?
- How long can vegetarian pho last in the fridge?
- Supplies used in vegetarian pho
- What to put in pho - vegan pho broth recipe
- How to make pho soup
Read on to discover a vegetarian (or pho rau cai) take on the famous Vietnamese pho- it is healthy, delicious and super easy to make too, especially if you have your Instant Pot.
Ready to go ahead and give it a try? In less than 30 minutes, you can enjoy a large pot of this pressure cooking soup.
Skip the marrow bones and learn how to make vegetarian pho. Keep reading to discover just how to do that and more!
Is this vegetarian Vietnamese food a vegan Vietnamese recipe?
Yes, it is. This recipe mixes pho noodles and some of our favorite Vietnamese vegetables and combines them in an easy vegetarian rice noodle soup.
How to make vegan pho
Most times when you ask is pho vegan, the answer will be no. But, this is a pho vegan Asian cuisine inspired recipe that specifically leaves out meat and meat products.
We use a vegetable broth, rice noodles, vegetables and seasonings, all which are vegetarian friendly and vegan friendly ingredients.
To add more bulk to the recipe, you can make it a tofu pho. A lot of authentic Vietnamese pho recipes for vegans have pho and tofu always together. But, you can decide if you want to include it. If you have a soy allergy or intolerance, leave the tofu out.
Are pho noodles gluten free?
Yes. Rice noodles are traditionally added to vegetarian pho broth when serving. Rice noodles are gluten free and vegan, making this one of the best Vietnamese vegetarian recipes because it covers so many bases.
More Asian Inspired Recipes
Egg drop soup, Chicken Thighs Thai soup, and PF Chang's copycat lettuce wraps are some more tasty Asian recipes to add to your meal plan. Here are even more Asian Instant Pot recipes.
How can I make the veggie pho healthy?
Traditionally, Vietnamese Pho contains a broth- bone, fish or beef broth. The broth itself packs in a lot of nutritive value. Since this is a vegetarian pho, you’ll be using a vegetarian broth no doubt, but there are several other ways you can pump up its nutritive value.
There are also authentic Vietnamese vegetarian pho recipes, and this easy vegan pho recipes is our take on that type of Vietnamese soup.
You can add in more veggies into the mix, making it a chunkier Vietnamese vegetable soup recipe. For instance, this recipe calls for some shiitake mushrooms, bok choy and spring onions. You can also add in other veggies that you like- snow peas, bean sprouts, carrots, broccoli, jalapenos and even cauliflower. Plus, you can also add in a protein source like fried tofu.
Vegetarian pho calories
This recipe has 212 calories per serving, and is based on 6 servings with the ingredients listed in the recipe card below.
I don’t have rice noodles. Can I use other noodles?
Vegetarian or not, Pho is usually made using rice noodles- fresh or dried. You can easily find them at your local food specialty store or the supermarket.
Rice noodles are made with rice flour. You can use thick or thin noodles. We normally use thin noodles for this soup, but happened to use a thicker noodle when these photos were taken.
However, if you’re trying this recipe impromptu and don’t have rice noodles in your pantry, you can make do with thin egg noodles too.
Thicker noodles taste great too, but they’re usually used when you’re making more saucy dishes.
How long can vegetarian pho last in the fridge?
If you ended up making a huge batch of pho, or are just trying to whip up a couple of weeknight’s worth of meals and store it for later, here’s how to go around it. In most cases, all you need to do is store your vegetarian pho in an airtight container, and it should stay good in your fridge for upto 5 days.
And if make ahead freezer meals are your thing, you can always store the pho in an airtight container and pop it in the freezer and it can be stored for up to 3 months.
Supplies used in vegetarian pho
- Fine mesh sieve - use this to strain the broth and remove any bits of spice you don't want in the bowl.
- Pho bowls - traditional style bowls used to serve pho along with chopsticks and a spoon.
- Reusable chopsticks - this set of chopsticks is reusable and also makes a terrific gift idea for the Asian food lover in your life.
- Vietnamese Instant Pot cookbook - if you love Vietnamese food, you'll want to check out this cookbook with some more tasty Vietnamese recipes to try out.
What to put in pho - vegan pho broth recipe
- olive oil
- black peppercorns
- star anise
- ground clove
- garlic
- ginger
- cinnamon stick
- white onion
- vegetable stock
- shiitake mushrooms
- baby bok choy
- spring onions
- salt
- rice noodles
- tofu, optional
Other ideas for flavoring include hoisin sauce, fish sauce, and thinly sliced oyster mushrooms.
How to make pho soup
Tips & tricks to remember for vegetarian pho
While this instant pot vegetarian pho is actually incredibly simple and easy to make, there are a few additional tips and tricks that can really help you nail the recipe.
When you’re sautéing the spices, make sure you keep stirring and don’t end up burning them. They just need to be roasted lightly for their fragrant oils to be released- anything over that will end up making your pho taste bitter.
Toppings matter, especially when it comes to lending your pho a nice flavor.
Chopped cilantro can add a nice element of freshness, and lime can season the broth and make your pho more flavorful and tangy. And of course, if you’re a spice lover, the jalapeno will give the pho that spicy kick you’re looking for. Sprouts give a nice crunch.
Vegan Pho Instant Pot Recipe
This Vegan Pho soup recipe is a tasty combination of savory flavored broth along with traditional Vietnamese vegetables. Learn how to make vegan pho and season the broth with star anise, cloves and more.
Ingredients
Supplies
Vegan pho broth recipe
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 10 whole black peppercorns
- 3 whole star anise
- 1/2 teaspoon ground clove
- 1 tablespoon garlic
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1 white onion, quartered
- 2 (28-ounce) cans vegetable broth
- 1 1/2 cups shiitake mushrooms
- 1 baby bok choy
- 6 spring onions
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 8.8 ounce package thin rice noodles
Pho soup Toppings
Instructions
- Place instant pot on sauté mode. Add in olive oil, black peppercorns, star anise, clove, garlic, ginger, and the cinnamon stick. Sauté about two minutes. Add in quartered onion and sauté another two minutes. Turn off sauté mode.
- Pour in vegetable broth. Add in mushrooms. Add in spring onion bottoms reserving the chives for topping later. Pull the baby bok choy apart and wash. Add to pot. Add in salt and stir well.
- Place lid onto the instant pot. Set valve to seal position. Press high pressure/pressure cook/manual button and set time to 1 minute. The broth will heat up as it comes to pressure.
- Meanwhile, cook the rice noodles as direct on the stove. These have special instructions and shouldn't be made in the pot.
- Once complete add the noodles to the pho. Serve with limes, jalapeno, cilantro, and any other toppings.
Recommended Products
As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Nutrition Information
Yield
6Serving Size
1Amount Per Serving Calories 212Total Fat 5gSaturated Fat 1gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 4gCholesterol 14mgSodium 1029mgCarbohydrates 33gFiber 4gSugar 5gProtein 11g
