Hanoi & Saigon — Vietnam
Phở Chay
A clear, fragrant broth of charred ginger, onion and warming spices, with rice noodles, herbs and silky tofu — the Buddhist temple version of Vietnam's national dish.
Prep
20 min
Cook
60 min
Serves
4
Level
Medium
Flavor
Aromatic · clean · warming
The Story
Why this dish — and how it became plant-based
Phở chay is the Buddhist-temple version of Vietnam's most famous dish, and it's been part of the country's culinary fabric for as long as phở itself. In Vietnam's Mahayana Buddhist tradition, vegetarian (chay) cooking is offered on the 1st and 15th of each lunar month, and entire restaurants specialise in elegant, deeply-flavoured plant-based versions of national favourites.
The defining trick of phở isn't the meat — it's the technique. Aromatic spices toasted in a dry pan. Onion and ginger charred over open flame until blackened. A long, gentle simmer that draws out everything without clouding the broth. Apply that same technique to a vegetable foundation and you get something with the clarity and aroma of the original — and a freshness no beef broth ever delivered.
Ingredients
What you'll need
Charred aromatics
- •1 large onion, halved
- •1 large knob ginger (~10cm), halved lengthwise
Spice bundle
- •1 cinnamon stick
- •3 star anise
- •4 cloves
- •1 tbsp coriander seeds
- •1 tsp fennel seeds
- •2 cardamom pods (optional)
Broth
- •10 dried shiitake mushrooms
- •1 small daikon radish, sliced
- •2 carrots, cut in chunks
- •1 apple or Asian pear, halved
- •3 litres cold water
- •3 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- •2 tbsp vegan fish sauce (or extra soy + pinch sugar)
- •2 tsp salt (adjust)
- •1 tbsp rock sugar or brown sugar
To serve (per bowl)
- •200g flat rice noodles (bánh phở), prepared per package
- •150g firm or pressed tofu, cubed and pan-seared
- •Bean sprouts
- •Thai basil, cilantro, mint
- •Lime wedges
- •Sliced red chile, hoisin and sriracha on the side
Method
Step by step
- 1
Char the aromatics: place onion and ginger halves cut-side down directly over a gas flame (or under a hot broiler) until blackened, 5–8 minutes. Wipe off the worst of the black bits. This is the soul of the broth.
- 2
Toast the spice bundle in a dry pan over medium heat 1–2 minutes until fragrant. Tie in cheesecloth or pop in a tea infuser.
- 3
Place charred aromatics, spice bundle, shiitake, daikon, carrot, apple and water in a large stockpot. Bring to a bare simmer — never let it boil hard, or the broth turns cloudy.
- 4
Cook gently uncovered 45 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve. You should have ~2.5 litres of pale-golden, crystal-clear broth.
- 5
Return broth to the pot. Season with soy, vegan fish sauce, salt and sugar. Taste — adjust until it's rich, clean and just barely sweet.
- 6
Meanwhile, pat tofu dry and pan-sear in a little oil until golden on all sides. Cook noodles according to package directions and divide among 4 bowls.
- 7
Top each bowl with tofu, then ladle over the steaming hot broth. The broth should be near-boiling when it hits the bowl — don't let it cool.
- 8
Serve immediately with the platter of herbs, sprouts, lime and condiments. Each diner builds their own bowl.
The Veganisation
Traditional → Plant-Based, swap by swap
Original
Beef bone broth
Plant-based
Charred-aromatic vegetable dashi
Original
Rare beef slices
Plant-based
Pan-seared tofu (or seitan)
Original
Fish sauce
Plant-based
Vegan fish sauce or soy + pinch sugar
Chef Notes
Get it right the first time
- →Never boil phở broth. A gentle simmer — barely-moving water — is what keeps it crystal clear.
- →The char on the onion and ginger is essential. If you don't have a gas flame, char under the broiler for 5 minutes a side.
- →Toasting the spices first is what makes the broth aromatic instead of muddy.
- →The bowl is built three times: in the kitchen (broth, noodles, tofu), at the table (herbs, sprouts, chile, lime), and in your mouth (each spoonful).
- →Make a double batch and freeze. The broth is the part that takes time; assembly is 5 minutes.
Serve with
Vietnamese summer rolls (gỏi cuốn chay) · Pickled vegetables (đồ chua) · Vietnamese iced coffee with oat milk · A bottle of Saigon beer on a hot day
One Plate, Two Wins
Delicious tonight. Kind every night.
Every traditional dish has a plant-based soul waiting to be uncovered — you just have to listen to the spices, not the meat.
Hungry for more world flavors?
Explore another dish from our global vegan kitchen.