This umami packed and easy to make Mushroom Pho Soup recipe is made with hearty Portobello and flavor packed shiitake mushrooms; for the most delicious rich vegan broth based soup you've ever tried, seriously
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Full Recipe Ingredients/Instructions are available in the recipe card at the bottom of the post. However you can find important tips/tricks in the post.
Traditional Pho is a popular Vietnamese dish traditionally "...made by simmering beef bones, oxtails, flank steak, charred onion, charred ginger and spices. For a more intense flavor, the bones may still have beef on them"
Ingredients
Sea Kelp - is a type of seaweed. "Kelp can taste very salty (like the ocean), or taste like a fresh oyster. It also can have a bit of an umami taste (natural Monosodium glutamate), which is a very savory taste". Check out the nutritious benefits of Sea kelp too. For a substitution you can try other types of seaweed but we really recommend using Sea Kelp. You can order online via Amazon.
Dried Shiitake Mushroom - for umami flavor
Fresh Mushrooms - We like to use Button, Portobelloa and Oyster mushrooms. Mushrooms have an earthy, slightly woodsy, meaty flavor and have a umami taste.
Five Spice blend - a mixture of cinnamon, fennel seeds, star anise, Sichuan peppercorn and cloves.
Lime juice - for brightness
Ginger
Vegetable Broth
FAQ
Traditionally no; but we knew we could create a vegetable based pho broth just as good; if not better. With three key ingredients - vegetable broth (store bought is great but if you have the time homemade is fantastic), kelp and mushrooms.
Yes, pho soup is naturally gluten-free. Gluten-free Rice noodles are used in this recipe.
Umami, or savoriness, is one of the five basic tastes. It is described as savory and is characteristic of broths and cooked meats. In vegan recipes we get the umami flavor from mushrooms. Sea kelp is also a great source of umami flavor due to its high glutamate content. Glutamate is an amino acid.
Instructions
Making concentrated umami base
In a large, heat proof bowl. Add the kelp and dried mushrooms. Cover with 2 cups of boiling water to rehydrate the mushroom. Reserve this broth for later use in recipe. This should sit for an hour to get all the umani flavor.
Making the stock
In a very large pot (like a dutch oven) add 3 cups of water and the 3 cups of vegetable broth.
Prepare fresh mushrooms by separating mushroom caps and mushroom stems to be used in broth base. Rinse and slice mushroom caps. Reserving the sliced caps for later use.
Roughy chop the following; mushroom stems, carrots, onion, ginger. Add to pot. Add salt, bay leaves, tamari soy to pot along with five spice powder. Note: in making the stock we will be discarding these vegetables. Bring to boil around 5 minutes and then reduce to simmer. Cover and let simmer for 60 minutes.
In a large skillet add reserved sliced mushroom caps, salt and pepper to taste. Sauté mushrooms about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and cook another 10 minutes until mushroom are cooked. Set aside.
Return to step 1, the bowl of kelp and dried mushrooms will have made a concentrate. Reserving the liquid. Strain kelp and rehydrated mushrooms. Discard kelp. Add reserved liquid to pot of broth. Optionally - chop and add rehydrated mushrooms to broth. These mushrooms can be chewy so you may not want to add to soup. Cook another 5 minutes
Add lime juice and bring mixture to boil then turn off heat.
Cook Rice Noodles
Assembling Pho
Put cooked noodles in a bowl, add broth , spinach and garnish with red pepper flakes and parsley
Storage
Before storing your pho broth in the refrigerator or freezer you want to cool it down to room temperature. Store broth and noodles in separate airtight containers. Store in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days.
If you plan to freeze your broth, transfer to large freezer safe ziplock bag. Lay bag flat while freezing. Will take about 6 hours to freeze. Once frozen you will be able to stand the frozen broth vertically to take up less space in the freezer. Broth will keep for 3 months.
Serving Topping Suggestions
Complete your bowl of soup with any of the following:
- Fresh Basil Sprigs
- Fresh Cilantro
- Mung Bean Sprouts
- Sliced or Diced Tofu
- Shredded Carrots
- Squeeze Fresh Lime Juice
Depending on your appetite level you can also add any of the following to increase the amount of protein in this soup: spinach, tofu or a faux chicken product.
More Plant-Based & Gluten-Free Soup Recipes
📖 Recipe
Easy Mushroom Pho (Vegan + Gluten-Free)
If you love this recipe as much as we do, let us know with a 5-star rating!
Equipment
- 1 Dutch Oven or Oversized Stock Pot
- 1 Sauté Pan
- 1 Strainer
Ingredients
Concentrated Umami Base
- 1 ounce Dried Shiitake mushrooms
- 1 large piece - Kelp Kombu
- 2 cups Water - boiling
Soup Base
- 3 cups Low Sodium Vegetable broth
- 3 cups Water
- 3-4 packages Mushrooms - About 24 to 32 oz of mushrooms depending on size of container. Whatever you like Button, Portobello, Oyster Separate cap and stems. Add stems to base and set caps aside for sauté
- 3 Carrots - cut into chunks
- 1 Onion - cut into chunks
- 4 Bay Leaves
- ¼ cup Tamari sauce
- 2 Inch piece Ginger
- 1 teaspoon Five-spice powder
- ½ teaspoon Maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons Salt - add more per your taste preferences
- 3 teaspoons Lime juice
Mushroom Caps To Sauté
- 2 tablespoons Olive Oil
- Add set aside sliced Mushroom Caps
Noodles
- 1 package Rice Noodles - cook according to package directions
Toppings
- 1 Lime - juice from 1 lime wedge
- 1 package Spinach or Bok Choy - add handful to each bowl, broth will cook it.
Instructions
- In a large, heat proof bowl. Add the kelp and dried mushrooms. Cover with 2 cups of boiling water to rehydrate the mushroom. Reserve this broth for later use in recipe. This should sit for an hour to get all the umani flavor.1 ounce Dried Shiitake mushrooms, 1 large piece - Kelp, 2 cups Water
Making the stock
- In a very large pot (like a dutch oven) add 3 cups of water and the 3 cups of vegetable broth.3 cups Low Sodium Vegetable broth, 3 cups Water
- Prepare fresh mushrooms by separating mushroom caps and mushroom stems to be used in broth base. Rinse and slice mushroom caps. Reserving the sliced caps for later use.3-4 packages Mushrooms - About 24 to 32 oz of mushrooms depending on size of container. Whatever you like Button, Portobello, Oyster
- Roughy chop the following; mushroom stems, carrots, onion, ginger. Add to pot. Add salt, bay leaves, tamari soy to pot along with five spice powder. Note: in making the stock we will be discarding these vegetables. Bring to boil around 5 minutes and then reduce to simmer. Cover and let simmer for 60 minutes.3 Carrots, 1 Onion, 4 Bay Leaves, ¼ cup Tamari sauce, 2 Inch piece Ginger, 1 teaspoon Five-spice powder, 2 teaspoons Salt, ½ teaspoon Maple syrup
- In a large skillet add reserved sliced mushroom caps, salt and pepper to taste. Sauté mushrooms about 5 minutes. Reduce heat and cook another 10 minutes until mushroom are cooked. Set aside.2 tablespoons Olive Oil, Add set aside sliced Mushroom Caps
- Return to step 1, the bowl of kelp and dried mushrooms will have made a concentrate. Reserving the liquid. Strain kelp and rehydrated mushrooms. Discard kelp. Add reserved liquid to pot of broth. Optionally - chop and add rehydrated mushrooms to broth. These mushrooms can be chewy so you may not want to add to soup. Cook another 5 minutes
- Add lime juice and bring mixture to boil then turn off heat.3 teaspoons Lime juice
- Cook rice noodles1 package Rice Noodles
Assembling Pho
- Put cooked noodles in a bowl, add broth , spinach and garnish with red pepper flakes and parsley1 package Spinach or Bok Choy
Notes
Storage
Before storing your pho broth in the refrigerator or freezer you want to cool it down to room temperature. Store broth and noodles in separate airtight containers. Store in refrigerator for 2 to 3 days. If you plan to freeze your broth, transfer to large freezer safe ziplock bag. Lay bag flat while freezing. Will take about 6 hours to freeze. Once frozen you will be able to stand the frozen broth vertically to take up less space in the freezer. Broth will keep for 3 months.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
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If you give this vegan gluten-free Pho a try, let us know! Leave a comment, or take a picture and tag and us on Instagram #thevgnway.
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The Vgn Way
Jazz
I love the shitake mushrooms in this pho and used bok choy instead of spinach. Did not miss the meat at all. Thank you!
Jessica
After the indulgence of the holiday season, I wanted to some light and healthy but still comforting meals for the week. This recipe did not disappoint! It was packed with flavor and had tons of mushrooms which I love. Adding this to the regular rotation!
Marta
I love the depth of flavor that the mushrooms gave this pho. I'm trying to cut down on my gluten intake and this was the perfect recipe for me. I will definitely be making this more often.
Darcy Pyle
saw you on I.G. been trying a lot of vegan pho recipes. So happy I found this one, it’s so good. just wanted to post a comment and say thx!
Sarah C. Rivera
On step 6 it says to add lime juice to mixture -- are you referring to the broth or the skillet with mushrooms?
Thanks!
Sarah
Nija Clark | The Vgn Way
Hi Sarah,
Thanks so much for your question and apologies for the confusion. I’ll update step 5 to be clearer. The mushrooms in the skillet should be added to the broth before step 6. And step 6 is adding the lime juice to the broth. This is the last step before serving.
Thanks and please let us know if you have any more questions.
Nij