Vietnamese · main

Vegetarian Pho with Tofu and Herbs

Vegetarian Pho with Tofu and Herbs reads umami 6.0, warm spice 5.0 and salinity 4.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a Vietnamese main, about 1 hr 27 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 6.7 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 3.2 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 1.7 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 2.9 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 2.9 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 5.7 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Umami 6.0 · Warm Spice 5.0 · Salinity 4.9 · Allium 3.7 · Herbaceous 3.6 · Sweetness 2.9 · Earthy 2.8 · Richness 2.6 · Funk & Ferment 2.5 · Floral 1.5 · Citrus 1.5 · Bitterness 1.0 · Nutty 0.9 · Sourness 0.8 · Fruity 0.8

What's in it (16)

• yellow onions — 220 g
• ground ginger — 60 g
• vegetable broth — 1893 g
• shiitake mushrooms — 600 g
• freshly ground star anise — 400 g
• cinnamon — 2 g
• coriander seeds — 15 g
• soy sauce — 44 g
• light-brown sugar — 13 g
• salt — 5 g
• extra-firm tofu — 397 g
• vegetable oil — 27 g
• dried chinese plain noodles — 227 g
• bean sprouts — 473 g
• scallions — 400 g
• fresh thai basil leaves — 59 g

Time & effort: about 1 hr 27 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 75.7 kcal, 3.3 g protein, 2.5 g fat, 12.1 g carbs

Dietary: Vegan — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Heat the broiler to high with a rack in the upper third of the oven. Halve the onions and ginger and arrange them cut-side up on a foil-lined baking sheet; broil until deeply blackened in spots, 8-10 minutes. Let cool slightly, then rinse off any loose char under cool water.
2. In a large stockpot, toast the star anise, cinnamon stick, and coriander seeds over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
3. Add the vegetable broth, dried shiitake mushrooms, and the charred onions and ginger to the pot. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to low and simmer uncovered until the broth is deeply fragrant and the mushrooms have plumped, 45 minutes.
4. Once the broth is at a simmer, press the tofu between paper towels weighted with a heavy pan for 10 minutes to remove excess moisture, then cut into 3/4-inch cubes.
5. Heat the vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add the tofu in a single layer and sear, turning occasionally, until golden and crisp on most sides, 8-10 minutes; set aside.
6. Lift the mushrooms from the broth with a slotted spoon, slice thin, and set aside for serving. Strain the broth through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean pot, discarding the onion, ginger, and whole spices; stir in the soy sauce, brown sugar, and salt, and keep warm over low heat.
7. Bring a separate pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to the package directions until tender but still with a slight chew, about 6-8 minutes; drain and rinse briefly under warm water so they don't stick together.
8. Divide the noodles, seared tofu, and sliced mushrooms among four deep bowls; ladle the hot broth over each.
9. Top each bowl with bean sprouts and scallions, then set out the herb plate, lime wedges, and jalapeno alongside so everyone can finish their own bowl to taste.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Vietnamese Mushroom Noodle Soup — Vietnamese
• Master Stock Beef Shank and Eggs (Lou Seui Ngau Jin) — Chinese · Cantonese
• Big Plate Chicken (Da Pan Ji) — Chinese · Xinjiang
• Soy Sauce Chicken (See Yau Gai) — Chinese · Cantonese
• Bak Kut Teh (Pork Rib Herb Soup) — Malaysian

Keep reading: what umami, warm spice, salinity mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.