Vietnamese Pho Soup

I can't find veg Pho anywhere in Orlando and I've been craving it for years(!), so I finally cooked up my own:




Broth ingredients:

2-3 cinnamon sticks
4 cloves
2 pods of star anise
1 medium size onion cut into several large chunks
8 cloves of garlic, halved
1 inch piece of ginger, coarsely sliced
8 cups vegetable broth (I use Vegebase and water)
3 tablespoons of soy sauce
salt to taste


Soup ingredients:

1 package of cooked rice noodles
8 oz package of seitan, cut into slices
a few scallions, finely chopped
2 cups of bean sprouts
one bunch of cilantro, coarsely chopped
1 lime, cut into wedges
hoisin sauce



Put the cinnamon, cloves, star anise, onion, garlic and ginger in a large sauce pan and cook over medium heat until everything is slightly charred. Now and the broth and soy sauce and bring to a boil, then turn down the heat and simmer for 20 minutes. Strain the broth into another dish with a fine mesh sieve and dispose of the cooked spices/veggies.

Put some cooked rice noodles in a large bowl and top with some seitan. Ladle broth on top and add desired amount of sprouts, chopped cilantro, and if you'd like, a little fresh lime, hoison sauce, and/or crushed peanuts.

Veggie, lime, & cilantro soup

3 TBS of oil
2 carrots, chopped
1/2 onion, chopped,
3 stalks of celery, chopped
1 TBS of garlic powder
1 1/2 TBS of chili pepper

5 cups of vegetable broth
1/2 bag of frozen corn
1/2 bag of frozen peas
2 cans of Great Northern beans, drained and rinsed


Heat the oil in a pan then add in the carrots, onion and celery along with the garlic powder and chili pepper and saute for 5 minutes. Add the broth, corn, peas, and beans and let simmer for 20 minutes. Squeeze juice from one fresh lime and stir in a generous handful of fresh chopped cilantro. Now eat it up!