Vegan Pho Broth / Soup Recipe - Choosing Chia (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret ingredient in pho broth? ›

Sa sung—dried peanut worms—have been described as the secret ingredient of great pho.

Broth - the soul of Pho. Beef bones play a crucial role in influencing the quality of the broth. Combined with spices such as ginger, charred onions, star anise, cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, and coriander seeds, the broth gains a distinct aroma.

Studies have shown that consuming bone broth, which is the primary component of pho's broth, can help improve gut health. The collagen and gelatin found in bone broth can help repair the intestinal lining, reducing inflammation and promoting better nutrient absorption.

Although it looks kind of weird, you want your pho broth to turn into this gelatin after being refrigerated. It's a sign the broth is of quality and cooked with meat bones. The collagen that's released will gelatinized.

Pho is very nutritious. From its ingredients, it's been shown to reduce inflammation and improve joint health. If you suffer from something like chronic pain or arthritis, you may want to entertain the idea of enjoying more pho. The broth particularly can be very anti-inflammation.

Mai Pham and Andrea Nguyen both recommend at least three hours to simmer the broth, but there are other recipes that state that the beef bones must be boiled gently for six to eight hours. For restaurant-quality pho, the time required to simmer the broth can take up to 12 hours or more.

Here goes the peeled Daikon radish! For the last remaining hour, add in the exotic spices. Although these spices are unique to the Pho flavor adding them too early will make the broth too potent and bitter.

Vegetarian Pho Recipe Ingredients

You'll need star anise, cinnamon sticks, whole peppercorns, and cloves. Onion, ginger, and garlic – These traditional pho ingredients work with the spices to make the broth aromatic and flavorful. Water – I prefer to make my pho broth with water instead of vegetable stock.

Experts also suggest that if pho is used for breakfast, then you should avoid salt for the rest of the day. To avoid imbalanced nutrition, you should not eat pho too often, and you should switch up diet with other food products. Any food, no matter how good it is, won't be good for your body if consumed too much.

What is the healthiest pho soup? ›

Chicken pho generally has the least fat and is a good source of lean protein. If you're just here for the beef, round cuts are the leanest, followed by brisket and flank.

Vegan Pho, a super comforting Vietnamese food, nutritious and full of protein. Perfect for a cozy day, this dish is tasty, healthy and delicious!

You turn on the heat, the pot heats up, and it's not long before all that whitish, greyish, or brownish foamy “scum” rises to the top of the pot just as it starts to simmer. What is that stuff, anyway? Broth scum is simply denatured congealed protein. It comes from the meat, not the bones.

The easiest way to tell is if it smells off - the low, comforting aroma of the spices should be prevalent, and a sour or unpleasant odor is a clear sign of spoilage. Also check for any signs of mold or discolorations in the broth.

Many beef pho broth recipes call for adding fish sauce toward the final tasting phase. Anyone working with fish sauce knows it's strong stuff and can be easily underestimated (overpour). It can kick up tremendous flavors and add big umami, and you can easily misestimate the amount you put in.

Cinnamon or cassia bark is another crucial spice and infuses the broth with a wonderfully warm and earthy aroma. Most of us associate the fragrant combination of star anise and cinnamon as the intoxicating pho aroma.

Temperature control. For the most flavorful and clear broth, your pot needs to be in a constant simmer. Take your time in the first 15 minutes or so to make adjustments to your temperature. This ensures that you have true simmering in the next 3-5 hours; no rolling boiling water, no dead still water either.

Additionally, the broth gets a touch of sweetness from simmering meaty bones and marrow in the pot, known in Vietnamese as "ngọt thịt" or "meaty sweetness."