Raw Pho Recipe
Pho (pronounced ‘fuh’) is a traditional Vietnamese noodle soup that is loved by many. I have made vegan versions before but today, I bring you a raw pho recipe. This is a quick, easy pho, made from ingredients that shouldn’t be too hard to find. There are some prepare ahead notes as you have to soak the mushrooms for about 6 hours to start the broth. Once you have soaked the mushrooms, it only takes minutes to finish off this delicious soup.
This is a base recipe, delicious in it’s own right but please feel free to go a little wild with it! Great additions would be star anise (to the soaking water), and noodles. If you want to keep it raw, you can use zucchini noodles but rice noodles (not raw) are traditional. In this recipe, I use the mung bean sprouts as noodles instead of a topper.
If you have an aversion to heat, use the chili garlic sauce sparingly but don’t leave it out completely. It adds a lovely component to the depth of the broth. You can warm the broth in the dehydrator or gently on the stove. If you use the stove, be very careful as the liquid temperature will continue to rise even after it is removed from the heat.
Raw Pho
Serves 2-4
- 4 cups water
- 4 cups dried shitake mushrooms
- 2 tablespoons Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (or tamari)
- 2 teaspoons grated fresh ginger
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1-2 teaspoons raw garlic chili paste (Recipe Here)
- 2 cups mung bean sprouts
- 1 cup sugar snap peas
- sprig basil
- Soak the mushrooms in the water for 6 hours.
- Remove mushrooms from broth and set aside. Strain broth into a bowl.
- Whisk in Braggs, ginger, sesame oil and garlic chili sauce. Gently warm broth if desired.
- Cut the stems off of the mushrooms and thinly slice the caps. Discard the stems.
- Place bean sprouts in bowl. Pour warmed broth over the sprouts. Top with the mushrooms and snap peas and basil.
@stuckWithCrohns wrote on February 15, 2015
If you use fresh shiitake mushrooms how long do you soak them, if at all?
Thanks.
J
Jess wrote on August 28, 2014
I make similar-sounding soups regularly, this one sounds interesting and I’ll definitely be trying it.
Jared wrote on June 13, 2014
This is nothing more than mushroom water soup. Far from pho.
Susan wrote on June 16, 2014
No…it isn’t traditional Pho but a vegan, raw interpretation of it. I do believe it goes a little past mushroom water soup. Cheers!
Liz wrote on May 17, 2014
Is there a good way to thoroughly wash the mushrooms? Every time I have mushrooms, I end up washing them 3-4 times since there’s constantly dirt(/manure) coming out of them. Maybe it’s just my local mushrooms, but it makes me a little hesitant to make a broth out of them! Eek!
Jade wrote on April 25, 2014
For this to be called pho, you require the additions of clove, cinnamon bark, cardamon pods along with the aforementioned anise. Without these flavors, this is not pho. Vietnamese have many vegan and nearly raw versions of this dish and all are phenomenal. However, there are medicinal purposes for including these spices in pho in order to strengthen the immune system and support blood sugar regulation. Other than the missing ingredients which could be added to the soaking water, this is a pretty interesting take on a dish from my family’s country.
Cheryl wrote on April 10, 2014
Will try tonight!
I think traditional pho has a broth steeped with cinnamon, so that might be an addition.
This looks great!
Francesca wrote on April 6, 2014
Wow… looks so heavenly! Nice work 🙂