Ingredients
- 1 large onion quartered
- Piece of ginger (3 inches) sliced
- 2 cinnamon sticks
- 3 star anise
- 4 whole cloves
- 1 teaspoon coriander seeds
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 8 cups vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons reduced-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 8 ounces flat rice noodles
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 8 ounces firm tofu pressed and cut into cubes
- Fresh basil leaves
- Fresh cilantro leaves
- Fresh mint leaves
- 2 green onions thinly sliced
- 1 jalapeño thinly sliced (optional)
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- 1 lime cut into wedges
Instructions
- Char the onion and ginger under the broiler for about 5 minutes until slightly blackened, then set aside.
- In a large pot, dry roast the cinnamon, star anise, cloves, coriander seeds, and garlic over medium heat until fragrant, about 2 minutes.
- Add the charred onion, ginger, vegetable broth, soy sauce, and brown sugar to the pot. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes.
- While the broth simmers, prepare the rice noodles according to the package instructions, then drain and set aside.
- Heat the olive oil in a nonstick skillet over medium heat and pan-fry the tofu cubes until golden brown on all sides.
- Strain the broth to remove the solids and return it to the pot, keeping it hot until ready to serve.
- Assemble the phở by dividing the cooked noodles among 4 bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the noodles and top with tofu, fresh herbs, green onions, jalapeño slices (if desired), bean sprouts, and a squeeze of lime.
