I just got home from not drinking wine and watching Tina Turner sing her heart out on the biggest television I’ve ever seen in someone’s home. I kid you not. About any of it, really… I mean, we sat there for hours in awe, shifting from utterly fascinated to giggle fits as we tried to imitate the backup dancers. It’s rainy and cold out. It’s a rest day for me (finally!), and I’m doing this trying-not-to-be-regretful wine-free challenge with a couple of girlfriends, and there literally could not have been a better way to spend an easy Friday.

Anyway, my day started early with the first posting in this five day InstantPot series, and as soon as I had that live, I jetted to a hot yoga class (okay, so not a total rest day), and then had to teach one of my own. I had a couple of post-teaching errands before the damn near live Tina Turner show, and we were there for a couple of hours, so it was 5:30pm before I finally pulled back into my driveway. I’m pretty sure my loudly growling stomach announced my presence before the turn of the doorknob did. Holy shiitake! Has it really been twelve hours since I’ve eaten?! I walked straight to the fridge and did the Tina Turner Go-Go Girl happy dance that I still had some of the vegan pho left from the last round of testing. In fact, I’m so excited about it, that it’s the second recipe in the series! Yes!!

Let me preface this recipe by recognizing that it’s not traditional, but if you’ve been following along for a while, you know that nothing I post really is. I think traditions are for birthdays and whatever your Christmas is (for the record, mine is Leadville 100 week), and cooking is your chance to break the norm and do you. This pho DOES have the distinct anise, cinnamon, and clove characteristics, though, and offers up some fairly standards add-ins. Either way, it’s wicked easy to make, warming on a cold, rainy day, and just pho-king delicious.

my take on vegan pho in an InstantPot
serves 8

for the broth
6 whole cloves
5 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
1 sweet yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 oz fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 fuji apple, coarsely chopped
8 cups vegan beef broth
1/2 tsp sea salt

for the soup
1/4 cup vegan beef broth or water
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 carrot, fully shaved with a peeler
12 oz kelp noodles

for serving
mung bean sprouts
fresh mint
fresh cilantro
fresh lime
thinly sliced jalapeno
tamari

1) Turn on your InstantPot’s sauté function, and add the cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks. Sauté approximately 3-4 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir frequently to avoid scorching.

2) Add the onion and ginger, and, stirring frequently, sauté another 5 or 6 minutes, until the onion starts to soften.

3) Add the apple, vegan beef broth, and sea salt, and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
4) While the broth is cooking, in a large skillet, sauté the mushrooms in the broth or water over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add the scallions and carrot shavings, and sauté one more minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

5) Once the InstantPot pressure has fully released, strain the broth and discard the onion mixture. Add the mushroom mixture and kelp noodles, and let stand for a few minutes. The hot broth will soften the kelp noodles.
6) Divide among bowls, add desired toppings, and enjoy!

notes: If you don’t have vegan beef broth, vegetable broth will function nicely. The taste will be a bit different, but still good. And, if you don’t have access to kelp noodles, go traditional with rice noodles.

my take on vegan pho in an InstantPot
serves 8

for the broth
6 whole cloves
5 star anise
2 cinnamon sticks
1 sweet yellow onion, coarsely chopped
2 oz fresh ginger, peeled and coarsely chopped
1/2 fuji apple, coarsely chopped
8 cups vegan beef broth
1/2 tsp sea salt

for the soup
1/4 cup vegan beef broth or water
8 oz shiitake mushrooms, sliced
3 green onions, thinly sliced
1 carrot, fully shaved with a peeler
12 oz kelp noodles

for serving
mung bean sprouts
fresh mint
fresh cilantro
fresh lime
thinly sliced jalapeno
tamari

1) Turn on your InstantPot’s sauté function, and add the cloves, star anise, and cinnamon sticks. Sauté approximately 3-4 minutes, or until fragrant. Stir frequently to avoid scorching.
2) Add the onion and ginger, and, stirring frequently, sauté another 5 or 6 minutes, until the onion starts to soften.
3) Add the apple, vegan beef broth, and sea salt, and pressure cook on high for 30 minutes. Let the pressure release naturally.
4) While the broth is cooking, in a large skillet, sauté the mushrooms in the broth or water over medium high heat for 3 minutes. Add the scallions and carrot shavings, and sauté one more minute. Remove from heat and set aside.
5) Once the InstantPot pressure has fully released, strain the broth and discard the onion mixture. Add the mushroom mixture and kelp noodles, and let stand for a few minutes. The hot broth will soften the kelp noodles.
6) Divide among bowls, add desired toppings, and enjoy!

notes: If you don’t have vegan beef broth, vegetable broth will function nicely. The taste will be a bit different, but still good. And, if you don’t have access to kelp noodles, go traditional with rice noodles.