What is the name of the vegetarian version of pho?

The vegetarian version of pho is called phở chay. In Vietnamese, chay means “vegetarian,” so the name literally identifies a meat-free form of the noodle soup.

Phở chay usually replaces beef or chicken with tofu, mushrooms, vegetables, or vegetarian protein, while retaining the dish’s familiar rice noodles and aromatic broth. The broth may be built from onions, ginger, spices, daikon, carrots, mushrooms, or other vegetables rather than animal bones.

Vietnamese vegetarian cooking is strongly associated with Buddhist traditions, though phở chay is also popular with diners seeking a lighter meal or avoiding meat. A common mix-up is phở bò, beef pho, and phở gà, chicken pho; both are meat-based varieties. The word chay can also be added to other Vietnamese dishes, such as bánh mì chay, a vegetarian sandwich.

Recipes vary considerably: some vegetarian restaurants use soy-based “beef” slices, while others focus on a clear, vegetable-forward broth. Fish sauce and other animal-derived seasonings may still appear in loosely vegetarian versions, so strict vegetarians should check the ingredients.