Vegetarian pho is becoming increasingly popular.

Vegetarian pho at a restaurant in Phu My Hung area (District 7, Ho Chi Minh City). (Small photo: Group "Vegetarian Food Addicts" with over 223,000 members who share many vegetarian dishes, especially vegetarian pho, every day) - Photo: THAO THUONG

This dish appeals not only to traditional vegetarians but also to discerning diners seeking a new and healthier experience.

New consumer trends

The popularity of vegetarian pho is clearly demonstrated on social media platforms. For example, the "Vegetarian Food Addicts" group on Facebook, with over 223,000 members, regularly shares vegetarian pho recipes and appealing images. Many members of the group view vegetarian pho as a "healing" dish, providing a feeling of lightness and comfort to the body.

"For me, food that heals the body is vegetarian pho. I cook vegetarian pho every weekend. I really enjoy cooking vegetable-based broths because the flavor is light and refreshing, like with gourd, zucchini, apple, radish, cinnamon, star anise, ginger, etc."

"That's all it takes to create that intoxicatingly fragrant, distinctive aroma of vegetarian pho," Diệu Nhi shared on the group.

In major cities like Ho Chi Minh City, vegetarian pho is increasingly dominating the culinary market. Many vegetarian restaurants have included vegetarian pho on their menus and received positive feedback from customers.

In the Phu My Hung area (District 7), a famous vegetarian pho restaurant attracts both Vietnamese and international customers, especially Koreans.

Upon closer observation, the vegetarian pho here features a broth extracted from vegetables. The dish is a combination of various mushrooms, tofu, and vegetables. The broth has a subtly sweet flavor from ingredients such as carrots, corn, and white radish.

"Our restaurant initially served several typical Vietnamese vegetarian dishes. Later, wanting to innovate and diversify the menu, the chef came up with a way to transform the familiar pho into vegetarian pho."

"Many Vietnamese and Koreans want to have vegetarian pho for breakfast. Previously, the restaurant was crowded during the seventh lunar month, but now it's busy every day," a staff member said.

Mr. Nguyen Xuan Anh, the owner of a vegetarian restaurant on Tran Xuan Soan Street (District 7), shared an interesting piece of information: although the restaurant initially targeted middle-aged customers, in reality, 70-80% of its customers are young people and foreign tourists.

This demonstrates the appeal of vegetarian pho to the younger generation and its potential to attract tourists .

Kim Seo Baram, a Korean-Vietnamese interpreter living in Vietnam, is a prime example of how foreigners enjoy vegetarian pho.

She shared that she has been "addicted" to eating vegetarian pho at restaurants in Ho Chi Minh City for the past three years, appreciating not only the taste but also the positive impact on her health and well-being.

Very much in line with the "healthy" trend.

The development of vegetarian pho is not only about attracting customers, but also about the continuous creativity in its preparation. Nguyen Tuan, head chef of a vegetarian restaurant in District 7, with seven years of experience in the vegetarian food industry, says there are countless variations of vegetarian pho.

From experimenting with different types of mushrooms to incorporating a variety of vegetables, Tuan and many other chefs have contributed to enriching the vegetarian pho menu, catering to the diverse tastes of diners.

More than just a culinary trend, vegetarian pho is also highly regarded by experts for its nutritional and health benefits.

According to a female culinary expert from the Vietnam Chefs Association (VICA), vegetarian pho provides plenty of fiber from raw vegetables and tofu, which helps improve digestion.

Additionally, ingredients like mushrooms and tofu in vegetarian pho provide plant-based protein and many other important nutrients.

Associate Professor Dr. Lam Vinh Nien, head of the Nutrition and Dietetics Department at the University Medical Center of Ho Chi Minh City, highly praised vegetarian pho as a dish low in fat and cholesterol, helping to cleanse the body and benefiting the digestive and cardiovascular systems.

He emphasized that vegetarian pho is suitable for everyone, especially those who are strict vegetarians, those who want to lose weight, or those who want to improve their overall health.

The combination of traditional and innovative flavors, along with clear health benefits, has made vegetarian pho an attractive option not only for vegetarians but also for those looking to change up their diet and improve their eating habits.

This reflects a larger trend in modern society: a shift in consumer awareness and behavior toward healthier and more sustainable lifestyles.

With the continuous development of food processing technology and the creativity of chefs, vegetarian pho promises to develop and diversify even further in the future.

From a simple variation of a traditional dish, vegetarian pho has become a symbol of innovation in Vietnamese cuisine, and an important part of the increasingly popular trend of green, clean, and healthy living.

One try, a lifetime of fascination.

"I've lived in Vietnam for four years. In Korea, very few young people choose to be vegetarian. But since moving to Vietnam and living in the Korean neighborhood (some neighborhoods in District 7 - PV), I've become curious about the name 'vegetarian pho'."

"Just one day, for a change of pace, I became addicted to vegetarian pho. The broth was clear, with a natural sweetness from the vegetables, and the noodles were soft and chewy. The addition of straw mushrooms and tofu was exactly my taste to help me maintain my figure," said Min Suh, who works at a fashion company in Lotte Mart (District 7, Ho Chi Minh City).

The Vietnam Pho Festival 2024 in Seoul, South Korea will take place on October 5th and 6th, 2024, with the theme "Enjoy Pho, Discover Vietnam".

The program is co-organized by Tuoi Tre newspaper and Saigontourist Group, under the direction of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the People's Committee of Ho Chi Minh City.

The program is supported by the Vietnamese Embassy in Seoul (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), the Trade Promotion Agency (Ministry of Industry and Trade), the Ho Chi Minh City Department of Industry and Trade, the Association of Vietnamese People in Korea, and the Association of Vietnamese Businesses in Korea.

Source: https://tuoitre.vn/pho-chay-ngay-cang-duoc-ua-chuong-20240927112154252.htm