Artificial Food Coloring Free Ginger & Turmeric Chicken Pho-Style Soup
This deeply aromatic soup draws its golden color and warming depth from real ingredients — fresh ginger, ground turmeric, Ceylon cinnamon, and whole cloves — rather than anything artificial. Charring the onion, garlic, and ginger directly in a dry pot before the broth even comes together is the kind of technique that builds the sort of complex, smoky-sweet backbone you'd expect from a restaurant bowl. Coconut aminos stand in for soy sauce and bring a subtle savory richness without any of the synthetic additives that sneak into conventional condiments. Zucchini ribbons replace rice noodles and soak up the fragrant broth beautifully, staying tender-crisp rather than going soft and gummy. The finishing table of fresh cilantro, Thai basil, scallions, bean sprouts, and lime wedges means every bowl looks stunning and tastes bright without a single drop of dye. It's the kind of meal that feels restorative and celebratory at the same time — genuinely nourishing from the first spoonful to the last squeeze of lime.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the broth
- 2 lb bone-in, skin-on chicken thighs and drumsticks
- 8 cups chicken bone broth
- 1 medium yellow onion, halved
- 1 head garlic, halved crosswise
- 3-inch piece fresh ginger, halved lengthwise
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground ceylon cinnamon
- 3 whole cloves
- 2 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp fine sea salt, plus more to taste
For the bowls
- 3 medium zucchini, spiralized or peeled into wide ribbons
- 4 scallions, thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts (optional)
- ½ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ½ cup fresh thai basil or regular basil leaves
- 1 lime, cut into wedges
Instructions
- 1
Set a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Place the onion halves and garlic head cut-side down directly in the dry pot, along with the ginger halves. Cook undisturbed for 4–5 minutes, until the cut surfaces are deeply charred and fragrant.
- 2
Add the chicken pieces, bone broth, turmeric, ground ginger, Ceylon cinnamon, and cloves to the pot. Pour in enough water to fully submerge the chicken if needed (up to 2 additional cups). Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a steady simmer.
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