Vietnam's diverse culinary traditions offer a wide range of dishes that are sure to satisfy any palate. From the iconic and comforting Pho to the refreshing Goi Cuon, here are 10 Vietnamese dishes you simply have to try before you die.
Make sure to click on the title link for the recipes so you can make it at home.
(1) Phở
The most popular noodle soup and Vietnam’s prized export that is enjoyed by people all over the world. Pho is a staple of Vietnamese cuisine that you can have any time of day but it is particularly popular for breakfast. Pho comes with rice noodles, herbs, and meat (either beef or chicken). It is often served with a side of bean sprouts, cilantro, Thai basil, lime, chili sauce, and hoisin sauce. Pho varies slightly as you travel throughout different regions of Vietnam. In northern Vietnam, pho tends to be simpler and often served with a fried breadstick known as Gio Chao Quay for dipping. In southern Vietnam, the broth for pho is sweeter and the bowl comes loaded with different cuts of meat and no fried breadsticks.
(2) Bún Bò Huế
Pho’s spicy cousin. Bun Bo Hue is a spicy beef noodle soup that originated in the city of Hue in central Vietnam. It comes with thick rice noodles and a flavorful broth made with primarily beef bones and lots of lemongrass. The noodle soup comes with an assortment of thinly sliced beef and pork, including cooked blood cake, and pork ham (Cha Lua), and is served with a side of herbs, lime, and a Vietnamese chili sauce known as sate. A small bowl of fermented shrimp paste is also typically served on the side to allow for individual customization.
(3) Gỏi Cuốn
A refreshing and healthy spring roll filled with boiled shrimp, thinly sliced pork belly, vermicelli, various herbs, lettuce, and cucumbers. Everything is rolled up in a rice paper wrapper and served cold with a side of peanut dipping sauce topped with crushed toasted peanuts and chili sauce for an optional spicy kick.
(4) Chả Giò
Goi Cuon’s fried cousin. Cha Gio is a type of spring roll. It’s also called an egg roll, depending on where you are from. Cha Gio is made with either a pastry/wheat or rice paper wrapper, filled with a mixture of ground pork, wood ear mushroom, thin rice vermicelli noodles, and shredded carrots, then deep fried until golden. Vietnamese egg rolls are served with a side of lettuce and various herbs, and a sweet and savory dipping sauce known as Nuoc Mam Cham. These little bundles of crispy goodness are a popular item for potluck parties.
(5) Bánh Mì
A Vietnamese sandwich made with a variety of meat options (pork, chicken, or beef), pickled daikon and carrot, pâté, mayo that the Vietnamese like to call butter, jalapenos, cucumber, and cilantro on a French-influenced baguette that is soft and mostly hollow on the inside but crispy on the outside.
(6) Cơm Tấm
A popular Vietnamese rice dish. This dish uses broken rice grains that broke during milling, which results in a softer and slightly chewier texture once cooked. It was considered peasant food but it is now mainstream. Com Tam comes with your choice of grilled meats such as grilled pork chops, shrimp, beef, and even tofu. This dish also comes with a smorgasbord of other ingredients: egg meatloaf (cha trung), shredded pork skin (bi), pickled daikon and carrot (do chua), lettuce, cucumber, tomatoes, and sometimes a fried egg if you’re lucky. It’s also served with a sweet and savory dipping (Nuoc Mam Cham).
(7) Bò Lúc Lắc
Vietnamese shaking beef. Bo Luc Lac features cubed beef steaks that are stir-fried (or shaken) in a wok with plenty of onions. It is plated on a bed of vegetables, such as watercress, lettuce, and tomatoes, and often paired with steamed red rice and a side dipping sauce made with lime, salt, and ground black/white pepper. This delicious and satisfying dish is a favorite drinking food.
(8) Bánh Xèo
A savory crepe that is named after the sound it makes when cooking. Xeo means sizzling. Banh means cake or crepe. Banh Xeo, therefore, is sizzling crepe. This dish is made with a batter mixture of rice flour, coconut milk, and turmeric that provides it iconic yellow color. A thin layer of batter is evenly spread onto a large wok, filled with shrimp, thinly sliced pork belly, and beansprouts, and then fried until golden and crispy on the outside. It’s traditionally Banh Xeo is often served with plenty of lettuce or a type of mustard green, and a sweet and savory dipping (Nuoc Mam Cham).
(9) Bánh Khọt
A mini version of Banh Xeo, Banh Khot is also made with a batter of rice flour, coconut milk, and turmeric for its iconic yellow color. The batter is spooned into a cast iron pan filled with shallow wells and then fried until crispy on the outside yet fluffy on the inside. Each mini cake is topped with shrimp and garnished with scallion oil. These mini pancakes are served with a platter of lettuce and herbs, and a sweet and savory dipping (Nuoc Mam Cham).
(10) Bún Chả
Bun Cha is a popular Vietnamese noodle dish from Hanoi that consists of grilled meatballs (Cha) or pork sausage (Nem Nuong). It may also contain other toppings such as fried spring rolls/egg rolls and grilled shrimp. It is served with a side of rice noodles, herbs, and a diluted version of sweet and savory dipping (Nuoc Mam Cham) that comes with thinly sliced unripe green papaya. To eat it, grab some noodles and leafy greens with your chopsticks and dip them into the bowl of sauce and enjoy.