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Vietnam’s culinary landscape is a vibrant mix of fresh ingredients, aromatic herbs, and bold flavors, making it a food lover's paradise. From iconic street foods to regional specialties, here's a guide to some must-try dishes when exploring the diverse and delicious cuisine of Vietnam.
Phở is arguably the most well-known Vietnamese dish globally. This flavorful noodle soup is made with a clear, fragrant broth, flat rice noodles, and either beef (phở bò) or chicken (phở gà). The broth is simmered for hours with bones, star anise, cloves, and other spices, creating a rich base.
It’s served with fresh herbs, bean sprouts, lime wedges, and chili for added flavor. Whether you try it in Hanoi or Ho Chi Minh City, phở is a must-try Vietnamese classic.
‘Pho’ is a soup noodle dish served in a large bowl, including the broth, noodles, and sliced beef or chicken
Cơm tấm, or broken rice, is a popular dish in southern Vietnam, particularly in Ho Chi Minh City. This dish is made from fractured rice grains, often served with grilled pork chop (sườn nướng), shredded pork skin (bì), a fried egg, and pickled vegetables.
The dish is typically accompanied by a flavorful fish sauce-based dressing (nước mắm chấm). The combination of textures and the smoky grilled meat make cơm tấm a hearty, satisfying meal.
“Com tam” is made from rice with fractured rice grains and particularly served with BBQ chicken or grilled pork.
Hailing from Hanoi, bún chả is a delicious dish of grilled pork served with vermicelli noodles, fresh herbs, and a tangy fish sauce-based dipping sauce. The dish consists of two types of pork: small grilled patties (chả) and thin slices of pork belly (thịt nướng).
It's usually enjoyed with a side of nem cua bể (crab spring rolls). Bún chả became internationally famous after former U.S. President Barack Obama tried it during his visit to Vietnam.
Fresh noodle is served with fragrant grilled pork, sweet and sour sauces, local lettuces.
Vietnam’s take on the French baguette, bánh mì, is a perfect fusion of French and Vietnamese flavors. The sandwich is made with a crispy baguette filled with various ingredients like pâté, grilled pork, cold cuts, pickled vegetables, cilantro, and chili sauce.
Each region in Vietnam has its variation, with Ho Chi Minh City known for a more substantial filling, while Hanoi's version is typically simpler but just as delicious.
The fillings like pickles, pâté, and meats: chicken, pork, omelet, etc. and covered by a little soy or chili sauce.
Vietnamese spring rolls, known as nem rán in the north or chả giò in the south, are a beloved appetizer or snack. These crispy rolls are filled with minced pork, shrimp, mushrooms, vermicelli, and vegetables, wrapped in rice paper, and deep-fried until golden. They are served with a dipping sauce made from fish sauce, vinegar, and garlic, and are a staple at celebrations and gatherings.
It is rolled with rice paper and filling with a mixture of raw ingredients: grind pork, dried vermicelli, onion, eggs, carrots, kohlrabi….
Xôi is a versatile Vietnamese dish made from sticky rice, served either as a savory or sweet meal. Popular savory versions include xôi mặn, which is topped with a variety of meats, eggs, and soy sauce.
Sweet versions, like xôi ngọt, are often mixed with mung beans, coconut, or black sesame. Sticky rice is a filling and flavorful dish that is enjoyed at any time of the day.
This dish is made from glutinous rice and can be served as sweet or savory with chicken, fried fish, Chinese sausage, and pork meat, etc.
Chả cá Lã Vọng is a specialty from Hanoi, consisting of white fish marinated with turmeric and grilled to perfection. It’s served with dill, peanuts, vermicelli noodles, and fresh herbs.
The dish is cooked right at your table, with the fish sizzling in a pan over hot coals. The combination of aromatic turmeric and fresh dill gives this dish its unique flavor profile, making it a must-try when visiting the capital city.
Fish is sliced and well-seasoned, grilled and then fried in hot pan with onion, fennel to make fragrant flavor.
Chè sen long nhãn is a popular Vietnamese dessert made with lotus seeds and longans. The longans are hollowed out and filled with boiled lotus seeds, then simmered in a sweet, light syrup.
This refreshing dessert is often served chilled and is said to have cooling properties, making it perfect for hot days in Vietnam. It’s a delicate, light treat enjoyed across the country.
A healthy sweet soup bowl with lotus fragrance wafting with cereal will attract you in the first time you taste it.
Bánh cuốn is a light, savory dish consisting of thin, steamed rice flour sheets rolled with a mixture of minced pork, mushrooms, and shallots. Topped with crispy fried shallots and served with fresh herbs, bánh cuốn is enjoyed with a dipping sauce made from fish sauce, lime, and garlic.
It’s a popular breakfast dish in northern Vietnam, especially in Hanoi, where it’s made fresh in street-side stalls.
This dish is made from rice powder and being cooked with a steam pan. The filling is made from cat ear mushroom, mince pork or shrimp.
Bún riêu cua is a flavorful and tangy noodle soup made with freshwater crab, tomatoes, tofu, and rice vermicelli noodles. The broth has a distinct sourness from tamarind or tomatoes, balanced by the rich crab paste and shrimp. This dish is often served with fresh herbs, bean sprouts, and lime. It's a favorite street food in many parts of Vietnam and is known for its bold flavors.
Bun rieu cua is made with whole blue crabs, tomatos, tofu, fresh herbs, bean sprouts, pig’s blood and pork broth.
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