Vietnamese cuisine features lots of vegetables and fresh herbs that make it one of the healthiest options around.
Refreshing flavors mix with savory spices to create dishes with complex tastes and vibrant colors. I have gathered 21 Vietnamese recipes here so you can skip the takeout and make a feast right at home.
1. Purple Yam Soup
This soup is downright gorgeous with its attractive purple color. It is creamy and utterly delicious with flavorful prawns and slices of fish.
The base uses chicken stock to add another layer of flavor while fresh herbs make it 100% delectable.
2. Vietnamese Spring Rolls
These colorful rolls prove that healthy food can be totally satisfying. You wrap veggies and fruits plus shrimp in rice paper just like a burrito.
Cut them in half and serve them with a flavorful peanut dipping sauce for a great meatless Monday meal.
3. Banh Mi
Banh mi is a beloved street food that features a soft and airy baguette filled with pickled vegetables and seasoning. This recipe swaps out the pork for marinated tofu to make it vegetarian friendly.
Sriracha and mayo get added for extra richness and a bit of heat.
4. Vietnamese Caramel Shrimp
This recipe is exactly where you should use that delicious caramel sauce. You fry the shrimp with aromatics and cook it with the sauce until it thickens up.
Scallions and black pepper add extra flavor to make this one of the tastiest shrimp dishes ever.
5. Lemongrass Chicken
This is hands down one of the tastiest chicken dishes out there. The marinade features lemongrass and fish sauce plus sweet chili sauce and red curry paste.
You will be obsessed with how juicy the meat gets when you serve it with coconut jasmine rice.
6. Vietnamese Papaya Salad
This summery salad is deliciously crunchy and healthy. Orange papaya adds a slight sweetness while raw veggies and peanuts bring the texture.
A lightly spiced lime dressing brings zest and freshness to every bite.
7. Peanut Sticky Rice
Sticky rice with peanuts is in a league of its own. It combines subtle sweet and salty flavors that are simply delicious.
You use coconut milk for texture and top it with roasted peanuts plus toasted sesame seeds.
8. Vietnamese Fish Sauce
Fish sauce reigns supreme in Vietnam because it shows up in so many recipes. It adds a touch of savory taste to everything from spring rolls to crepes.
You simply mix pure fish sauce with water and sugar plus lemonade to make the perfect dipping sauce.
9. Vietnamese Boiled Cabbage
Boiled cabbage is a quick and easy side dish found in almost any Vietnamese household. You boil the cabbage until it is tender and serve it with a uniquely delicious dipping sauce.
That sauce features mashed hard boiled egg flavored with lime juice and chili peppers.
10. Pho
Pho is literally everywhere in Vietnam from restaurants to streets. It is a noodle soup made with beef broth and aromatic spices plus ginger and onion.
You simmer the beef and bones for hours to yield a drool worthy meaty taste.
11. Vietnamese Crepes
These crispy crepes are highly popular across the northern and southern regions of the country. They are filled with pork and shrimp plus bean sprouts so they are bursting with flavors.
Serve them with a lime juice dipping sauce to take these fried pancakes to the next level.
12. Pok Pok Wings
You will be hooked for life on these deep fried crispy wings. They get glazed with a spiced fish sauce that has a rich and complex flavor.
Top them with fried garlic and mint to add a fragrant aroma and a nice extra crunch.
13. Vietnamese Fried Tofu
This satisfying recipe is ready in 20 minutes or less. You just fry the tofu pieces until they are crispy on the outside while the inside remains soft.
Dip them in a flavorful scallion mixture and devour them with rice or just on their own.
14. Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad
This rice noodle salad combines tender chicken thighs with crunchy raw veggies and herbs. You toss everything in a classic condiment called nuoc cham that acts as a dressing.
It uses minimal stove time so it is wonderful to prepare even during the summer.
15. Pandan Waffles
These waffles will fill your kitchen with a lovely aroma while giving you a delightful sweet treat. The chewy center is just so good against the crispy exterior.
Each bite brings a coconutty taste thanks to the coconut cream in the batter.
16. Vietnamese Garlic Butter Noodles
This 20 minute noodle dish is garlicky and buttery at the same time. Al dente egg noodles get tossed in a sauce flavored with oyster sauce and fish sauce.
Adding parmesan cheese on top makes it fancier even if it is not totally traditional.
17. Prawn and Sweet Potato Fritters
These fritters are a known street food in the northern part of Vietnam and offer the perfect crunchy bite. The batter needs to be firm enough to hold the prawn and sweet potato sticks together.
Wrap them in lettuce with herbs and dip everything in fish sauce for a complete meal.
18. Vietnamese Shrimp Tacos
You can make your Taco Tuesdays special with these healthy tacos featuring marinated shrimp. The shrimp gets flavored with coconut sugar and lime juice plus classic Vietnamese spices.
An Asian salsa brings spicy and tangy flavors that will definitely excite your palate.
19. Vietnamese Caramel Sauce
Caramel sauce is a dark and thin liquid you will often see used as an all purpose seasoning. It adds a nice backdrop of smoky and sweet notes to savory dishes.
This recipe only calls for cane sugar and vinegar plus water to thin it out.
20. Vietnamese Mango Salad
This Hanoi street food gives you an equal balance of sweet and sour flavors. It includes ripe mangoes mixed with cilantro and peanuts plus shallots.
Everything gets tossed in a fish sauce dressing with bright notes from rice wine vinegar and lime juice.
21. Vietnamese Mung Bean Dumplings
These perfectly tender dumplings are a great way to take a break from crunchy treats. The mung bean filling is both savory and sweet with flavors of salt and pepper.
You can omit the traditional shrimp or pork to make this dish vegan.
