Vietnamese Vermicelli Salad! It’s savory-sweet. It’s noodley and fresh. It’s a friend to all vegetables. It’s salad that’s… not really a salad.
It’s got big punchy flavor from fresh garlic and lime juice, and it’s extremely filling thanks to that tangled pile of carbs known as vermicelli noodles, and it’s also colorful and crunchy and fresh, so yes, it is my FAVORITE CATEGORY OF FOOD.
1. Vietnamese Mung Bean Dumplings
Who’s ready for a break from all the crunchy stuff? Meet these wonderfully tender dumplings. I’m talking about a perfectly savory and sweet mung bean filling that’s just flavored with salt, pepper, and onions. SO GOOD!
Traditionally, you might find them with shrimp or pork, but you can totally omit them if you want to make this dish vegan. It’s an easy win!
2. Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Will you look at these colorful spring rolls? They are proof that healthy food can be completely satisfying and just so delicious!
You’ve got veggies, fruits, and proteins all together in rice paper wrappers. We’re talking carrots, cucumbers, avocado, shrimp, and even more!
The whole idea is to roll them up like a little burrito, slice them in half, and serve them up with a simple but flavor packed peanut dipping sauce. These fresh little bundles are amazing as an appetizer or just as a light meal on a meatless Monday!
3. Vietnamese Shrimp Tacos
Taco Tuesdays just got a major upgrade. These tacos are made healthy with marinated shrimp, Asian salsa, fresh herbs, and veggies.
The shrimp gets its flavor from lime juice, coconut sugar, and classic Vietnamese spices. And that salsa and pickled veggie combo brings together spicy and tangy flavors that will totally excite your palate. What a treat!
4. Vietnamese Garlic Butter Noodles
Garlicky and buttery all at once, this 20 minute noodle dish is pure comfort food for those busy weeknights. The al dente egg noodles get tossed in a garlic butter sauce that gets its flavor from a little bit of fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and oyster sauce.
It’s not a traditional move, but adding some parmesan cheese on top definitely makes the whole thing feel a little fancier. I love it.
5. Pandan Waffles
These pandan waffles will do more than just give you a delightful sweet treat; they will fill your whole kitchen with the most lovely aroma. And the best part? The chewy center of these waffles. It is SO YUMMY!
The crispy outside gives a perfect contrast to the soft interior, and every bite has a coconut-y taste because of the coconut cream. Just a total win.
6. Vietnamese Caramel Shrimp
Wondering what to do with that yummy caramel sauce? This shrimp recipe is exactly what you need! The shrimp is fried with aromatics and then cooked in the caramel sauce until it thickens up.
For extra flavor, fish sauce, black pepper, and scallions are added in. The result is one of the tastiest and simplest shrimp dishes you will ever make!
7. Vietnamese Boiled Cabbage
Boiled cabbage is a super quick and easy side dish you can find in almost any Vietnamese home. Just like you’d guess, the cabbage is boiled until it’s perfectly tender.
But what makes it so special is the uniquely delicious dipping sauce. It’s made with mashed hard boiled egg and flavored with lime juice, fish sauce, and chili peppers. It is just so good.
8. Pok Pok Wings
These marinated chicken wings are deep fried until they’re oh so crispy and then glazed with a spiced fish sauce. You are going to be hooked for life!
The wings have a rich, complex flavor that is a little bit salty and not too sweet. They get topped with fried garlic, cilantro, and mint, which adds a fragrant aroma and a fantastic extra crunch.
9. Vietnamese Mango Salad
It’s not every day you find a mango salad that has a perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors. But thanks to this recipe, now you can! And this Hanoi street food is so simple to whip up.
Besides ripe mangoes, this salad has cilantro, shallots, and peanuts. It all gets tossed in a fish sauce based dressing that has bright notes from lime juice and rice wine vinegar. A total showstopper.
10. Vietnamese Caramel Sauce
Caramel sauce, or nuoc mau, is a dark, thin liquid that you will see all the time as an all purpose seasoning for Vietnamese dishes. This sauce is used a lot in savory recipes, adding a nice background of smoky and sweet notes to the overall flavor.
This recipe is so easy, calling for just three ingredients: vinegar, cane sugar, and water. The water is just there to thin out the sauce made from the heated sugar and vinegar.
11. Vietnamese Papaya Salad
A summery salad that brings together papaya, raw veggies, peanuts, and fried onions is just so deliciously crunchy and healthy!
This recipe uses orange papaya to add a little bit of sweetness to the salad, while the lightly spiced lime dressing adds a wonderful zest and freshness. It is just so, so good.
12. Vietnamese Fried Tofu
Are you looking for something new to add to your weekly meal rotation? This might be just the recipe for you! Vietnamese fried tofu is so satisfyingly good and it’s ready in 20 minutes or less.
All you have to do is fry up the tofu pieces until they’re crispy, but make sure the inside stays soft. Dip them in a flavorful scallion fish sauce mixture, serve with rice, or just eat them as is. It’s so easy!
13. Purple Yam Soup
Gorgeous, creamy, and seriously delicious, this purple yam soup is like nothing else. First of all, that attractive purple color is just stunning! And second, it’s packed with flavorful prawns and slices of fish.
The soup base is made from chicken stock, which adds another layer of flavor. And with fresh spices and herbs included, you get a 100% delectable and aromatic dish.
14. Banh Mi
Banh mi is one of the most loved street foods in Vietnam. It’s a soft, airy baguette that’s filled with meat, pickled vegetables, herbs, and seasoning.
With so many banh mi spots popping up in Vietnam and other countries, there are now endless variations of this dish.
This recipe uses marinated tofu instead of chicken or pork, which makes it vegetarian friendly. And for extra richness and heat, some mayo and sriracha are added. YUM.
15. Peanut Sticky Rice
Sticky rice with peanuts? This rice dish is on a whole other level. The subtle sweet and salty flavors are just delicious. It’s an amazing combination for breakfast or as a snack.
The dish gets its texture from sticky rice and coconut milk. And the toppings include shredded coconut, roasted peanuts, and toasted sesame seeds, all mixed with sugar and salt for extra flavor. So tasty!
16. Prawn and Sweet Potato Fritters
Here’s another quick, delicious, and crispy good snack for you: prawn and sweet potato fritters. This dish is a known street food in the northern part of Vietnam and it gives you the absolute perfect crunchy bite!
Getting the batter right is part of what makes the best fritters. But don’t worry, you only need a few pantry ingredients for this.
The consistency should be like a pancake batter, not too thick, but firm enough to hold the prawn and sweet potato sticks together.
For a full meal, wrap the fritter in lettuce with some fresh herbs, and then dip everything in fish sauce. Delicious!
17. Lemongrass Chicken
Vietnam’s lemongrass chicken is without a doubt one of the tastiest chicken dishes out there! The marinade has lemongrass, fish sauce, sweet chili sauce, and red curry paste, among many other things.
And the chicken meat? It is so juicy, you will be completely obsessed! I just love to eat it with coconut infused jasmine rice for a perfect Asian style meal.
18. Vietnamese Fish Sauce
Vietnam is known for having a wide variety of sauces, but fish sauce is the absolute king because it’s in so many Vietnamese recipes. From rice noodles to spring rolls to Vietnamese crepes, fish sauce adds a touch of savory taste.
To make this dipping sauce, all you have to do is mix pure fish sauce, sugar, water, and lemonade. It’s that simple!
19. Pho
You can find pho literally everywhere in Vietnam, from restaurants and streets to people’s homes. If you don’t know what pho is, it’s a noodle soup made with beef broth, ginger, fish sauce, onion, and a few aromatic spices.
The secret to the best pho broth is to make it from scratch. It might take hours to simmer the beef and bones, but it creates a meaty taste that will make you want to cry happy tears!
The spices should be toasted, and the onion and ginger charred. That’s how you get that authentic pho flavor.
20. Vietnamese Crepes
Vietnamese crepes are super popular in the north, south, and central parts of the country. These crispy crepes are filled with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts, so they are bursting with flavors and crunchy goodness.
Serve them with a lime juice and fish sauce dipping sauce, and you will take these savory fried pancakes to the next level!
21. Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad
Here’s another healthy and tasty dish that is just SO GOOD. We’re talking a combination of tender rice noodles, tender chicken thighs, and a whole lot of crunchy raw veggies and herbs.
Everything gets tossed in that classic Vietnamese condiment, nuoc cham. It’s the dressing here, and it brings every single flavor to the party: sweet, spicy, sour, and salty. Talk about a flavor explosion!
And the best part? You barely have to use the stove, which makes this an absolute dream to whip up, especially in the summer. A total win!