21 Simple Vietnamese Recipes

Looking for Vietnamese recipes to create a feast for the family?

From the popular street food, banh mi to the nutrient-dense spring rolls, all the best Vietnamese dishes are right here!

Vietnamese cuisine features lots of vegetables, herbs, and fruits, making it one of the world’s healthiest cuisines.

Refreshing flavors are complemented by savory spices, creating dishes with a complex taste, vibrant color, and inviting aroma. 

Sure, ordering Vietnamese takeout is the easiest way to experience the country’s classic foods. But if you want the BEST experience, homemade is the way to go.

That said, I give you 21 Vietnamese recipes you can make at home. Buckle up and get ready to take your taste buds on a trip to Vietnam!  

1. Banh Mi

Banh mi is among the most loved street foods in Vietnam. It features a soft, airy baguette filled with meat, pickled vegetables, herbs, and seasoning.

With so many banh mi joints sprouting in Vietnam and other countries, there are now countless variations to this dish.

This recipe uses marinated tofu instead of chicken or pork to make it vegetarian-friendly. Mayo and sriracha are added for extra richness and heat.

2. Pho

Pho is literally everywhere in Vietnam — restaurants, streets, and households.

If you don’t know what pho is, it’s a noodle soup made with beef broth, ginger, fish sauce, onion, and a couple of aromatic spices.

The key to the best pho broth is to make it from scratch. The simmering of beef and bones may take hours, but it yields a drool-worthy, meaty taste!

The spices should be toasted, and the onion and ginger charred. Doing so will help you achieve the authentic pho flavor.  

3. Vietnamese Crepes

Vietnamese crepes are highly popular in the north, south, and central regions of the country.

These crispy crepes are filled with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts, so they’re bursting with flavors and crunchy goodness.

Serve with a lime juice-fish sauce dipping sauce, and you’ll take these savory fried pancakes to the next level!

4. Lemongrass Chicken

Vietnam’s lemongrass chicken is hands-down one of the tastiest chicken dishes out there! 

Its marinade includes lemongrass, fish sauce, sweet chili sauce, and red curry paste, among many others. 

Oh, and the chicken meat? It’s so juicy, you’ll be obsessed! I just love eating them with coconut-infused jasmine rice for a complete Asian-style meal.  

5. Vietnamese Mango Salad

It’s not every day that you get a mango salad with an equal balance of sweet and sour flavors. But thanks to this recipe, now you can!

Plus, this Hanoi street food is super easy to whip up.

Aside from ripe mangoes, the salad includes cilantro, shallots, and peanuts.

Everything is tossed in a fish sauce-based dressing with bright notes from lime juice and rice wine vinegar. 

6. Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Colorful Vietnamese spring rolls prove that healthy food can also be satisfying and utterly delicious!

Veggies, fruits, and proteins go together in rice paper wrappers. These include carrots, cucumbers, avocado, shrimp, and so much more! 

The idea is to roll them like a burrito, cut them in half, and serve with a simple yet flavorful peanut dipping sauce. 

These fresh rolls are great as appetizers or a light meal on a meatless Monday!

7. Vietnamese Rice Noodle Salad

This rice noodle salad is yet another healthy and tasty dish from Vietnam.

It combines tender rice noodles, tender chicken thighs, and crunchy raw veggies and herbs.

The raw ingredients are tossed in a classic Vietnamese condiment called nuoc cham.

It acts as a salad dressing that carries just about every flavor profile: sweet, spicy, sour, and salty. 

The beauty of this recipe starts with the minimal use of the stove, making it a wonderful dish to prepare even during the summer.

8. Vietnamese Caramel Sauce

Caramel sauce, or nuoc mau, is a dark, thin liquid you’ll often see as an all-purpose seasoning for Vietnam dishes. 

The sauce is often used for savory dishes, adding a nice backdrop of smoky and sweet notes to the overall flavor.

This recipe calls for only three ingredients: vinegar, cane sugar, and water. The latter is used to thin out the sauce made from the heated sugar and vinegar.

9. Vietnamese Caramel Shrimp

Wondering where to use that delicious caramel sauce? This shrimp recipe is what you’ll need!

The shrimp is fried with the aromatics and cooked with the caramel sauce until thickened. 

Fish sauce, black pepper, and scallions are added for extra flavor. The result is one of the tastiest and easiest shrimp dishes ever! 

10. Pok Pok Wings

These marinated chicken wings are deep-fried until oh-so-crispy and glazed with spiced fish sauce. You’ll be hooked for life!

The wings have a rich, complex flavor — a little bit salty and not too sweet.

They’re topped with fried garlic, cilantro, and mint, adding a fragrant aroma and a nice, extra crunch. 

11. Vietnamese Garlic Butter Noodles

Garlicky and buttery at the same time, this 20-minute noodle dish is a comforting meal for busy weeknights.

The al dente egg noodles are tossed in the garlic-butter sauce that’s flavored with a little bit of fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, and oyster sauce.

Adding parmesan cheese as a topping isn’t traditional, but it does make the dish fancier.

12. Peanut Sticky Rice

Sticky rice with peanuts? This rice dish is in a league of its own.

The subtle sweet and salty flavors are simply delicious. It’s a great combination for breakfast or snacks.

The dish is made with sticky rice and coconut milk, hence the texture.

The toppings include shredded coconut, roasted peanuts, and toasted sesame seeds, mixed with sugar and salt for added flavor. So tasty!

13. Vietnamese Boiled Cabbage

Boiled cabbage is a quick and easy side dish found in almost any Vietnamese household.

As you would have already guessed, the cabbage in this dish is boiled until tender.

What makes it so special is the uniquely delicious dipping sauce. It’s made with mashed hard-boiled egg, flavored with lime juice, fish sauce, and chili peppers.

14. Vietnamese Papaya Salad

A summery salad that combines papaya, raw veggies, peanuts, and fried onions is deliciously crunchy and healthy!

Orange papaya is used to add a slight sweetness to the salad, while the lightly spiced lime dressing brings zest and freshness.  

15. Vietnamese Mung Bean Dumplings

Take a break from crunchy treats with these perfectly tender dumplings with mung bean filling.

The mung bean is both savory and sweet, flavored with salt, pepper, and onions.

Traditional mung bean dumplings include shrimp or pork, but you can omit them to veganize the dish. 

16. Pandan Waffles

Besides giving you a delightful sweet treat, pandan waffles will fill your kitchen with a lovely aroma.

The bonus point goes to the chewy center of these waffles. It’s SO good!

The crispy exterior adds a nice contrast to the soft interior. Each bite also brings a coconut-y taste, thanks to the addition of coconut cream. 

17. Purple Yam Soup

Gorgeous, creamy, and downright delicious, purple yam soup is like no other. First of all, it has an attractive purple color!

And second, it’s packed with flavorful prawns and slices of fish.

The base of the soup is made from chicken stock, adding another layer of flavor. Fresh spices and herbs are included for a 100% delectable and aromatic dish. 

18. Vietnamese Fish Sauce

Vietnam is known for its wide variety of sauces, but fish sauce reigns supreme because of its presence in numerous Vietnamese recipes.

From rice noodles to spring rolls to Vietnamese crepes, the fish sauce adds a touch of savory taste.

To make the dipping sauce, simply mix pure fish sauce, sugar, water, and lemonade.

19. Vietnamese Shrimp Tacos

These tacos are made healthy with marinated shrimp, Asian salsa, fresh herbs, and veggies. They’ll make your Taco Tuesdays special! 

The shrimp is flavored with lime juice, coconut sugar, and classic Vietnamese spices. 

Meanwhile, the salsa and pickled veggies combine spicy and tangy flavors that’ll excite the palate.

20. Prawn and Sweet Potato Fritters

Another quick, delicious, and crispy good snack is here: prawn and sweet potato fritters.

Known as street food in the northern part of Vietnam, this dish gives the perfect crunchy bite!

Getting the batter right is part of making the best fritters. But don’t fret because you only need a few pantry ingredients for this.

The consistency should be similar to a pancake batter — not too thick, but firm enough to hold the prawn and sweet potato sticks together.

For a complete meal, wrap the fritter in lettuce, along with fresh herbs, and then dip everything in fish sauce.      

21. Vietnamese Fried Tofu

Looking for a new addition to your weekly meal rotation? This might be the recipe you need!

Vietnamese fried tofu is satisfyingly good and is ready in 20 minutes or less.

All you’ll need to do is fry the tofu pieces until crispy, but make sure the inside remains soft.

Dip them in a flavorful scallion-fish sauce mixture, serve with rice or devour as is. Easy-peasy!