Asia • Featured Cuisine
Vietnamese Recipes & Cuisine
Vietnam’s cuisine is fresh, aromatic and lively, with steaming noodle soups, crisp herbs, rice paper rolls, grilled meats and bright dipping sauces.
Welcome to Vietnam
Vietnamese Food Guide: Pho, Bánh Mì and More
Vietnamese cooking feels light, fragrant and full of motion. Rice noodles, fresh herbs, fish sauce, lime, chilies, pickled vegetables, pork, beef, chicken, seafood and crisp greens bring brightness to the table. Texture matters as much as flavor, with crunch, broth, herbs and heat often working together.
The best dishes often balance sweet, salty, sour, spicy and fresh in one bite. A noodle soup can feel restorative, a salad can feel electric, and a simple sandwich can carry layers of history and crunch. Vietnamese food rewards freshness, texture and careful contrast.
Cooking Style
Simmering, grilling, steaming, stir-frying, wrapping and fresh herb serving.
Signature Flavors
Fish sauce, lime, herbs, chilies, ginger, star anise and lemongrass.
Food Culture
Vietnamese food culture values freshness, balance and contrast, with street stalls, family meals, noodle shops and markets shaping everyday eating.
Featured Dish
First With Pho
Pho (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)
Pho is one of Vietnam’s best-known dishes, a fragrant noodle soup made with clear broth, rice noodles, herbs and thin slices of beef or chicken. Its appeal comes from warmth, aroma and balance, with each bowl finished to taste with herbs, lime, chilies or sauce.
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Explore Vietnamese recipes
Explore Vietnam cuisine and recipes, from pho and banh mi to fresh rolls, bun cha, cao lau and regional dishes rich with herbs, rice noodles and fish sauce.
Pho (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)
Vietnamese pho builds a clear, aromatic beef broth with charred onion, ginger, warm spices, rice noodles, and tender sliced beef.
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Bánh Mi (Vietnamese Pork Sandwich)
Vietnamese banh mi layers savory pork, quick-pickled vegetables, cucumber, herbs, and chili in a light, crisp baguette.
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Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese Spring Rolls)
These fresh Vietnamese spring rolls combine shrimp, pork, herbs, rice vermicelli, and crisp vegetables, wrapped in soft rice paper and served with a bright dipping sauce.
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Bún Cha (Vietnamese Meatballs)
Bún Chả pairs grilled pork patties and caramelized sliced pork with rice noodles, herbs, pickles, and a bright dipping broth.
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Bún bò Huế (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)
This home-style Bún bò Huế builds a rich spicy broth with lemongrass, beef, pork, and chili oil, then finishes with round rice noodles and fresh herbs.
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Vietnamese Iced Coffee (Cà phê sữa đá)
This Vietnamese iced coffee combines strong, slow-dripped coffee, sweetened condensed milk, and ice for a bold, creamy drink with real café character.
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Fragrant noodle soups, fresh herbs, rice paper rolls and bright dipping sauces.
Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Sizzling Crepes)
Bánh Xèo pairs a crisp turmeric-tinted rice batter with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, herbs, and bright dipping sauce.
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Cơm Tấm (Vietnamese Broken Rice)
Home-style cơm tấm pairs grilled lemongrass pork chops, broken rice, pickled vegetables, and a fried egg for a bold, balanced Vietnamese plate.
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Cao Lầu (Vietnamese Noodles & Pork)
Cao Lầu layers chewy noodles, savory pork, fresh herbs, greens, and crisp toppings in the signature low-broth Hoi An style.
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Bò Lúc Lắc (Vietnamese Shaking Beef)
This recipe for Bò Lúc Lắc sears marinated beef cubes fast, then serves them over greens and tomatoes with a sharp lime-pepper dip.
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Chè Chuối (Vietnamese Banana-Coconut Dessert)
Tasty Chè Chuối combines bananas, coconut cream, and tapioca pearls in a gently sweet Vietnamese dessert with soft texture and easy comfort.
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Vietnamese Crispy Shrimp Rice Paper Dumplings
Crispy rice paper wraps a juicy shrimp filling with garlic, ginger and herbs, then lands beside a bright Vietnamese dipping sauce.
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Regional Flavors
Northern pho, central spice and southern herbs
Vietnam’s regions offer distinct flavors, from Hanoi’s clean broths and grilled pork to Hue’s spicy noodle soups, Hoi An’s specialties, and southern herb-filled dishes.
Best Known Dishes
- Pho
- Banh Mi
- Goi Cuon
- Bun Cha
- Cao Lau
- Banh Xeo
- Com Tam
- Bun Bo Hue
Food Traditions
Rice, noodles, herbs and dipping sauces
Rice, noodles, herbs and dipping sauces anchor many meals. Street stalls, markets and family tables keep food fresh, social and full of small choices.
Travel & Dining
Taste your way across Vietnam
Visitors can taste Vietnam through pho shops, banh mi carts, market stalls, street grills, home kitchens, riverside cafés and busy noodle counters.