What should you cook next? These dishes.
Vietnamese cuisine is more than just phở and spring rolls. It's home to noodle dishes, savory stews, unique desserts, and so much more.
From stacked bánh mìs and deeply flavorful bowls of noodles with braised pork, to egg coffee and banana tapioca desserts, read on for delicious ways to rev up your appetite and broaden your cooking know-how.
1. Phở (Noodles and Beef Soup)
![20 Vietnamese Dishes That Are 100% Worth Adding To Your Recipe Rotation (4) 20 Vietnamese Dishes That Are 100% Worth Adding To Your Recipe Rotation (4)](https://i0.wp.com/img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2021-05/18/20/asset/48d8a365412b/sub-buzz-5908-1621369154-18.jpg?downsize=700%3A%2A&output-quality=auto&output-format=auto)
What is it? If you haven't tried phở (pronounced "fuh") yet — with its perfectly assembled baseline ingredients of noodles, broth, fresh herbs, and meat — you're missing out. Start with this detailed guide to making it at home, which includes instructions for both stovetop and Instant Pot versions.
Recipe: Phở
2. Vegan Phở With Seared Tofu
![20 Vietnamese Dishes That Are 100% Worth Adding To Your Recipe Rotation (5) 20 Vietnamese Dishes That Are 100% Worth Adding To Your Recipe Rotation (5)](https://i0.wp.com/img.buzzfeed.com/buzzfeed-static/static/2021-05/18/20/asset/aebc4e14551d/sub-buzz-5918-1621369024-2.png?downsize=700%3A%2A&output-quality=auto&output-format=auto)
What is it? If you're craving the flavors of phở without the meat, try this version from bestselling cookbook author Andrea Nguyen. She uses sharply seared tofu and nutritional yeast to add impressive layers of flavor.
Recipe: Vegan Phở With Seared Tofu
3. Bún Chả (Grilled Pork Patties With Noodles)
What is it? Grlled pork patties served with rice noodles, and eaten by dunking the noodles in a sweet chili papaya sauce. This dish had a bit of a pop culture moment years ago, during former President Obama's trip to Vietnam, where he famously enjoyed an order of bún chả with the late Anthony Bourdain.
Recipe: Bún Chả
4. Cao Lầu (Noodles with Braised Pork)
What is it? This noodle dish boasts the textural variety of crispy pork fat, perfectly chewy noodles, and tender char siu meat.
Recipe: Cao Lầu
5. Bun Bo Xa Ot (Vietnamese Steak and Rice Noodle Salad)
What is it? A traditional Vietnamese dish of thinly sliced beef and rice noodles, Diep Tran’s spin on the classic is packed with flavorful sauces, tangy pickles, and fresh herbs. It's perfect for a summer meal to share with friends.
Recipe: Bun Bo Xa Ot (Vietnamese Steak and Rice Noodle Salad)
6. Gỏi Cuốn (Summer Rolls)
What is it? An appetizer favorite, these Vietnamese spring rolls come together with vermicelli noodles, mint, and your choice of protein, all wrapped tightly inside a rice paper wrapper.
Recipe: Gỏi Cuốn (Summer Rolls)
7. Bánh Mì
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What is it? This Vietnamese sandwich is the harmonic result of a few complementary ingredients, including a fresh slice of French bread, pickled vegetables, and juicy pork. The curious inclusion of a French roll here is a result of French colonialism in Vietnam in the 1860s.
Recipe: Bánh Mì
8. Cá Chiên (Fried Fish With Tomato Sauce)
What is it? There's something perfectly balanced about this dish of fried fish, paired with tomato and onion sauce. Maybe it's the crispiness of the fish or the distilled umami flavor of the tomato sauce — whatever it is, it'll make you go for seconds.
Recipe: Cá Chiên
What is it? The diversity of Vietnamese cuisine is exemplified in dishes like this, a spicy beef stew that gets it depth of flavor from an unlikely combination of ingredients like lemongrass, soy sauce, tomato paste, star anise, and even coconut water.
Recipe: Bò Kho
10. Phở Xào Thịt Bò (Stir-Fried Rice Noodles With Beef)
What is it? These stir-fried rice noodles with beef prove there's countless ways to eat Vietnamese noodles, and this is just one of many. The noodles here are cooked in a mix of soy sauce and fish sauce, while the beef is cooked in a base of oyster sauce. A sauce trifecta!
Recipe: Phở Xào Thịt Bò
11. Cà Phê Trứng (Egg Coffee)
What is it? Inspired by a milk shortage, this original Vietnamese coffee recipe pairs coffee with creamy egg fluff made with egg yolks and sweetened condensed milk. It's actually pretty genius — and delicious.
Recipe: Cà Phê Trứng (Egg Coffee)
12. Bánh Xèo (Crispy Vietnamese Crepe)
What is it? Don't let your eyes fool you: These Vietnamese crepes don't include any eggs and are instead a blend of rice flour, turmeric (which lends it its yellow color), coconut cream, and your choice of protein.
Recipe: Bánh Xèo
13. Com Tam (Broken Rice)
Khanh Ngo Photography / Getty Images
What is it? Known as the signature dish of Saigon, this meal consists of rice usually served with grilled pork chops and fish sauce. The dish was apparently born when farmers began cooking with the "broken rice" they couldn't sell. Nowadays, the popularity of this dish has resulted in broken rice selling at sometimes higher prices than regular rice!
Recipe: Com Tam
14. Thịt Kho Tàu (Caramelized Braised Pork and Eggs)
What is it? Fall-apart fatty pork and eggs come together in a savory, rich recipe that is surprisingly easy to make. Most of the time, you're just watching the pot simmer and do its thing.
15. Bún Mắm (Fermented Fish and Noodle Soup)
What is it? If you're up for a challenge, this colorful fermented fish noodle soup rewards you with a deep, complex flavor derived from layers of, yep, generous fermented fish — as well as lemongrass, squid, crackling pork, and stuffed chilis.
Recipe: Bún Mắm
16. Bánh Cuốn (Stuffed Rice Rolls)
What is it? These delicate stuffed steamed rice rolls are often filled with minced pork and served with a hearty helping of fresh herbs.
Recipe: Bánh Cuốn
17. Bánh Canh Tom Cua (Shrimp and Crab Udon)
What is it? Gather 'round, seafood lovers: This one's for you. This recipe combines crab meat, shrimp, and chewy noodles, and dunks it all in a savory slurry of fish sauce, annatto oil (this is where the soup's orange hue comes from), and chicken broth.
Recipe: Bánh Canh Tom Cua
18. Chè Ba Màu (Three-Color Dessert)
What is it? This colorful dessert layers crushed ice, red and mung beans, coconut sauce (sweet coconut milk), and jelly pieces. It's refreshing, fun to make, and the perfect summertime treat.
Recipe: Chè Ba Màu
19. Chè Bắp (Sweet Corn Pudding)
What is it? Sweet corn might sound like an unconventional main ingredient for a dessert, but it works here perfectly paired with tapioca pearls and a rich, sweetened coconut sauce.
Recipe: Chè Bắp
20. Chè Chuối (Banana Tapioca)
What is it? Look, when you cook full-fat coconut milk, bananas, and tapioca pearls, and top it with salted peanuts, it's impossible not to make a dessert that's irresistible. If you're a fan of banana-flavored things, this one will rock your world.
Recipe: Chè Chuối (Banana Tapioca)
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