While Vietnam’s culinary scene is internationally celebrated for classics like phở and bánh mì, there’s a treasure trove of lesser-known dishes that deserve just as much recognition.
From street-side delicacies to home-cooking staples, these fifteen dishes showcase the incredible depth and diversity of Vietnamese cuisine, offering unique flavors that might surprise even the most adventurous food enthusiasts. Let’s explore some remarkable Vietnamese foods that you probably haven’t encountered on your typical restaurant menu.
Bột Chiên
This irresistible street food consists of rice flour cubes that are fried until crispy on the outside while maintaining a chewy interior. The cubes are typically stir-fried with eggs and green onions, creating a delightful contrast of textures.
Served with a tangy soy-vinegar sauce and shredded papaya salad, bột chiên exemplifies the perfect balance of flavors that Vietnamese cuisine is known for. You’ll find this dish particularly popular in the southern regions, where it’s enjoyed as both a breakfast option and a late-night snack.
Cơm Cháy
What started as a way to use up leftover rice has become a beloved snack across Vietnam. Rice is pressed and dried until crispy, then topped with a savory mixture of ground pork, shrimp, and wood ear mushrooms in a thick sauce.
The contrast between the crunchy rice cakes and the flavorful topping creates an addictive combination that’s hard to resist. In some regions, you’ll find variations where the rice cakes are grilled over charcoal, adding a subtle smokiness to the dish.
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Bún Bò Huế Chay
This vegetarian version of the famous Huế beef noodle soup showcases the sophistication of Vietnamese Buddhist cuisine. The broth is made rich and complex through a combination of mushrooms, lemongrass, and fermented soybean paste, while various meat alternatives provide satisfying texture.
The dish is garnished with banana blossoms, morning glory, and a variety of fresh herbs that add layers of flavor and nutrition.
Cháo Lươn
This hearty rice porridge featuring tender pieces of eel might sound unusual, but it’s a breakfast favorite in central Vietnam. The eel is carefully prepared to remove any muddy taste, then simmered with ginger, shallots, and fish sauce until perfectly tender.
Topped with crispy shallots, fresh herbs, and a dash of black pepper, this comforting dish offers a unique combination of flavors that will warm you from the inside out.
Gỏi Vả
Young green fig salad might be one of Vietnam’s best-kept culinary secrets. Thinly sliced unripe figs are mixed with tender pork belly, shrimp, and fresh herbs, then dressed in a tangy fish sauce-based dressing.
The figs provide a unique crunch and subtle sweetness that perfectly complements the savory elements of the dish. This refreshing salad is particularly popular in central Vietnam during the summer months.
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Bánh Căn
These small, savory rice pancakes are cooked in special clay molds, creating perfectly round bites with crispy edges. Each pancake is topped with quail egg, shrimp, or pork and served with a forest of fresh herbs and a special dipping sauce.
Popular in the coastal regions of central Vietnam, bánh căn represents the intersection of French colonial influence and traditional Vietnamese cooking techniques.
Canh Chua Cá Bông Lau
This sour soup features a type of river fish that’s prized for its tender meat and lack of small bones. The soup combines the tartness of tamarind, the sweetness of pineapple, and the earthiness of elephant ear stem, creating a complex flavor profile that’s both refreshing and satisfying.
It’s particularly popular in the Mekong Delta region, where fresh river fish is abundant.
Nem Chua Rán
These fried fermented pork rolls offer a unique taste experience that combines tanginess, saltiness, and umami. The fermented pork is wrapped in banana leaves, allowed to develop its distinctive flavor, then battered and fried until crispy.
Served with fresh herbs and chili sauce, nem chua rán represents the Vietnamese talent for transforming simple ingredients into something extraordinary.
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Bánh Tằm Bì
Thick, round rice noodles are served with shredded pork skin, herbs, and a rich coconut sauce in this southern specialty. The noodles are made fresh daily, giving them a distinctive texture that’s both soft and slightly chewy.
What makes this dish special is the contrast between the cool noodles, room-temperature toppings, and warm coconut sauce.
Cơm Hến
Originating from Huế, this humble dish combines baby clams, crispy pork rinds, peanuts, and herbs with rice that’s been colored by clam broth. The combination might seem unusual, but the interplay of textures and the briny sweetness of the clams creates a uniquely satisfying meal.
Local families have been enjoying this dish for generations, particularly during the summer months.
Bánh Bèo Chén
These delicate steamed rice cakes are served in small dishes, each topped with dried shrimp, crispy pork rinds, and scallion oil. The name translates to ‘water fern cake’ due to its resemblance to duckweed floating on water.
While simple in appearance, the preparation requires significant skill to achieve the perfect texture and balance of toppings.
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Mắm Chưng
This dish features preserved fish or shrimp that’s steamed with pork, eggs, and aromatics until it forms a savory custard. While the concept might sound challenging to Western palates, the result is a deeply flavorful dish that’s often served as a luxury item on special occasions.
It’s typically eaten with hot rice and fresh vegetables, allowing you to control the intensity of flavors.
Bò Lá Lốt
Beef wrapped in betel leaves and grilled over charcoal offers a unique combination of flavors that’s distinctly Vietnamese. The meat is seasoned with lemongrass, garlic, and fish sauce, while the betel leaves impart a peppery note and help keep the meat tender during cooking.
This dish is often enjoyed as part of a larger meal, served with rice paper, herbs, and various dipping sauces.
Cháo Sườn Sụn
This variation of rice porridge features tender cartilage and meat from pork ribs, creating a rich and satisfying dish that’s particularly popular during cooler weather. The porridge is cooked until creamy and topped with fresh ginger, green onions, and crispy shallots.
Though it might seem simple, the preparation requires careful attention to achieve the perfect consistency and flavor.
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Ốc Len Xào Dừa
These small snails cooked in coconut milk represent the ingenuity of Vietnamese coastal cuisine. The snails are carefully cleaned and stir-fried with lemongrass, chili, and fresh coconut milk, creating a fragrant and rich sauce that’s perfect for soaking up with bread.
While snails might not be everyone’s first choice, this dish offers an accessible introduction to Vietnamese seafood preparations.
Hidden Gems of Vietnamese Cuisine
The beauty of Vietnamese cuisine lies not just in its famous dishes but in these lesser-known specialties that showcase the country’s diverse culinary heritage and innovative cooking techniques. Each dish tells a story of regional preferences, local ingredients, and centuries-old cooking traditions that have been passed down through generations.
Whether you’re planning a trip to Vietnam or simply looking to expand your culinary horizons, these fifteen dishes offer a glimpse into the remarkable depth of one of the world’s most sophisticated food cultures.
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