Sample Vietnamese Cuisine

Updated: August 24, 2016
Often referred to as the lighter side of Asian cuisine, Vietnamese dishes include light soups, stir-fries, and noodle bowls featuring fresh ingredients and fragrant spices. Grab your chopsticks and enjoy these wonderful dishes, which are sure to delight at the dinner table.
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Vietnamese-Style Pork Noodle Salad

Photo: Jennifer Causey; Styling: Lindsey Lower, Claire Spollen
Vietnamese-Style Pork Noodle Salad Recipe
Think of this refreshing salad as a deconstructed spring roll: cool rice noodles, crisp vegetables, and a sweet-and-spicy vinaigrette instead of a dipping sauce. Top it all off with savory stir-fried pork.
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Vietnamese Pork Salad

Photo: Erin Kunkel Styling: Chelsea Zimmer
Vietnamese Pork Salad Recipe

Think of this impressive salad as a deconstructed version of a spring roll.

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Hanoi-Style Salmon with Turmeric and Dill

Photo: Thomas J. Story Styling: Joni Noe
Hanoi-Style Salmon with Turmeric and Dill Recipe
This west coast spin on the traditional Vietnamese dish uses fresh salmon. You can use the salmon and sides to create noodle bowls and spring rolls.
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Quick Chicken Pho

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Robyn Valarik
Quick Chicken Pho Recipe

For pho, the Vietnamese soup now found all over the West, a rich-tasting broth is crucial. But how do you produce one quickly? The answer: Simmer whole pieces of chicken in chicken broth. Leftover poached meat can be mixed with mayonnaise, chopped celery, and a pinch of curry powder for chicken salad.

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Lemongrass Shrimp over Rice Vermicelli and Vegetables (Bun Tom Nuong Xa)

Randy Mayor; Jan Gautro
Lemongrass Shrimp over Rice Vermicelli and Vegetables (Bun Tom Nuong Xa) Recipe
The sauce in this dish, nuoc cham, is a staple in every Vietnamese meal. Drizzle it over meats, rice, or noodles. The raw ingredients make this dish ideal for summer dining, but enjoy it year round with shrimp, beef, chicken, or pork.

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Nuoc Cham

Photo: Grey Dupree; Styling: Lindsey Lower
Nuoc Cham Recipe
Warning: This versatile Vietnamese condiment has addictive sweet, salty, sour, and spicy properties. Mix it in a jar, fine-tuning the flavors to your liking by adding more or less of any ingredient.
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Vietnamese Summer Rolls

Photo: Randy Mayor; Styling: Leigh Ann Ross
Vietnamese Summer Rolls Recipe
Make a no-cook dish that can work as an appetizer (1 roll) or main dish (2 rolls). Bean sprouts and threads, shredded carrots, and lettuce add a memorable crunch to the shrimp rolls. Don't forget the five-ingredient dipping sauce–it's the star of this recipe.

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Vietnamese Beef-Noodle Bowl

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Lydia DeGaris
Vietnamese Beef-Noodle Bowl Recipe
Prepare the meat the night before and let it marinate overnight, then cook and combine with cooked noodles and thinly sliced red chiles for a one-bowl dinner that's packed with the bright Asian flavors of sake, star anise, ginger, and fish sauce. Users raved that this recipe topped the dishes they get at traditional Vietnamese restaurants.

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Vietnamese Calamari Herb Salad

Photo: Annabelle Breakey
Vietnamese Calamari Herb Salad Recipe
Pair seafood with lots of fresh herbs in traditional Vietnamese style. The bright, fresh flavor of parsley, cilantro, basil, and mint perfectly complement the rich, lightly-fried squid. Buy frozen, cleaned calamari to save time and get this dish on the table in about 30 minutes.
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Peppery Grilled Shrimp (Tom Nuong Toi Xa Ot)

Lisa Romerein
Peppery Grilled Shrimp (Tom Nuong Toi Xa Ot) Recipe
Marinate shrimp in a spicy mixture of lemon grass, garlic, red chili sauce, fish sauce, sugar, and lime juice before skewering and grilling for about three minutes on each side. Remember to soak the empty skewers in water before putting them on the grill to prevent burning. Take this recipe inside and cook on a grill pan or under a broiler, if you prefer.

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Vietnamese Herb Salad

Photo: Annabelle Breakey; Styling: Jeffrey Larsen
Vietnamese Herb Salad Recipe
Serve this herb- and veggie-filled Vietnamese-style salad with Turkey Meatballs.

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Vietnamese-style Turkey Subs

Annabelle Breakey
Vietnamese-style Turkey Subs Recipe
Traditional Vietnamese sandwiches are spread with a thin layer of chicken-live pate, so feel free to spread a little on your baguette before topping with turkey, veggies, and chili paste, for a little heat. Serve for an inspired weekday lunch or light dinner.
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Vietnamese-Style Summer Rolls

Photo: Helen Dujardin; Styling: Mindi Shapiro-Levine
Vietnamese-Style Summer Rolls Recipe
These rolls are packed with great summer ingredients for you to enjoy all at once.

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Vietnamese Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Spicy Lime Dipping Sauce

Scott Peterson
Vietnamese Shrimp Lettuce Wraps with Spicy Lime Dipping Sauce Recipe
At your next cocktail party, serve a twist on the traditional spring roll by dishing up spicy lettuce wraps packed with plump shrimp, crispy cellophane noodles, and a spicy lime sauce, for dipping. You can find cellophane noodles in Asian grocery stores, or substitute rice if you prefer.

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Sautéed Tofu (Dau Hu Xao Dau Hao)

Lisa Romerein
Sautéed Tofu (Dau Hu Xao Dau Hao) Recipe
Stir-fry tofu in a simple sauce of oyster sauce, sugar, fish sauce, and olive oil. Garnish with cilantro and a sprinkle of black pepper, and serve with rice of over noodle salad for a meatless one-bowl meal.
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Vietnamese Caramelized Pork and Rice Noodle Salad

Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner; Styling: Cindy Barr
Vietnamese Caramelized Pork and Rice Noodle Salad Recipe
Bring the tastes of sweet, sour, salty, and bitter to the table all in one dish to get your taste buds dancing. A respectable dose of sugar balances the savory fish sauce, tart vinegar, and lime juice, and bitter fresh herbs. This fresh-tasting dish is sure to make your regular rotation.
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