Home›Dishes›Cuisine›Vietnamese CuisineCuisineVietnamese CuisineSoutheast Asian CuisinesReference and ClassificationVerifiedVietnamese cuisine builds meals around rice, fresh herbs added at the table rather than cooked in, and a cultivated balance of salty, sour, sweet, bitter and spicy flavors. A millennium of Chinese rule left its mark in the north through techniques such as stir frying and ingredients such as soy sauce, while nearly a century of French colonization added the baguette, pate and coffee culture, most visibly in banh mi and ca phe sua da. Meals are typically shared family style, and cooking varies meaningfully between the north, center and south of the country. This balance of flavors follows a traditional framework of five fundamental tastes, spicy, sour, bitter, salty and sweet, each linked to one of five organs, a philosophy cooks still draw on when composing a dish.FactsVietnamese CuisineConnectionsIn the Other AtlasesSourcesTake a Related QuizComments (0)Reader Challenges (0)FactsSignature TechniqueWell-attestedBalancing five flavor elements in a single dish and finishing it at the table with a plate of fresh herbs, bean sprouts and citrus that the diner adds rather than the cook. 1Origin RegionWell-attestedVietnam, mainland Southeast Asia, from the Red River Delta in the north to the Mekong Delta in the south. 1Vietnamese CuisineFilter Results18 entriesDish FamilyAllAsian and Middle Eastern Sandwiches (1)East Asian Noodles and Dumplings (1)Jelly and Gelatin Dishes (1)South Asian Stews, Braises and Sauced Dishes (1)Southeast Asian Breads and Pastries (1)Southeast Asian Noodles and Dumplings (6)Southeast Asian Rice and Grain Dishes (3)Southeast Asian Roasted, Grilled and Fried Dishes (2)Southeast Asian Soups (1)Wraps, Burritos and Tacos (1)Main IngredientAllBroth (1)Catfish (1)Chicken (1)Chili Pepper (1)Coriander (1)Cucumber (1)Egg (1)Fish Sauce (1)Glutinous Rice (1)Lime (1)Mung Bean (3)Mushroom (1)Onion (1)Pork (5)Rice (1)Rice Noodles (1)Rice Vermicelli (2)Shrimp (2)Turmeric (2)Era (Origin Period)All-50 (1)1600 (1)1860 (1)1880 (1)1900 (1)TraditionAllNew Year Feast Traditions (1)Street Food Culture (6)Wedding Feast Traditions (1)Format/TypeAllAsian and Middle Eastern Sandwiches (1)East Asian Noodles and Dumplings (1)Jelly and Gelatin Dishes (1)South Asian Stews, Braises and Sauced Dishes (1)Southeast Asian Breads and Pastries (1)Southeast Asian Noodles and Dumplings (6)Southeast Asian Rice and Grain Dishes (3)Southeast Asian Roasted, Grilled and Fried Dishes (2)Southeast Asian Soups (1)Wraps, Burritos and Tacos (1)CourseAllDessert (2)Side Dish (1)Soup (2)Dietary SuitabilityAllContains Fish or Shellfish (1)Contains Meat or Poultry (4)Origin RegionAllChina (2)Coromandel Coast (1)East Asia (1)Vietnam (14)Show ResultsBrowseCompareSelect all 18Bánh baoVietnamese CuisineBanh BeoVietnamese CuisineBánh chưngVietnamese CuisineBánh đậu xanhVietnamese CuisineBanh MiVietnamese CuisineBánh phu thêVietnamese CuisineBánh TétVietnamese CuisineBanh XeoVietnamese CuisineBun ChaVietnamese CuisineChả cá Lã VọngVietnamese CuisineCốmVietnamese CuisineCurryVietnamese CuisineGoi CuonVietnamese CuisineGrass jellyVietnamese CuisineHủ tiếuVietnamese CuisinePhoVietnamese CuisineVietnamese noodlesVietnamese CuisineWontonVietnamese CuisineConnectionsAssociated WithChinese Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested ConnectedA millennium of Chinese rule over northern Vietnam, traditionally dated from 111 BCE to the 10th century CE, left techniques, ingredients and, in the case of pho, a contested etymological layer on Vietnamese cooking.Source Pho (Language Log, University of Pennsylvania)Victor Mairtier 2French Cuisine, Cuisines Well-attested ConnectedNearly a century of French colonial rule introduced the baguette, pate and coffee culture into Vietnamese cooking, most visibly in banh mi and ca phe sua da.Source A Taste of Vietnam, from Hearty Sour Broths to Fragrantly Spiced Street Food (National Geographic)Thuy Diem Phamtier 1Street Food Culture, Food Traditions Well-attested ConnectedVietnamese cuisine is documented as substantially defined by its street food register, from broths to spiced snacks sold at stalls.Source A Taste of Vietnam, from Hearty Sour Broths to Fragrantly Spiced Street Food (National Geographic)Thuy Diem Phamtier 1Expresses TraditionNarezushi and Fermented Fish, Food Traditions Well-attested Street Food Culture, Food Traditions Well-attested Features DishBánh bao, Dishes Well-attested Source Bánh bao (Wikipedia)Banh Beo, Dishes Well-attested Source Banh beo (Wikipedia)Bánh chưng, Dishes Well-attested Source Bánh chưng (Wikipedia)Bánh đậu xanh, Dishes Well-attested Source Bánh đậu xanh (Wikipedia)Banh Mi, Dishes Well-attested Bánh phu thê, Dishes Well-attested Source Bánh phu thê (Wikipedia)Bánh Tét, Dishes Well-attested Source Bánh tét (Wikipedia)Banh Xeo, Dishes Well-attested Source Banh xeo, WikipediaBun Cha, Dishes Well-attested Source Bun Cha (Wikipedia)tier 3Chả cá Lã Vọng, Dishes Well-attested Source Chả cá Lã Vọng (Wikipedia)Cốm, Dishes Well-attested Source Cốm (Wikipedia)Curry, Dishes Well-attested Source Curry (Wikipedia)tier 3Goi Cuon, Dishes Well-attested Source Goi Cuon (Wikipedia)tier 3Grass jelly, Dishes Well-attested Source Grass jelly (Wikipedia)Hủ tiếu, Dishes Well-attested Source Hủ tiếu (Wikipedia)Pho, Dishes Well-attested Source What Pho Can Teach Us About the History of Vietnam (National Geographic)Ryley Grahamtier 1Vietnamese noodles, Dishes Well-attested Source Vietnamese noodles (Wikipedia)Wonton, Dishes Well-attested Source Wonton (Wikipedia)Uses IngredientChili Pepper, Ingredients Well-attested Source A Taste of Vietnam, from Hearty Sour Broths to Fragrantly Spiced Street Food (National Geographic)Thuy Diem Phamtier 1Fish Sauce, Ingredients Well-attested Source A Taste of Vietnam, from Hearty Sour Broths to Fragrantly Spiced Street Food (National Geographic)Thuy Diem Phamtier 1Garlic, Ingredients Well-attested Source A Taste of Vietnam, from Hearty Sour Broths to Fragrantly Spiced Street Food (National Geographic)Thuy Diem Phamtier 1Lemongrass, Ingredients Well-attested Source A Taste of Vietnam, from Hearty Sour Broths to Fragrantly Spiced Street Food (National Geographic)Thuy Diem Phamtier 1Lime, Ingredients Well-attested Source A Taste of Vietnam, from Hearty Sour Broths to Fragrantly Spiced Street Food (National Geographic)Thuy Diem Phamtier 1In the Other AtlasesOriginated InVietnamAlso in Geography Atlas: where this subject originated.Sources1. A Taste of Vietnam, from Hearty Sour Broths to Fragrantly Spiced Street Food (National Geographic)tier 1Thuy Diem Pham, National Geographic, 2023View the SourceVietnamese Cuisine (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaRegional cuisinesIn northern Vietnam, a colder climate limits the production and availability of spices.section: Relation to Vietnamese philosophyMany Vietnamese dishes include five fundamental taste senses (ngũ vị): spicy (metal), sour (wood), bitter (fire), salty (water) and sweet (earth), corresponding to five organs (ngũ tạng).View the SourcePho (Language Log, University of Pennsylvania)tier 2Victor Mair, Language Log, University of Pennsylvania, 2023Associated With: Chinese CuisineView the SourceWhat Pho Can Teach Us About the History of Vietnam (National Geographic)tier 1Ryley Graham, National Geographic, 2025Features Dish: PhoView the SourceBun Cha (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaFeatures Dish: Bun Cha, lead section, definition clauseQuote, Features Dish: Bun Cha, lead section, definition clauseis a Vietnamese dish of grilled pork and noodles, which is thought to have originated from Hanoi, Vietnam.View the SourceGoi Cuon (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaFeatures Dish: Goi Cuon, lead sectionQuote, Features Dish: Goi Cuon, lead sectionnem cuốn, salad roll, summer roll, fresh spring roll, or rice paper roll is a Vietnamese dish traditionally consisting of pork, prawn, vegetables, bún (rice vermicelli), and other ingredients wrapped in bánh tráng (commonly known as rice paper or cold roll).View the SourceCurry (Wikipedia)tier 3WikipediaFeatures Dish: Curry, Wikipedia category listView the SourceWonton (Wikipedia)Features Dish: Wonton, Wikipedia category listView the SourceBanh xeo, WikipediaFeatures Dish: Banh Xeo, Wikipedia category listView the SourceGrass jelly (Wikipedia)Features Dish: Grass jelly, Wikipedia category listView the SourceHủ tiếu (Wikipedia)Features Dish: Hủ tiếu, infobox national_cuisine fieldQuote, Features Dish: Hủ tiếu, infobox national_cuisine fieldVietnameseView the SourceVietnamese noodles (Wikipedia)Features Dish: Vietnamese noodles, lead paragraphQuote, Features Dish: Vietnamese noodles, lead paragraphVietnamese cuisine includes many types of noodles.View the SourceBanh beo (Wikipedia)Features Dish: Banh Beo, lead paragraphQuote, Features Dish: Banh Beo, lead paragraphBánh bèo is a Vietnamese dish originating from Huế, a city in Central Vietnam.View the SourceBánh phu thê (Wikipedia)Features Dish: Bánh phu thê, lead paragraphQuote, Features Dish: Bánh phu thê, lead paragraphBánh phu thê (lit. 'husband and wife cake') or bánh xu xê, is a Vietnamese dessert made from tapioca flour with mung bean stuffing wrapped in a box made of pandan leaves.View the SourceBánh bao (Wikipedia)Features Dish: Bánh bao, lead paragraphQuote, Features Dish: Bánh bao, lead paragraphBánh bao (literally "dumplings") is a Chinese bun based on the Cantonese tai pao, or da bao (large bun), which was introduced to Vietnam by Chinese immigrants.View the SourceBánh chưng (Wikipedia)Features Dish: Bánh chưng, lead paragraphQuote, Features Dish: Bánh chưng, lead paragraphBánh chưng, banh chung or chung cake is a traditional Vietnamese dish which is made from glutinous rice, mung beans, pork, and other ingredients.View the SourceBánh đậu xanh (Wikipedia)Features Dish: Bánh đậu xanh, lead paragraphQuote, Features Dish: Bánh đậu xanh, lead paragraphBánh đậu xanh (chữ Nôm: 𩚵豆靑, mung bean pastry) is a type of bánh in Vietnamese cuisine.View the SourceCốm (Wikipedia)Features Dish: Cốm, lead paragraphQuote, Features Dish: Cốm, lead paragraphCốm, or simply called green rice, is a flattened and chewy green rice in Vietnamese cuisine.View the SourceChả cá Lã Vọng (Wikipedia)Features Dish: Chả cá Lã Vọng, lead paragraphQuote, Features Dish: Chả cá Lã Vọng, lead paragraphCha ca La Vong (Chả cá Lã Vọng in Vietnamese) is a Vietnamese grilled fish dish originally from Hanoi.View the SourceBánh tét (Wikipedia)Features Dish: Bánh Tét, lead paragraphQuote, Features Dish: Bánh Tét, lead paragraphBánh tét is a Vietnamese savoury but sometimes sweetened cake made primarily from glutinous rice, which is rolled in a banana leaf into a thick, log-like cylindrical shape, with a mung bean and pork filling, then boiled.View the SourceTake a Related QuizHow Cuisines Absorb Empires: Six New World CuisinesIncludes a question about Vietnamese Cuisine.Signature Techniques of World CuisinesCovers this kind of entry.Comments (0)No comments yet. 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