10+ Vietnamese Recipes to Try for Delicious Home Cooking

Vietnamese food has this way of drawing people in with its fresh flavors and easy techniques. You get variety—meals that taste great and somehow feel healthy at the same time.

Curious about making Vietnamese food at home? Let’s walk through a handful of easy, delicious recipes you can actually pull off.

Cooking these dishes gives you a fun peek into Vietnamese culture. Whether you’re a soup lover, noodle fan, or you just want something grilled, you’ll find something to try.

Bringing new flavors to your kitchen can be surprisingly rewarding.

1) Pho Bo (Vietnamese Beef Noodle Soup)

Pho Bo is probably the most famous Vietnamese beef noodle soup out there. It starts with a rich, clear broth made from simmering beef bones and meat for hours.

You drop in flat rice noodles and thinly sliced beef. The hot broth cooks the beef right in the bowl.

Fresh herbs—basil, cilantro—plus bean sprouts and lime, make it bright and refreshing. If you like heat, toss in some chili slices or a dab of chili paste.

It’s one of those meals that just feels comforting, no matter the time of day.

Ingredients

• Beef bones and beef chuck or sirloin
• Flat rice noodles
• Onion and green onions
• Basil, cilantro
• Bean sprouts
• Lime wedges
• Chili paste or fresh chilies

Cooking Instructions

1. Simmer beef bones and meat with onion for 4-6 hours.
2. Strain broth and return it to the pot.
3. Soak or boil rice noodles until they’re soft.
4. Place noodles in bowls, add thin beef slices.
5. Pour hot broth over noodles and beef to cook the meat.
6. Serve with herbs, bean sprouts, lime, and chili paste.

More details about this recipe are at Pho Recipe (Vietnamese Noodle Soup).

2) Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwich)

Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich that’s all about contrast—crunchy bread, savory fillings, and tangy pickles. Pickled carrots and daikon radish add a punchy crunch inside.

Usually, you’ll see roasted pork or pork belly, but tofu works great too if you’re skipping meat. Don’t forget the fresh cilantro and a squirt of spicy chili sauce.

It comes together quickly, but it still feels special. That crispy baguette really makes it.

Ingredients

• Baguette or crusty French bread
• Pickled carrots and daikon radish (½ cup each)
• Roasted pork or pork belly slices (about 6 oz) or marinated tofu
• Fresh cilantro leaves
• Mayonnaise or spicy chili sauce
• Rice vinegar (½ cup)
• Sugar (¼ cup)
• Water (¼ cup)

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix rice vinegar, sugar, and water. Add carrots and daikon, let them pickle for 15 minutes.
2. Slice bread lengthwise and spread mayonnaise or chili sauce inside.
3. Add pickled veggies and your choice of pork or tofu.
4. Top with fresh cilantro and close the sandwich.
5. Eat right away for max crunch.

For more details, see this Bánh Mì Recipe.

3) Goi Cuon (Fresh Spring Rolls)

Goi Cuon—fresh spring rolls—are about as light and healthy as it gets. You wrap shrimp, pork, rice noodles, and fresh veggies in soft rice paper.

These rolls are never fried, so they stay cool and refreshing. They’re great as an appetizer or even a light lunch.

You’ll want to dip them in peanut sauce or a simple fish sauce dip. Making them can feel a little fiddly at first, but after a few tries, you’ll get the hang of it.

Ingredients

• Rice paper wrappers
• Cooked shrimp, sliced in half
• Cooked pork belly or pork loin, thinly sliced
• Rice vermicelli noodles, cooked
• Fresh lettuce leaves
• Fresh herbs (mint, cilantro, Thai basil)
• Bean sprouts (optional)

Cooking Instructions

1. Dip a rice paper wrapper in warm water for 5 seconds until soft.
2. Lay it flat on a clean surface.
3. Place a lettuce leaf on the bottom third of the wrapper.
4. Add a small handful of rice noodles, shrimp, pork, herbs, and sprouts.
5. Fold the sides in, then roll tightly from the bottom up.
6. Repeat with the rest of the ingredients.
7. Serve with peanut sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.

For a detailed guide, check out this Vietnamese Spring Rolls Recipe.

4) Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup)

Bun Bo Hue is a spicy beef noodle soup with a serious kick. The broth gets its depth from beef and pork simmered together, plus loads of chili.

You’ll find thick rice noodles, slices of beef, and pork hocks floating in the soup. Fresh herbs and lime go on top right before serving.

If you like your food bold and warming, this one’s a must-try.

Ingredients

• Beef shank
• Pork hocks
• Thick rice noodles
• Lemongrass
• Chili oil
• Shrimp paste
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Fish sauce
• Fresh herbs (cilantro, green onions, Thai basil)
• Lime

Cooking Instructions

1. Simmer beef shank and pork hocks in water with lemongrass, garlic, and ginger for several hours.
2. Add chili oil and shrimp paste to the broth for heat and flavor.
3. Cook the thick rice noodles separately until tender.
4. Place noodles in bowls, top with sliced beef and pork hock, then ladle hot broth over.
5. Garnish with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lime.

For a more detailed recipe, you can check the Bún Bò Huế recipe.

5) Ca Kho To (Caramelized Fish in Clay Pot)

Ca Kho To is classic comfort food—catfish, slow-braised in a clay pot with fish sauce, sugar, and garlic. The marinade gives you that sweet and salty punch.

You simmer the fish in coconut juice or water until it turns a deep caramel color. The sauce thickens up and clings to the fish.

Serve it with steamed rice to soak up all that rich, sticky sauce. Clay pots are traditional, but any heavy pot will do in a pinch.

Ingredients

• Catfish steaks
• Fish sauce
• Sugar
• Garlic
• Coconut juice or water
• Black pepper

Cooking Instructions

1. Marinate catfish with fish sauce, sugar, and garlic for 30 minutes.
2. Heat a clay pot and sear fish on both sides until browned.
3. Add coconut juice or water to cover half the fish.
4. Simmer on medium-low for 20-30 minutes until the sauce thickens.
5. Serve hot with steamed rice.

For more details, visit Vietnamese Braised & Caramelized Catfish.

6) Thit Kho Tau (Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly)

Thit Kho Tau is all about slow-braised pork belly in a sweet and savory sauce. Coconut water, fish sauce, and caramelized sugar bring out a glossy glaze that coats every piece.

Hard-boiled eggs soak up the sauce and get super flavorful. The pork turns meltingly tender after a long simmer.

You don’t need a ton of ingredients—just some patience while it cooks down. It’s a comfort dish that feels like home.

Ingredients

• Pork belly, cut into chunks
• Hard-boiled eggs
• Coconut water
• Fish sauce
• Brown sugar or caramel sauce
• Garlic
• Shallots

Cooking Instructions

1. Brown pork belly in a pot until the edges get a little crispy.
2. Add garlic and shallots; sauté briefly.
3. Pour in coconut water, fish sauce, and caramel sauce or brown sugar.
4. Simmer on low heat for 1.5 to 2 hours until pork is tender.
5. Add hard-boiled eggs halfway through.
6. Cook until the sauce thickens and coats the pork and eggs.
7. Serve hot with steamed rice.

7) Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Sizzling Pancakes)

Banh Xeo are crispy, golden Vietnamese pancakes stuffed with shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts. The batter uses rice flour, coconut milk, turmeric, and green onions for color and crunch.

You pour the batter into a hot pan—it sizzles, then crisps up. Add the fillings, fold the pancake, and you’re done.

Serve them hot with fresh herbs and a tangy dipping sauce. They’re fun to make and even better to eat.

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice flour
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1 1/2 cups coconut milk
• 1 cup water
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 3 green onions, sliced
• 1/2 pound shrimp, peeled
• 1/2 pound thinly sliced pork
• 1 cup mung bean sprouts
• Fresh herbs (mint, basil, cilantro)

Cooking Instructions

1. Mix rice flour, cornstarch, coconut milk, water, turmeric, and green onions for the batter.
2. Heat a nonstick pan over medium-high heat (about 350°F / 175°C).
3. Pour a thin layer of batter and cook until the edges get crispy.
4. Add shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts on one side.
5. Fold the pancake in half and cook 1-2 minutes more.
6. Serve hot with fresh herbs and dipping sauce.

8) Com Tam (Broken Rice with Grilled Pork)

Com Tam is a staple in Vietnamese cuisine, and honestly, it’s hard not to love. You get soft, slightly sticky broken rice topped with grilled pork chops, usually marinated in lemongrass and a bunch of fragrant spices.

The rice soaks up all those delicious juices. Usually, you’ll see it piled with fresh cucumber, pickled carrots, and sometimes a fried egg if you’re feeling fancy.

A drizzle of nước chấm, that tangy-sweet fish sauce, ties everything together in a way that just works. There’s something about the combo—salty pork, sweet pickles, and herby rice—that keeps you coming back.

Ingredients:

• Broken rice
• Pork chops (marinated with lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce)
• Pickled vegetables (carrots, daikon)
• Fresh cucumber slices
• Fried eggs
• Nước chấm sauce (fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, chili)

Cooking Instructions:

1. Soak and rinse the broken rice, then cook until tender.
2. Marinate pork chops with lemongrass, garlic, fish sauce, and a bit of sugar for at least 30 minutes.
3. Grill the pork chops over medium-high heat (about 375°F/190°C) until they’re cooked through.
4. Mix sliced carrots and daikon with vinegar, sugar, and salt to pickle them.
5. Fry eggs sunny side up.
6. Plate the rice, then top with pork chops and a fried egg.
7. Add cucumber slices and pickled veggies on the side.
8. Pour nước chấm over everything right before you dig in.

If you want to dive deeper, here’s a solid Vietnamese Broken Rice recipe.

9) Goi Ga (Vietnamese Chicken Salad)

Goi Ga is one of those salads that manages to be light and satisfying at the same time. You toss shredded chicken with crisp cabbage, fresh herbs, carrots, and sometimes pickled onions.

The dressing hits all the right notes: tangy lime, fish sauce, sugar, and a splash of vinegar. Serve it cold, and it’s basically summer in a bowl.

It’s crunchy, fresh, and perfect when you want something quick but not boring. I always find the combo of sweet, sour, and salty just a little addictive.

You can find a straightforward recipe here.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cooked shredded chicken
• 2 cups shredded cabbage
• 1 carrot, julienned
• ½ red onion, thinly sliced
• Fresh herbs (cilantro, mint, or Thai basil)
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1½ tbsp fresh lime juice
• 2 tbsp rice vinegar
• 1 tbsp water

Cooking Instructions

1. Whisk sugar, fish sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, and water for the dressing.
2. Toss chicken, cabbage, carrot, onion, and herbs in a big bowl.
3. Pour the dressing over and mix until everything’s coated.
4. Chill for 15-20 minutes before serving—if you can wait that long.

10) Bun Cha (Grilled Pork with Noodles)

Bun Cha comes straight out of Hanoi and, honestly, it’s hard not to crave it once you’ve tried it. You get smoky grilled pork patties and pork belly, all nestled next to a pile of rice vermicelli noodles.

The pork gets its flavor from a sweet-savory marinade, then you grill it until it’s got those irresistible charred edges. You dip everything—noodles, pork, herbs—into a punchy, fish sauce-based broth.

Herbs and pickled veggies keep things bright and crunchy. It’s a meal that balances savory, sweet, and sour in every bite.

Ingredients

• 1 pound skin-on pork belly
• Ground pork for patties
• Rice vermicelli noodles
• Fish sauce
• Sugar
• Vinegar
• Garlic
• Chili
• Fresh herbs (like mint and cilantro)

Cooking Instructions

1. Toss pork belly and ground pork with fish sauce, sugar, and garlic.

2. Grill the pork belly slices and pork patties at 375°F (190°C). Keep an eye on them and cook until they’re done—no one likes overcooked pork.

3. Boil the vermicelli noodles. Just follow the package directions; it’s usually pretty straightforward.

4. Stir together fish sauce, sugar, vinegar, garlic, and chili. That’s your dipping sauce—taste it and adjust if you want it sweeter or spicier.

5. Serve the grilled pork and noodles with a pile of fresh herbs. Pour the dipping sauce on the side and dig in.

If you’re curious or want a deeper dive, check out this Bún Chả Hanoi recipe.