List of Vietnamese dishes facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Vietnamese food is super yummy and has lots of different flavors! It's famous for being fresh, healthy, and full of amazing smells and tastes. From steaming noodle soups to tasty rice dishes and sweet desserts, there's something for everyone to try. Many dishes use fresh herbs, vegetables, and special sauces like fish sauce, which makes them extra delicious. Let's explore some of the most popular and interesting foods you can find in Vietnam!

Noodle Dishes: Slurp Up the Flavor!
- Popular Noodle Soups
- Other Noodle Delights
Dumplings: Little Pockets of Joy
Pancakes and Sandwiches: Quick Bites
Rolls, Salads, and Rice Papers: Fresh and Light
Cơm (Non-Glutinous Rice Dishes): Rice is Life
Xôi (Glutinous Rice Dishes): Sticky and Sweet or Savory
Soups, Stews, and Cháo (Congees): Warm and Comforting
Sweet Cakes and Desserts: A Sweet Ending
Condiments and Sauces: The Flavor Boosters
Beverages: Refreshing Drinks
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Noodle Dishes: Slurp Up the Flavor!

Noodles are a huge part of Vietnamese cooking. You'll find them in many different shapes and sizes, served in hot soups or as cool, fresh salads.

Popular Noodle Soups

Phở

A warm bowl of Phở, a popular Vietnamese noodle soup.

Phở is probably the most famous Vietnamese dish! It's a warm, comforting noodle soup with thin rice noodles, tasty broth, and slices of beef or chicken. People often add fresh basil, mint, lime, and bean sprouts to make it even better. It's a perfect meal any time of day!

Bún bò Huế

Bún bò Huế, a spicy beef noodle soup.

If you like a bit of a kick, you'll love Bún bò Huế! This noodle soup comes from the city of Huế and is known for being hot and spicy. It has rice vermicelli noodles, beef, pork, and a strong lemongrass flavor. It's a bold and exciting dish!

Bún riêu

Bún riêu, a crab and tomato noodle soup.

Bún riêu is a delicious rice vermicelli noodle soup with a special broth made from tomatoes and crab. It's a flavorful and unique soup that many people enjoy.

Hủ tiếu

Hủ tiếu, a Chinese/Cambodian style noodle soup.

Hủ tiếu is a noodle soup that came from Chinese and Cambodian cooking. It usually has rice noodles and a yummy pork broth. It's a favorite in Southern Vietnam.

Other Noodle Delights

Bánh canh

Bánh canh, a thick noodle dish.

Bánh canh features thick, chewy noodles, often served in a soup. It's a hearty and satisfying dish, especially popular in the South of Vietnam.

Bún chả

Bún chả, vermicelli noodles with grilled pork.

From Hanoi, Bún chả is a super popular dish. It has vermicelli noodles served with delicious grilled pork meatballs, fresh salad, herbs, and bean sprouts. You dip everything into a special sauce.

Mì Quảng

Mì Quảng, a noodle dish from Quảng Nam.

Mì Quảng comes from Quảng Nam Province. It uses wide, yellow turmeric noodles with a little bit of broth, pork, chicken, shrimp, and lots of fresh veggies. It's known for its mix of colors and textures.

Bún thịt nướng

Bún thịt nướng, grilled pork with vermicelli.

This dish is popular in Southern Vietnam. It has grilled pork (often shredded) and cool vermicelli noodles over fresh greens. It often includes spring rolls, peanuts, and a special dipping sauce called nước chấm.

Dumplings: Little Pockets of Joy

Vietnamese dumplings are small, tasty packages filled with different ingredients. They come in many forms, from savory to sweet.

Bánh bao

Bánh bao, a steamed bun filled with pork.

Bánh bao are soft, ball-shaped buns filled with yummy pork and other ingredients. They are steamed and make a great snack or light meal.

Bánh bột lọc

Bánh bột lọc, a tapioca starch dumpling with shrimp.

These dumplings have a clear, chewy wrapper made from tapioca starch, often filled with shrimp. They are a specialty from the North Central Coast.

Bánh nậm

Bánh nậm, a flat rice flour dumpling.

Bánh nậm is a flat rice flour dumpling from Huế. It's stuffed with minced pork and mushrooms, seasoned with spices, and wrapped in a banana leaf.

Pancakes and Sandwiches: Quick Bites

From crispy pancakes to famous sandwiches, these dishes are perfect for a quick and delicious meal.

Bánh mì

Bánh mì, a Vietnamese sandwich.

The Bánh mì is a super famous Vietnamese sandwich! It's made with a crispy baguette filled with different meats (like grilled pork), pâté, fresh herbs, pickled vegetables, and chili. It's a delicious and satisfying street food.

Bánh xèo

Bánh xèo, a savory coconut milk crepe.

Bánh xèo are crispy, savory crepes flavored with coconut milk. They are often filled with shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts, then folded in half. You usually wrap pieces of Bánh xèo in lettuce leaves with herbs and dip them in sauce.

Bánh khọt

Bánh khọt, small fried rice flour pancakes.

These are small, fried rice flour pancakes, often made with quail eggs. They are a specialty from Southern Vietnam and are super tasty!

Rolls, Salads, and Rice Papers: Fresh and Light

Vietnamese cuisine has many fresh rolls and salads, often using delicate rice paper.

Gỏi cuốn

Gỏi cuốn, a fresh summer roll.

Gỏi cuốn, also known as summer rolls, are fresh and healthy. They are soft rice paper rolls filled with vermicelli noodles, shrimp, pork, and fresh herbs. You dip them in a peanut sauce or nước chấm. They are a perfect light meal!

Chả giò or Nem rán

Chả giò, crispy fried spring rolls.

These are crispy fried spring rolls, usually filled with minced pork, glass noodles, and vegetables. They are super popular and often served as an appetizer or with noodle dishes.

Bánh cuốn

Bánh cuốn, steamed rice rolls.

Bánh cuốn are delicate steamed rice rolls, often filled with seasoned ground pork and mushrooms. They are served with a light dipping sauce and fresh herbs.

Cơm (Non-Glutinous Rice Dishes): Rice is Life

Rice is a main food in Vietnam, and there are many ways to enjoy it!

Cơm tấm

Cơm tấm, broken rice with grilled pork.

Cơm tấm means "broken rice" and is a popular dish from Saigon. It's often served with grilled pork chop, a steamed pork loaf with egg, and a mix of pork skin. It's a filling and flavorful meal.

Cơm chiên

Cơm chiên, Vietnamese fried rice.

Just like in many other countries, fried rice is popular in Vietnam! Cơm chiên is rice fried with meat, eggs, and different vegetables. It's a great way to use leftover rice.

Xôi (Glutinous Rice Dishes): Sticky and Sweet or Savory

Xôi refers to dishes made from sticky rice, which can be sweet or savory.

Xôi

Xôi, a general term for sticky rice dishes.

Xôi is a general term for sticky rice dishes. It can be sweet, with ingredients like coconut milk and sugar, or savory, with meats and other toppings. It's a versatile and beloved food.

Xôi gấc

Xôi gấc, sticky rice colored with gac fruit.

Xôi gấc is a beautiful sticky rice dish cooked with gac fruit, which gives it a bright red color and a unique, delicious taste. It's often served during special occasions.

Soups, Stews, and Cháo (Congees): Warm and Comforting

Vietnamese cuisine offers many comforting soups, hearty stews, and soothing rice porridges.

Canh chua

Canh chua, a hot and sour soup.

Canh chua is a famous hot and sour soup, especially from the Mekong Delta. It's made with fish, pineapple, tomatoes, and other vegetables, giving it a refreshing tangy taste.

Congee (Cháo)

Cháo, a Vietnamese rice porridge.

Cháo is a warm and soothing rice porridge. It's often eaten when you're not feeling well, but it's also a popular breakfast or light meal. You can find it with different ingredients like chicken, pork, or fish.

Hot pot (Lẩu)

Lẩu, a Vietnamese hot pot.

Lẩu is a fun and social dish! It's a spicy and sour soup served in a pot that stays hot on your table. You cook different meats, seafood, and vegetables right in the broth as you eat. It's perfect for sharing with friends and family.

Sweet Cakes and Desserts: A Sweet Ending

Vietnamese desserts are often light, refreshing, and use ingredients like coconut milk, rice flour, and fruits.

Chè

Chè, a sweet dessert soup or pudding.

Chè is a general name for many different sweet dessert soups or puddings. They can be made with beans, fruits, jellies, and coconut milk, served warm or cold. There are so many kinds to try!

Bánh flan

Bánh flan, a Vietnamese caramel custard.

This is Vietnam's version of crème caramel or flan. It's a smooth, creamy custard with a sweet caramel topping. It's a delicious treat that came from French influence.

Bánh trung thu

Bánh trung thu, a Vietnamese mooncake.

Bánh trung thu, or mooncakes, are special cakes eaten during the Mid-Autumn Festival. They are often round and filled with sweet pastes, sometimes with salted egg yolks inside.

Bánh bò

Bánh bò, a "cow cake" made from rice flour.

Bánh bò is a "cow cake" (named for its texture, not cows!) made from glutinous rice flour and coconut milk. It has a cool honeycomb-like texture and is a popular sweet snack.

Condiments and Sauces: The Flavor Boosters

These special sauces and condiments are key to Vietnamese flavors, adding depth and excitement to every dish.

Fish sauce (Nước mắm)

Nước mắm, a fermented fish sauce.

Fish sauce is super important in Vietnamese cooking! It's made from fermented fish and is used to season many dishes. It's also the base for many dipping sauces.

Nước chấm

Nước chấm, a popular dipping sauce.

Nước chấm is a famous dipping sauce made with fish sauce, water, sugar, lime juice, and sometimes chili and ginger. It's used with almost everything, from spring rolls to grilled meats.

Shrimp paste (Mắm tôm)

Mắm tôm, a strong-smelling shrimp paste.

Mắm tôm is a strong-smelling shrimp paste that adds a unique and deep flavor to certain dishes. It's often used in northern Vietnamese cuisine.

Beverages: Refreshing Drinks

Vietnam has many unique and refreshing drinks, from famous coffee to fresh juices.

Vietnamese iced coffee (Cà phê sữa đá)

Cà phê sữa đá, a Vietnamese iced coffee with condensed milk.

This is a must-try! Vietnamese iced coffee is strong, dark-roasted coffee brewed with a special drip filter, then mixed with sweet condensed milk and served over ice. It's incredibly delicious and energizing.

Sugarcane juice (Nước mía)

Nước mía, fresh sugarcane juice.

Nước mía is a sweet and refreshing drink made from fresh sugarcane, often mixed with a squeeze of kumquat juice for a tangy twist. It's a popular street drink, especially on a hot day.