Culinary is an essential component of Vietnamese culture. And certainly, Vietnamese street food, with its explosive flavors, captivating aromas, and bright colors, is definitely the beating heart of this country’s rich and varied cuisine.
Visiting food markets, watching street vendors prepare delicious meals in front of you, and experiencing some of the country’s signature and flavorful dishes are a must for any vacation to Vietnam. In this article, Amthucdatviet.com will take you to explore 10 of the most delicious street foods in Vietnam that you must try once in your life.
Street Food In Vietnam: 10 Dishes You Must Try
1. Bánh Mì (Vietnamese Sandwich)
Banh mi, famous street food in Vietnam, is often offered for sale for between 15,000 and 35,000 VND. The ingredients in bread can vary quite a bit. Some vendors may add eggs, while others may add cucumbers and pate.
In many Vietnamese villages and cities, you can still find carts or shops selling sandwiches, although they are less common than they used to be.
Some bread sellers often add slices of red pepper to the crispy bread. Inform them in advance not to add any seasoning to your bread if you find it too hot. Sellers may simply be acting out of habit as many Vietnamese are used to eating hot food.
2. Bánh Tráng Trộn (Rice Paper Salad)
Grilled rice paper is street food in Vietnam you should try it if you like nutritious street food. It’s an explosion of flavors in a delicious and nutritious snack. It is made with strips of rice paper, and various dried proteins, including dried beef, squid, and shrimp, as well as sour green mango, fresh mint, and sweet basil. Finally, it is served with the dish’s famous sweet and sour sauce. You will easily find it at street food stalls in Ho Chi Minh City
3. Bánh Tráng Nướng (Grilled Rice Paper)
Grilled rice paper is delicious street food in Vietnam. You will probably see groups of young people around and eating this popular dish on the busy streets. Baked rice paper is quite literally a street food because many vendors arrange tables and chairs on the sidewalk to create an impromptu eatery.
Rice paper is often covered with a layer of eggs and other toppings to create baked rice paper. After baking, rice paper has the elasticity of a crispy omelet which is extremely attractive. Although scallions and sausage are standard toppings, you can ask your supplier if there are additional options.
4. Ốc (Sea Snails)
This is another popular street food in Vietnam. Sea snails are a delicacy often seen on street vendors in Ho Chi Minh City! There are cases where you might even run into a restaurant that serves fresh snails and shrimp.
They can be prepared in a variety of ways, including fried, steamed, sautéed or grilled. This chewy, chewy batch of snails is perfect for sipping with a few friends while sipping a cold beer.
5. Bánh Xèo (Vietnamese Pancakes)
The street food in Vietnam is the equivalent of French crepes. It’s a savory dish of pork, shrimp, herbs and spices prepared right in front of you at Vietnamese street food stalls. Surprisingly, turmeric is the spice that brings the most characteristic flavor to Banh Xeo. Once cooked, crepes are rolled in lettuce or rice paper, cut into slices and presented as mouth-watering dishes. The famous Vietnamese fish sauce is often served with it. The sizzling sound of the pan during preparation gives the meal its name.
6. Bánh Khọt (Vietnamese Mini Pancakes)
Since many people selling Banh Khot now work in restaurants, it may no longer be considered street food in Vietnam. Even so, you should still look for small Vietnamese pancakes when traveling. Khot cake served with crispy and greasy raw vegetables is very delicious. What more could a person want?
Flour and coconut milk are combined to make this street food in Vietnam, which is then deep-fried. They are usually shaped like a bowl. Then the chef tops the dish with shrimp, green onions, and green beans. Most eateries offer a variety of vegetables to wrap Banh hot in if this sounds bad for your health. The problem has now been resolved.
7. Gỏi cuốn (Spring Rolls)
Goi Cuon, which translates to “goi cuon” or “summer spring rolls”, is essentially translucent spring rolls. This street food in Vietnam is made with Banh Trang, a type of Vietnamese rice paper. With ingredients including green beans, tofu, eggs, squid, fish, crab, beef, and pork, there are both vegetarian and non-vegetarian varieties. In the North, they are fried and called spring rolls, while in the South, they are slow-boiled and called spring rolls. You can serve it with fish sauce or peanut sauce. It may be sold as a snack at Vietnamese street food stalls, but it is usually an appetizer at Vietnamese restaurants.
8. Bột Chiên (Fried Dough)
Rice flour cakes are fried in this Vietnamese cuisine. It is considered an after-school or late-night snack in the South of Vietnam, especially in Ho Chi Minh City. These doughnuts are fried until crispy and usually have an egg filling, however, they can also have a vegetable or duck filling. Banh Bot Chien is often served with sour soy sauce, shredded papaya, shallots, vinegar, and chili sauce. Vietnamese street food, sold at street vendors in Ho Chi Minh City, is said to have a Chinese influence.
9. Chè 7 Màu(7-Color Sweet Soup)
You will easily recognize the roadside eateries selling street food in Vietnam on this street because it is very special. Trolleys filled with colorful pots of t=tea extremely vibrant.
Che bay mau doesn’t have a special recipe, however, it usually contains coconut milk, black beans, grass jelly, water chestnuts and green beans. Che bay mau is usually served with shaved ice on top. Its flavor is made up of sweet sugar water, the fatty taste of coconut milk and the fleshy taste of beans. Che bay mau is the ideal dessert to cool you down on a scorching hot Vietnamese afternoon.
10. Cà Phê Đá (Ice Vietmanese Coffee)
Iced Coffee, essentially Vietnamese iced coffee, is the ideal way to end any meal in Vietnam or start a good day. The widespread cultivation of robusta beans in Vietnam is largely responsible for the region’s thriving coffee culture. The most authentic Vietnamese coffee is thick enough to be scooped with a spoon in addition to being cool and delicious. Although it is sometimes blended with condensed milk and other flavors, we recommend enjoying the original coffee for the first time.
Vietnamese street food stalls offer a wide variety of Iced Coffee. For example, Coffee Trung is a Vietnamese egg coffee that consists of egg yolks in the brewed coffee and has a texture similar to tiramisu or eggnog. We recommend Weasel Coffee, the Vietnamese version of Indonesia’s Kopi Luwak, for adventurous eaters as the beans are made from mink dung.
11. Trứng Vịt Lộn (Balut)
The unique meal called Trung Vit Lon/Hot Vit Lon is only available in some Eastern countries such as Vietnam and China. Due to its deliciousness and nutritional value, this is a popular street food in Vietnam. Balut is a duck egg that has undergone embryonic development to take the shape of a duck. This is why some visitors feel scared when trying to eat this dish. However, I really urge you to try it at least once in your life.
To serve visitors, balut is cooked for about 15 to 20 minutes. Vietnamese people often eat laksa leaves and ginger because according to oriental medicine, eating together will create a balance, beneficial to health. The laksa leaves bring in the cold air, while the laksa leaves and ginger contribute to the hot air.
Conclusion
It can be said that Vietnamese street food is an art. There are many delicious dishes that you must try once in your life and fall in love with it. The dishes mentioned in the article are only a small part of the great food in Vietnam. Come and discover more dishes in Vietnam.
