Vietnamese food has become very famous over the years. The country boasts some wonderful dishes.
Vietnam is home to a wide variety of delicious foods. In addition to its national cuisine, Vietnam also offers a range of regional cuisines, from northern specialties like Hanoi beef noodle soup to southern treats like coconut rice pudding.
Here are 25 of our favorite Vietnamese dessert recipes. Enjoy them at home or take them out for a picnic!
1. Vietnamese Sponge Cake (Banh Bong Lan)
The best way to describe this cake is like a cross between a sponge cake and a pancake. It is very moist and soft inside while keeping a crispy, golden brown exterior.
There are many versions of bánh bóng lan around Vietnam, but I think my recipe is one of the most popular ones.
2. Chè Ba Màu – Vietnamese Three Color Dessert
This Vietnamese dessert is called chè ba mau, and it’s one of our favorite treats to make during the summer months. We love how it looks and tastes, and we think you will too.
This recipe takes some time to prepare, but it’s well worth the effort. You’ll need to start preparing the ingredients about 24 hours ahead of serving time.
3. Vietnamese Glutinous Rice Balls (Chè Trôi Nước)
Making sticky rice balls requires some preparation, but it’s well worth the effort once you try the final product.
These rice balls are stuffed with a delicious mixture of mung beans and glutinous rice flour, wrapped up in a crispy crust, and topped with a sweet and spicy ginger syrup.
They’re perfect for dessert, but they’d make a great breakfast, too.
The glutinous rice used here is steamed rather than boiled, resulting in a softer texture. You could use regular white rice instead if you prefer.
4. Pandan Waffles – Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa
Pandan waffles are a Vietnamese dessert that combines banana flour with pandan leaves, making the texture chewy and the flavor sweet and nutty. You can make them at home with a waffle maker.
The pandan leaves add a subtle hint of vanilla flavor and color. To use pandan leaves, simply wash them well, dry them thoroughly, and cut off the tips.
Then, place the leaves into boiling water for about 30 seconds and drain them. This process removes the bitterness and gives the leaves a nice aroma.
5. Vietnamese Banana, Coconut & Tapioca Dessert (Chè Chuối)
Bananas are among our favorite fruits because they are versatile and easy to use. They can be eaten plain, added to smoothies, baked into cakes, used in desserts, and even turned into ice cream.
We love banana bread, banana muffins, banana pancakes, banana fritters, banana waffles, banana cake, and banana pie. There are endless ways to enjoy bananas.
One of my favorite desserts is chè chuối or rice pudding. This dessert is usually served during special occasions such as birthdays, weddings, holidays, and anniversaries. Rice pudding is very popular in Vietnam, and it is often served in restaurants.
6. Che Bap (Vietnamese Sweet Corn Pudding)
This delicious dessert is one of our favorite recipes because it’s easy to whip up and requires just four ingredients.
We like making Che Bap during the summer months because it’s refreshing and cooling. You can serve it as a snack or dessert with some ice cream or whipped cream.
7. Banh Dau Xanh (Mung Bean Cake) Recipe
Mung beans are widely grown throughout Vietnam and are often used in savory dishes like bún chả giòn or pho bo.
They are also commonly added to desserts such as banh xeo. Bánh dau xanh is another popular dessert that uses dried mung beans. This recipe requires just five basic ingredients and takes about 30 minutes to prepare.
8. Sesame Balls Recipe (Vietnamese Bánh Cam)
These sesame balls are filled with sweetened mung bean jelly, rolled up into little balls, and coated in a thin layer of crunchy sesame seeds. If you want to make them yourself, here’s how to do it.
9. Vietnamese Coffee
The secret to this coffee is making sure you use sweetened condensed milk rather than the full-fat variety. This gives the drink a lighter texture, while still maintaining the rich flavors of the beans.
To get the most authentic taste, it is also advisable to purchase a bag of ground Vietnamese coffees from your local Asian market. They are typically sold in small bags of 20 grams each. You can use whole beans or grind them yourself.
10. Vietnamese Ice Cream
In Vietnam, there are many ways to make ice cream. Some people like to use a traditional method where you freeze milk overnight, add sugar and vanilla essence, and then beat it up with a wooden spoon.
Others prefer to buy pre-made ice creams from local supermarkets. But what about those who want to try something out of the box? This is exactly why we came up with this recipe.
11. Vietnamese Fruit Cocktail
This recipe is inspired by making fruit cocktails every summer. We’d put up our favorite fruits—pineapple, mangoes, papayas, oranges, etc.—in jars and use them throughout the winter months.
This is a refreshing treat that goes well with coffee or tea.
12. Banana Tapioca
Banana tapioca is a popular dessert among Vietnamese people because it’s easy to prepare and doesn’t require much effort.
You don’t even need to cook anything; just boil some water and pour it over the ingredients.
You won’t believe how delicious this dessert tastes once you try it. If you want to learn how to make it, check out the recipe.
13. Vietnamese Milkshake
Vietnamese milkshakes are a classic dessert. They’re simple to make and require just three main ingredients: sweetened condensed cream, whole milk, and whatever fruit you like best.
This recipe uses condensed milk, but it works well with regular milk too.
14. Taro Pudding
Taro pudding is a stove-top dessert made with taro roots, glutinous rice, a rich coconut sauce, and some pandan leaves.
This dish requires no cooking skills. Just heat up the ingredients together over low heat for about 15 minutes. You can serve it warm or cold. We like ours served chilled.
You can make taro pudding with regular glutinous rice, but we prefer the long grain variety because it gives the pudding a better texture. Regular glutinous rice is shorter and starchy compared to the long version.
15. Vietnamese Honeycomb Cake
Honeycomb cakes are popular desserts in Vietnam. They come in many varieties – some are sweet, while others are savory.But the best ones are those filled with fruits like mangoes, strawberries, lycée nuts, etc.
These cakes are usually served during festivals or special events.
16. Vietnamese Donuts
Crispy Sesame Donuts are delectable treats that come together quickly and easily. They’re great for parties because they’re easy to make ahead and freeze well.
This recipe includes step-by-step instructions, photos, and tips for creating delicious crispy sesame donuts.
17. Vietnamese Jello Mooncakes
These jello moon cakes are perfect for Halloween or Christmas parties. They look like traditional moon cakes, but you don’t need to bake them. Instead, just use a mold to make them into shapes.
You’ll find many types of molds online, including silicone ones that come in a variety of sizes and shapes.
18. Pandan Jelly Dessert
Pandan jelly is one of Vietnam’s most iconic desserts. In fact, you can find it everywhere from restaurants to street stalls across the country.
And while there are many recipes out there, pandan jelly is typically made with pandan leaves, coconut milk, palm sugar syrup, and sometimes even condensed milk.
But how did pandan jelly become such a beloved treat? Let us explain.
The history of pandan jelly in Vietnam goes back centuries, and it actually has ties to the Chinese culture. During the reign of Emperor Gaozong, the Chinese introduced pandan jelly to Southeast Asia.
At that time, pandan leaves were used extensively in cooking throughout China and Southeast Asia. They were often added to dishes like rice oatmeal, soups, and sweets.
As time went on, pandan jelly became a favorite dessert among the locals. Today, it still tastes great and is widely enjoyed by people of all ages.
19. Bubble Tea (Boba Tea)
Boba (also known as a bubble) tea is one of Vietnam’s most popular beverages. The origin of boba cha dates back centuries ago when it was originally served as a medicinal beverage.
Today, it’s enjoyed as both a refreshing treat and a nutritious meal replacement.
The traditional recipe consists of sweetened tea infused with dried tapioca pearls. However, there are many variations on how to make boba cha today. You can find it prepared with milk, coffee, or even chocolate.
There are several ways to enjoy boba tea. One way is to simply sip it straight up like a milkshake.
Another option is to mix it with ice cream or yogurt. And finally, you can combine it with fruits and vegetables for a healthy snack.
20. Vietnamese Avocado Shake
This creamy avocado shake is a go-to treat! Besides the ripe avocados, you’ll need regular milk and sweetened condensed milk. You’ll also need a blender to make it.
Add a drizzle of chocolate sauce to make it more attractive to children.
21. Cassava And Coconut Milk
Cassava is a root vegetable native to Africa and Asia. It’s often referred to as manioc or tapioca. In some parts of South America, it’s known as yuca. But here we call it cassava because it’s easier to pronounce.
This Instant Pot recipe creates a beautiful contrast of flavors and textures.
You start with crisp, tender cassava chunks that absorb the creamy coconut milk. Then you finish off with a sprinkling of crispy nuts and chewy coconut shreds. All of this happens in about 30 minutes!
22. Vietnamese Yogurt
Vietnamese yogurt is a staple at Banh Mi shops across America. It offers a wonderful combination of tangy, sweet, and fresh flavors, making this one of our favorite drinks to enjoy during summer.
While we love eating it plain, we often find ourselves adding fruits such as mangoes, strawberries, or grapes to make it even better.
23. Vietnamese Pig’s Ear Biscuits
These biscuits are made from ground pork mixed with tapioca flour and steamed in a mold shaped like the ear of a pig.
When sliced, the shape of the biscuit resembles the ear of a pig, hence the name.
24. Mango Cake
These sweet mango cakes are deliciously fruity and spiced up with a dash of nutmegs for a rich, decadence flavor. They are baked in a cake mold and served warm with ice cream and whipped cream for a perfect dessert.
25. Black Sesame Soup
This simple black sesame soup recipe uses just five ingredients, making it one of the fastest recipes around. You’ll find yourself whipping up batches of this flavorful soup throughout the week.
The base of this dish is a classic Chinese soup called Xi Ma, which translates into “black sesame.”
Traditionally, the soup is served during the winter months, but it pairs perfectly well with springtime dishes like stir-fried vegetables and steamed buns.
You can use regular white sesame oil or even roasted sesame oil here, but we recommend using black sesame oil because it adds a deeper flavor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where Does Boba Tea Come From?
Boba tea, or bubble teas as it is known in western countries, is a traditional Taiwanese dessert that originated in the early 20th century.
Its popularity spread throughout Asia, where it became a staple drink for many people during lunch breaks.
In recent years, however, it has become increasingly popular in the United States, especially among millennials.
While there are many types, one of the most common varieties consists of milk, tapioca pearls, jelly cubes, fruit juice, sweet syrup, and flavoring agents such as green tea leaves.
What is Vietnamese Chè?
Chè in Vietnamese refers to sweet desserts that come in liquids such as drinks, pudding, or soup. In English, we call it dessert because it’s served cold or at room temperature.
However, chè is often described differently depending on where you are. For example, some people say chè is similar to ice cream, while others describe it as being similar to sorbet.
In Vietnam, chè is commonly referred to as bánh chè. Bánh chè literally translates into ‘steamed cake,’ but it’s actually a type of dessert that consists of rice flour batter steamed inside banana leaves.
Final Thoughts
Vietnam is an amazing country filled with delicious food and culture. If you’re looking for something new to try, these 25 mouthwatering recipes will help you get started!
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