Forget Pho Fever: These 4 Traditional Dishes Show Vietnam’s Real Flavor

Our guide on Forget About Pho And Try These Recipes in Vietnam to cook at home.

When people think of Vietnamese cuisine, one dish dominates the conversation: pho. While this iconic noodle soup deserves praise, it’s far from the full picture of Vietnam’s rich culinary landscape. Beyond pho lies a world of bold, fresh, and deeply satisfying dishes that locals eat every day—but that tourists often overlook.

From street food stalls in Hanoi to coastal kitchens in Da Nang, Vietnam’s real food culture is rooted in regional recipes passed down through generations. These meals aren’t Instagram-famous, but they’re packed with flavor, history, and heart. If you’re ready to move past tourist menus and taste the real Vietnam, these four recipes will take you there.

In this guide, we explore four dishes that locals crave more than pho—each with its own personality, ingredients, and backstory. You’ll learn how to make them, how to serve them properly, and why they’re essential to understanding Vietnamese food beyond the basics.

Read here best Vietnamese Breakfast, 40 Vietnam Travel Tips and Best Things to Do in Vietnam

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Tips for Cooking Vietnamese Recipes

Fresh Herbs: Use fresh herbs generously as they add a lot of flavor and freshness to the dishes.

Balance Flavors: Vietnamese cuisine is all about balancing sweet, salty, sour, and spicy flavors. Taste as you go and adjust the seasoning accordingly.

Rice Paper Wrappers: Keep a bowl of warm water nearby when making spring rolls to soften the rice paper wrappers easily.

Nuoc Cham: This versatile dipping sauce is a staple in Vietnamese cuisine. Make a big batch to have on hand for various dishes.

Cook in Batches: For recipes like banh xeo, cook in batches to ensure even cooking and crispiness.

How to Eat

Each of these dishes has a time and a place. Bánh Xèo, the sizzling Vietnamese crepe, is eaten hot and crispy, wrapped in lettuce with herbs and dipped in nuoc cham. Bún Thịt Nướng, a cold noodle salad with grilled pork, is perfect for a refreshing lunch. Cao Lầu, a noodle dish from Hội An, is best savored slowly to appreciate its complex textures. And Canh Chua, a sweet-sour tamarind soup, is ideal when paired with rice in a family-style dinner.

Eat these dishes the way locals do—shared with others, with hands and chopsticks, and always with a side of greens, herbs, and dipping sauce.

How to Partner

Vietnamese cuisine is all about balance. These dishes are best enjoyed with light, crisp beverages: think iced jasmine tea, local Saigon beer, or even a splash of tamarind juice. For dessert, something simple like chè (sweet bean pudding) or fresh tropical fruits balances the boldness of the main meal. If you’re serving these recipes at home, pair them with a casual setting—communal eating, outdoor dining, or a picnic-style setup to mimic the vibe of Vietnam’s vibrant street food scene.

The global obsession with pho has flattened the rich diversity of Vietnamese food. In reality, pho isn’t even the most commonly eaten dish among locals—it’s often saved for breakfast or special occasions. This Western fixation has created a narrow lens through which Vietnamese cuisine is viewed, ignoring the complex regional dishes that define local life.

There’s also a growing tension between authenticity and adaptation. As Vietnamese food becomes popular worldwide, many traditional recipes are being sweetened, simplified, or fused with other cuisines to appeal to broader palates. This dilutes the bold, herbaceous, and savory-sour profiles that make the food so unique.

Lastly, many of these lesser-known dishes require fresh herbs, fish sauce, and fermented elements that Western eaters tend to shy away from. But it’s precisely these ingredients that give Vietnamese cuisine its depth and distinct identity. If you skip them, you’re not just changing the dish—you’re changing the story it tells.

Most Popular Vietnamese Recipes Apart From Pho

1. Banh Mi (Vietnamese Sandwich)

Ingredients:

1 baguette (or Vietnamese baguette)
1/4 pound pork belly, cooked and sliced
1/4 cup pickled daikon and carrots
Fresh cilantro sprigs
Sliced cucumber
Sliced jalapeño (optional)
Mayonnaise
Soy sauce

Instructions:

Prepare the Baguette: Cut the baguette in half lengthwise and toast it lightly.
Spread Mayonnaise: on both sides of the baguette.
Assemble the Sandwich: Layer the pork belly slices, pickled daikon and carrots, cilantro, cucumber slices, and jalapeño (if using).
Season: Drizzle a small amount of soy sauce over the fillings.
Serve: immediately while the bread is still warm and crispy.

Calories: Approximately 450 calories per sandwich

Read here how to make Banh Mi

2. Bun Cha (Grilled Pork with Noodles)

Ingredients:

1/2 pound ground pork
1/2 pound pork belly, sliced
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons honey
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 tablespoon lemongrass, minced
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 package rice vermicelli noodles
Fresh herbs (mint, basil, cilantro)
Lettuce leaves
Dipping sauce (nuoc cham)

Instructions:

Marinate the Pork: In a bowl, mix the ground pork and pork belly with fish sauce, sugar, honey, garlic, lemongrass, and black pepper. Let it marinate for at least 30 minutes.
Grill the Pork: Grill the pork belly slices and form small patties with the ground pork. Grill until fully cooked and slightly charred.
Cook the Noodles: Prepare the rice vermicelli noodles according to package instructions. Drain and set aside.
Assemble: Serve the grilled pork over a bed of noodles with fresh herbs and lettuce on the side. Accompany with a bowl of nuoc cham dipping sauce.
Serve: immediately.

Calories: Approximately 600 calories per serving

Read here how to make Bun Cha

3. Goi Cuon (Vietnamese Spring Rolls)

Ingredients:

1/2 pound shrimp, cooked and sliced in half
1 package rice paper wrappers
1 cup rice vermicelli noodles, cooked
Fresh herbs (mint, basil, cilantro)
Lettuce leaves
Carrot, julienned
Cucumber, julienned
Peanut dipping sauce or hoisin sauce

Instructions:

Prepare the Ingredients: Cook the shrimp and slice them in half. Cook the rice vermicelli noodles and set aside. Julienne the carrots and cucumber.
Soften the Rice Paper: Dip one rice paper wrapper in warm water until it becomes pliable. Lay it flat on a clean surface.
Assemble the Spring Rolls: Place shrimp, noodles, fresh herbs, lettuce, carrot, and cucumber on the rice paper. Fold the bottom over the filling, then fold in the sides, and roll tightly.
Serve: with peanut dipping sauce or hoisin sauce.

Calories: Approximately 150 calories per roll

Read here how to make Vietnamese Spring Rolls

4. Ca Kho To (Vietnamese Caramelized Fish)

Ingredients:

1 pound catfish or salmon fillets
1/4 cup fish sauce
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons water
1 clove garlic, minced
1 shallot, minced
1 chili pepper, sliced
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
Fresh cilantro, chopped (for garnish)
Cooked jasmine rice (for serving)

Instructions:

Make the Caramel Sauce: In a saucepan, melt the sugar over medium heat until it caramelizes. Add the water and stir until smooth.
Cook the Fish: Add the fish sauce, garlic, shallot, chili pepper, and black pepper to the caramel sauce. Place the fish fillets in the sauce and cook on low heat until the fish is fully cooked and the sauce thickens.
Garnish and Serve: Sprinkle with fresh cilantro and serve over cooked jasmine rice.

Calories: Approximately 400 calories per serving

Read here how to make Ca Kho To

5. Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Sizzling Pancakes)

Ingredients:

1 cup rice flour
1/2 cup coconut milk
1 cup water
1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 pound shrimp, peeled and deveined
1/2 pound pork belly, thinly sliced
1 cup bean sprouts
2 green onions, chopped
Fresh lettuce and herbs (mint, basil, cilantro)
Dipping sauce (nuoc cham)

Instructions:

Prepare the Batter: In a bowl, mix rice flour, coconut milk, water, turmeric powder, and salt until smooth. Let it rest for 30 minutes.
Cook the Fillings: In a skillet, cook the shrimp and pork belly until done. Set aside.
Make the Pancakes: Heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and lightly oil it. Pour a ladleful of batter into the skillet and swirl to spread it thinly. Add some shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, and green onions on one half of the pancake. Cook until the edges are crispy and the bottom is golden brown.
Fold and Serve: Fold the pancake in half and serve hot with fresh lettuce, herbs, and nuoc cham dipping sauce.

Calories: Approximately 350 calories per pancake

Read here how to make Vietnamese Pancakes

Serving Suggestions

Bánh Xèo: Serve with a platter of lettuce, mint, perilla, and dipping sauce. Let guests build their own wraps.

Bún Thịt Nướng: Bowl it with cold rice noodles, pickled carrots, cucumber, herbs, and grilled meat, topped with crushed peanuts.

Cao Lầu: Serve warm with crispy noodles, pork slices, and a small amount of broth—authentic versions use water from specific Hội An wells.

Canh Chua: Bring to the table piping hot in a clay pot, with rice and fish on the side.

Final Thoughts

Pho may have put Vietnamese cuisine on the global map, but it’s time we give the spotlight to the dishes that locals eat, crave, and celebrate every day. These four underrated recipes are more than meals—they’re cultural touchpoints that reflect the real rhythm of life in Vietnam.

By exploring beyond the familiar, you’ll not only discover new flavors but also gain a deeper respect for a cuisine that’s often oversimplified. Take your taste buds off the tourist trail—and you’ll never go back to just ordering pho again.