Shaped like a letter S in the world map, Vietnam is the home of 54 ethnics and 63 provinces in the Central part of Southeast Asia, which makes this country so unique with the rich diversity in languages, cultures and of course, cuisine.
It is a big fault not to mention how famous its cuisine is with a mixed flavor of sweet, sour, spicy, salty, and sometimes, a little bitter. Tourists can feel there is a balance in each type of Vietnamese food, which is a combination of green herbs, meat, and spices based on the Yin and Yang concept; in particular, the opposite characteristics of heat and coldness. As a result, the food is healthy and easy to digest. You will never feel too full and it is like a harmony of your body and soul when you have even the first taste.
Besides, it is not a big deal if being a vegetarian in Vietnam. With its popularity of vegan food, varying from North to South, you can enjoy your meal at every corner of the country, either in a luxurious restaurant or a small stall on the street. The word “vegetarian” is translated into Vietnamese as “chay” – a simple and not so complicated word to remember. Why Vietnam is the perfect destination for foreign vegetarians? It is cheap but safe, diverse in types and more than that, it is surprisingly good! Here is the list of 10 Best Vietnamese vegetarian dishes in Vietnam.
You might or might not hear about it before – Vietnamese Vegetarian Spring rolls, which are either served as snacks or a dish of your lunch or dinner. With the mixture of yummy looking elements inside, you can freely utilize your creation and imagination to change and add more flavors of your taste. Normally, this food is made of herbs, glass noodles or rice noodles, mushroom, fungus, cucumber, tomatoes or carrots to add colors and crispy fried tofu. Never forget to dip this white and full roll into a creamy nut-based sauce. You are going to fall for these full rolls because they are so fresh, healthy and satisfying!
Never miss this second dish in your must-try list: Pho chay or Vietnamese Vegetarian Pho. It seems that Pho is the most widely known food in Vietnam and it does not sound so exotic. Instead of traditional Pho with beef and bone-steamed soup, this veggie version brings you into the world of beans, rice noodles or pho, tofu (if any), green herbs, young onion and all of these fancy ingredients are swimming in the broth or a special soup, which is the soul of this Pho.
Banh xeo or Crispy & Savory Vietnamese Crêpes is the third recommended Vietnamese vegetarian food on the list. Crispy outside and inside there is a bunch of everything that you can find: glass noodles, bean sprouts, fungus, carrot, egg and coconut juice. This yellow crepe looks like an omelet and so yummy! You can eat it with vinegar-based sauce and of course, herbs.
Having affected by the cultures of Chinese in the past, Vietnamese people nowadays also enjoy Banh bao or Steamed Dumpling/ buns as one of their favorites. This is served as breakfast or brunch or even snacks after work. Hidden inside the white and soft wrapper, there are tiny ingredients as you make it, including glass noodles, minced fungus, diced carrots, diced jicama, and young onion. Everything is good for your health!
According to a recent survey by the Vietnam National Administration of Tourism (VNAT), the number of Indian visitors to Vietnam increased 3.5-fold or 344 percent, from over 16,000 in 2010 to more than 60,000 people in 2015, and 85,000 people in 2016. When you are in Vietnam, they offer you Vietnamese vegetarian curry. With the mixture of chopped tofu, chopped mushroom, chili flakes, Chinese eggplants, potato/ sweet potato/ taro, lemongrass, minced ginger, green beans, lime leaves, and curry powder, you will never feel disappointed since this tastes wonderful and exactly applies the Yin and Yang concept.
Next in the list of Vietnamese vegetarian dishes is Vegan Vietnamese Fried Tofu with Tomatoes or Dau sot ca chua. This dish is perfect for a cold day if it is served hot. Moreover, this looks so delightful and attractive since it has the red color of tomatoes, the green color of young onions, and yellow color for fried tofu. Whereas, the minced or chopped onion will definitely be a great added flavor, together with the pasty broth. You may be enchanted in the feeling it creates through the first try.
Com rang is another popular dish in Vietnam not only for vegetarians but also for others. Here we are talking about Com rang chay or Vegan Egg Fried Rice, especially for vegetarians. This is served both as your breakfast or lunch or dinner. It can be served the whole day. You can find this type of Vietnamese vegetarian food in a Pho restaurant since they are always together. The taste of crispy fried rice, along with a good smell of fried egg, and a lot of tiny vegetables such as corn, beans, diced carrots, filling your life with colors!
Vietnam is the place that can offer you various types of food in the whole 4 seasons of the years. If you visit the country under the cool weather of Autumn or in the cold days of winter or you are staying there during the wintertime, you can try Vegan Hot pot or Lau chay. This one is truly appetizing since it is everything you need for a full, tasty but also a healthy meal. The soup is extraordinary and the key to the tastiness of this dish. Imagining that it is breezing so heavily outdoors, here inside the restaurant you are sitting with the good smell mixing into the air and the slurp of drinking the hot soup.
For those who have not come to Vietnam yet or those who are thinking of visiting it one day, please bear in your mind one food – which is the typical food for everyone, from old people, adults, teenagers or kids. This is called “Banh mi”. And Banh mi chay is for vegetarians. It is a different world inside it: green herbs, cucumber, carrot, chili sauce, mayonnaise and kind of fake meat from vegetables. Banh mi should be eaten when it is hot so that you can feel the crispy wrapper. It contains high nutrition.
Last but not least, Garlic Bok Choy (Vegan & Gluten-Free)! It is very healthy since it is merely bok choy (cai thia) - a lot of vegetables and added flavor of garlic. Making it is very simple: stir your Bok choy with minced garlic, adding salt, broth mix, and pepper if you like hot food. It helps to boost your immune system capacity, reducing cold symptom and is good for your digestion.
Its shape is “narrow in width and extended in length, which is a perfect route for you to enjoy and experience Vietnamese cuisine from North to South. You can find the top restaurants of Vietnamese Vegetarian Food below.
The most recommended one in Hanoi is the Aummee Vegan restaurant (traditional VN vegan food). Located near the famous West Lake. You can enjoy your food at the same time, sightseeing the view. The price there is mind-blowingly reasonable, sometimes very cheap. Space is gracious, the atmosphere is elegant, and the service is highly professional with the rich diversity of fancy veggie dishes.
Located in Central Vietnam, Hue used to be an old capital of Vietnam during the Nguyen dynasty since 1802. Beautiful in landscapes, gorgeous in palaces and tasty in food, especially vegan. The best vegan restaurant here is Ngu Ha Garden restaurant. This one has a great view since its compartments are built by wood and brick, surrounded by a variety of plants and trees. You will be amazed when seeing its ancient architecture. Besides, there is a small bamboo bridge in the middle of the restaurant. The food here is processed in a vegan and frugal style satisfying many guests.
Hoi An is the place you also should never miss when you come to Vietnam. The best recommended here is Am Vegetarian Restaurant. A rustic, artistic and retro interior is what you can imagine and feel in this delicious restaurant! “Am” means warm, which describes the atmosphere that will greet you with cozy and open arms. You can either sit outdoors to enjoy your veggie meal in their open-air garden or relax in the artistic interior inside it. This restaurant provides a wide range of traditional Vietnamese vegetarian food.
Check out: Hanoi to Hoi An Motorcycle Tour in 7 days
Coming to Ho Chi Minh city, you should never skip a chay meal at Hum Restaurant. Located on Vo Van Tan street, the restaurant’s name contains the word ‘Hum’ belonging to the popular Sanskrit mantra: ‘Om mani padme hum’, which symbolizes the jewel in the lotus. Therefore, the name reveals why the layout of Hum restaurant is decorated around a lotus theme. You will be lost inside the spectacular architecture while enjoying luscious food.
Check out: Hanoi to Saigon Motorcycle Tour in 12 days
Once again, Vietnam brings us from surprise to surprise with the variety of delicious vegetarian culinary culture. It is not exaggerated when saying this is a paradise for vegetarians from around the world. If you ever think of coming to this country and trying some of the best Vietnamese vegetarian dishes, so why not?
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