7 Meatless Vietnamese Recipes, From Bánh Mì To Braised Pork Belly

CLICK Here To Take The 1 Month Vegan Challenge>

Vietnamese food is incredibly diverse. From bánh mì to pho to rice cakes, each of the country’s traditional dishes are unique and bursting with flavor. This is why Vietnamese cuisine is growing in popularity in the US. In fact, according to The Food Institute, the country is now “a hotbed for Vietnamese food,” with almost 8,000 Vietnamese restaurants in the country.

Jump to the recipes

“The combination of sour, sweet, savory, and spicy flavors, as well as the use of fresh herbs and vegetables, makes Vietnamese food particularly attractive to people,” food scientist Michael Murdy told the publication. Visiting your local Vietnamese restaurant is a great way to explore Vietnam’s rich cuisine, but if you’re more of a home cook, plenty of dishes are easy to make from scratch with plant-based ingredients. For proof, check out some of our favorite Vietnamese vegan recipes below.

Table of Contents

What is typical Vietnamese food?

Many of Vietnam’s most popular dishes have been influenced by its complex and eventful history. For example, bánh mì was developed during France’s invasion of Vietnam in the 1800s (hence why it’s made with a French baguette). Some reports state that the French also influenced the creation of phở, a warm, hearty noodle soup and another of Vietnam’s most popular meals, while others state it was more likely inspired by Chinese dishes (China also invaded Vietnam in the late 19th century).

Pexels

Other dishes, like bún đậu mắm tôm, which is made with cold rice noodles, tofu, and fermented shrimp paste, were created during times of poverty in the Vietnamese capital Hanoi when food was scarce following the American War, reports the website Anthony Bourdain Parts Unknown.

Many Vietnamese dishes are made with meat or eggs. Bánh mì, for example, often consists of warm bread, pickled vegetables, and grilled pork or shredded chicken. Traditional pho is often made by simmering beef bones and oxtail with onions and spices. However, they can also be made with tofu or just vegetables. Some Vietnamese dishes are also plant-based by default.

Which Vietnamese dishes are plant-based?

One of the most vegan-friendly dishes in Vietnamese cuisine is gỏi cuốn chay, otherwise known as fresh spring rolls. Made with rice paper, they can be stuffed with meat, but they’re often filled with vermicelli noodles and vegetables like lettuce, cucumber, and carrot, and served with a peanut or soy sauce dip.

Canva

Another popular dish that is often made with plant-based ingredients is rau muống xào tỏi, which is stir-fried morning glory (water spinach) with garlic, although it can sometimes contain oyster sauce. Many Vietnamese dishes also contain ingredients like tofu and tempeh. Although the latter is actually Indonesian, not Vietnamese, it is still sometimes included in dishes like noodle salads and crumble bowls.

7 tasty vegan Vietnamese recipes

For more delicious Vietnamese meals without the meat, check out some of our favorite plant-based recipes below.

William and Susan Brinson

1 Vietnamese-Inspired Vegan Tofu Bánh Mì

In this recipe from Veganize It!: Easy DIY Recipes for a Plant-Based Kitchen, creamy vegan mayo and crunchy vegetables, like carrots and cucumber, are mixed with sriracha, jalapeños, and hoisin-glazed tofu and loaded into a baguette. The result is a Vietnamese-inspired bánh mì that is bursting with delicious flavor and a kick of spice.
Get the recipe

2 Vegan Phở Noodle Salad

Phở usually consists of rice noodles and vegetables in a hot, hearty broth, but this easy salad recipe from the Real Food Really Fast cookbook captures all of the traditional flavors without the soup element. It’s ideal if you’re looking for a quick, easy, and flavorful lunch recipe that doesn’t require firing up the stove.
Get the recipe

3 Easy Vegan Spring Rolls

If you’re looking for an easy appetizer idea to impress your loved ones, you can’t go wrong with these delicious, fragrant spring rolls. Packed with bean thread noodles, cucumbers, baby spinach, carrots, and tofu, they’re nutritious and delicious. Serve with sweet chili, peanut, soy sauce, or any other dipping sauce you like.
Get the recipe

The Viet Vegan

4 Vegan Vietnamese Fried Rice Cake

Bánh bột chiên chay, or fried rice cake, is a popular street food in Vietnam, often eaten for breakfast. It’s made with rice flour and tapioca starch and served with an omelet, but just like The Viet Vegan demonstrates in this recipe, it is possible to make it with plant-based eggs. “I’m so thankful that we have vegan options for eggs that yield such a nostalgic and similar texture,” says recipe developer Lisa Le.
Get the recipe

Veggie Anh

5 Vegan Crab Noodle Soup

Aromatic, tomato-based crab noodle soup is another popular Vietnamese dish, which is typically enjoyed in the north of the country. In this recipe from Veggie Anh, recipe developer Anh Tran will walk you through how to make a delicious, hearty version of the dish using tofu crab, instead of real crab. It’s “a delicious yet underrated Vietnamese dish,” she says.
Get the recipe

Helen’s Recipes

6 Vegan Hoi An Chicken Rice

Hoi An chicken rice, of course, originates from Hoi An, a city on Vietnam’s central coast. It’s usually cooked chicken that has been poached with spices and gently shredded before being mixed with accompaniments like rice and bean sprouts. In this recipe from Helen’s Recipes, recipe developer Helen Le will guide you through how to make the flavorful Vietnamese classic using seitan instead of chicken.
Get the recipe

Veggie Anh

7 Vegan Vietnamese Braised Pork Belly

Like many countries in Asia, pork is frequently found on menus and kitchens across Vietnam. Pork belly, in particular, is a favorite, but you can create all the fatty texture and umami flavors using a combination of ingredients like textured vegetable protein, yuba, tapioca starch, and rice flour, just like this delicious recipe from Veggie Anh demonstrates. “The deep, savory taste of this dish is perfectly complemented by the warm, fluffy white rice and other vegetables,” advises Tran.
Get the recipe