Top 7 Delicious Southern Vietnamese Dishes You Must Try

Vietnamese cuisine is famous for its diversity and richness, and each region brings its own unique flavors. Among them, Southern Vietnamese dishes are fresh, delicious, and rich in spices, always an attractive destination for gourmets. If you are planning for a trip to Southern Vietnam, Vietnam Motorcycle Tours will show you 7 delicious Southern dishes that you absolutely cannot miss in this article!

What makes Southern Vietnamese cuisine unique?

It can be said that Vietnamese cuisine is very diverse in flavors and dishes, each region has many of the best Vietnamese dishes. Depending on each region, the taste of the dishes will also be different. While the cuisine of the Central region is rich in flavor and the cuisine of the North focuses on sophistication and meticulousness, the flavors of Southern Vietnamese dishes are very simple and have a unique character. The South is a fertile land with rich land. This is the main rice supplier in Vietnam as well as responsible for rice exports. The climate here is influenced by the tropical monsoon, so the weather is mild and rarely affected by natural disasters and floods. All of the above has created an extremely diverse and rich selection of Southern Vietnamese dishes, attracting many domestic and foreign diners. Southern cuisine possesses many famous foods in Vietnam. It can be said that Southern Vietnamese dishes are considered one of the best Vietnamese Dishes by foreign tourists.

Southern Vietnamese dishes have a lot of famous food in Vietnam and they are very diverse, changing flexibly with the seasons. Depending on each season, there will be a different typical dish. The taste of Southern dishes is characterized by spicy, sweet, and sour flavors. The sweet, fatty taste will be clearly shown in the coconut milk and sugar when seasoning the dish. Southern Vietnamese dishes have very clear flavors; each taste is what it tastes like. For example, the braised dish will be prepared with an extremely rich, salty taste mixed with a gentle, spicy taste, creating a characteristic of Southern cuisine. Southern dishes are very simple, which makes the simple culinary flavors here captivate people.

Top 7 Southern Vietnamese dishes that are highly appreciated for their flavor

In this section, we will find out the top 7 Southern Vietnamese dishes that are highly recommended by the locals and are also favorites of a lot of travelers. These dishes are famous food in Vietnam that have conquered the tastes of many foreigners. 

Broken Rice (Cơm Tấm)

Broken Rice is considered a culinary symbol of Saigon, a must-try while exploring the vibrant city on Ho Chi Minh trail motorbike tours. This popular but extremely attractive dish of the Southern people features fragrant broken seeds as the main ingredient, cooked with coconut water and served with roasted pork, skin, egg rolls, onion fat, and sweet and sour fish sauce. Besides, you can use broken rice with pickles to add flavor to the dish. Each piece of broken rice is imbued with spices, the rich flavor of meat, and the fragrant aroma of onion fat, creating a wonderful harmony.

Banh Xeo (Sizzling Pancakes)

Banh Xeo is a rustic but extremely attractive dish of the Southern people; this is one of the famous Southern Vietnamese dishes. Banh Xeo is a type of pancake made from rice flour, usually filled with shrimp, pork, bean sprouts, and vegetables. The cake is fried to a crispy texture and served with a diluted dipping sauce and raw vegetables. The fatty taste of the cake, the sweetness of the filling, the sour and spicy taste of the dipping sauce, and the fresh taste of raw vegetables create an unforgettable flavor.

Hu Tieu Nam Vang (Nam Vang Noodle Soup)

Nam Vang Noodle Soup is a dish with a strong Chinese flavor but has been transformed by Southern people into a dish with its own flavor. Nam Vang noodle soup is a favorite dish in many regions of Vietnam, but Southern Nam Vang noodle soup has its own characteristics. Southern Nam Vang noodle soup often has a richer broth, smaller minced meat, and is served with a variety of raw vegetables. Delicious chewy noodles in sweet broth simmered from pork bones, meat, and shrimp are served with minced meat, char siu, quail eggs, and vegetables. This dish has a rich, refreshing flavor and is very suitable for breakfast or lunch.

Banh Mi (Vietnamese Baguette Sandwich)

If you come to Vietnam but have never tried Banh Mi, it is a huge mistake. Banh Mi is a famous street food in Vietnam, and Southern bread also has its own characteristics. The bread is made from French-style baguettes, but the filling is softer. The filling usually includes roasted pork, shumai, pate, pork sausage, vegetables, and special sauce. Each bite of bread brings a blend of flavors: the crispiness of the crust, the deliciousness of the filling, and the richness of the sauce. It can be said that Southern bread is one of the famous foods in Vietnam that many foreign tourists like. With an extremely cheap price but high quality, bread is often eaten in the morning with a cup of coffee, giving you a simple, extremely energetic morning.

Goi Cuon (Fresh Spring Rolls)

One of the famous foods in Vietnam is Goi Cuon. This cuisine is a rustic but no less sophisticated dish, especially in the South. Southern Goi Cuon is often made from ingredients such as boiled pork, shrimp, mushrooms, quail eggs, herbs, and rice paper. Boiled pork is sliced thinly, shrimp is peeled, head removed, black thread removed, mushrooms are stir-fried, and quail eggs are boiled and peeled. These ingredients are rolled in thin rice paper and dipped in a diluted sweet and sour dipping sauce. Southern Goi Cuon has a refreshing, sweet, and sour flavor in harmony. The sweetness of shrimp, pork, and quail eggs, the sourness of the dipping sauce, and the aroma of herbs all blend together to create an extremely attractive dish. This is one of the cuisines that must be in the list of the most delicious Southern Vietnamese dishes. 

Banh Can (Mini Steamed Cakes)

Banh Can, also known as the best Vietnamese dishes. This cuisine is made by grilled rice flour cake, originated from the Cham people in Ninh Thuan, then became popular and appeared in other provinces such as Quy Nhon, Binh Thuan, Da Nang, Da Lat, etc. Banh Can – the famous Southern Vietnamese dishes is mainly made from a type of rice flour prepared according to a special formula. After soaking the rice in water, people will grind it together with a little dry rice, then pour it into a clay mold and grill it directly on charcoal. Banh Can is often eaten with shrimp, squid, minced meat, or quail eggs. The fatty taste of the cake, the sweetness of the filling, the salty taste of fish sauce, and the aroma of raw vegetables create an attractive dish.

Che (Sweet Desserts)

Che is a popular dish in many regions of Vietnam, but Southern Vietnamese dishes sweet soup has its own characteristics. Southern sweet soup often has a sweet, rich flavor, uses a variety of fresh ingredients, and is served with a variety of jelly, pearls, jelly, etc., creating appeal and diversity. Southern sweet soup is not only a delicious dish but also a dish imbued with the flavors of the river region. This dish originates from Southern villages, where people have a peaceful and simple life. Sweet soup is made from familiar, easy-to-find ingredients, but when combined together, it creates an extremely unique dish, expressing the quintessence of Southern cuisine.

Thus, it can be seen that Southern Vietnamese dishes are very diverse and rich. The dishes of Southern cuisine bring diners interesting and unforgettable experiences. Not only the South, Vietnam also has many other places containing the essence of Vietnamese cuisine. To fully explore Vietnamese cuisine, you can refer to South Vietnam Motorbike Tours to experience the roads and typical dishes in Vietnam. Experience Vietnamese cuisine and culture with a Motorbike tour that promises to bring you unforgettable experiences!