Bánh: Basic Overview
Common Ingredients
Common Cooking Methods
Courses
Meals
Key Taste
Eating Etiquette
Meal Presentation
Culinary Festivals
Influence and Fusion
Types of Bánh
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Noodle Soups
They are characterized by their rich, aromatic broths and variety of noodles.
These noodle soups are accompanied by meats (like beef, pork, or chicken) or seafood (like crab) and garnished with fresh herbs.
Traditional recipes for these dishes are not for vegan and vegetarian eaters, but they are suitable for gluten-free diets.
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Dry Noodle Dishes
They feature noodles served without broth, usually tossed with sauces.
Meats, vegetables, and herbs are common accompaniments.
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Glutinous Rice Dishes
Many bánh are made with glutinous/sticky rice in Vietnam.
They can be sweet or savory, often filled with ingredients like mung beans, coconut (ideal for vegans/vegetarians), or pork.
Most of them are wrapped in leaves.
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Dumplings
Most Vietnamese dumplings start with the term “bánh”.
They are commonly made with flour and filled with meats (savory ones) or mung bean paste (sweet ones).
Many dumplings are typically gluten-free because locals use rice/glutinous rice flour to make them.
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Cakes And Pastries
These Vietnamese specialties include both savory and sweet options.
Steaming, baking, frying, and boiling are common cooking techniques to make them.
Some are sold as street food items.
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Pancakes
Bánh in pancake style are normally made from a rice flour batter.
Some are filled with ingredients like pork, shrimp, and vegetables.
Therefore, they are typically savory and served with dipping sauce.
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Sandwiches
The most famous is bánh mì, a fusion of Vietnamese flavors with French baguettes filled with meats, pâté, pickles, and herbs. -
Rolls
Some famous rolls in Vietnamese cuisine begin with “bánh”.
They are made with flour batter and fillings made of meat and vegetables; normally steamed.
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Rice Paper Dishes
They use rice paper (a thin, edible sheet made primarily from rice flour) as a key ingredient.
The rice paper can be cut into thin slices or in a whole form with a round shape.
These dishes also include a variety of toppings or fillings.
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Snacks
They are a wide array of savory and sweet treats.
Bánh in the snack category are easy to find at street vendors, perfect for on-the-go eating.
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Desserts
Bánh for desserts have a sweet taste. They can be steamed, baked, or boiled treats.
They are also bite-sized treats and many of them are available at street vendors.
Bánh: Signature Dishes
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National Vietnamese Bánh
Bánh Mì
Bánh Cuốn
These bánh are classic dishes widely recognized as symbols of Vietnamese cuisine. -
Traditional Vietnamese Bánh
Bánh Canh
Bánh Đa Cua
They are time-honored delicacies deeply rooted in the country’s culture and history.
Some of them are also national dishes.
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Most Popular Vietnamese Bánh
Bánh Mì
Bánh Xèo
These dishes are widely loved and consumed regularly by locals and tourists. -
Bánh as Vietnamese Street Food
Bánh Mì
Bánh Cuốn
Street food as bánh style is commonly found in street food markets and stalls.
Some of them are convenient to bring on the go. Some should be enjoyed at the street stalls for the best taste.
They are typically affordable.
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Fusion Vietnamese Bánh
Bánh Tro
Bánh Trung Thu
They are innovative dishes that blend Vietnamese culinary traditions with foreign influences.
Introduction to Bánh
Bánh (pronounced bahn) is a Vietnamese term that refers to several types of cakes, pancakes, pastries, sandwiches, noodle dishes, and other food types.
Each type of bánh has its own ingredients, preparation, and cultural significance.
The typical ingredients to make Vietnamese-style bánh are glutinous rice, rice or glutinous rice flour, and more, depending on the bánh recipes.
Common cooking techniques to prepare these bánh are steaming, boiling, baking, frying, etc. They can be sweet delicacies or savory treats.
Most of them come in small shapes so they can be enjoyed by hand or by chopstick and spoon if they are noodle delights.
So keep scrolling to find out various bánh varieties, their importance in Vietnamese cuisine, how they are influenced by other cuisines, and how to enjoy them as a real Vietnamese.
You can check the filter and click on them for more details about these Vietnamese bánh delights. Read on!
List of Bánh with Filters
Bánh Bao
Bánh bao is a Vietnamese steamed bun made with yeasted dough and a savory ground pork filling.
Bánh Bèo
Bánh bèo is a type of small, steamed rice cake from Central Vietnam, often topped with savory ingredients and served with a sweet and spicy fish sauce for dipping.
Bánh Bò
Bánh bò is a Vietnamese sponge cake, known for its sweet taste and chewy texture with a honeycomb-like interior.
Bánh Bông Lan
Bánh bông lan is a light and airy Vietnamese sponge cake, often flavored with various ingredients.
Bánh Bột Chiên
Bánh bột chiên is a Vietnamese dish of Chinese origin, consisting of fried rice flour dough served with pickles and soy sauce.
Bánh Bột Lọc
Bánh bột lọc is a traditional Vietnamese dumpling made from tapioca flour, typically stuffed with shrimp and pork and wrapped in a translucent dough.
Bánh Căn
Bánh căn is a Vietnamese mini pancake often found in the central region, featuring rice flour batter and various toppings.
Bánh Canh
Bánh canh is a Vietnamese noodle soup with thick strands of tapioca or rice noodles, meat toppings, herbs, and broth.
Bánh Cáy
Bánh cáy is a traditional treat from Thai Binh, Vietnam, combining sticky rice with gac and gardenia fruits.
Bánh Chưng
Bánh chưng is a Vietnamese square sticky rice cake made of glutinous rice, mung beans, and pork, all wrapped in lá dong leaves.
Bánh Chuối
Bánh chuối is a Vietnamese dessert, essentially a sweet banana cake or bread pudding, mainly made with ripe bananas or plantains, rice flour, coconut milk, and sugar.
Bánh Cốm
Bánh cốm is a Vietnamese snack with green glutinous rice and mung bean filling, often used in celebrations and festivals.
Bánh Cống
Bánh cống is a Vietnamese fried rice flour-based dish hailing from Soc Trang province in the southern region.
Bánh Cuốn
Bánh cuốn is a Vietnamese dish hailing from the northern region and consisting of various savory ingredients rolled in thin rice noodle sheets.
Bánh Đa Cua
Bánh đa cua is a Vietnamese noodle soup from Hai Phong, featuring flat rice noodles, crab-and-pork broth, and various toppings.
Bánh Da Lợn
Bánh da lợn is a Vietnamese layered cake that features a soft, chewy texture with typically green and yellow hues.
Bánh Đậu Xanh
Bánh đậu xanh is a Vietnamese mung bean pastry usually produced in Hai Duong province.
Bánh Đúc
Bánh đúc is a traditional Vietnamese cake made from rice flour or tapioca flour and served with various foods.
Bánh Flan
Bánh flan is a beloved Vietnamese dessert made from eggs, milk, and caramel.
Bánh Gai
Bánh gai is a Vietnamese dessert made from glutinous rice and ramie leaf for a black color.
Bánh Giầy
Bánh giầy is a round Vietnamese sticky rice cake made from glutinous rice.
Bánh Giò
Bánh giò is a Vietnamese steamed savory rice cake wrapped in banana leaves with pork and mushroom filling.
Bánh Gối
Bánh gối is a Vietnamese crescent-shaped savory pastry filled with ingredients such as minced pork, mushrooms, and noodles.
Bánh Hỏi
Bánh hỏi is a Vietnamese side dish prepared by weaving rice vermicelli into flat, rectangular bundles.
Bánh Ít
Bánh ít is a popular Vietnamese cake made from glutinous rice flour and mung bean using a steaming method.
Bánh Kẹp Lá Dứa
Bánh kẹp lá dứa is a Vietnamese waffle with harmonious hints of coconut milk and pandan leaves.
Bánh Khảo
Bánh khảo is a block-shaped cake with an outer layer made of glutinous rice flour and a sweet filling that is derived from the Choang ethnic group.
Bánh Khoai Mì
Bánh khoai mì is a Vietnamese cake made from grated cassava, sugar, and coconut milk, baked until it forms a golden crust.
Bánh Khọt
Bánh khọt is a Vietnamese savory mini pancake made from rice flour and is topped with shrimp for serving with a dipping sauce.
Bánh Lá Dừa
Bánh lá dừa is a Vietnamese cake in the Mekong Delta, made with glutinous rice and wrapped in coconut leaves.
Bánh Lá Mơ
Bánh lá mơ is a Vietnamese cake hailing from the Mekong Delta, with rice flour and mơ leaves as the main ingredients.
Bánh Mì
Bánh mì is a Vietnamese sandwich with meats, pickled veggies, and sauces in a short baguette.
Bánh Nậm
Bánh nậm is a Vietnamese dumpling from Central Vietnam, wrapped in banana leaves and made with rice flour, shrimp, and pork.
Bánh Nhãn
Bánh nhãn is a Vietnamese crispy fried cake made from glutinous or ordinary rice flour, shaped like a longan fruit.
Bánh Pâté Chaud
Bánh pâté chaud is a Vietnamese pastry that consists of a flaky puff pastry shell filled with savory minced meat.
Bánh Phồng Tôm
Bánh phồng tôm is the Vietnamese prawn cracker, a deep-fried snack made with flour and prawn meat.
Bánh Images
How Important is Bánh in Vietnamese Cuisine?
Bánh, regardless of its type, represents various culinary traditions and practices across Vietnam. Here are some aspects to show how important they are in the country’s cuisine.
Many types of Bánh have deep cultural and historical origins.
For instance, bánh chưng and bánh tét are essential during the Lunar New Year (Tết) celebrations, symbolizing the earth and the sky.
The range of bánh reflects the diversity of Vietnamese cuisine.
For instance, bánh mì is a famous Vietnamese baguette influenced by French colonialism. In fact, the term “bánh mì” itself also refers to plain Vietnamese bread without any filling.
Other popular options are bánh xèo and bánh cuốn, showcasing the creativity of locals.
Different regions in Vietnam have their distinctive style of bánh, from the North to the South. They highlight the regional ingredients and tastes.
Bánh is not just for special occasions; many forms are part of the everyday diet.
Bánh mì, for example, is a popular breakfast or snack item, while bánh bao (steamed buns) is a common on-the-go meal.
Many types of bánh that can be found on the street across the country; for example, bánh mì, bánh giò, bánh cam. They are affordable, ranging from 1 to 5 USD.
Bánh mì is an iconic Vietnamese delicacy that has gained international fame. They are available across the country, especially as a street food.
How Is Bánh Influenced by Other Cuisines?
Bánh in Vietnamese has been significantly influenced by other cuisines, reflecting the country’s historical interactions and culinary cultural exchanges. Here are some key influences:
Chinese Influence
Chinese cuisine has played a big role in Vietnamese food due to the interactions between the two cultures, particularly in the use of some ingredients and techniques.
The use of rice flour and glutinous rice in Vietnamese-style bánh is a clear example. In Chinese cuisine, these ingredients are used in various dishes, including dumplings and cakes.
French Influence
This is another foreign influence due to a legacy of the French colonial period in Vietnam.
The most famous example is bánh mì, a fusion of the French baguette with Vietnamese fillings.
Adaptation and Localization
In each case of foreign influence, Vietnamese cuisine has not just adopted but adapted these elements to suit local tastes and available ingredients in the country.
What Are Tips to Enjoy Bánh As Locals?
Here are six tips to fully savor bánh in the Vietnamese way as below:
Pair with Appropriate Sides and Condiments
Many bánh delights are enhanced with specific sides and condiments.
Bánh mì is often enjoyed with pickled vegetables and fresh herbs, while bánh xèo can be wrapped in lettuce and dipped in fish sauce.
Enjoy Freshness
Vietnamese people highly value the freshness of their food. Try to eat them freshly made, whether it’s from a street vendor or a restaurant.
Try Street Food Versions
Street food stalls offer some of the best and most authentic experiences of bánh, such as bánh tráng trộn (rice paper salad) or bánh mì.
Use Hands Where Appropriate
For many bánh varieties, like bánh xèo, bánh mì, or bánh bao, it’s customary to use your hands to enjoy them.
Learn to Use Chopsticks
It’s recommended to improve your culinary experience by learning to skillfully use chopsticks, a traditional and essential utensil in Vietnam.
Just place one chopstick between your thumb and index finger, resting it on your ring finger, and position the second chopstick alongside it, supported by your middle finger.
Learn to Wrap and Roll
For a dish like bánh xèo, learning the art of wrapping or rolling it inside a leafy vegetable is highly recommended.
Pair with Traditional Beverages
Enjoying your bánh with traditional Vietnamese beverages like cà phê đá (iced coffee) or tea can upgrade the overall dining experience:
Truc Tran (Kris)
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Truc Tran (Kris), an experienced food writer and editor, is great at exploring and describing global cuisines, from simple street food to fancy dining. In her writing, she skillfully mixes different flavors, cooking methods, and culinary traditions, showing the unique character of various cultures through their food and drinks. On azcuisines.com, Kris highlights her knowledge, especially in Asian cuisine and worldwide traditional dishes.