A Guide to Chè Đậu Xanh

Fact: Chè đậu xanh is also a common street food in Vietnam. Sellers normally sell it in plastic cups or bags.

Chè Đậu Xanh: Basic Information

Pronunciation

chay dow sahn

Alternative Name(s)

Chè đỗ xanh (in the Northern region)

Dish Type

Desserts, Drink Desserts

Course

Dessert

Mealtime

Lunch, Dinner

Chè Đậu Xanh: Origin and Region

Origin

Vietnam

Continent’s Region

Southeast Asia

Country’s Region

Nationwide Origin

Associated Region

Unspecified

Popular Chè Đậu Xanh Variations

Chè Đậu Xanh Đánh

Chè Đậu Xanh Hạt Sen

Chè Đậu Xanh Nha Đam

Chè Đậu Xanh Bột Báng

Chè Đậu Xanh Cốt Dừa

Chè Đậu Xanh: Ingredients and Preparation

Main Ingredients

Mung beans and sugar

Main Cooking Method

Boiling

Preparation Process

Soaking, then cooking mung beans, then enhancing with sugar and pandan, thickening with tapioca starch, and finishing with a touch of coconut milk.

Chè Đậu Xanh: A Deep Dive

Cultural Significance

A common Vietnamese dessert made with mung beans

Taste

Sweet

Texture

Creamy and soft

Aroma

Subtle

Color

Light greenish-yellow mung beans

Serving Style

In bowls or glasses

Serving Temperature

Cold or hot

Accompaniment

Commonly enjoyed as a standalone dessert

Occasions

On any occasions

Seasons

Year-round

Special Diets

Vegan, vegetarian, gluten-free

Calories

Around 200 calories

Popularity

Vietnam and China

Popular Similar Dishes

Chè Hạt Sen Long Nhãn
Chè Bà Ba
Chè Trôi Nước
Chè Sương Sa Hạt Lựu

Popular Dining Area

Vietnamese households, street vendors, dessert cafes, and restaurants

Chè đậu xanh is a traditional Vietnamese dessert mainly made from boiled mung beans. It is a fusion sweet soup influenced by Chinese sweet mung bean soup (known as lǜdòu shā).

FYI, the term “chè” refers to a traditional dessert beverage, often a sweet soup, in Vietnamese cuisine.

The mung beans used in chè đậu xanh can be peeled or unpeeled. Besides, Vietnamese love to add thin slices of seaweed, coconut milk, lotus seeds, or pandan leaves to add textures or flavors.

Read on to find out popular styles of chè đậu xanh in Vietnam, how to prepare it, and other interesting facts about this dessert, like merits, limitations, and other frequently asked concerns. I’ll also suggest some other similar dishes, especially about other “chè” of locals.

Key Points

Chè đậu xanh is a favorite Vietnamese sweet soup.
The key ingredient in chè đậu xanh is boiled mung beans.
Other components can be seaweed, coconut milk, lotus seeds, or pandan leaves for enhanced flavor and texture.
It can use either peeled or unpeeled beans.
There are different chè đậu xanh recipes in Vietnam.
This dessert is easy to make.

Chè Đậu Xanh Images

What Are Common Styles of Chè Đậu Xanh?

Below are five favorite chè đậu xanh recipes in Vietnam.

Chè Đậu Xanh Đánh

Mung beans are peeled and hand-beaten for a smooth, thick texture. Popular in Huế.

Chè Đậu Xanh Hạt Sen

Includes lotus seeds with the cores removed; can be made with peeled or unpeeled mung beans.

Chè Đậu Xanh Nha Đam

Uses whole mung beans with skins and includes small pieces of aloe vera.

Chè Đậu Xanh Cốt Dừa

Cooked with coconut milk for added creaminess.

Chè Đậu Xanh Bột Báng

Contains small tapioca pearls (aka sago pearls)

Next, it’s time to learn about making chè đậu xanh at home.

How To Cook Chè Đậu Xanh?

Below are five easy and typical steps to make chè đậu xanh in Vietnam.

Step 1: Preparing the Mung Beans

Rinse the mung beans thoroughly and soak them in warm water for about 3 to 4 hours.

Step 2: Cooking the Mung Beans

Drain the beans and cook them in a pot of water over medium-low heat until they become soft.

Step 3: Adding Flavorings or Other Components

Add rock sugar (or white sugar) and pandan leaves into the pot with the mung beans for a fragrant sweetness.

Step 4: Thickening the Soup

Dissolve tapioca starch in a small amount of water and stir it into the pot to thicken the soup.

Step 5: Finishing with Coconut Milk

Add coconut milk to the pot, stir for about a minute, and then turn off the heat.

In case you don’t have time to soak the beans, you can cook chè đậu xanh in an Instant Pot.

In the next part, let’s take a quick look at the favorable and unfavorable aspects of this Vietnamese mung bean soup.

Pros and Cons of Eating Chè Đậu Xanh

Following are some insights about chè đậu xanh advantages and limitations.

Pros

Nutritional Value: Mung beans in chè đậu xanh are good sources of antioxidants, B vitamins, folate, carbohydrates, proteins, and dietary fiber (according to USDA).
Vegan-Friendly: Naturally vegan as it’s made from plant-based ingredients.
Refreshing Treat: It can be served cold, making it a delightful treat in warm weather.

Cons

High Sugar Content: Often contains added sugar, which can be high in calories.

As influenced by Chinese cuisine, there are also some dissimilarities between Vietnamese and Chinese sweet soup with mung beans. So read on for more details.

What Are The Differences Between Vietnamese and Chinese Mung Bean Soup?

Here are some characteristics to distinguish Vietnamese and Chinese mung bean soup.

Vietnamese Chè Đậu Xanh

Ingredients: Typically includes mung beans, sugar, and coconut milk.
Additional Ingredients: Often flavored with pandan leaves or include additions of aloe vera, lotus seeds, tapioca pearls, etc.
Sweetness: Usually sweeter

Chinese Mung Bean Soup

Ingredients: Commonly made with mung beans, sugar, and dried tangerine peel
Additional Ingredients: Sometimes come in with components for health benefits, like jujubes
Sweetness: Less sweet

For further information about chè đậu xanh, you should also check the related questions below.

Chè Đậu Xanh FAQs

It can be served either hot or cold, depending on preference.

Yes, it can be made without coconut milk for a less creamy texture, or alternative milk types can be used for different flavors.

It’s best consumed fresh but can be refrigerated for up to 3 days. The texture and flavor may change slightly upon storage.

Yes, it is naturally gluten-free as it doesn’t contain any wheat or grain products.

Mung beans are cooked when they are soft and can be easily mashed with a spoon.

Similar Dishes of Chè Đậu Xanh

Chè Hạt Sen Long Nhãn

Big and small bowls of chè hạt sen long nhãn, including lotus seeds stuffed in fresh longans.

Chè Sương Sa Hạt Lựu

Chè sương sa hạt lựu is a Vietnamese drink dessert with jelly, tapioca-based pomegranate seeds as two main components.

Chè Trôi Nước

Chè trôi nước is a Vietnamese dessert featuring glutinous rice balls in a sweet ginger-flavored sweet soup.

Chè Bà Ba

Chè bà ba is a Vietnamese sweet soup dessert from Southern Vietnam, consisting of coconut milk, mung beans, and various tubers.

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Truc Tran (Kris)

Senior Food Editor

Expertise

Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Recipe Development, Baking and Pastry, Food Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Vietnamese Food Evaluation Expert

Education

Hospitality (Commercial Cookery) at TasTAFE
Culinary Arts at Kendall College (Australia Branch in Sydney)
Vietnamese Cuisine Head Chef at HNAAu School (Vietnam, International Joint Training Program)

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.