Top 12 Best Vegetarian Dishes for Tet

Just like the traditional meat-based Tet feast, the vegetarian offering also includes a variety of soups and fried dishes. One of the must-have vegetarian dishes for Tet is stir-fried vegetarian noodles.

Ingredients:

• 3 packs of instant noodles
• 1-2 packs of instant ramen (optional)
• 100 grams of roasted peanuts
• 300 grams of sweet spinach
• 200 grams of carrots
• A small amount of bean sprouts, snow peas, napa cabbage
• 1 chicken leg mushroom or some white mushrooms
• 6 slices of firm tofu (about 1 cm thick)

Instructions:

• Step 1: Clean all the vegetables and cut them into small bite-sized pieces. Shred the mushrooms and carrots. In a hot pan, stir-fry the vegetables and mushrooms on high heat, or you can boil them to reduce oil. Fry tofu until golden on both sides, and if you're using pre-fried tofu, you can skip this step. Slice the tofu into thin strips.
• Step 2: In a pot, boil water for the noodles, add about 1/3 teaspoon of salt and 1 teaspoon of cooking oil. Once the water boils, cook the noodles for about 5 minutes, and cook the instant noodles for about 2 minutes to keep them firm, not too soft or mushy. After cooking, rinse them under cold water to cool down. To make the dressing, mix together soy sauce, water, sugar, lime juice, and chili in a small bowl, and stir well. Once the noodles are cooled, place them in a large bowl, add the vegetables, mushrooms, tofu, and mix well.
• Step 3: Plate the stir-fried noodles, sprinkle with roasted peanuts, add dipping sauce, and your dish is ready to enjoy.

In the Northern and Central regions of Vietnam, vegetarian Vietnamese sausage is a familiar and essential dish on the Tet table.

Ingredients:

• 200 grams of dried tofu skin
• 10 banana leaves
• Basic seasonings (ground pepper, sugar, salt, seasoning powder)

Instructions:

• Step 1: Tear the tofu skin into small pieces and soak it in water for about 10 minutes to soften. After that, rinse it 2-3 times with clean water and drain.
• Step 2: In a pot, add water (about one-third of the pot), 2 teaspoons of sugar, 2 teaspoons of salt, 1 teaspoon of seasoning powder, and 1/2 teaspoon of ground pepper. Bring to a boil. Once the water boils, adjust the seasoning to taste and add the soaked tofu skin. Let it cook for 5-7 minutes.
• Step 3: Place a cloth underneath the mold, then add the cooked tofu skin into the mold. Cover with the cloth and place a weight on top to press out excess water. Once the tofu is fully drained, place a heavier weight on top and press the mold for 2 hours. The heavier the weight, the firmer and smoother the sausage will be.
• Step 4: In a separate pot, bring water to a boil (about one-third of the pot’s height), then steam the tofu skin mixture for 40 minutes. After steaming, turn off the heat and let the sausage cool completely in the pot for a firmer texture.
• Step 5: Your fresh vegetarian Vietnamese sausage is ready! It will have a firm, chewy texture with a delicious balance of seasonings.

If you're a fan of traditional jelly meat, you'll love this vegetarian jelly meat, which is just as delicious and satisfying.

Ingredients:

• 7 grams of agar powder
• 50 grams of shiitake mushrooms
• 10 grams of wood ear mushrooms
• 100 grams of carrots
• 50 grams of oyster mushrooms
• 3 tablespoons of roasted rice flour

Instructions:

• Step 1: Peel the carrots, wash them, and slice them into 0.5 cm thick pieces, cutting them into flower shapes for a more decorative look. Soak the wood ear mushrooms in hot water for about 30 minutes, rinse off any dirt, then squeeze out excess water and cut into thin strips. Tear the oyster mushrooms into bite-sized pieces, and slice the shiitake mushrooms into small pieces.
• Step 2: Heat 3 tablespoons of cooking oil in a pan, sauté some chopped onions, and add the prepared vegetables and mushrooms. Stir in 2 tablespoons of roasted rice flour, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of vegetarian seasoning, and 1/2 teaspoon of pepper. Stir everything to evenly coat the ingredients with the seasonings. Cook for about 5-10 minutes, then turn off the heat.
• Step 3: In a large pot, combine 500ml of water and 7 grams of agar powder, stir well, and let it soak for about 15 minutes. Heat the pot on medium, stirring constantly to prevent clumping. Once the mixture begins to boil, lower the heat and continue to stir for another 1-2 minutes to remove any foam.
• Step 4: Arrange all the ingredients in a bowl, placing the carrot pieces at the bottom for a decorative effect, then layer the mushrooms and vegetables on top. Pour the agar mixture over everything, let it cool, then refrigerate for 30 minutes until it sets.

Stew dishes are a staple in Vietnamese New Year's meals, especially those made with beef. If you're vegetarian but miss the taste of beef stew, worry not – there's a vegetarian beef stew that's just as flavorful, aromatic, and packed with nutrients.

Ingredients:

• 100g dried vegetarian beef
• 200g chicken leg mushrooms
• 100g dried tofu skin
• 5 carrots
• 4 stalks of lemongrass
• 1 can of tomato sauce
• 400ml coconut water
• 3 basil leaves, 5 cilantro leaves
• 4 tablespoons of beef stew seasoning powder

Instructions:

• Step 1: Soak the dried vegetarian beef in hot water to rehydrate, then rinse it well to remove any dried food odor. Drain the excess water.
• Step 2: Wash the cilantro and cut off the roots. Peel and slice the carrots. Clean the chicken leg mushrooms by removing the dirt, soaking them in salted water, rinsing them, and cutting them into small pieces. Clean the lemongrass, cut into segments, and crush. Soak the tofu skin until soft, then cut it into pieces about 3 fingers long.
• Step 3: Marinate the vegetarian beef with the beef stew seasoning powder, soy sauce, seasoning, sugar, and cooking oil. Mix well and let it sit to absorb the flavors.
• Step 4: Heat some oil in a pot and sauté some chopped shallots until fragrant. Add the tomato sauce and stir until it releases its color, then add the carrots, lemongrass, coconut water, and 1.5 liters of water. Simmer on low heat until the carrots become tender.
• Step 5: In another pot, heat oil and sauté shallots. Quickly add the beef stew seasoning powder, stir-fry the mushrooms and rehydrated vegetarian beef until everything is well coated with the seasoning.
• Step 6: Once the carrots are soft, add the mushroom and vegetarian beef mixture along with the tofu skin into the pot. Let the stew boil, then adjust the seasoning to taste. Serve the vegetarian beef stew in a bowl, garnished with basil and chili slices.

In addition to the vegetarian dishes above, you can also make a vegetarian salad to complete your Lunar New Year meal. Eating vegetarian food not only helps detoxify the body but also brings peace to the mind.

Ingredients:

• 200g purple cabbage
• 1 fried tofu block
• 200g vegetarian pork sausage
• 50g banana blossom
• 1 lotus root
• 1 carrot
• 10g peanuts
• 2 cucumbers
• 1/2 lime
• Vegetarian prawn crackers

Instructions:

• Step 1: Wash and shred the carrot, purple cabbage, and cucumber. If the lotus root is large, slice it into halves or quarters. Finely chop two chilies. Soak the carrot and lotus root in 50ml of vinegar and 1 tablespoon of sugar, then drain. Fry the prawn crackers and tofu slices until golden.
• Step 2: Mix 3 tablespoons of fish sauce, 3 tablespoons of sugar, 3 tablespoons of lime juice, and the chopped chili. Add the cabbage, cucumber, carrot, and lotus root into a large bowl. Gradually pour in the dressing and toss to taste, then gently fold in the tofu to avoid breaking it.
• Step 3: Serve the salad on a plate, accompanied by vegetarian prawn crackers.

Roasted pork is a distinctive feature of Vietnamese cuisine, especially during the Lunar New Year and festive occasions. If you're making vegetarian dishes, you can easily prepare vegetarian roasted pork using vegetarian pork sausage.

Ingredients:

• 1 loaf of bread
• 150g vegetarian pork sausage
• 50g tapioca flour
• 100g grated coconut
• 1/4 tablespoon five-spice powder
• 2 tablespoons annatto oil

Instructions:

• Step 1: Extract coconut milk from grated coconut. Mix tapioca flour with coconut milk and stir well, then cook on low heat until it thickens. Turn off the heat and continue stirring. Slice the bread lengthwise, removing some of the inner bread, and flatten it. Cut the vegetarian pork into 1.5cm thick slices. Spread the tapioca flour mixture onto the bread and place the vegetarian pork slices on top.
• Step 2: Wrap the bread tightly with banana leaves and steam for about 20 minutes. Let it cool before removing the banana leaves.
• Step 3: Mix 2 tablespoons of annatto oil with 1/4 teaspoon five-spice powder. Use a brush to evenly coat the bread with this mixture. Let it dry slightly and then cut into long strips, resembling roasted pork.
• Step 4: Pan-fry each piece, starting with the bread side to achieve a golden, crispy texture, similar to the skin of roasted pork.
• Step 5: Cut into square, bite-sized pieces. The finished dish should have a golden-orange, crispy skin with a chewy, fatty texture. The layers should stay intact. Serve the vegetarian roasted pork with pickled vegetables and soy sauce.

Another dish you can't miss when preparing vegetarian food for the holidays is vegetarian vegetable soup.

Ingredients:

• 1 corn cob
• 1 potato
• 1/2 carrot
• 1 turnip
• 1 pickled radish (salted radish)
• 1 spring onion
• 1 piece of tree mushroom
• Seasoning

Instructions:

• Step 1: Peel the turnip, remove the seeds, wash thoroughly, and cut into chunks. Clean and cut the spring onion into small pieces. Rinse the pickled radish and slice it thinly. Cut the tree mushrooms into 1cm pieces. Peel the carrot, cut into chunks or slices about 1cm thick. Peel the potato, soak in saltwater for about 5 minutes to remove excess starch, rinse again, and cut into large cubes. Cut the corn cob into bite-sized pieces.
• Step 2: Place a pot with about 1 liter of water on medium heat. Once the water boils, add the pickled radish first, followed by the tree mushrooms and corn. Let it simmer gently. After about 10 minutes, add the potato, carrot, and turnip. Cook for another 15-20 minutes until all the vegetables are tender and have released their flavors. Season with 2 teaspoons of vegetarian seasoning powder to enhance the taste.
• Step 3: This vegetarian vegetable soup is not only flavorful and light but also packed with the natural sweetness of the vegetables. It’s a healthy and refreshing dish!

No New Year's meal with family would be complete without the savory aroma of braised dishes. And one dish that's sure to satisfy is pepper braised straw mushrooms!

Ingredients:

• 300g straw mushrooms
• 1 chili pepper
• Black pepper
• 1 small bunch of spring onions
• 1 teaspoon minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced shallots
• Soy sauce, vegetarian fish sauce, chili sauce, vegetarian seasoning powder

Instructions:

• Step 1: Start by preparing a basin of water with 1 tablespoon of salt. Trim off any dark spots from the mushrooms, clean off any straw residue, and soak the mushrooms in the salted water for about 10 minutes to clean them. Drain and set them aside. Wash and dry the spring onions and chili pepper. Chop the spring onions finely and slice the chili into small rounds.
• Step 2: Marinate the mushrooms with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 teaspoon of vegetarian seasoning powder. Let it sit for about 5 minutes to allow the mushrooms to absorb the flavors.
• Step 3: Heat a pan and add 2 tablespoons of oil. Sauté the minced garlic and shallots for about a minute until fragrant. Add the mushrooms to the pan, stirring to prevent the garlic from burning. Continue stir-frying for 2 minutes. Once the mushrooms start heating up, reduce the heat and add 4 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1 tablespoon of vegetarian fish sauce, 1/4 teaspoon of MSG, and 4 tablespoons of water. Add 1/2 teaspoon of ground black pepper and the sliced chili. Let the mixture simmer until the sauce thickens and is absorbed by the mushrooms. Stir in 1 tablespoon of chili sauce and cook for another 10 minutes.

Vegetarian spring rolls offer a fresh twist, making them the perfect appetizer to kick off your traditional New Year's meal.

Ingredients:

• 100g vegetarian sausage, shredded
• 100g fried sweet potato julienne
• 150g jicama, carrots
• 300g lettuce, assorted herbs
• 1 bundle of crispy fried glass noodles
• 1 cup fresh coconut water
• 1 tablespoon roasted rice powder
• Sugar, salt, pepper, MSG, soy sauce, fermented rice vinegar
• 1 pack of rice paper

Instructions:

• Step 1: Clean and peel the jicama, then cut it into slices and fry until they turn translucent. Once cooled, slice the jicama into thin strips. For the carrots, julienne them and sauté until they turn a soft pinkish-orange color.
• Step 2: In a large bowl, combine the fried sweet potato, crispy glass noodles, jicama, carrots, and vegetarian sausage. Season with 1 tablespoon of roasted rice powder, 1 teaspoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of salt, 1 teaspoon of MSG, 1 teaspoon of pepper, and 1 tablespoon of fried shallots. Mix everything well to create the filling.
• Step 3: Slightly moisten the rice paper with a bit of water, then place lettuce, herbs, and the filling in the center. Fold the edges of the rice paper over the filling and roll tightly to form the spring roll.
• Step 4: Prepare a dipping sauce by mixing 1 cup of coconut water, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, minced chili, 1/2 tablespoon of fermented rice vinegar, 2 tablespoons of soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon of MSG, and sliced pickled shallots. Stir well and enjoy.

The first vegetarian dish Mytour wants to introduce for the New Year's celebration is vegetarian fried rolls. With a meticulous, skillful, and expert hand, various ingredients are combined and tightly rolled to create a visually appealing dish. The result is crispy golden rolls with a crunchy exterior and a delicate, savory filling inside, truly irresistible.

Ingredients:

• 60 sheets of spring roll wrappers
• 200g corn kernels
• 300g jicama
• 100g carrots
• 150g peeled mung beans
• 100g firm tofu
• 400g taro
• 30g shallots
• 30g wood ear mushrooms (moc nhi)
• Cornstarch, sesame oil

Instructions:

• Step 1: Soak the mung beans for 12-14 hours to soften. Rinse thoroughly and steam them for about 20 minutes until fully cooked.
• Step 2: Peel and thinly shred the taro. Sun-dry it for about 20 minutes until the shreds are slightly dried. Peel the jicama and carrots, then shred them as well. For the corn, remove the husks and cut the kernels off the cob. Soak the wood ear mushrooms in water, rinse, and chop finely. Mince the shallots.
• Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the prepared vegetables and tofu. Use your hands to mash the tofu and mix the ingredients thoroughly. Heat some oil in a pan, sauté the shallots until fragrant, then add the vegetable mixture along with 1 tablespoon of sugar and 1 tablespoon of seasoning powder. Stir-fry on high heat for 2 minutes.
• Step 4: In a large bowl, mix the stir-fried vegetables, fried taro, steamed mung beans, 1/2 tablespoon of sesame oil, a pinch of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, and a little pepper. Use your hands to mix the filling until it is well combined.
• Step 5: Dissolve 2 teaspoons of cornstarch in 50-60ml of water. Place a small amount of the filling on a spring roll wrapper, then roll it tightly. Use the cornstarch mixture to seal the edges. Heat oil in a pan, then fry the rolls over medium heat until golden and crispy.

During the Lunar New Year, it is customary for people to enjoy a pot of bitter melon soup, symbolizing the hope for a bright future ahead. So why not start the new year by preparing a comforting bowl of bitter melon soup with tofu stuffing for your festive meal?

Ingredients:

• 500g bitter melon
• 200g firm tofu
• 20g dried wood ear mushrooms
• 50g carrots
• 10g green onions
• 10g cilantro
• Basic seasoning to taste

Instructions:

• Step 1: Cut a slit along the length of each bitter melon using a sharp knife, then scoop out the seeds using a spoon or knife. Soak the bitter melon in salt water for about 5 minutes to reduce its bitterness. Rinse well and drain.
• Step 2: Peel and shred the carrots, then chop finely. Clean and chop the green onions and cilantro, separating the green onion tips. Soak the dried wood ear mushrooms in warm water, discard the stems, and chop finely.
• Step 3: In a bowl, mash the tofu using a spoon. Add the shredded carrots, chopped wood ear mushrooms, green onions, and cilantro to the tofu. Season with 1/2 tablespoon of vegetarian seasoning, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon of whole peppercorns, and 1 teaspoon of ground pepper. Mix well.
• Step 4: Stuff the bitter melon with the tofu mixture, pressing lightly to pack the filling inside.
• Step 5: In a pot, bring 1 liter of water to a boil. Add 1/2 teaspoon of salt and the stuffed bitter melon. Simmer for about 20 minutes. Taste the broth and adjust the seasoning as needed. Add the chopped green onion tips and cilantro into the soup, stir gently, and turn off the heat.

In addition to the nutritious and light soup, there’s another dish that is a true representation of a prosperous and warm Tet celebration—the vegetarian braised pork which rivals any savory meat dish in flavor!

Ingredients:

• 8 pieces of vegetarian spare ribs
• 1 loaf of bread
• Potato starch, rice flour
• Shallots, bird’s eye chili
• 400ml coconut water
• 4 pieces of vegetarian salted egg

Instructions:

• Step 1: Soak the vegetarian spare ribs until soft, then drain the water. Cut the bread loaf into two halves, removing the crust, and roll it with a rolling pin to flatten.
• Step 2: Mix 100g potato starch, 100g rice flour, 1/3 teaspoon of salt, and 400ml water. Stir well and set aside half a cup. Heat the mixture on low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens slightly. Remove from the heat when it reaches a pudding-like consistency.
• Step 3: Place the flattened bread in a container, and spread a thick layer of the thickened flour mixture on top. Dip the vegetarian ribs into the uncooked flour mixture, and then place 2 ribs on top. Add another layer of the thick flour mixture, then place another 2 ribs on top. Steam for 30 minutes, then let it cool completely before refrigerating for 1-2 hours. This makes it easier to cut the 'pork' into larger pieces without it falling apart.
• Step 4: To enhance the flavor, deep fry the pieces of vegetarian 'pork' until golden brown on all sides.
• Step 5: Grind half a shallot and one bird’s eye chili. Heat a little oil in a pot, then sauté the shallot and chili until fragrant. Add 400ml coconut water and season with 1 tablespoon of vegetarian seasoning, 1 teaspoon of rock sugar, 3 tablespoons of vegetarian fish sauce, 1/4 teaspoon of salt, and 1 tablespoon of soy sauce. Let the broth simmer for 15 minutes, then add the fried vegetarian pork and vegetarian salted eggs.