Top 12 Traditional Tet Dishes from Ethnic Groups in Vietnam

As the traditional Tet holiday approaches, the villages of the Thai people in Mai Chau begin to fill the air with the spicy and fragrant aromas of meat and fish marinated with wild spices, either steamed or dried over hot coals. Alongside this, sticky rice in five colors made from fragrant, glutinous rice creates a unique, unmistakable taste. These traditional dishes have become an integral part of Tet celebrations in this region.

The Thai people, who often live by rivers or streams, consume fish regularly, especially during Tet. The largest fish is chosen as the centerpiece of the Tet feast and is roasted whole. The remaining fish is prepared in various ways, such as steaming, drying, grilling, cooking with lemongrass, rice-stuffed fish, fish cakes, or even wrapping fish in ash from the hearth, along with their famous fish sausage “pa lap.”

For the Dao people, Tet is a time for the family to rest and reunite after a year of hard work, a moment to report their yearly achievements to their ancestors and hope for good things in the coming year. With deep respect for their origins, the Dao people place great importance on ancestor worship during Tet. The offerings include pork, rooster meat, sticky rice cakes, square cakes, and wine... During Tet, local elders and shamans often organize calligraphy lessons for the younger generation in their homes as a way to pass down knowledge and tradition.

For the Dao Tien, no Tet feast is complete without a jar of fermented pork (called ò sui). This simple yet essential dish is made from pork, salt, and cold rice, all available at home. It’s served with wild betel leaves and prang leaves, and dipped in chili-lime sauce to bring out the full depth of the salted pork’s flavor.

The Muong people are renowned for their unique and delicious dishes, which are not only visually appealing but also bursting with flavor. Whether it’s a regular meal or a festive feast, the Muong people prepare and present their food with great skill, staying true to their traditional customs.

Like the Kinh people, the bánh chưng (square sticky rice cake) is an essential part of the Muong Tet celebrations. A few days before Tet, the villagers gather at each other's homes to prepare the cakes together, turning it into a community celebration. Though busy, it is a joyful time for everyone.

The Muong people believe that meat dishes should be served on banana leaves to preserve the unique aroma of the meat. The Tet feast must be nutritionally balanced with foods that are beneficial for health, and it should include a variety of tastes: sour, spicy, sweet, salty, and bitter. For the meal to be truly delightful and meaningful, it must be enjoyed in an open, cool space with friends and honored guests. Signature Tet dishes include Pẻng năng (nàng cake), fermented fish, and chả rau đáu...

During Tet, the Co Tu people of Nam Giang call it Cha Pổiq or Cha Pling, while those from Dong Giang and some from Nam Giang refer to it as Cha Pruôt. In Co Tu language, "Pling" or "Pruôt" means Tet ("Cha" means to eat), and it also signifies the conclusion of a year, whether abundant or poor, healthy or sick.

In the past, the Co Tu people celebrated Tet separately as the New Rice Festival after each harvest. However, in recent years, the Co Tu in Quang Nam also observe traditional Tet like the Kinh people, while still maintaining their unique Tet customs. For the Co Tu, food during Tet is incomplete without alcohol.

Two traditional and distinctive alcoholic drinks of the Co Tu are rượu Tà vạt and rượu cần. Along with preparing these beverages, an essential dish for the Co Tu's offerings to Giàng is the Avị cuốt cake - buffalo horn-shaped cake. Their Tet feast for guests always includes a variety of traditional foods, from buffalo horn-shaped cakes, grilled meats, smoked meats... to bamboo rice, meats, cold cuts, and home-brewed alcohols. All are prepared in the traditional style, with the natural flavors of wild pepper and forest herbs. For three days, they eat, drink, and celebrate together, as a reward after a year of hard work in farming.

During the warm, family-oriented atmosphere of Tet, the dish of Yao leaf flour soup – a traditional food of the E De people – warms the hearts of those returning home and brings family members closer together.

One important thing to note when preparing Yao leaf flour soup is that the cook must stir constantly and carefully manage the heat to avoid the soup becoming too thick or burnt. The soup is typically enjoyed with rice, paired with other traditional E De dishes like bitter eggplant mashed with salt and chili, papaya mashed with golden ants, stir-fried cassava leaves, and steamed sticky rice. The flavor of the Yao leaf flour soup is a blend of the bitterness of eggplant, the spiciness of chili, the creamy consistency of the broth, the richness of the tender meat, and the subtle fragrance of Yao leaves. This combination makes the soup increasingly appetizing, leading to a greater desire to eat and, eventually, a lasting craving for it.

Next to the rice wine jar, with the embers still glowing from the fire, the E De people gather around, enjoying their Tet meal, sharing the Yao leaf flour soup, and chatting happily, wishing for a warm, united, and prosperous new year. For visitors who unexpectedly join the meal, the experience of tasting Yao leaf flour soup, accompanied by the aroma of rice wine, becomes a delightful immersion into the culinary culture of the E De people.

In addition to the Ramadan festival and other traditional celebrations, today, the Cham people in regions such as Ninh Thuận and An Giang also celebrate the Lunar New Year (Tet) with the Kinh people.

Much like the traditional Royah Haji festival, the Tet celebration of the Cham people features delicious traditional specialties such as curry, cà púa, phú ku (also known as tung lò mò), and cơm nị... For the Cham, this is also a time to educate the younger generation, reflect on the past year’s achievements and shortcomings, and set goals for improvement in the coming year.

The Lunar New Year has become one of the most important events of the year for the Cham people. Tet is not only a time for family reunions, but also a celebration of solidarity and the harmonious bond shared between different ethnic communities living together in peace and unity across the beloved land of Vietnam.

The sticky rice fields are carefully tended by the Tày people; the fattened roosters are fed with rice and corn; the selected black pigs are raised exclusively for the Tet feast... In Cao Bằng, the Tày community may spend an entire year preparing the perfect Tet banquet, ensuring it is bountiful. The true essence of these dishes lies not only in their flavors but in the meticulous preparation, reflecting the cultural richness of the Tày people.

Thus, the day for wrapping cakes and slaughtering pigs is seen by the Tày as the year-end, a time for family reunions, joy, and emotional bonding. No matter how far the family members live, they always make an effort to come together on this day, help wrap the cakes, and prepare offerings for their ancestors, wishing for a peaceful and prosperous new year.

The offerings, placed on banana leaves, include alcohol, white sticky rice wrapped in dong leaves with egg, pork, chicken, and fish from the river cooked with banana stalks; additionally, the essential bánh chưng (square sticky rice cake) and bánh gio (also called bánh chì) are included.

In the vibrant atmosphere of spring, the tight handshakes during the xoè dance, along with the loud sounds of gongs and drums, carry the unique cultural spirit of the Tày people. These moments seem to convey wishes for a bright and prosperous new year.

The Hoa community in Vietnam boasts a rich and diverse cultural life. Known for their culinary skills, the Hoa people are always equipped with a variety of kitchen tools such as pots, pans, frying woks, stone grinders for making cakes, and other dishes for the festive seasons. Traditional Hoa dishes include char siu, kho nhuc (braised pork), roasted pig, dumplings (sui cao), and rice cakes (banh to).

The Chinese-style dumplings, sui cao, come with a variety of fillings to suit every taste, including pork, beef, shrimp, chicken, and even vegetables. They are shaped in different ways and have a unique, delicious flavor. For this reason, the Hoa people traditionally eat dumplings during the year-end meal, as they believe it brings good luck for the coming year. Additionally, the kho nhuc, a braised pork dish, has a melt-in-your-mouth texture. The blend of spices in this dish makes it a favorite during festive gatherings. This dish is often served to honor visitors from afar, making it a popular choice for family reunions during Tet.

The traditional Khmer New Year, known as Chôl Chnăm Thmây, is celebrated from April 14th to 16th each year. This festival, also called the ''Age-Receiving Ceremony,'' marks the transition from the old year to the new. Key celebrations like Sen Dolta, Oóc-om-bóc, and Chôl Chnăm Thmây feature a variety of delicious traditional dishes. Some must-have foods include fried cakes, sticky rice cakes, rice dumplings, sponge cakes, and num kha mos (sweet cakes), which are first offered to ancestors and then enjoyed together by family and friends.

Khmer cuisine is incredibly rich and diverse, reflecting the relationship between the people and their natural environment. Khmer meals, whether for daily life or special occasions, are prepared with ingredients sourced from nature, and many dishes are creatively crafted. This culinary tradition has been passed down through generations, preserving the beauty of Khmer culture over time.

The Kinh people make up 85.3% of the population of Vietnam, and they live and work across the entire country, from the north to the south. The Kinh New Year celebration is considered a beautiful cultural tradition of Vietnam, featuring many customs that carry deep meanings, all hoping for a peaceful, prosperous, and lucky new year.

The Kinh people are known for their rich and varied culinary heritage. As the largest ethnic group among the 54 different groups in Vietnam, the traditional Kinh New Year meal includes essential dishes such as sticky rice cakes, square rice cakes, pickled onions, pickled scallions, jelly meat, spring rolls, sausage, sticky rice, boiled chicken, and bamboo shoot soup. These dishes are easy to prepare and form the heart of a typical Vietnamese New Year feast.

While Kinh cuisine may vary from region to region, there are common elements that bring the various regional cuisines together, creating a unique and harmonious culinary style. The beauty of this culinary culture must be preserved and celebrated, enriching the vibrant tapestry of Vietnam's diverse ethnic groups.

Unlike the Kinh people’s New Year, the Mong people celebrate their New Year a month earlier, and the festivities last for an entire month. Every spring, when the apricot and peach blossoms bloom across the hills of the Northwest, and the sound of the flute fills the air, the Mong people joyfully celebrate their traditional New Year.

Food plays a central role in the Mong New Year, with dishes like sticky rice cakes, chicken, and pork taking center stage. During the three main days of the celebration, every household keeps their fire burning continuously, both to keep warm and to drive away evil spirits while praying for peace and good fortune. The house is also cleaned and decorated with new clothes to welcome the New Year. The Mong’s offering table usually features a large sticky rice cake. Made from glutinous rice, it is steamed and then pounded into a smooth dough using a wooden pestle, after which egg yolk is spread on the surface.

According to the Mong people’s beliefs, the round shape of the sticky rice cake symbolizes the Moon and the Sun. It is the primary food consumed throughout their month-long New Year celebration.

The Nung people primarily reside in the highlands, where their way of life is closely tied to nature and they have a tradition of self-sustaining agriculture. Historically, the Nung hunted, gathered, and farmed their own food. Over time, they have developed many unique dishes, creating a distinct culinary identity. Some of the Nung’s traditional foods have become famous as local specialties in Lang Son, where many Nung people live.

While the Nung do not observe the ritual of sending off the Kitchen Gods as the Kinh people do, their New Year celebration is lively and abundant. Many Nung families live alongside the Tay people, and during the New Year, the bánh chưng (square sticky rice cake) is an essential part of the feast.

Another notable dish is bánh khảo, also known as bánh cao, wrapped in colored paper. This cake is handmade by households and shared with guests, who evaluate the host’s culinary skills. Another essential dish for the Nung during New Year is the vibrant five-color sticky rice, with colors like green, yellow, red, purple, and white, which add festive color to the celebration and symbolize prosperity and happiness for the coming year.