Top 13 Essential Dishes in a Traditional Southern Vietnamese Tet Feast

A classic dish that is indispensable in the Southern Tet feast is the rice paper roll. Rice paper, a long-standing favorite in Vietnamese cuisine, is especially popular during Tet. Alongside traditional dishes, rice paper rolls often appear on the ancestral offering tables during the New Year to honor the ancestors. This dish symbolizes the rural life and the rice farming culture. During Tet, families often cook rice once for ancestor worship and spend the rest of the time visiting relatives and friends to offer New Year wishes. After a day of visiting, rice paper rolls with pork, herbs, and fresh vegetables make a perfect snack. It is also served when guests arrive at the house.

While rice paper rolls are also enjoyed in the North, they are not typically part of the Northern Tet celebration due to cultural taboos regarding shrimp consumption during the first days of the year. In the South, however, this dish is a signature of Tet feasts. To make the soft, delicate rice paper rolls, high-quality rice is soaked, ground into flour, and then steamed to form thin sheets that are used to wrap various fillings. These rolls are usually filled with grilled pork, fish, shrimp, sausages, and a variety of herbs. The dish is enhanced by dipping it into a sauce with the distinct flavor of the South, leaving a refreshing taste that doesn’t overwhelm the palate.

The earliest sign of Tet arriving in most Vietnamese homes is the sight of bundles of shallots, onions, and radishes, brought home by the women from the market to prepare a variety of pickled vegetables, collectively known as 'dua mon'. Among these, pickled shallots are a favorite in Southern households. While the North traditionally features pickled onions served with Banh Chung, in the South, pickled shallots with dried shrimp are the must-have dish. Although simple, this dish is a staple at Tet feasts and serves as a perfect accompaniment to Banh Tet. In addition, it’s also a favored side dish for those enjoying a drink during the holiday celebrations.

To prepare this dish, shallots are peeled, cleaned, and dried before being placed in a jar. A layer of sugar is added on top of each layer of shallots. The jar is then sealed and left for about 10 days, allowing the shallots to release their juice. If you prefer a tangier taste, leave them for an extra day or two. Once ready, the pickled shallots are mixed with dried shrimp and served alongside Banh Tet. The combination is flavorful with a sweet and aromatic balance. This dish is perfect for women and children, but for men who enjoy their Tet drinks, it’s a top-tier snack, perfect for pairing with beer and easy to devour. Many drinkers even spend the entire day celebrating Tet, drinking beer, and only nibbling on shallots and dried shrimp.

In Eastern philosophy, the color red symbolizes good fortune, which is why it's no surprise that red hues, including the bright red of sausage, are a must-have on Southern Vietnamese Tet tables. The red color represents 'eating for good luck.' Additionally, according to Chinese culture, having money in the home during Tet is believed to bring wealth and prosperity. Interestingly, the name 'sausage' comes from the fact that these sausages are often linked together, resembling a string of red coins, symbolizing wishes for prosperity and wealth. This is why sausages are commonly offered on the ancestral altar during Tet celebrations.

Sausage is a beloved dish in Southern Vietnam, especially during Tet, when families purchase delicious sausages to serve and share with guests. There are many varieties, such as fresh sausage, dried sausage, lean sausage, shrimp sausage, and fish sausage. These sausages can be prepared in various ways, including boiling, frying, or grilling. Although many people do not make their own sausages, they often buy them from trusted, traditional producers in the Mekong Delta. While it may be a side dish in a Tet feast, it’s an indispensable part of the Southern Tet menu and is especially popular with children.

Shredded chicken salad is a quick and refreshing dish with a perfect balance of sweet and sour flavors. Packed with nutrients, it won't make you feel overly full like other meat dishes, as the sourness helps balance out any greasiness. The dish features main ingredients such as chicken, Vietnamese coriander, mint leaves, onions, and seasonings like vinegar, sugar, and fish sauce. With its unique Southern seasoning and taste, this simple yet flavorful dish is often served as part of the Tet feast in the South.

Shredded chicken salad is a beloved dish in the Mekong Delta, with tender, fragrant chicken and crisp vegetables. Its combination of textures makes it a nostalgic reminder of home. There are many variations of the recipe, depending on the vegetables used, such as cabbage, carrots, cucumber, and banana flower. Making shredded chicken salad is straightforward, but everyone has their own secret twist that adds uniqueness to the dish. The key is in preparing all the ingredients well, and the salad is best enjoyed with sweet and sour fish sauce and crispy shrimp crackers.

For Southern Vietnamese families, no Tet feast is complete without spring rolls. Despite the variety of delicious dishes, it is hard to forget the crispy and flavorful experience of biting into a spring roll. In the South, spring rolls are not only filled with the traditional savory fillings, but also feature fruit-based variations that offer a refreshing twist. To make these delicious rolls, you need fresh ingredients such as ground pork, peeled shrimp, wood ear mushrooms, onions, carrots, taro, and spices. The rolls are typically served with fresh herbs and dipping sauce.

Like in the North, Southern Vietnamese people enjoy their spring rolls with a tangy-sweet dipping sauce. The taste of spring rolls largely depends on the quality of the dipping sauce, which enhances the crispy rolls significantly. To prepare the perfect dipping sauce, combine water, sugar, and vinegar in a small pot, and bring to a simmer. Once the sugar dissolves and the mixture boils, remove from heat and allow to cool. Add fish sauce, lime juice, finely chopped garlic, and chili, then stir well. Adjust the seasoning to your taste.

The South of Vietnam is a land of sweet flavors, fragrant flowers, and unique fruits, and it is also home to many delicious yet simple dishes. One such dish is pickled radish in fish sauce, a must-have item on Southern Tet feasts. Much like other regions that feature rich, fatty dishes during Tet, Southern cuisine also includes dishes like this to balance out the heavier flavors. Pickled radish in fish sauce is the perfect palate cleanser, making it a popular choice to prevent meal fatigue during the holiday. The key to making this dish is selecting fresh ingredients. Opt for large, tender radishes and carrots—avoid old, fibrous ones for the best taste.

Freshness is crucial for achieving the authentic flavor of this dish. Clean the radish and carrot thoroughly, peel them, and cut them into thin or thick slices, or even carve them into flowers. It’s important to ensure the slices are uniform for even flavor absorption. Then, sprinkle salt on the radishes and carrots, massage them to release moisture, and let them drain before drying them in the sun for a few hours. Once slightly wilted, the radishes and carrots are ready to be pickled. Pickled radish in fish sauce is tangy, sweet, chewy, and crunchy, making it an essential part of the Tet meal in the South. It is not only a great way to refresh the palate, but it also pairs wonderfully with traditional Tet dishes like bánh tét, a beloved Southern treat!

During Tet, people often forget to pay attention to their diet, but one dish that provides a wealth of fiber and vitamins is bamboo shoot soup. In the North, dry bamboo shoots are typically used, but in the South, fresh bamboo shoots are preferred. This choice gives the soup a distinctive flavor, keeping the freshness intact and enhancing the dish. Bamboo shoot soup is a staple in Southern Tet feasts, adding a fresh and hearty touch to the holiday spread.

As a dish that provides plenty of fiber and vitamins, bamboo shoot soup has become a beloved part of Southern Tet meals. The key difference in the Southern version is the use of fresh bamboo shoots, which contribute to the soup's deliciously distinct taste. When served during Tet, the rich, fragrant flavor of the bamboo shoot soup is sure to be a hit with everyone, offering a taste that is both unique and irresistible.

Unlike the North, the Southern Tet feast always showcases the abundance of local produce, with a wide variety of meats, vegetables, and vibrant flavors that catch the eye. While the North has a chillier climate, the South retains the warmth of the sun even during the Tet season, giving Southern cuisine a tropical twist. Sticky rice with green beans is a must-have dish in the Southern Tet offerings. This fragrant sticky rice dish embodies the warmth and togetherness of the holiday, with its delicate blend of glutinous rice, green beans, and coconut milk, offering an irresistible and comforting flavor.

Considered the premier sticky rice dish in Southern cuisine, sticky rice with green beans is an essential part of Tet feasts and has become a beloved tradition during the Lunar New Year. Simple yet incredibly flavorful, it is made with just three core ingredients—glutinous rice, green beans, and coconut milk—but the result is a dish that captivates with its irresistible aroma and taste. If you have the chance to try Southern Tet dishes, make sure to savor this delicious sticky rice dish—it’s an iconic part of the holiday.

Gai Cake is a traditional Vietnamese sweet, originating from the northern plains. The cake is square-shaped, with a dark color from the Gai leaves, and it has a distinctive aroma of green beans and glutinous rice. Today, Gai Cake can be found across Vietnam, and it has become a signature dessert for Tet celebrations in the South. The cake is filled with green bean or coconut fillings, wrapped in a layer of glutinous rice, and encased in Gai leaves, which gives it a chewy texture and unique appearance.

This beloved cake is a familiar sight during Tet, often purchased in bulk from bakeries or made at home. It is considered a symbol of Vietnamese cuisine. In the South, the cake is particularly popular during the Tet holiday, with families buying dozens of them to enjoy during the celebrations. There are two common flavors of Gai Cake: sweet green bean filling or coconut filling, depending on personal preference. The glutinous rice is mixed with Gai leaves, giving the cake its deep, attractive color. A bite into this soft, chewy cake reveals the delicate and fragrant flavors, making it a delightful treat for Tet celebrations in the South of Vietnam.

Pickled bean sprouts are a popular side dish in the South of Vietnam, especially during Tet celebrations, thanks to their refreshing crunch and tangy flavor. This simple, cost-effective dish is not only easy to make but also pairs wonderfully with a variety of meals. The sweet and sour taste, combined with the crisp texture of the sprouts, balances out the richness of meat-heavy dishes commonly served during the holiday.

This pickled bean sprout dish is especially favored during Tet, when the abundance of meats on the table can become overwhelming. It is typically enjoyed with rice, wrapped in rice paper, or paired with braised pork and eggs, as its tangy flavor is the perfect antidote to the heaviness of traditional Tet foods. Made from bean sprouts, chives, and carrots, it's not only delicious but also highly nutritious. The sprouts can be pickled quickly or left to ferment for a deeper flavor.

In Northern Vietnam, the square bánh chưng is a Tet tradition, while in the South, the round bánh tét is an essential part of the holiday feast. Symbolizing prosperity and continuity through generations, bánh tét is cherished by Southern families during Tet celebrations. Much like its northern counterpart, bánh tét comes in various flavors such as savory, mixed, sweet, and vegetarian. These cakes are typically prepared in advance and are not only offered to ancestors during Tet rituals but also given as gifts to loved ones.

To make bánh tét truly delicious, high-quality glutinous rice and fresh pandan leaves are essential. The rice is washed, drained, and sautéed with coconut milk and pandan leaf juice for a rich flavor. The filling includes ingredients like bananas, mung beans, salted pork, eggs, mushrooms, and other savory or sweet additions. The cake is carefully wrapped into a long cylinder and boiled until cooked. When sliced, bánh tét reveals a beautiful palette of colors: deep purple from the banana, white from the pork fat, orange from salted egg yolk, and yellow from the mung beans. In Southern Vietnam, bánh tét is often enjoyed with braised pork, pickled vegetables, and green onions, creating a perfect harmony of flavors.

Braised Pork (with eggs or coconut milk) is a must-have dish for the Tet feast in Southern Vietnam. It’s a unique Southern specialty prepared only during the Lunar New Year, offering a distinctive flavor that's hard to replicate. While popular in Southern households, preparing the perfect braised pork isn’t as simple as it seems. The dish requires careful attention to detail, from choosing the right ingredients to getting the seasoning just right. The key to a delicious braised pork is a rich, savory broth that is perfectly balanced in flavor, with a beautiful golden-brown color.

The essential ingredients for making braised pork include: pork belly (or pork shoulder as it’s called in the North), cut into large pieces, seasoned with fish sauce, sugar, garlic, onion, and chili. After simmering the pork in coconut water, boiled eggs are added and the mixture is slow-cooked until the pork is tender and the sauce reaches a deep, caramelized brown color. Braised pork is usually served with white rice, which absorbs the rich flavors, and is often paired with pickled bean sprouts, making it a perfect balance of flavors that’s irresistible.

Bitter melon, also known as bitter gourd, is used in a traditional soup called bitter melon soup that is unique to the Southern region of Vietnam, especially during the Tet holiday. This dish is quite different from the Northern tradition, where bitter melon is typically stir-fried or stuffed with meat and steamed. The soup is symbolic, representing the hope that the hardships of the past year will be left behind, making way for better luck and fortune in the coming year. While it’s a common dish in Southern Vietnam, it carries great significance during Tet, as its presence on the family table reassures everyone that the bad luck of the previous year has passed and the future holds brighter possibilities.

In Southern Vietnam, bitter melon soup holds a special meaning: it’s believed to symbolize the wish for a fresh start in the new year, leaving behind old struggles and bringing in peace and good fortune. Though the bitterness of the melon might be intense, for the people in the South, it’s a cherished tradition, deeply rooted in their culture. The soup also acts as a refreshing dish to balance out the rich flavors of Tet meals. The soup is made with fresh bitter melons, minced pork, and bone broth. The melons are hollowed out, stuffed with the minced pork, and then simmered in a savory broth, flavored with seasonings and slow-cooked to perfection.