Vietnamese salad: 15 BEST recipes to enjoy authentic flavors

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Vietnamese salad is one of the many Vietnamese foods that you must not miss out on while traveling to Vietnam. There are a lot of different options for you to choose from, depending on where you are and what you are craving. Learn more about them here so you can give them a try and complete your Vietnam travel experience.

1. Vietnamese papaya salad (Goi du du)

Vietnamese papaya salad is a refreshing salad made primarily from green papaya. Other ingredients include shredded carrots, herbs, along with beef, shrimp, or pork for added protein. This salad is known for its sweet, sour, and spicy flavors, often achieved through the use of a dressing made from fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and chili. Roasted peanuts or fried shallots are usually sprinkled on top for extra crunch. Goi du du is a popular dish in Vietnamese cuisine, offering a delightful combination of textures and tastes. Generally, people enjoy it as an appetizer or side dish. 

There are many variations of Vietnamese salads (Source: Collected)

2. Vietnamese pomelo salad (Goi buoi) – A tasty Vietnamese salad recipe

Goi buoi is another refreshing Vietnamese salad, centering around pomelo, a tangy fruit. Paired with it are aromatic herbs and succulent protein like shrimp. Sometimes, dried shrimp or beef jerky is also used for their distinct texture and taste. Similar to papaya salad, this Vietnamese salad is enjoyed along with a sweet, sour, and spicy fish sauce-based dressing. Goi buoi is a common item on fine dining menus, where it is enjoyed as an appetizer. 

The tasty Vietnamese pomelo salad (Source: Collected)

3. Vietnamese chicken salad (Goi ga)

Goi ga is a light dish that combines tender, poached chicken with a variety of fresh herbs and vegetables. There is also a dressing, which is a zesty mix of fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, and sometimes chili for a touch of heat. This Vietnamese chicken salad is known for its vibrant taste and texture, with the fresh herbs and vegetables providing a refreshing, crisp contrast to the tender, earthy chicken. In Vietnamese cuisine, it is often served as a healthy and satisfying appetizer or a light main course.

Vietnamese salad with chicken is a light and healthy dish (Source: Collected)

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4. Va tron Hue

This is a Hue food specialty that used to be prepared for family gatherings and occasions like the Lunar New Year (Tet). Today, you can easily find it anywhere, including fine dining restaurants and simple sidewalk stalls. The star of the dish is va, a Hue fruit, sliced and mixed with minced herbs, as well as stir-fried shrimp and pork. For added crunch, this Vietnamese salad is enjoyed with roasted peanuts and rice paper. The unique combination of tastes and textures makes it a memorable and addicting dish. 

Va tron Hue is a specialty Vietnamese salad in the city of Hue (Source: Collected)

5. Vietnamese beef salad (Goi bo)

Vietnamese beef salad is a classic choice when it comes to Vietnamese salad. The star of this dish is thinly sliced beef, which is marinated and stir-fried to bring out the taste. Other ingredients are added based on the variation. A typical combination includes carrot, onion, star-fruit, and chili pepper. These offer additional flavor, texture, and color to goi bo. Like other Vietnamese salads, there is an accompanying dressing made of fish sauce. It is sweet, sour, and spicy, courtesy of its mix of ingredients. Vietnamese people often enjoy this salad as an appetizer along with crispy crab crackers. 

Vietnamese beef salad, or goi bo (Source: Collected)

6. Water spinach salad (Nom rau muong)

This delectable Vietnamese salad features water spinach, a leafy green vegetable abundant in Vietnam, as the star ingredient. Typically, fresh water spinach leaves are blanched briefly to retain their crispness and green color. The salad is then garnished with fragrant herbs and crunchy roasted peanuts. A zesty dressing made from fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, and chili imparts a harmonious balance of sweet, sour, and savory flavors. Nom rau muong is often enjoyed as a side dish or a light appetizer. Its delightful combination of tastes and textures makes it very popular in Vietnam.

Nom rau muong is a very popular Vietnamese salad (Source: Collected)

7. Vietnamese cabbage salad (Goi bap cai) – A simple Vietnamese salad dish

This Vietnamese salad is typically enjoyed with chicken porridge. It is easy and quick to make, but the taste is unrivaled. The key to this dish is selecting the right ingredients. The two main items, chicken and cabbage, must be fresh. Other ingredients include carrots, onions, and laksa leaves. To make the dressing, fish sauce, lemon, and chili are used. Those that do not like chicken can substitute with shrimp and pork. In this case, the salad is eaten as an appetizer or a light dish by itself.

Vietnamese salad with cabbage is often eaten with chicken porridge (Source: Collected)

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8. Vietnamese lotus root salad (Goi ngo sen)

This is one of the most popular Vietnamese salads out there. Its most important ingredient is the root of Vietnam’s national flower, the lotus. Though it is called the root, this part of the flower is actually the stem. It has a slightly crunchy texture and a mild earthy flavor. In vegetarian restaurants, this salad typically includes carrots, cucumbers, white and purple cabbages, and tofu. Various protein items can also be added, such as shrimp, pork, and beef. Pork ear and chicken feet are also sometimes used. That being said, this Vietnamese salad is very versatile.

Goi ngo sen, or Vietnamese lotus root salad (Source: Collected)

9. Vietnamese banana flower salad (Goi bap chuoi)

This is a simple salad with a strong rural flavor that is loved in all the three regions of Vietnam: North, Central, and South. Today, you can find it in all types of dining establishments, from small eateries to large restaurants. As the name suggests, banana flower is the key ingredient in this dish. Additional items are star-fruits, cucumbers, onions, carrots, etc. The salad dressing is a mix of fish sauce, lemon, garlic, chili, and sugar. As a result, banana flower salad tastes sweet, sour, and spicy all at once. This Vietnamese salad is often served on special occasions like weddings.

Vietnamese salad with banana flower is definitely worth trying (Source: Collected)

10. Vietnamese raw herring salad (Goi ca trich)

Goi ca trich is a Phu Quoc food specialty. Herring is a type of small, silvery fish that has a rich flavor profile. For Vietnamese raw herring salad, the herring is cleaned, sliced into filets, then mixed with lime juice, julienned red onion, and shredded coconut. In some places, lime juice is replaced with a mixture of vinegar, guava, sugar, and salt. Goi ca trich’s dressing is made from minced chili, garlic, and peanuts blended with Phu Quoc fish sauce. Unlike other Vietnamese salads, raw herring salad is often enjoyed as a main course item rather than as an appetizer or side dish.

Fresh Vietnamese salad with raw herring (Source: Collected)

11. Coconut tuber salad (Goi cu hu dua) – One of the traditional Vietnamese salad dishes

Goi cu hu dua is made from the tuber of the coconut palm tree, a highlight of Southern Vietnam. If you do not know what coconut tuber is, think of it as the core of the tree. To obtain it, people would choose mature coconut trees, climb to the top to remove all the leaves, flowers, and fruits, then cut out the core. Needless to say, the key ingredient in this Vietnamese salad is the tuber. It is typically shredded or julienned and mixed with various vegetables like cucumber and sometimes protein like shrimp or pork.

The dressing is a harmonious blend of fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, and chili, providing a balance of sweet, savory, sour, and spicy flavors. Roasted peanuts and shallots are often sprinkled on top for added crunch and flavor. This salad is known for its refreshing taste, making it a popular choice among Vietnamese salads. The coconut tuber’s unique texture and the flavorful dressing will create a memorably mouth-watering experience for those who enjoy the dish.

Vietnamese coconut tuber salad, or goi cu hu dua (Source: Collected)

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12. Vietnamese jellyfish salad (Goi sua)

Goi sua is another seafood salad. Its main ingredient is jellyfish, which is cut into slices. The jellyfish is carefully prepared so that there is no lingering smell. It is chewy and borderline crunchy, offering a fun eating experience.

There are many ways to make Vietnamese jellyfish salad. One of the most well-known is mixing jellyfish with green papaya. Another is mixing it with onion. But there is really no limit to what you can include in this Vietnamese salad, like carrots, cucumbers, herbs, etc. Goi sua’s dressing is similar to that of other Vietnamese salads. It is a sweet, sour, and spicy mixture of fish sauce, lime, and chili. Vietnamese jellyfish salad is particularly popular in coastal cities like Nha Trang, Da Nang, Vung Tau, etc.

Vietnamese salad with jellyfish is a unique variation (Source: Collected)

13. Vietnamese shrimp salad (Goi tom)

Those who are fans of seafood will be glad to know that there is yet another Vietnamese salad offering the taste of the sea. Goi tom, or shrimp salad, is a flavorful dish that has shrimp as the main ingredient. The shrimp is usually poached and mixed with a variety of vegetables and herbs. Typical additions are carrots, cucumbers, coriander, and laksa leaves.

There are also variations of Vietnamese salads which use dried shrimp. Compared to poached shrimp, dried shrimp has a concentrated, intensely savory, and briny flavor. It is also not soft but rather chewy and slightly crunchy. Vietnamese shrimp salad can be eaten on its own as a light meal, perhaps for lunch or brunch, or within a larger feast as an appetizer. 

Goi tom, or Vietnamese salad with shrimp (Source: Collected)

14. Vietnamese vermicelli salad (Bun cha gio)

Unlike other Vietnamese salads, this dish’s ingredients extend beyond protein and vegetables. It also includes vermicelli. So, this dish can sometimes be referred to as Vietnamese noodle salad.

Bun cha gio is a popular Vietnamese dish that combines two main components: vermicelli and cha gio, which are spring rolls. The spring rolls are made by wrapping a mixture of minced pork and vegetables in rice paper and deep-frying until they become golden and crispy. Bun cha gio is served with a dipping sauce, which includes a mixture of fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and chili. You can mix everything up in a bowl to enjoy or combine the noodles, vegetables, and spring rolls, then dip them in the sauce.

Vietnamese vermicelli salad with spring rolls (Source: Collected)

15. Cucumber salad (Goi dua chuot) – An easy Vietnamese salad recipe

Last but not least, goi dua chuot is a popular Vietnamese salad for vegetarians and vegans. It is essentially cucumbers mixed with a range of other vegetables like carrots and bean sprouts. To put together a tasty bowl of this salad, it is important to get rid of the cucumber’s bitter taste using salt. The dressing is made with fish sauce, lime juice, and chili. Once everything is ready to go, top the salad with roasted peanuts or fried shallots for additional flavor. Cucumber salad is easy to make and just as easy to savor. You can just serve it cold as an appetizer or side dish.

Vietnamese salad with cucumber is a great options for vegetarians (Source: Collected)

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To give all the Vietnamese salads above a try, why not embark on a trip to Vietnam? You can come to popular destinations such as Hanoi, Hoi An, Nha Trang, and Phu Quoc, where you will be able to taste Vietnamese salads along with many other delicacies. 

To complement your culinary journey, you can continue on to the entertainment complexes of VinWonders Wave Park & Water Park, VinKE & Vinpearl Aquarium, VinWonders Nam Hoi An, VinWonders Nha Trang, and VinWonders Phu Quoc. VinWonders offers various engaging activities that can leave you with countless fun-filled memories.

Visit VinWonders after enjoying Vietnamese salad

>>> Book tickets of VinWonders Phu Quoc, Nha Trang, Nam Hoi An, VinKE & Vinpearl Aquarium and VinWonders Wave Park & Water Park for fun-filled memories to complement your culinary journey!

There are many different Vietnamese salads that you can try while visiting Vietnam. If you like eating seafood, Vietnamese shrimp salad is a classic. More unique choices include Vietnamese raw herring salad and Vietnamese jellyfish salad. If you are not much of a seafood fan but prefer meat, you can go for Vietnamese beef salad or Vietnamese chicken salad. And if you are curious about special Vietnamese ingredients, try lotus root salad, coconut tuber salad, va tron Hue, etc.