Vietnamese Herbs: 15+ Essential Varieties You Need to Know+ Vietnamese Names, Flavours, and a Free PDF Guide
Get ready to dive into the vibrant world of Vietnamese herbs! In this post, we’ll cover their local names, unique flavors, and how they’re used in everyday cooking. We’ve included a FAQ section to answer common questions. As a bonus, stick around until the end for a free PDF guide!
Discover common Vietnamese herbs
1. Green onion
Overview
Green onions, one of the most popular Vietnamese herbs, are a versatile ingredient widely used in various dishes for their fresh flavor and aroma.
Green leaves: The green tops are the most commonly used part, often chopped and sprinkled over soups, pho, and noodle dishes, right before serving. They add a fresh pop of color and a mild onion aroma.
White bulb: In Vietnamese cooking, the white bulb of green onions is often the first ingredient added to hot oil or fat. This step, called ‘phi hanh,’ brings out the onion’s natural sweetness and creates a flavorful, fragrant base before adding other ingredients like meat or fish. This method adds a rich, savory aroma to the dish, enhancing its overall flavor.
2. Vietnamese coriander
Vietnamese coriander pairs perfectly with both fertilized duck eggs (left) and Vietnamese chicken salad (right)
Overview
In Vietnamese cuisine, Vietnamese coriander, known as ‘rau ram,’ is a popular herb that adds a distinctive, slightly peppery taste to many dishes. Vietnamese coriander has dark green leaves with brown spots on top and a reddish-purple hue underneath. In ideal conditions, it can grow 6 to 12 inches (15–30 cm) tall and spread up to 24 inches (60 cm). It’s commonly used in dishes like goi ga (Vietnamese chicken salad), served alongside trung vit lon (fertilized duck egg), and added to canh ca diec (crucian carp soup)
3. Coriander
Coriander is commonly used as a garnish to make dishes look even more appetizing.
Overview
Coriander, or ngo ri, is a herb commonly used in everyday Vietnamese cooking, from stir-fries to soups and rice porridge. While many love its fresh taste, some people find the scent a bit strong. After cooking, it’s finely chopped and sprinkled over dishes to add a burst of flavor and color. In addition to cooked dishes, Vietnamese people also enjoy using coriander in rau song, a refreshing blend of herbs and leafy greens.
In Vietnam, people often combine various herbs and leafy greens into what’s called rau song. These fresh herbs are commonly served as accompaniments to meals, adding aromatic and flavorful contrast to rich dishes like meats, fried foods, or grilled items. Rau song is typically enjoyed raw or lightly blanched, and it’s often wrapped or rolled with savory foods, added to hot pots, or chopped into noodle soups, bringing a burst of freshness that balances the richness of the main dishes.
A plate of fresh Vietnamese greens (rau song), featuring a mix of herbs and vegetables
4. Thai basil
Thai basil is used in dishes like Bun Bo Hue and Pho.
Overview
Thai basil, known as hung que in Vietnam, is a small, sturdy herb with distinctive purple stems and green leaves. When it blooms, the flowers are a delicate pink. The leaves have a sweet, anise-like fragrance with hints of licorice and a subtle spiciness. In Vietnamese cuisine, Thai basil is commonly served alongside beloved dishes like pho and bun bo Hue.
5. Lemon basil
Chicken hotpot with lemon basil leaves (left) and a refreshing lemon basil seed drink (right).
Overview
Many people often confuse lemon basil (e trang) with Thai basil (hung que), but there are some key differences between the two. Thai basil has purple stems and flowers, while lemon basil features green stems and white flowers. Another difference is that lemon basil leaves have tiny hairs and are generally smaller, whereas Thai basil leaves are smooth and larger.
In Vietnamese cuisine, lemon basil is a popular ingredient in dishes like lau ga la e (chicken hotpot with lemon basil leaves) and pairs well with other herbs in dishes like mi Quang (Quang noodles). The seeds of lemon basil are also used in a refreshing drink. To make it, Vietnamese people simmer the seeds with sugar and a few slices of ginger in water, then let it cool before serving it over ice for a simple and cooling beverage.
6. Lemon grass
Lemongrass is used in noodle broth (left) or to marinate meat before stir-frying (right)
Overview
Lemongrass is one of the essential herbs used in Vietnamese cooking, known for adding a delicious aroma to dishes. For example, in the famous Vietnamese dish bun bo (beef noodle soup), lemongrass is often added to the broth to give it a fragrant flavor. In Vietnam, lemongrass is also commonly chopped with fresh chili and used as a marinade for meats like chicken, beef, duck, or frog. This combination is then stir-fried, creating delicious dishes.
7. Culantro/ sawtooth coriander
Culantro is used in sour fish soup (left) and as a garnish for dishes (right).
Overview
Culantro, or ngo gai, has a distinctive appearance with small serrated edges along both sides of its leaves. In Vietnamese cuisine, ngo gai is often used in dishes like pho, and canh chua ca (sour fish soup), adding a unique flavor. Vietnamese people also use ngo gai in juice, believing it offers various health benefits.
8. Perilla leaf
Perilla leaves are used in grilled pork with rice vermicelli (left) and eel porridge (right)
Overview
In Vietnam, perilla (tia to) is a herb that grows to about 50-100 cm tall. Its leaves are green on top and purple underneath, though some varieties are fully green or fully purple. The plant has a fragrant aroma and a slightly fuzzy texture. Perilla leaves are popular as a fresh herb in dishes like bun cha (grilled pork with rice vermicelli), and they’re often added to rice porridge, especially eel porridge, where their unique flavor really shines. Vietnamese people also brew perilla leaves into tea, which is believed to support digestion and improve skin health.
9. Garlic chives
Garlic chives are used in chive noodle soup.
Overview
In Vietnam, he (garlic chives) grows easily thanks to the ideal climate and is found in gardens across the country. The leaves are flat, vibrant green, and typically range from 20 to 40 cm in length. They have a mild, subtle flavor that combines hints of garlic and onion, which adds a unique touch to many dishes. Although garlic chives are available year-round, it’s considered best in spring when its flavor and quality are thought to peak. In Vietnamese cooking, it’s often featured in comforting dishes like banh canh he (chive noodle soup), a thick noodle soup made with fish cakes, pork bones, thick Vietnamese noodles, and fresh chives.
10. Fish mint
Fish mint is used in Vietnamese pancakes (left) or combined with other herbs to make rau song (right).
Overview
In Vietnam, diep ca, or Vietnamese fish mint, grows year-round in gardens, especially in moist, shaded areas. The leaves are heart-shaped and green, while the flowers are small, with a pale white or yellowish color. The flavor of diep ca is unique—it’s tangy with a hint of spice. Some people describe its taste as slightly fishy, though opinions vary! In Vietnamese cuisine, diep ca is often enjoyed fresh and served with grilled meats, fresh spring rolls, and crispy banh xeo (Vietnamese pancake). It’s also popular as a fresh juice ingredient, which many believe has health benefits.
11. Spearmint
Spearmint is used in Mi Quang (left) and Vietnamese pancakes (right)
Overview
In Vietnam, spearmint, or hung lui, is a fragrant herb with shallow roots that spread close to the soil’s surface. The plant grows to about 50–60 cm in height, with deep green leaves that are small, about 2–5 cm long and 1–3 cm wide. The leaves have a soft layer of fuzz on both sides and finely serrated edges. Hung lui has a fresh, mild mint flavor and is often combined with other herbs, especially as a topping for dishes like mi Quang (Quang noodles).
12. Peppermint
Overview
Many people still get confused between peppermint and spearmint because they look quite similar. In reality, though, spearmint has a milder, sweeter taste compared to peppermint, thanks to its lower menthol content. Peppermint contains forty percent menthol, which is what gives peppermint leaves their numbing, cooling effect.
13. Vietnamese balm
Vietnamese balm is used in dishes like bun dau mam tom (left) and bun cha (right)
Overview
In Vietnam, Vietnamese balm (known as kinh gioi) is a fragrant herb that grows to about 30–50 cm tall and is very easy to cultivate. The leaves are small, around 2–5 cm long, with serrated edges. It has a mild, spicy flavor and a pleasant aroma due to the essential oils it contains. Although it looks similar to perilla (tia to), Vietnamese balm is a different herb. Its leaves are smaller and bright green on top, while perilla leaves are typically more purple, especially underneath.
In Vietnamese cuisine, Vietnamese Balm is often used fresh, adding a burst of flavor to dishes like boiled pork wrapped in rice paper, bun oc (snail vermicelli soup), bun rieu cua (Vietnamese crab noodle soup), bun dau mam tom ((rice vermicelli with fried tofu and shrimp paste), and bun cha (grilled pork with noodles).
14. Wild betel/ piper lolot
Piper lolot is used in dishes such as ‘Bo cuon la lot’ (left) and ‘Bo xao la lot’ (right).
Overview
Piper lolot leaves are thin, heart-shaped, and typically about 8–10 cm long and 8–11 cm wide. They are often confused with betel leaves, but these two are actually quite different. Piper lolot leaves have a much more pleasant, aromatic fragrance and are used in cooking, unlike betel leaves. In Vietnamese cuisine, piper lolot leaves are a key ingredient in dishes like thit bo cuon la lot (grilled beef wrapped in piper lolot leaves) and Thit bo xao la lot (stir-fried beef with piper lolot leaves).
15. Celery
Overview
Celery is one of the versatile Vietnamese cooking herbs, enjoyed not only as a juice but also in stir-fries like squid with celery and beef with celery. It’s especially key in hu tieu Nam Vang (Nam Vang noodle soup), a delicious noodle dish made with transparent rice noodles and topped with pork liver, ground pork, quail eggs, fried shallots, garlic, and poached shrimp. Served with a mix of fresh garnishes—like garlic chives, celery, green onions, cilantro, and lettuce.
16. Dill
Dill is used in fish soups
Overview
In Vietnam, thi la, or dill, is loved for its fresh, distinct aroma. Its pleasant scent makes it a popular herb in Vietnamese cooking, especially in fish soups, where it’s used to balance and reduce any fishy odor.
Conclusion
Vietnamese herbs and vegetables are essential to creating the vibrant flavors of Vietnamese cuisine. From fresh garnishes to flavorful broths, these Vietnamese herbs for cooking can transform any dish into something truly special. Whether you’re growing them at home or picking them up at a local market, incorporating these herbs into your cooking is a simple way to add authenticity and freshness to your meals.
Here is a video about a famous vegetable village that grows various Vietnamese herbs and vegetables in Vietnam.
FAQs: What you need to know about Vietnamese herbs
Can you eat fresh herbs in Vietnam?
Yes, fresh herbs are widely enjoyed in Vietnam and are an important part of the cuisine. Herbs like Vietnamese coriander, fish mint, Thai basil, and perilla are commonly used in dishes like salads, spring rolls, and noodle bowls, adding a fresh, vibrant flavor. These herbs are usually served raw and are safe to eat. Just make sure to choose fresh, clean herbs from trusted sources.
How to propagate Vietnamese herbs?
Most Vietnamese herbs can be propagated through seeds or cuttings. For example, Vietnamese coriander can be grown from seeds by soaking them in warm water for about 4-6 hours to help them germinate faster. After that, the seeds are ready to be sown in the soil. Alternatively, you can propagate Vietnamese coriander using cuttings. Simply take healthy, strong stems about 12-15 cm long and plant them directly in the soil. This method works for many other Vietnamese herbs as well, making it easy to grow these flavorful plants at home!
What herbs are used in Vietnamese food?
Herbs are a key part of Vietnamese cuisine and add fresh flavors to many dishes. Some, like green onions and lemongrass, are used to marinate meats, giving them extra flavor. Others, like Vietnamese coriander, are perfect for salads like chicken salad. After cooking, fresh herbs like cilantro and Thai basil are added for freshness. Herbs like fish mint, Thai basil, and perilla are often served with dishes like bun, pho, banh xeo, and goi cuon. And then, there’s celery, which is essential for stir-frying with beef or squid to create savory dishes.
What gives Vietnamese food its flavor?
What are the benefits of Vietnamese herbs?
What are the purple leaves on Vietnamese herbs?
What are the herbs in pho?
Why does Vietnamese food taste so good?
What are some Vietnamese herbs to grow from seed?
What is the Vietnamese herb that smells like fish?
What is coriander called in Vietnam?
Do Vietnamese use rosemary?
Is Thai basil the same as Vietnamese mint?
What type of basil is used in Vietnamese food?
Bonus: Free PDF Guide to Vietnamese Herbs
What’s Inside This PDF Guide
VivaVN Team created this PDF to give you an overview of 16 common Vietnamese herbs. This Vietnamese herbs list includes detailed information about each herb, including:
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© 2024 vivavn.com
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