Vegan in Vietnam
Buddhist 'chay' cooking gives Vietnam a nationwide network of fully plant-based kitchens, and the everyday food culture is built on rice, herbs, tofu and vegetables. Fish sauce is the single biggest obstacle, and it hides in almost every dipping sauce.
Plant-based friendliness
84
Dishes that are already plant-based
Phở chay
Vegan pho with a mushroom and charred onion broth.
Bánh mì chay
Baguette with tofu, pâté substitutes and pickles — check the mayo.
Gỏi cuốn chay
Fresh rice-paper rolls; ask for peanut sauce, not nước chấm.
Cơm tấm chay
Broken rice plates with braised tofu and pickled vegetables.
Market staples
Rice noodlesTofuFresh herbsPeanutsMushroomsGreen banana and jackfruit
Phrases to use
- Tôi ăn chay
- I eat vegan/Buddhist vegetarian.
- Không nước mắm
- No fish sauce.
- Không thịt, không trứng, không sữa
- No meat, no eggs, no milk.
Watch out for
- Fish sauce in nearly every dipping sauce and marinade
- Shrimp paste in some noodle broths
- Egg in fresh yellow noodles and some banh mi spreads
- Condensed milk in coffee — ask for black or coconut
Questions people ask
What does 'chay' mean on a sign?
Chay marks Buddhist vegetarian food, which in practice is almost always fully plant-based including no fish sauce.
Is pho ever vegan by default?
Rarely — standard pho broth is beef or chicken. Look specifically for pho chay.