Typical dishes in the Southern Vietnamese New Year feast.

Dishes in the Southern Vietnamese New Year feast tend to be sweet-tasting, and braised dishes and roasted meat are indispensable.

According to Dr. Dinh Duc Tien, a lecturer in the Department of History, University of Social Sciences and Humanities (Vietnam National University, Hanoi), based on local products, specialties, and customs, the Lunar New Year feast in Southern Vietnam has its own unique characteristics.

The New Year's feast in Southern Vietnam is just as diverse and abundant as the New Year's feasts in Central and Northern Vietnam.

Southern Vietnamese cuisine tends to be sweet. (Illustrative image: Thu Huong Vu)

However, Southern Vietnamese cuisine tends to favor sweet flavors, and includes signature dishes such as braised dishes and roasted meat (due to the influence of Chinese culture).

According to folklore researcher Nguyen Hung Vi, dishes commonly found on Tet (Lunar New Year) feast tables in Southern Vietnam include: braised pork, bitter melon soup, banh tet (sticky rice cake), and sausages… These dishes offer a balance of sour, spicy, salty, and sweet flavors.

In addition, the Tet feast in Southern Vietnam is usually meticulously prepared, from main courses to side dishes, soups to dry dishes, and, of course, salads and appetizers.

At the same time, the dishes are harmoniously combined and balanced in flavor, ensuring sufficient nutrition and preventing boredom with the meal.

Main courses

Banh Tet: A symbol of Tet cuisine in Southern Vietnam, representing prosperity and family reunion. This cake is often eaten with pickled vegetables and pickled onions.

Braised pork with eggs (pork braised in soy sauce): A signature dish of Southern Vietnam, with square pieces of pork and round eggs symbolizing the completeness and fullness of heaven and earth.

Bitter gourd soup stuffed with meat: This symbolizes the wish that all the hardships of the past year will quickly pass in the new year.

Boiled chicken: Usually offered as a whole chicken (often a rooster with its wings tied up).

Side dishes

Pickled shallots with dried shrimp: The sweet, sour, and spicy flavors help prevent boredom with the same old dishes.

Pickled vegetables, pickled salads: Various types of vegetables pickled in sweet and sour brine.

Spring rolls (fried nem): Crispy and crunchy, symbolizing warmth and abundance.

Pork sausage and head cheese: Familiar and convenient dishes.

Sausage: The color red brings good luck.

Besides the signature dishes, the traditional Tet feast in Southern Vietnam often includes unusual dishes such as pickled radishes in fish sauce or soy sauce, sticky rice, spring rolls, and various kinds of jams…

The Tet feast in Southern Vietnam emphasizes intimacy, rich flavors, and conveys simple wishes for a peaceful and prosperous new year.

Horoscope for the Year of the Horse in 2026: A year of many changes, with support from a male benefactor. A highlight for those born in the Year of the Horse in 2026 is the strong support from the Tỷ Kiên (a benefactor in Chinese astrology), signaling the encounter with a male benefactor in their work.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/nhung-mon-an-dac-trung-trong-mam-co-mien-nam-ngay-tet-nguyen-dan-2489563.html