Vietnamese
Lunar New Year Feasts

This content is a part of the project
Tết in the States 2025 | Program at DAR & NMAA Museums

About the Vietnamese Year-End Reunion Feast

Just as the Holiday Season in the United States is celebrated, Tết for the Vietnamese is considered more of an entire season rather than just a few designated days.

One of the highlights of the Tết festivities is the feasts, especially the Year-End Reunion Feast.

Taking place at the end of the last month of the year, this special celebration brings the entire family together. In this sense, it is quite similar to Thanksgiving or Christmas Dinner in the U.S.

During this gathering, the family reflects on their experiences from the past year and shares their hopes for the year ahead.

ALTAR

This section features a typical Vietnamese Ancestral Altar and the dish offered on the altar in the Year-End Reunion Feast.

The Ancestral Altar display draws inspiration from a traditional ancestral altar commonly found in Southern Vietnamese households.

The All Ancestors Painting
These altars often feature a painting symbolizing all the family’s ancestors. The intricate details in the painting reflect the deep respect and gratitude descendants have for their ancestors, while also expressing hopes for the family’s lasting prosperity and harmony. (For more information about the artwork and its cultural meaning, please visit this page.)

During the Vietnamese Year-End Reunion Feast, food offerings are placed on the ancestral altar. The head of the household prays to welcome the ancestors to join in the Tết celebrations, alongside the living.

Vietnamese ancestral worship teaches that, although ancestors have departed from the physical world, we continue to honor them with profound respect, believing that our ancestors remain present among us.

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Gà Luộc

Gà Luộc

boiled rooster

A gleaming golden-boiled rooster holds significant importance as a food offering on the ancestral altar during the Tết season.

Since roosters herald the dawn with their crowing, people present this offering to symbolize their hopes for a bright future as the old year comes to a close, paving the way for the new year.

Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Xôi Chè

Xôi Gấc & Chè Đậu Trắng

momordica sticky rice & black-eyed pea sweet soup with coconut milk

A widely cherished food offering to deities and ancestors in Vietnamese culture is the vegetarian combination of sticky rice and sweet soup.

There are numerous varieties of sticky rice, as people often mix glutinous rice with different plants, resulting in a range of colors and flavors. The sticky rice is typically molded into appealing or rounded shapes to symbolize prosperity.

In Vietnamese ancestral worship, the living are expected to care for their ancestors as if the ancestors were still alive. Consequently, food offerings should consist of items that the family can enjoy later.

Wasting any food offerings is frowned upon, not only as against thriftiness but also as a sign of disrespect.

Once the food is offered, it transforms into a blessing. Those who eat the offerings will receive those blessings.

FEAST

This section features the dishes displayed on the family table for the Year-End Reunion Feast.

Because the Vietnamese Year-End Reunion Feast serves as a wonderful opportunity for family members to come together, this grand meal features multiple courses. The number of dishes is tailored to the number of guests attending.

The dishes at the feast featured in this program include Starters, Main Dishes (Meat and Vegetables), Soups and Desserts.

Starters

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Bánh Chưng

Bánh Chưng

stuffed sticky rice cake, square

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Bánh Tét

Bánh Tét

stuffed sticky rice cake, round

These cakes are popular Tết dishes made from familiar ingredients in Vietnamese cooking, like sticky rice, pork, and mung bean.

Wrapped in banana leaves, the cakes are shaped either square or round to reflect the local traditions and way of life.

They symbolize the hope for an abundant new year thanks to the fertile earth.

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Đồ Nguội 1

Nem, Chả, Đồ Nguội

Vietnamese cold cuts – sour meat pie, beef bologna, pork sausage

Vietnamese cold cuts are tasty, bite-sized appetizers that can be enjoyed either cold or hot.

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Gỏi Tôm Thịt 2

Gỏi Đu Đủ Tôm Thịt

papaya salad with boiled shrimp and meat | sauce: lime juice, vinegar, fish sauce, sugar, garlic, red chili

This dish, similar to many other Vietnamese salads, has a light, sweet-and-sour flavor. This tasty mix wakes up your taste buds and helps with digestion.

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Chả Giò

Chả Giò

spring roll | sauce: fish sauce, garlic, red chili, lime juice, sugar

Chả Giò is made from a mixture of ground pork, shredded mushrooms, veggies, and vermicelli, all wrapped in rice paper and deep-fried until crispy.

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Gỏi Cuốn

Gỏi Cuốn

summer roll
sauce: soybean sauce, peanuts, papaya

Gỏi Cuốn is made with raw lettuce, boiled shrimp, pork, and vermicelli. Unlike the hot, crunchy Chả Giò, Gỏi Cuốn is a fresh and cool dish that helps balance the meal.

Meat Dishes

Complete Sets

These three dishes are complete sets.

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm

Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm

vermicelli with fried tofu, raw veggies | sauce: shrimp paste, red chili, kumquat juice

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Bánh Hỏi Thịt Heo Quay

Bánh Hỏi Heo Quay

fine vermicelli with roast pork, raw veggies | sauce: fish sauce, garlic, chili, lime juice, sugar

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Bánh Mì Bò Kho

Bánh Mì Bò Kho

beef stew with slices of baguette

Bún Đậu Mắm Tôm is a specialty from the North, while Bánh Hỏi Heo Quay appears in the Central region as well as the South. Bánh Mì Bò Kho is a fusion of ingredients from diverse cuisines: Western baguette and stew, Indian curry powder, Vietnamese fish sauce, etc.

Dishes Served with Rice

The rest of the Main Dishes section is typically served with fine white rice.

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Thịt Kho Trứng

Thịt Kho Trứng kèm Cải Chua Dưa Giá

braised pork and eggs
side dish: pickled cabbage, bean sprouts, carrots, chives

Thịt Kho Trứng is a popular dish served during Tết celebrations. This dish can last a long time without spoiling.

It’s usually served with Cải Chua Dưa Giá, a pickled vegetable side that adds a refreshing sour balance to the rich, savory main dish.

Vietnamese people believe that a feast should include dishes made from a variety of main ingredients and prepared in different ways. This makes the feast more exciting and full of diverse flavors.

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Cánh Gà Chiên Mắm

Cánh Gà Chiên Mắm

deep-fried chicken wings with fish sauce glaze

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Bắp Cải Cuộn Thịt Hấp

Bắp Cải Cuộn Thịt

steamed pork cabbage roll

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Cá Kho

Cá Kho

braised fish with caramelized fish sauce

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Tôm Rang

Tôm Rang

fried shrimp

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Veggie Dishes

Vegetable Dishes

No Vietnamese feast is complete without dishes that feature vegetables as the main ingredient. In fact, they’re often treated as “main dishes,” not just sides.

Vietnamese people love vegetables so much that they have thought of many different ways to cook veggies.

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Khổ Qua Xào Trứng

Khổ Qua Xào Trứng

bitter melon with scrambled eggs

In Vietnamese, bitter melon is called “khổ qua,” which sounds similar to the phrase “sufferings gone.” That’s why it’s a popular dish during Tết, as people hope for their hardships to disappear in the new year.

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Rau Muống Xào Tỏi

Rau Muống Xào Tỏi

water spinach stir-fried with garlic

Water spinach is a popular leafy vegetable in Vietnamese cuisine because it is easy to grow, requiring little to no care. There are 10 ways to cook water spinach.

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Rau Củ Kho Quẹt

Rau Củ Kho Quẹt

raw vegetables | sauce: caramelized fish sauce dip

Consuming raw, parboiled or steamed veggies is not unfamiliar. However, the magic of this dish in Vietnamese style lies in the caramelized fish sauce dip.

Soups

Many Vietnamese soups have a perfect balance of protein and fiber. As a result, they yield a comforting mix of flavors.

For example, if Canh Chua Cá is both sour and sweet, Canh Khổ Qua Dồn Thịt might be a little bitter with a savory aftertaste. Canh Súp Rau Củ has a light meaty flavor from stewed ribs and a natural sweetness from boiled root vegetables.

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Canh Chua Cá

Canh Chua Cá

sweet and sour fish soup

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Canh Khổ Qua Dồn Thịt

Canh Khổ Qua Dồn Thịt

stuffed bitter melon soup

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Canh Súp Rau Củ

Canh Súp Rau Củ

starchy vegetables pork rib soup

Desserts

While there are many types of desserts in Vietnam, sweet soups are the most loved because of their mix of crunchy, soft, and chewy ingredients, all in a sweet broth.

During Tết, Vietnamese people love to enjoy Chè Trôi Nước. The cute, colorful rice balls symbolize the reunion of loved ones coming together.

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Chè Trôi Nước

Chè Trôi Nước

glutinous rice balls bathed in a sweet ginger syrup

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Chè Đậu Xanh Phổ Tai

Chè Đậu Xanh Phổ Tai

mung bean with seaweed sweet soup

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Chè Chuối Bột Báng

Chè Chuối Bột Báng

banana and tapioca sweet soup

DAR Vietnamese Year-End Feast Element Fruits 1

The delightful sweet soups, together with fresh-cut fruits, create a perfect balance against the rich, savory flavors of the main courses.

With the sweetness of these desserts, our festive Year-End Reunion has come to a delightful close. It’s almost time to say…

VietnameseLunar New Year Feasts