Fresh herbs enliven Vietnamese foods with their flavors and perfumes. Pinched off their stems or chopped, raw leaves are tucked into rice paper rolls, dropped into hot soup, mixed into cool salads, stir-fried with noodles and wrapped up with grilled morsels in lettuce. Vietnamese people enjoy large quantities of fresh herbs, and in fact, herbs are collectively known as thewhich means “fragrant vegetable.”
Consider herbs in pho noodle soup: The ubiquitous national dish of Vietnam depends on the last-minute addition of herbs, without which the flavors would seem off and the dining experience would feel incomplete.
Heady beef phoredolent of star anise and cinnamon, benefits from the bright notes of chopped cilantro that the cook sprinkles atop the hot broth right before the bowl leaves the kitchen. Then at the table, there are more herbs involved as diners add their personal touches with torn leaves of Thai basil, coriander or mint. Tonic-like chicken pho needs fewer herbs but mint is the go-to herb for hardcore northern Vietnamese pho aficionados. Not only are fresh herbs are integral to the layering of flavors in Vietnamese cuisine, they are also key to the “have it your way” Vietnamese dining philosophy.
Here’s a short, quick guide to many herbs used in the Vietnamese kitchen and at the table. This listing is grouped together as flavor profiles so you have a sense of options. The Mega Vietnamese Herb Primer has more detailed information on botanical names, sourcing, plus growing tips.
Go the minimum on herbs
If you just keep cilantro and regular mint (spearmint), you can make fantastic Vietnamese food. Trust me. They’re the most common herbs used. My family relied upon them when we arrived in America in 1975. Today, I always have cilantro in my fridge and mint growing my garden.
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Cilantro and cilantro-like herbs
Cilantro lovers unite! If it’s not the Vietnamese herb for you, skip to the next section!
- CilanTro / coriander is the most-used herb in Viet cooking, so always have some on hand. The baby tender frond-like leaves are delicious, as are the flowers.
- Culan / Coriander has a stronger, earthier flavor than cilantro but is not used as often. Look for the long leaves at Vietnamese, Cambodian, and some Chinese markets with large Viet customer bases.
- Vietnamese Cadiander / Laksa has a strong cilantro taste with an exciting hot finish at the back of the tongue. The leaves are spear shaped with a dark feather-like marking. Eat the leaves, not the sprig.
Mint and “mint”
There are three mint sold at Vietnamese market and you need to know the difference.
- Mint / basil is the widely sold common mint (spearmint; some markets label it as húng lủi.
- Spicy mint / spicy at hardcore Viet markets, try it. It. is milder than peppermint but it finishes with a bite.
- Fish Mint / Lettuce has no resemblance to mint but is called that. It is literally fish lettuce in Vietnamese. The spade-shape leaves are also called bishop’s weed. Know that it adds a tangy, pungent, fishy edge to boldly flavored food such as grilled beef with lemongrass. Eat the tender, smaller leaves for a less fishy flavor. I am not a huge fan of it but some people love it.
Basil
You may think that Thai basil is required for Vietnamese cuisine but it’s not the only game in the town. It’s a Vietnamese herb that’s not eaten as much as cilantro and mint. But it has its key uses. If you don’t have it, look for opal basil. Italian basil is a pale stand-in but you can, if you must, use it. In Vietnam there are other basils used too! But one stands out.
Thai Basil / basil offers anise and cinnamon notes that linger beautifully in Saigon-style pho; it may be labeled rau quế. It’s not used as widespread in Vietnam as in Thailand, hence the name. It can be added to northern Vietnamese green papaya and beef jerky salad. I employ it here and there for Viet food but not as much as for Thai food.
Lemongrass, Vietnamese shiso and Vietnamese balm
Zippy, citrusy, minty, basil-ish Vietnamese herbs provide nuance to many dishes, from curries to salads and lettuce wraps. Look for these stalwarts at Chinese and Vietnamese markets.
- Lemongrass / lemongrass is technically an herb but used as an aromatic, lemongrass is an iconic Viet ingredient. Pointers on buying, prepping, and growing lemongrass here.
- Vietnamese Balm / marjoram looks dainty but adds beautifully bright lemongrassy, minty, shiso-ish accents. It’s my favorite Viet herb but attract bugs in my garden. I try to eat the leaves faster than the bugs.
- Vietnamese shiso / perilla leaves are flat and bicolor, deep green on top and reddish purple underneath. Sometimes called “Vietnamese perilla,” it offers hints of mint, basil, tarragon, and basil.
Other favorite Vietnamese herbs
At a Chinese and Vietnamese market, you’ll likely see two, three or all four of these herbs. Rice paddy and wild pepper have fleeting seasons so grab them when you see them.
- Dill / dill may be used to finish soup, season fish cakes, and top turmeric scented fish. It also finds its way into a beef bologna called giò bò.
- Garlic Chive / Chives lends a mild garlicky bite to dishes. The flat, blade-like leaf may be tucked into rice paper rolls, added to noodle soup, or chopped for stir-fries. Trim the firm bottoms to release the leaves. Use it in Asian dumpling fillings, pad Thai, and many other dishes like a green.
- Rice paddy herb / ngò om lends a citrusy, cuminy finish to brothy soups (some like it for pho), but I’ve included it in guacamole too. This delicate herb is sold mostly at Little Saigon markets.
- Wild Pepper Leaf / guise leaves releases remarkable incenselike aroma and curry-ish flavors when heated. It may be mislabeled “wild betel.” Do not mistakenly buy thicker betel leaves, which are sold stemless. Wild pepper is eaten cooked and raw. It’s most popular application is in beef and la lot rolls.
Newcomers
Vietnamese food culture does not sit still. People have looked for new flavors to add flavor notes and variety to their dishes. For instance:
- Sorrel, sour vegetables is a sub for star fruit, which many people cannot get tart enough in America. Folks enjoy sorrel’s sourness with grilled and fried foods.
- Cutting celery, vegetables need resembles Italian flat-leaf parsley but has a celery flavor. It has appeared on the scene as a pungent addition to favorites such as crisp lotus stem salad.
✅ For greater details on sourcing and growing Vietnamese herbs, head to the Mega Vietnamese Herb Primer