Exploring the best Vietnamese sweet soups

Vietnamese sweet soups are a beloved dessert, deeply embedded in the local culinary culture. Made with simple yet creative ingredients, each sweet soup offers a unique flavor and appeal. Whether served hot or cold, sweet soups are a perfect choice to enjoy, especially during the scorching summer days or in the cool breeze of autumn. Let’s explore some of the most popular sweet soups and discover why they have captured the hearts of locals and travelers alike.

An introduction to Vietnamese sweet soups

Vietnamese sweet soups, known as che, are an essential part of the country’s rich culinary heritage. Made with ingredients like beans, sticky rice, fruit, and coconut milk, sweet soup offers a delightful mix of flavors that range from light and refreshing to rich and creamy. 

One of the reasons you should try che is its incredible regional variety. Each part of Vietnam has its own take on sweet soup, shaped by local ingredients and customs. No matter where you go, there’s always a new version of che to discover.

What makes sweet soup truly special is that Vietnamese people enjoy it all year round. On hot days, cool sweet soup is the perfect treat to cool down, while in cooler seasons, warm versions bring comfort and warmth. You’ll find sweet soups everywhere, from humble street stalls to family kitchens, each bowl offering a taste of Vietnamese daily life. For travelers, tasting che is a great way to experience Vietnam’s diverse cuisine.

Read more: Food in Hoi An: A Journey through tradition and flavor

Discovering Vietnam’s most popular sweet soups

From traditional sweet soups to modern twists, each dish offers a distinct flavor, suitable for every season of the year, making it the perfect choice for those who love sweetness and freshness. Let’s explore these captivating sweet soups and discover why they attract both locals and international travelers alike.

Vietnamese rice balls sweet soup

Vietnamese rice balls sweet soup, or che troi nuoc, is a beloved traditional dessert that reflects the warmth and cultural richness of Vietnamese cuisine. This sweet soup features soft glutinous rice balls filled with mashed mung bean paste, gently cooked until tender, and served in a warm ginger syrup. The combination of the chewy rice skin, the nutty filling, and the slightly spicy sweetness of the syrup makes it both comforting and memorable.

Traditionally, this dessert is enjoyed during important occasions such as the First Full Moon festival, Cold Food festival and ancestral remembrance days. The round shape of the rice balls symbolizes unity and completeness, making the dish a heartfelt expression of family bonds and togetherness.

Today, Vietnamese rice balls sweet soup can be found not only at home during festive meals but also at street stalls and dessert shops across the country. For visitors to Vietnam, trying this warm and soothing sweet soup is a wonderful way to experience both the flavors and soul of Vietnamese culinary heritage.

Che Ba Ba

If you are exploring the rich food culture of Southern Vietnam, Che Ba Ba is a must-try traditional dessert. This sweet soup is made from familiar local ingredients such as sweet potato, taro, mung beans, and chewy tapioca pearls, all gently simmered in fragrant coconut milk until tender and flavorful.

What makes Che Ba Ba special is its gentle sweetness and smooth, creamy texture. The soft pieces of root vegetables blend perfectly with the rich coconut base, creating a comforting dessert that is both filling and satisfying. Every spoonful offers a harmony of flavors – the earthiness of taro, the natural sweetness of sweet potato, the nutty taste of mung beans, and the silkiness of coconut milk.

Grapefruit sweet soup

Not many people know that the outer peel of grapefruit, often discarded, is the main ingredient of one of the most famous sweet soups in Can Tho. The peel is carefully processed to remove the bitterness, then cooked with green beans, sugar, and coconut milk. 

Each piece of grapefruit peel has a crisp, chewy texture, perfectly complemented by the rich, creamy coconut milk and the subtle sweetness of the green beans. This refreshing dish is believed to help cool the body and detoxify, making it especially popular in the hot, sunny climate of the Mekong Delta.

Khuc Bach sweet soup

Introduced only about a decade ago, Khuc Bach has become a fusion of Western and Vietnamese culinary influences. Made from soft, jelly-like milk thickeners (similar to panna cotta), it’s paired with fresh fruits such as lychees, longan, kiwi, and sliced almonds, all drizzled with a light syrup. 

This dessert has won the hearts of all ages with its light, refreshing flavor and beautiful presentation, making it a perfect treat for hot summer days. Though not a traditional Vietnamese dish, it has quickly become a beloved addition to the country’s sweet soup repertoire.

Lotus seed and longan sweet soup 

Once a dish served exclusively to emperors during the Nguyen Dynasty, Lotus Seed and Longan Sweet Soup reflects the refinement and elegance of Hue’s royal cuisine. The lotus seeds are carefully selected for their plumpness and sweetness, while the bitter center is removed to avoid any unwanted taste. 

These seeds are cooked until soft and paired with dried longan in a clear syrup, creating a dish that’s both delicious and calming. Known for its delicate taste, this sweet soup is believed to promote better sleep and overall tranquility. If prepared with fresh lotus from the Tinh Tam Lake in Hue, the dish reaches an even higher level of excellence.

Green rice sweet soup 

Green rice (com) is a seasonal specialty in Hanoi, only available during the fall. This sweet soup is a simple yet delightful combination of chewy green rice mixed with sugar, and sometimes blended with mung beans or milk. The fragrant aroma of green rice and its soft, slightly sticky texture bring the feeling of autumn in Hanoi to life. Often associated with the autumn season, this sweet soup is a symbolic dish that captures the essence of the city’s tranquility and charm during the harvest months.

Hot cassava sweet soup 

When the winter winds blow in, nothing is more comforting than a bowl of hot cassava sweet soup. Fresh cassava is boiled until soft, then cooked with sugar, molasses, and ginger slices. The result is a chewy, fragrant dish with a gentle spicy heat from the ginger. 

This dish is particularly loved in northern Vietnam for its warming qualities and is often enjoyed during the cold winter months. Despite its simplicity, hot cassava sweet soup offers warmth and nostalgia, taking many back to their childhood memories of cold winter evenings.

Banana and tapioca pearls sweet soup 

This dessert is a comforting combination of ripe bananas, chewy tapioca pearls, and creamy coconut milk. The bananas are simmered until tender, releasing their natural sweetness into the soup. The tapioca pearls add a pleasantly chewy texture, making each spoonful satisfyingly rich. In many parts of Vietnam, people also add a hint of pandan leaf for fragrance. Served warm or chilled, this sweet soup is popular throughout the country, loved for its balance of flavors, sweet, creamy, and a little nutty. It’s a tropical delight that reflects the abundance of fruits and coconut in Vietnamese cuisine.

Mixed sweet soup 

It combines several ingredients such as sweetened beans (like red beans and mung beans), jellies, taro chunks, grated coconut, coconut cream, and crushed ice, all layered into a bowl or glass. Each bite is different in texture and taste: smooth, chewy, crunchy, or creamy. This sweet soup reflects the diversity of Vietnamese culinary creativity and is a favorite among both locals and visitors. You can find it at street food stalls or dessert cafes from north to south. During hot summer days, it’s a fun and refreshing treat that cools the body and pleases the palate.

Sweet corn soup 

Sweet corn soup, or che bap, is one of the signature desserts of Hoi An, widely loved for its sweet and comforting flavor. This dessert is made from fresh young corn, simmered with sugar and sometimes thickened with tapioca starch or rice flour to create a smooth texture. 

The natural sweetness of the corn pairs beautifully with rich coconut cream drizzled on top. This sweet soup is delicate, mildly sweet, and offers a true taste of rural Vietnam’s simplicity and warmth.

When you visit Hoi An, you can enjoy che bap at many places around the town, from street food stalls to cozy local cafes. This sweet corn soup is so popular that even if you’re staying at a resort like Bliss Hoi An beach resort & Wellness, you’ll have the opportunity to taste this delicious treat as well. The dessert is a perfect reflection of Hoi An’s culinary culture and is sure to add a unique touch to your travel experience.

Read more: Hoi An food market: A must-visit foodie destination 

Vietnamese sweet soups are more than just a dessert, they are an essential part of the culinary journey through Vietnam. Each sweet soup reflects the craftsmanship, delicacy, and regional identity of the country. Whether you’re a local or an international traveler, tasting these sweet soups offers a memorable experience and a deeper appreciation for the diversity of Vietnamese cuisine.