Famous Duck Dishes Across Vietnam

Duck is heavily featured in Vietnamese cuisine, whether in northern, central, or southern Vietnam. Read on to find out some of the most notable dishes made with duck in Vietnamese cuisine.

Duck braised in dracontomelon (vịt om sấu) is a famous summer dish not only in Hanoi but also in other provinces in northern Vietnam. Dracontomelon (sấu) is grown mostly in Southeast Asia and the Pacific islands. In Hanoi, the plant is a common urban tree, and the fruit is a popular souring agent for many flavorful dishes.

Duck is braised until soft and full of umami flavor, balanced by the slight tanginess from green dracontomelons and smooth, buttery taro. Just a bite of hot duck freshly out of the pot, small pieces of dracontomelon, some taro and fresh bun noodles are enough to lighten up the mood and wipe away the discomfort of Hanoi summer.

**Duck braised in dracontomelon – Photo Courtesy of VietnamTIMES**

Duck soup with bun noodles and bamboo shoots (Bún măng vịt) is favored by many food lovers for its rich, flavorful taste. Duck meat is believed to be effective in relieving body heat in the summer. As its name implies, the dish has three main ingredients, including bun noodles, dried bamboo shoots and duck meat.

After boiling, the chef chops duck into thick, soft pieces. Each piece of duck meat has some fat and slightly stringy skin, adding more complexity and fun to the texture of the duck. A bowl of duck soup with bun noodles and bamboo shoot is not complete without a small bowl of dipping sauce made from fish sauce and ginger.

**Duck soup with bun noodles and bamboo shoots – Photo Courtesy of VietnamTIMES**

Thick duck porridge (cháo vịt)is usually cooked with sticky rice mixed with normal rice. In some areas, locals also add mung beans. The star of the dish is the protein, which consists of different parts of a duck such as liver, gizzard, blood, entrails and meat sautéed until firm and flavorful. Duck porridge tastes best when eaten hot. To serve the dish, the chef scoops duck porridge into a big bowl, then adds scallion, fried shallot and ground pepper on top.

**Duck porridge – Photo Courtesy of VietnamTIMES**

If you have fallen in love with traditional pho noodle soup with beef or chicken, you must try phở vịt quay, or pho noodles soup with roasted duck, a specialty of Lang Son, a province in northern Vietnam, bordering Guangxi province in China. A bowl of phở vịt quay also has pho noodles, scallion, seasonings and flavorful broth, but it is eaten with roasted duck with red, shiny, fatty skin. Soft duck meat full of umami flavors mixed with thin, soft noodles and scallion creates a unique dish that is both salty and slightly sweet and highly appetizing.

**Pho noodles soup with roasted duck – Photo Courtesy of VietnamTIMES**

Duck soup with pepper and bun noodles (bún vịt nấu tiêu) is a popular dish in the southern province of Soc Trang. To make this iconic dish, the Siamese duck is chosen. After washed clean, the duck is chopped into small pieces and marinated with crushed black pepper and other seasonings. When it is thoroughly marinated, the chef sautés duck meat with shallot and garlic, then adds fresh coconut water and cooks until the meat is soft. To complete the dish, the chef parboils bun noodles and arranges them in a bowl, puts beansprout, chives, basil, shredded banana blossom on top, then finally adds the duck soup. The hot, flavorful dish will make your tastebuds happy!