Vegetarian dishes for Tet (Vietnamese New Year) to relieve boredom with rich foods.

Vegetarian dishes are less common during Tet (Lunar New Year) because of the traditional belief that Tet meals must include boiled chicken, banh chung (rice cakes) filled with meat and beans, and a delicious bowl of bone broth with bamboo shoots or meatball soup. However, in modern life, the first meal of the year is simpler and less focused on chicken and ham than in the past. To cater to the demand for less food, novelty, and reduced calories, the trend of eating vegetarian meals during Tet is gradually flourishing and gaining attention from many families.

Try making these 5 vegetarian dishes and see just how delicious vegetarian food can be during Tet (Vietnamese New Year).

Vegetable soup

A bowl of soup is an indispensable part of the Tet holiday meal in every region. While bamboo shoot soup with pork trotters, fragrant pork skin soup, delicate vegetable and meatball soup, or bitter melon soup stuffed with meat are all too familiar at the first meal of the new year, a bowl of vegetable soup is a very reasonable choice for those who want a light and less heavy meal.

Vegetable soup is usually prepared the day before. The cook buys ingredients like radishes, carrots, onions, kohlrabi, pears, and apples to simmer in a broth until all the sweetness is extracted. Once the vegetables are tender, the cook takes the clear broth and uses it to make soup, then discards the solids.

When the vegetarian broth is almost boiling, the cook adds shiitake mushrooms or straw mushrooms, carrots, kohlrabi, and potatoes cut into bite-sized pieces. Peas, green beans, corn, and cauliflower can also be added to make the soup more visually appealing.

Mushroom-wrapped string beans

Thai Binh's famous tofu is often prepared as tofu rolls with meat or tofu in tomato sauce. But with the mushroom-wrapped version, cooks can freely showcase their culinary skills. Tofu is a food that frequently appears on the dinner table of vegetarians.

Wash the tofu thoroughly. Prepare and wash the enoki mushrooms or oyster mushrooms by slicing them into strips. Mix finely chopped shiitake mushrooms with egg yolk, soy sauce, seasoning powder, pepper, and chopped shallots. Spread this mixture onto a piece of tofu, place the enoki or oyster mushroom on top, and wrap it tightly with a blanched scallion. This tofu dish can be steamed or fried; both methods result in a delicious meal.

Vegetarian mixed rice

Bibimbap, a famous Korean dish, is a popular addition to traditional Tet (Lunar New Year) meals. Many families, wanting to add variety to their Tet feast, often cook new and innovative dishes from around the world instead of the usual traditional dishes.

The traditional version of bibimbap includes beef, a fried egg, and various vegetables such as shiitake mushrooms, kale, shredded carrots, kimchi, cucumber, and bean sprouts. For the vegetarian version, simply omit the meat and egg to create a complete vegetarian bibimbap. This dish will be even tastier if you fry some tofu until crispy and mix it in with the rice. Before serving, mix the hot rice with Korean chili paste, sesame oil, and toasted sesame seeds for a fragrant aroma.

Vegetarian spring rolls

Traditional spring rolls are a source of pride for many housewives. They are a familiar dish on Vietnamese dinner tables and an indispensable part of Tet celebrations.

The spring rolls are crispy and glossy, filled with a generous and fragrant minced meat filling. But if you want to change up your traditional meal, try making vegetarian spring rolls with a meatless filling. This time, the filling will include chopped jicama, finely chopped vermicelli, chopped shiitake mushrooms, crumbled tofu, chopped onion, diced carrots and kohlrabi, pepper, salt, a little chopped shallots, a little minced garlic, and don't forget the egg yolk.

This mixture is fried in hot oil, turning quickly to ensure the spring rolls are evenly crispy. Because it contains no meat, vegetarian spring rolls cook faster than regular spring rolls. The spring rolls are served with sweet and sour dipping sauce and fresh herbs.

Vegetarian version of stir-fried almonds

Stir-fried almonds are a clever dish to counteract the richness of other foods, a recipe invented by our ancestors for Tet (Lunar New Year). Furthermore, it's a popular snack that every family used to have on their table during the first days of the year, enjoyed with celebratory drinks. Typically, people eat stir-fried almonds on the 4th day of the lunar month each year. Stir-fried almonds is a savory dish that utilizes leftover food from Tet.

The vegetarian version of almonds will not contain chicken gizzards or pork tenderloin like the regular version, but will have a few changes. The almonds are stir-fried with mushrooms, vegetarian ham, kohlrabi, carrots, jicama, and peas. Instead of using pork fat, the vegetarian almonds are stir-fried with cold-pressed peanut oil or sesame oil for added aroma. This was a prized snack in the past, offering a harmonious blend of vegetables and meat. With its vegetarian version, the dish has a lighter and more refreshing taste. It's a light, pleasant dish that pairs well with rice and drinks, appreciated by everyone in the family, young and old.

The vegetarian dishes mentioned above are all incredibly easy to make with readily available ingredients and quick preparation times. Tet meals are usually elaborate and complicated; try changing things up with vegetarian dishes to free up time and energy during the busy Tet season. Let your Tet meals always be fresh, appealing, and less stressful each spring.

Phuong Thao is an editor at Travellive magazine. She is passionate about traveling and enjoys capturing moments with her camera in every place she visits. Travel, art, and lifestyle are Phuong Thao's favorite writing topics.

Ha Chuu - Photo: Collected