Vietnamese cooking has something in common with a good taquería. A plate is built from a few strong parts, then finished at the last minute with herbs, lime and something sharp, and the eater has a say in how it ends up. It looks simple and it depends on balance.
This guide gives eight books from named authors and established publishers. Some were written to work from an ordinary supermarket, and one aims to cover the whole country. We say which rest on a named review and which on the publisher’s details.
Julia’s earns a commission on purchases made through links on this page, at no cost to you. Recommendations are based on what a restaurant kitchen looks for in a cookbook, the Amazon listing, publisher and author information and published reviews, which we name where we use them.
Quick verdict: the best Vietnamese cookbook to start with
For most home cooks, start with Andrea Nguyen’s Vietnamese Food Any Day: 80 recipes designed around ingredients from national supermarkets. For a chef’s teaching book, choose Charles Phan’s Vietnamese Home Cooking. For the widest range in one volume, choose Vietnam: The Cookbook.
The other five cover a bold modern debut, plant-led cooking, simple supermarket dinners, quick noodle bowls and a London restaurant’s recipes.
Five Vietnamese cookbooks side by side
Five of the eight, one for each kind of cook. All eight are described in full below.
| Cookbook | Best for | Recipes | Length | Buy on Amazon |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Vietnamese Food Any Day, Andrea NguyenBest overall
|
Everyday cooking, no specialty store | 80 | 240 pages, hardcover | View on Amazon |
![Vietnamese Home Cooking: [A Cookbook]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51TZB5G+Z1L._SL500_.jpg)
Vietnamese Home Cooking, Charles PhanBest chef’s book
|
Learning technique from a chef | Not stated | 256 pages, hardcover | View on Amazon |
Vietnam: The Cookbook, Anaïs Ca Dao van ManenBest for volume
|
The whole country in one book | More than 400 | 496 pages, hardcover | View on Amazon |
Di An, Tue NguyenBest modern debut
|
Big flavors, younger voice | Not stated | 256 pages, hardcover | View on Amazon |
Ever-Green Vietnamese, Andrea NguyenBest plant-led
|
Cooking with more vegetables | 125+ recipes and variations | 304 pages, hardcover | View on Amazon |
Cover images from Amazon. Page counts and formats are from the Amazon listings for the editions linked. Recipe counts are from the publisher’s copy where we could read it.
Our picks for the best Vietnamese cookbook, book by book
All eight were in stock, in print and new, and sold by Amazon when we checked. We have not cooked from these books; where we describe a strength, we say whose view it is.
1. Vietnamese Food Any Day, Andrea Nguyen – Built for the Supermarket
The usual worry with a Vietnamese cookbook is the shopping. Nguyen deals with it directly. Her publisher describes 80 recipes built from ingredients at national supermarkets, and Publishers Weekly says she checked that her ingredients are sold at large grocery chains.
PW also notes modern shortcuts, including the microwave and Instant Pot, and calls the book “utilitarian as it is innovative.” Dishes named across those sources include banh mi, rice paper rolls, pho, honey-glazed pork riblets and pomegranate shrimp and tofu. The publisher says it was an IACP Award finalist.
Nguyen is a writer and teacher whose earlier books, including The Pho Cookbook, have been recognized by the James Beard Foundation, per her publisher. The Pho Cookbook is on our soup cookbook guide, so it is not repeated here.
Why we like it
- 80 recipes, per the publisher
- Ingredients from large grocery chains, per PW
- Uses the microwave and Instant Pot where it helps
- IACP finalist, per the publisher
Key specifications
| Author | Andrea Nguyen |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Ten Speed Press |
| Year | 2019 |
| Pages | 240 |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Recipes | 80 |
| Focus | Everyday Vietnamese cooking |
| Best for | Most home cooks |
Why we recommend it
If you have no Asian market nearby and still want to cook this food on a Tuesday, this was written for you.
Skip it if you want strict traditional methods. Shortcuts are the point of the book.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Easy to shop for
- Warm PW review
- Author with a long record
Cons
- Shortcuts over tradition
- Fewer recipes than the big references
2. Vietnamese Home Cooking, Charles Phan – A Chef Teaches the Basics
Charles Phan is the chef behind San Francisco’s The Slanted Door, and a James Beard Award winner for Best Chef California in 2004, according to his publisher. His first cookbook sets out to teach traditional Vietnamese home cooking through fundamental techniques and ingredients.
The copy names imperial rolls, steamed dumplings, whole fish and lemongrass beef stew, along with master recipes for stocks and sauces, an ingredient guide and advice on choosing a wok and seasoning a clay pot. It also says the book won an IACP award and includes stories from his early days as a refugee.
Publisher copy quotes Alice Waters saying it “captures the very heart of Vietnamese food.” We read that through the publisher and found no Publishers Weekly review at this ISBN. We did not find a total recipe count, so this pick rests on the publisher’s and author’s details.
Why we like it
- James Beard Award winning chef, per the publisher
- Master recipes for stocks and sauces
- Guidance on woks and clay pots
- IACP award, per the publisher
Key specifications
| Author | Charles Phan |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Ten Speed Press |
| Year | 2012 |
| Pages | 256 |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Recipes | Not stated |
| Focus | Traditional home techniques |
| Best for | Cooks who want the method |
Why we recommend it
If you want to understand how the food works, and not only follow a recipe, this is the teaching book on the list.
Skip it if you want shortcuts. Stocks made properly take time, and it does not pretend otherwise.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Technique focus
- Ingredient guide
- Strong author record
Cons
- Older book, from 2012
- No named review in our sources
3. Vietnam: The Cookbook, Anaïs Ca Dao van Manen – More Than 400 Home Recipes
This is the reference. Phaidon’s copy gives two figures, 445 dishes in the headline and more than 400 home-cooking recipes in the body, so we use the safer one. Recipes are grouped by method and style, from snacks and salads to noodles, rice, broths, desserts and pantry staples.
The author is a chef born in Paris to a Vietnamese and Dutch family, who worked in London kitchens including Trullo and Bao London, and now lives in Vietnam, according to the publisher. The copy says she traveled from Hanoi to Hà Giang to learn from local cooks, and that the book includes lesser-known regional dishes as well as familiar ones.
Praise in the copy includes Epicurious, “A detailed tome of cultural and culinary knowledge.” We read that through the publisher and found no Publishers Weekly review at this ISBN.
Why we like it
- More than 400 recipes, per Phaidon
- Includes lesser-known regional dishes
- Step-by-step instructions, per the publisher
- Epicurious praise, via the publisher
Key specifications
| Author | Anaïs Ca Dao van Manen |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Phaidon |
| Year | 2025 |
| Pages | 496 |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Recipes | More than 400 |
| Focus | Regional home cooking |
| Best for | Collectors and keen cooks |
Why we recommend it
If you already love this food and want a single book to come back to for years, this offers the most.
Skip it if you want a short first book. Nearly 500 pages is a lot to take in.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Largest range here
- Regional depth
- Organized by method
Cons
- Big and heavy
- No PW review at this ISBN
4. Di An, Tue Nguyen – Bold, Modern Flavors
The title promises salty, sour, sweet and spicy flavors, and the publisher describes authentic but modernized recipes for home cooks at every level, built on lemongrass, garlic, shallots, chili and fish sauce, with advice on entertaining and on making sauces and condiments.
Tue Nguyen, known online as @TwayDaBae, moved to the US at age eight and went to culinary school, according to her publisher. Her pop-ups in Los Angeles and New York led to a restaurant partnership, and she hosts cooking shows.
The publisher says it was named among the best cookbooks of the year by the New York Times, Esquire and the Los Angeles Times, and quotes Roy Choi on her recipes. We read all of that through the publisher and found no Publishers Weekly review at this ISBN. We did not find a recipe count.
Why we like it
- Best-of-year lists, per the publisher
- Sauces and condiments included
- Entertaining tips
- Written for every skill level, per the publisher
Key specifications
| Author | Tue Nguyen |
|---|---|
| Publisher | S&S/Simon Element |
| Year | 2024 |
| Pages | 256 |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Recipes | Not stated |
| Focus | Modernized Vietnamese recipes |
| Best for | Cooks who like heat and funk |
Why we recommend it
If you want Vietnamese food with a younger, louder voice and have a dinner to host, this is a lively choice.
Skip it if you want a quiet, traditional reference. Phan or Phaidon will suit you better.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Bold flavor focus
- Condiment recipes
- Entertaining advice
Cons
- Recipe total not confirmed by us
- No named review in our sources
5. Ever-Green Vietnamese, Andrea Nguyen – Vegetables and Herbs First
Nguyen’s second book here makes the case that Vietnamese cooking has long leaned on vegetables, herbs and seafood, with only a little meat. Her publisher describes more than 125 recipes and variations, including a homemade vegan fish sauce, tofu dishes and vegetable-driven mains. Some recipes do include a bit of meat, and many offer vegetarian or vegan options.
Publishers Weekly reviewed it and said it “enticingly reimagines traditional Vietnamese dishes with a heavy focus on plant-based ingredients.” The review singles out the banh mi, main-course and dessert chapters, and it notes guidance on herbs, pantry staples and techniques such as crepes and rice-paper rolls.
We include it as a way of cooking, and we make no diet or health claims for it. If your household eats no meat at all, check each recipe, since not all of them are meat-free. Our vegetarian cookbook guide has broader options.
Why we like it
- 125+ recipes and variations, per the publisher
- Homemade vegan fish sauce
- Vegetarian or vegan options on many recipes
- Reviewed by Publishers Weekly
Key specifications
| Author | Andrea Nguyen |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Ten Speed Press |
| Year | 2023 |
| Pages | 304 |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Recipes | 125+ recipes and variations |
| Focus | Plant-led Vietnamese cooking |
| Best for | Vegetable lovers |
Why we recommend it
If you already cook plenty of vegetables and want new ways to season them, this is the most useful book here.
Skip it if you want a meat-heavy pho and barbecue book. Its emphasis is elsewhere.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Flexible for meat-free cooks
- Strong PW review
- Technique notes
Cons
- Not fully vegetarian
- Second book by the same author on this page
6. Vietnamese, Uyen Luu – Simple Food From a Supper Club Host
Uyen Luu is a food photographer and stylist who has run a Vietnamese supper club since 2009 and teaches cooking classes, according to her publisher. Her family came to Hackney, London, as refugees in the 1980s, and this is her second book.
The publisher’s argument is cheerful: Vietnamese cooking is as simple as making pasta, provided you have decent fish sauce. It describes over 85 recipes, some traditional and some modernized, built from supermarket ingredients, and ranging from noodle soups and salads to shared plates and one-pot meals. Dishes named include crispy roast pork belly and sea bass in a tomato, celery and dill broth.
The copy notes that it was selected for Jamie Oliver’s Cookbook Club. We found no Publishers Weekly review at this ISBN, so this pick rests on the publisher’s and author’s details. It comes from a UK author, so check the measurements on your edition if that matters to you.
Why we like it
- Over 85 recipes, per the publisher
- Supermarket ingredients
- Includes one-pot meals
- Author teaches cooking classes
Key specifications
| Author | Uyen Luu |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Quadrille |
| Year | 2021 |
| Pages | 208 |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Recipes | Over 85 |
| Focus | Simple home cooking |
| Best for | Weeknight cooks |
Why we recommend it
If you want a short, unfussy book for regular dinners, this is a good alternative to Nguyen’s.
Skip it if you want a deep study of the cuisine. It is designed to be easy.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Short and friendly
- Easy to shop for
- Good variety
Cons
- US measures not confirmed
- No named review in our sources
7. Vietnamese Made Easy, Thuy Diem Pham – Quick Noodle Bowls and Skewers
Thuy Diem Pham owns the award-winning London restaurant The Little Viet Kitchen, according to her publisher, and moved to the UK at age seven. This is the shorter and simpler of her two books on this page: more than 70 approachable Vietnamese-inspired recipes.
The publisher lists broths, rice-noodle bowls, salads, stir-fries, seafood pancakes, fresh rolls, quick noodle soups and barbecue dishes such as lemongrass pork skewers. The stated aim is balancing bold, contrasting flavors without complicated technique.
Publisher copy quotes the cookbook author Georgina Hayden saying she has “earmarked the entire book.” We read that through the publisher and found no Publishers Weekly review at this ISBN. Note the word “inspired” in the copy: this leans modern, not strictly traditional.
Why we like it
- More than 70 recipes, per the publisher
- Noodle bowls and fresh rolls
- Skewers for the grill
- Restaurant owner as author
Key specifications
| Author | Thuy Diem Pham |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Quadrille |
| Year | 2023 |
| Pages | 192 |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Recipes | More than 70 |
| Focus | Vietnamese-inspired everyday food |
| Best for | Cooks short on time |
Why we recommend it
If rice-noodle bowls and fresh rolls are what you actually crave, this goes straight to them.
Skip it if you want strict tradition, or if you already own her first book and want something very different.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Quick recipes
- Simple technique
- Grill ideas
Cons
- Modern more than traditional
- No named review in our sources
8. The Little Viet Kitchen, Thuy Diem Pham – A London Restaurant’s Recipes
This is Pham’s first collection, named for her north London restaurant. A 2018 Irish News feature, which we read, says she left advertising to open the restaurant after home cooking, supper clubs and a blog, and that she cooks from flavor and instinct, as her mother taught her.
That feature names dishes in the book including baked sea bass with lemongrass, chili and ginger, sticky ribs, caramelized coconut catfish and pho. It credits the photography to David Loftus. The listing’s title promises over 100 recipes.
We found no Publishers Weekly review at this ISBN and could not open a publisher page, so this rests on the listing and that newspaper feature, which is an interview and not a critical review. It is a UK book, so check the measurements before you buy if that matters to you.
Why we like it
- Over 100 recipes, per the title
- From a working restaurant owner
- Family cooking is the starting point
- Photography by David Loftus
Key specifications
| Author | Thuy Diem Pham |
|---|---|
| Publisher | Absolute Press |
| Year | 2019 |
| Pages | 240 |
| Format | Hardcover |
| Recipes | Over 100, per the title |
| Focus | Family and restaurant recipes |
| Best for | Cooks who like a story |
Why we recommend it
If you like a cookbook with a person behind it, and sea bass or ribs appeal more than noodles, this is a good choice.
Skip it if you need US measures confirmed. We could not confirm them.
Pros and cons
Pros
- Personal story
- Good recipe count
- Restaurant favorites
Cons
- US measures not confirmed
- Thin on evidence in our sources
How to choose a Vietnamese cookbook for your kitchen
Most of the decision comes down to your shopping and your time.
- Can you get the ingredients? Nguyen’s Any Day and Luu’s book both start from the supermarket. Phaidon’s survey covers regional dishes, which may ask for more.
- How much time do you have? A real pho broth takes hours. Pham’s quick noodle soups and Nguyen’s shortcuts are written for shorter evenings. Our best stock pot guide helps if you plan to make broth.
- How do you feel about meat? Ever-Green Vietnamese leans toward plants, and most of the others do not.
- What tools do you own? Phan writes about the wok and clay pot. A mortar and pestle is useful for lemongrass and chile pastes, and a rice cooker handles the rest of the meal.
How we chose these Vietnamese cookbooks
We searched Amazon’s book listings first and kept print editions from named authors at established publishers, plain in stock with a new lead offer. We left out every title already on our other book pages, including Nguyen’s The Pho Cookbook. Author, year, format and page count come from the Amazon listing. Recipe counts and descriptions come from the publisher’s copy, as carried by booksellers, unless we credit someone else. Two authors appear twice because each book does a different job.
Here is what stands behind each pick. Vietnamese Food Any Day and Ever-Green Vietnamese have Publishers Weekly reviews we read ourselves. Vietnam: The Cookbook, Di An, Phan’s book and Vietnamese Made Easy have praise we read only as quoted by the publisher. Luu’s book rests on publisher details, and The Little Viet Kitchen rests on the listing and one newspaper feature.
Vietnamese cookbook questions, answered
What is the best Vietnamese cookbook for beginners?
Vietnamese Food Any Day, because it was written around supermarket ingredients and modern shortcuts. Vietnamese Made Easy is a shorter alternative.
Which book teaches real technique?
Charles Phan’s Vietnamese Home Cooking, with its master recipes for stocks and sauces and its advice on woks and clay pots.
Do I need a specialty store?
Not for Nguyen’s Any Day or Luu’s book, according to their publishers.
Is there a good book for pho?
Pho appears in several of these. For a whole book on it, see Nguyen’s The Pho Cookbook on our soup cookbook guide.
Are the UK books usable in an American kitchen?
Probably, with care. We could not confirm whether Luu’s or Pham’s books use US cup measures, so a kitchen scale is a sensible partner.
Which Vietnamese cookbook should you buy first?
Buy Vietnamese Food Any Day if you want to cook this week. Choose Phan to learn the method, Phaidon for range and Di An for loud flavors. The other four each suit a narrower kitchen. If you want the pan and more wok-based books, see our best wok cookbook guide.
And if tonight is not a cooking night, see the menu or call to order.