Banh Chung: Vietnam’s Traditional Tet Rice Cake and the Legend Behind It

If you’ve ever sat at a Vietnamese table during Tet, walked past a steaming pot in a Hanoi market, or spotted a dense green square wrapped in leaves on a restaurant menu - you've already encountered Banh Chung, one of the most iconic foods in Vietnam and an essential part of Tet, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. From its ancient royal legend to the overnight cooking rituals that still bring families together today, Banh Chung remains at the heart of Vietnamese culture and Northern Vietnamese cuisine. 

What Is Banh Chung in Vietnam? 

Banh Chung (Bánh Chưng) is a traditional Vietnamese sticky rice cake made with glutinous rice, mung bean paste and seasoned pork belly, wrapped tightly in dong leaves and boiled for up to 12 hours. Once cooked, the cake develops a dense yet soft texture, with fragrant sticky rice surrounding a rich savoury filling.

Although Banh Chung can be eaten year-round, it is most closely associated with Tet Nguyen Dan, the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. During Tet, families place Banh Chung on ancestral altars, exchange it as gifts and share it during holiday meals. For many Vietnamese households, Tet celebrations feel incomplete without it.

Beyond its flavour, Banh Chung represents some of the deepest values in Vietnamese culture: respect for ancestors, family unity and gratitude toward the land.

The Vietnamese Legend Behind Banh Chung 

The story of Banh Chung dates back more than 3,000 years to the reign of the sixth Hung King, according to one of Vietnam’s oldest legends.

As the king searched for a successor among his sons, he announced a competition during Tet. Each prince had to prepare a dish worthy of honouring the ancestors, and the most meaningful offering would decide who inherited the throne.

While the other princes searched for rare delicacies, the eighteenth prince, Lang Lieu, was too poor to compete with expensive ingredients. Instead, he created two simple rice cakes using foods central to Vietnamese life: sticky rice, mung beans, pork and leaves from the forest.

One cake was round to symbolise the sky, while the square cake represented the earth. The Hung King recognised the wisdom behind the offering and chose Lang Lieu as his successor. The square rice cake became Banh Chung, a symbol that has remained part of Vietnamese Tet traditions ever since.

Why Banh Chung Is Important in Vietnamese Tet Culture 

Every part of Banh Chung carries symbolic meaning rooted in ancient Vietnamese beliefs. Its square shape represents the earth, while the sticky rice symbolises the agricultural foundation of Vietnamese civilisation. The mung beans and pork reflect harmony between nature and human life, and the green dong leaves are associated with renewal and protection.

Even the process of making Banh Chung has cultural importance. In many Vietnamese families, relatives gather together in the days before Tet to wrap and boil the cakes overnight. People sit around large steaming pots, sharing food and stories while waiting for the cakes to finish cooking. Despite modern life, this tradition remains one of the strongest symbols of family reunion during the Lunar New Year in Vietnam.

How Traditional Banh Chung Is Made in Vietnam 

Making authentic Banh Chung is a slow process that requires patience and careful preparation.

Glutinous rice is soaked overnight, while mung beans are steamed into a smooth filling. Pork belly is marinated with fish sauce, pepper, and shallots before being layered inside dong leaves together with the rice and beans. The cake is then folded tightly into its signature square shape and tied securely with bamboo strings.

Once wrapped, Banh Chung must be boiled continuously for 10 to 12 hours. This long cooking time allows the sticky rice to become soft and fragrant while blending the flavours of the filling.

The final result is rich yet balanced, with savoury pork, creamy mung beans, and soft sticky rice infused with the subtle aroma of the leaves.

What Does Banh Chung Taste Like? 

For many first-time visitors to Vietnam, Banh Chung tastes unlike any other rice dish.

The outer layer of sticky rice is soft, chewy, and lightly fragrant, while the mung bean filling adds a creamy texture that balances the richness of the pork belly. Rather than relying on strong seasoning, the flavour develops slowly through the long cooking process.

Many Vietnamese people also enjoy fried Banh Chung after Tet. Sliced and pan-fried until golden and crispy, it becomes crunchy outside while remaining soft inside - a popular breakfast in Hanoi during the cold days following Lunar New Year.

Banh Chung vs Banh Tet in Vietnam 

Banh Chung is traditionally associated with Northern Vietnam, while Central and Southern Vietnam have a similar Tet rice cake called Banh Tet.

Both use sticky rice, mung beans and pork, but Banh Chung is square and wrapped in dong leaves, while Banh Tet is cylindrical and usually wrapped in banana leaves. The two cakes reflect the regional diversity of Vietnamese cuisine while sharing the same connection to Tet traditions and family celebrations.

Where to Eat Authentic Banh Chung in Paris 

Because Banh Chung requires such a long preparation process, authentic versions can be difficult to find outside Vietnam.

In Paris, Ha Noi 1988 is among the few Vietnamese restaurants serving traditional Banh Chung during the Tet season. Prepared following Northern Vietnamese cooking traditions, the dish is offered alongside handmade pho, nems and other Hanoi specialities across the restaurant’s five central Paris locations.

For visitors exploring Vietnamese cuisine in Paris during Lunar New Year, Ha Noi 1988 offers one of the rare opportunities in Europe to experience authentic Banh Chung in a traditional setting.

Beyond simply serving this festive delicacy, Ha Noi 1988 also hosts an exclusive Banh Chung Atelier in Paris, offering a hands-on workshop where you can learn to handcraft your own traditional square cake from scratch. You can read more about this special event at: Banh Chung and the Solace of Tet: Healing the Homesickness of Expats and Far-Away Souls

FAQs About Banh Chung Vietnam 

Why is Banh Chung eaten during Tet?

Banh Chung symbolises the earth, family unity and gratitude to ancestors, making it one of the most important foods during Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebrations.

How long does Banh Chung take to make?

Traditional Banh Chung takes around 18 to 24 hours in total, including soaking the rice and boiling the cakes for up to 12 hours.

Can you fry Banh Chung?

Yes. Fried Banh Chung, known as Banh Chung ran, is very popular in Northern Vietnam and is often eaten after Tet.

Where can I try Banh Chung in Paris?

Ha Noi 1988 serves authentic Banh Chung as part of its seasonal Tet menu across its central Paris restaurants.

No time to make it? Taste the real thing in Paris.

Ha Noi 1988 serves authentic Northern Vietnamese cuisine across 6 central Paris locations. Banh Chung features on our Tet seasonal menu - crafted following the same traditions described in this guide.

→  serve a table - Ha Noi 1988.com/en/reservations