20 Best Southeast Asian Recipes

The secret ingredient is the curry paste, a complex, medium-hot blend made with lemongrass and chiles. Originally from Malaysia, it’s now popular all over northern Thailand.

Recipe: Thai Chicken and Noodle Curry

Serve these refreshing rolls for dinner, or cut them into thirds and spear each with a toothpick to turn them into hors d'oeuvres.

Recipe: Vietnamese Noodle Rolls

Quick and delicious, pad Thai is a ubiquitous street food in Thailand.

Recipe: Shrimp Pad Thai

Red curry paste—a flavorful mix of chiles, lemongrass, ground shrimp, and more—is one of the great creations of the Thai kitchen. And it’s available in jars, making it possible to cook this complex-tasting dish in just a half-hour.

Recipe: Red Curry Tofu with Fall Vegetables

This dish requires some multitasking, but the benefits of creating something this delicious in only 30 minutes are well worth the hustle. If you're entertaining friends, take a more leisurely approach and make the dressing, cook the noodles, and clean the herbs ahead; then at serving time, just cook the steak and combine the ingredients.

Recipe: Vietnamese Steak Noodle Salad

Often called tom kha gai, this coconut milk–based soup is a rich and flavorful alternative to traditional chicken soup.

Recipe: Thai Chicken Coconut Soup

Enjoy all the flavors of the classic Vietnamese sandwich in a new, delicious form.

Recipe: Bánh Mì Noodle Bowls

Some sort of magic happens when you combine a few simple ingredients to turn out this simple, refreshing salad.

Recipe: Thai Beef Salad

Crunchy green papaya is usually the main ingredient in this type of Thai salad, but it can be hard to find.

Surprisingly, jicama—a crisp, beige-skinned root—makes a great stand-in. Find it at well-stocked grocery stores and Latino markets. To serve as a main course, increase shrimp to 1 lb.

Recipe: Thai-syle Jicama Salad

It's a snap to put together this fresh, flavorful stew with made with light coconut milk, halibut, Thai red curry paste (found in most supermarkets), and aromatic basil and mint.

Recipe: Thai Red Curry Fish Stew

Day-old leftover rice gives this fragrant fried rice the best texture, but you can also make it with rice cooked and cooled the same day.

Recipe: Spicy Thai Fried Rice with Shrimp

Mussels' rich taste of the sea goes beautifully with spicy-sweet curries like this one. You can also make the dish with littleneck clams—or both mussels and clams. You'll want a loaf of crusty bread or a pot of jasmine rice on hand to sop up the sauce.

Recipe: Thai Red Curry Mussels

We loved the salty spice of these pork pieces served over rice. You could also use them in a banh mi sandwich.

Get the recipe: Thai Barbecued Pork

If you’re sick, but also sick of ordinary chicken soup give this Asian-inspired soup a try.

Recipe: Thai Chicken and Rice Soup

Serve this coconut milk-based curry over steamed jasmine rice.

Recipe: Thai Catfish Curry with Sweet Potatoes

If you can’t find packaged broccoli slaw, whirl broccoli stems in a food processor, using the grater attachment. Throw in a carrot and some red cabbage if you like.

Recipe: Grilled Thai Chicken Thighs with Spicy Broccoli Slaw

Fried until crunchy, these shrimp look a little like firecrackers, with the tails being the fuses. The accompanying Ginger Fish Sauce (pictured) makes for the perfect tangy dip.

Recipe: Firecracker Shrimp

In Vietnam, snakehead fish is used for this dish, but food bloggers Hong Pham and Kim Dao, a.k.a. The Ravenous Couple, love to make it with West Coast Copper River salmon. Serve with Pineapple Shrimp Sauce, the typical Vietnamese accompaniment to Hanoi-style salmon.

Recipe: Hanoi-Style Salmon with Turmeric and Dill

A deliciously refreshing drink to pair with rich or spicy food.

Recipe: Litchi Raspberry Cocktail

The standard batter for these sweet fritters uses rice flour; this one has coconut flour instead, which creates an extra-crunchy crust with a warm coconut flavor.

Recipe: Coconut Banana Fritters