Xôi

Xôi is Vietnamese glutinous sticky rice, served sweet or savoury with mung bean, chicken, sausage and toppings, a… · Vietnam

Also known as xôi, sticky rice, glutinous rice

📍 Nationwide (Vietnam) ★ 4.1

Last updated Aug 24, 2026 · Reviewed by the WhatWhereVacay editorial team

Xôi is Vietnamese glutinous sticky rice, served sweet or savoury with mung bean, chicken, sausage and toppings, a staple of street breakfasts nationwide.

About Xôi

Xôi is Vietnamese glutinous (sticky) rice, a beloved food served either sweet or savoury and enjoyed across the country at any time of day. The rice is soaked and steamed until tender and glossy, then combined with a wide range of toppings, making xôi one of Vietnam’s most versatile everyday dishes.

Savoury versions are breakfast staples: xôi mặn piles the rice with mung bean, fried shallots, shredded chicken, pork sausage and pâté, while xôi gà tops it with chicken and xôi xéo adds a bright layer of mung bean and crispy shallots. Sweet forms, including xôi lá cẩm (purple sticky rice) and xôi bắp (corn), are eaten as snacks or desserts.

Xôi is sold from bamboo-steamer baskets by street vendors in Vietnamese cities, wrapped in banana leaves and handed over still hot. Its soft, chewy texture and ability to carry both savoury and sweet flavours have made it a fixture of street breakfasts from Hanoi to Ho Chi Minh City.

🏛️ History & Culture

Xôi, or steamed sticky rice, has been a staple in Vietnamese cuisine for centuries, with its origins rooted in the agricultural traditions of the Mekong Delta and the Red River Delta, where glutinous rice has long been cultivated. It is a versatile dish that appears in daily meals, festive offerings, and street food culture, symbolizing simplicity and resourcefulness in Vietnamese culinary heritage.

Regional variations abound: in the north, xôi is often savory with toppings like mung bean, fried shallots, or pork floss, while the central and southern regions favor sweeter versions with coconut milk, sugar, and tropical fruits. It also plays a key role in religious ceremonies and Lunar New Year celebrations, where it is offered to ancestors—though the exact historical timeline of its many forms is not precisely documented, and its evolution is best understood as a collective, regional adaptation of rice-based cooking.

🍳 How to make Xôi

AI-assisted, not kitchen-tested

Xôi Đỗ Xanh (Vietnamese Sticky Rice with Mung Beans)

Xôi is a comforting staple of Vietnamese cuisine — glutinous rice steamed until tender and often topped with savory or sweet accompaniments. This version, xôi đỗ xanh, pairs the nutty rice with creamy mung bean paste for a classic savory snack or light meal.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 50 min
Total: 70 min
Serves: 4
Difficulty: Easy

Recipe ingredients

400 g (14 oz) glutinous (sticky) rice, also called sweet rice or糯rice; do not substitute long-grain
200 g (7 oz) split yellow mung beans, hulled, not whole green
60 ml (¼ cup) neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower
5 g (1 tsp) salt
2 g (½ tsp) ground white pepper
30 ml (2 tbsp) soy sauce, optional, for serving
20 g (¼ cup) crispy fried shallots, for garnish
10 g (2 tbsp) sliced scallions, for garnish

Steps

1 Rinse the glutinous rice in cold water 4–5 times until the water runs nearly clear, then soak in fresh cold water for at least 4 hours, or overnight. Drain well.
2 Rinse the split mung beans and soak them in cold water for 1 hour. Drain.
3 Line a steamer basket with a clean cheesecloth or muslin cloth. Spread the drained rice evenly over the cloth, poke a few holes with a chopstick to allow steam through, and steam over rapidly boiling water for 20 minutes.
4 While the rice steams, place the soaked mung beans in a small pot, cover with fresh water by 2 cm (about 1 inch), bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes until very soft. Drain and mash into a coarse paste.
5 After 20 minutes, transfer the partially steamed rice to a large bowl. Add the neutral oil, salt, and white pepper, and mix gently with a wet spatula. Stir in the mashed mung beans until evenly distributed.
6 Return the rice and bean mixture to the steamer basket, spread evenly, and steam for another 25–30 minutes, until the rice is glossy, tender, and holds together when pressed.
7 Remove from the steamer and let rest, covered, for 5 minutes. Fluff gently with a wet spoon.
8 Serve warm in bowls, topped with crispy fried shallots and sliced scallions. Drizzle with soy sauce if desired.

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🧺 Key ingredients

glutinous rice
mung beans
fried shallots
coconut milk (sweet versions)
shredded chicken
pork sausage
pâté
sugar (sweet versions)

🍴 Where to eat it

Xôi is served by street vendors and at breakfast shops across Vietnam, sold hot from bamboo steamer baskets wrapped in banana leaves in Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City and beyond, and enjoyed at any hour as a snack or meal.

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Xôi — frequently asked questions

What is Xôi?

What is Xôi made of?

Xôi is made with glutinous rice, mung beans, fried shallots, coconut milk (sweet versions), shredded chicken and pork sausage. Recipes vary by region and by cook, but those are the core ingredients.

Where does Xôi come from?

Xôi comes from Vietnam, and is especially associated with Nationwide (Vietnam). Xôi, or steamed sticky rice, has been a staple in Vietnamese cuisine for centuries, with its origins rooted in the agricultural traditions of the Mekong Delta and the Red River Delta, where glutinous rice has long been cultivated.

Where can I eat Xôi?

How do you make Xôi?

Making Xôi at home takes about 20 minutes of prep and 50 minutes of cooking. The recipe on this page serves 4 and is rated easy. Full ingredient list and step-by-step method are in the recipe section above.

What else is Xôi called?

Xôi is also known as xôi, sticky rice, glutinous rice.

→ More traditional dishes from Vietnam