Popular Lunar New Year Food Ideas For Your Table

Lunar New Year is widely celebrated by Asian cultures around the world and is never in short of astounding food. We’ve collected some of the tastiest foods from different Asian cultures to help you bring back nostalgic traditions or create new ones.

Chinese food on Lunar New Year

The Lunar New Year is typically celebrated at the end of January or early February. It is common for Chinese families to hold two celebrations around this time—one to close the previous year and one to celebrate the upcoming year. Here are a few traditional foods to incorporate during your Lunar New Year dinner.

1. Whole chicken

Serving items whole is a common theme in Chinese Lunar New Year food. Serving something whole symbolizes wholeness and prosperity, both important characteristics for the new year. Whether served steamed or fried, whole Chinese chicken should be tender, juicy, and flavorful.

2. Peking duck

Known for its golden-brown crispy skin and juicy inner texture, Peking duck is a luxurious centerpiece during Lunar New Year dinners.

3. Steamed whole fish

The concept of serving a whole fish boils down to the mantra of finishing what you started and honoring the successful closure of another year. In addition to this, the Chinese word for fish (yu) sounds like the words both “wish” and “abundance.” By eating the fish, you welcome the wish for an abundant upcoming year. Steamed whole fish is often served in a sauce made from ginger, garlic, soy sauce, and garnished with green onions.

4. Longevity noodles

The longer-than-average length of these noodles symbolizes longevity in life. Make sure not to cut the noodles when getting yourself a plate. The myth is that cutting the noodles means cutting the length of your life.

5. Chinese dumplings

Chinese dumplings are typically made with a minced pork and vegetable filling and are typically either served steamed or fried.

6. Fried sesame balls

Also known as jian dui, these fried sesame balls are a staple Chinese Lunar New Year dessert. Inside these fried sesame balls is a chewy, mochi-like texture that is stuffed with sweet red bean paste. The balls are then fried until crisp and encrusted in sesame seeds.

Korean food on Lunar New Year

Also referred to as Sollal, Koreans celebrate the new year at the start of the Lunar calendar, typically around February 1. Below are some of the delicious recipes you’ll find at a traditional Korean Lunar New Year dinner.

1. Tteokguk (Korean rice cake soup)

Korean rice cake soup, or tteokguk, is often consumed with loved ones during the Lunar New Year. The oval slices of rice cake (tteok) resemble old Korean coins, symbolizing prosperity and riches for the upcoming new year.

2. Manduguk (dumpling soup)

Similar to tteokguk, manduguk, literally translated into dumpling (mandu) and soup (guk), is a comforting soup highlighting its featured ingredient: dumplings. These dumplings are traditionally stuffed with a mixture of pork and veggies and added to the soup. The soup is then topped with slivered egg, seaweed, and green onion.

3. Galbi jim (braised short ribs)

These braised beef short ribs are a popular meat dish served on Korean Lunar New Year and other special occasions. The short ribs are braised in a sweet and salty marinade and cooked with carrots and potatoes until all your ingredients are super flavorful and tender.

4. Japchae (Korean glass noodles)

Japchae, or glass noodles, is a staple side dish at Korean Lunar New Year celebrations. These glass noodles are stir-fried with a variety of vegetables (mushrooms, carrots, Korean spinach) and garnished with sesame seeds.

5. Songpyeon (half-moon rice cakes)

Songpyeon, half-moon-shaped rice cakes, are a common dessert to see at Korean Lunar New Year tables. These small, chewy rice cakes are often white, yellow, or green in color and are stuffed with sweet sesame filling.

6. Sujeong gwa (persimmon drink)

Sujeong gwa is made from persimmons, cinnamon, and ginger and is topped with whole pine nuts. This fruity and spicy drink is typically served as a final sweet point at the end of the meal.

7. Yaksik (sweet rice with nuts and fruit)

Yaksik is a Korean dessert made from glutinous rice that has been combined with dried fruits and nuts. The dessert is sweet, sticky, and good for snacking.

Vietnamese food on Lunar New Year

Lunar New Year in Vietnam is called Tết, which is short for Tết Nguyên Đán. It is one of the most celebrated holidays in Vietnamese culture and is accentuated by its colorful foods.

1. Banh chung (square steamed cake)

Banh chung is one of the most common items you’ll see at a Vietnamese Lunar New Year celebration. It is a savory steamed cake filled with sticky rice, minced pork, and mung beans. The mixture is shaped into a square and wrapped in banana leaves before going into the steamer to cook.

2. Boiled chicken

Similar to Chinese culture, boiled or steamed chicken is a standard dish served during Lunar New Year in Vietnam. The chicken is often cooked whole and is then served chopped and garnished with Vietnamese coriander.

3. Thit kho trung (Vietnamese braised pork and eggs)

To make this dish, tender pork is marinated in a combination of fish sauce, garlic, sugar, and coconut water, while the eggs are hard-boiled and peeled. Both the pork and eggs are cooked in the savory sauce to develop flavor and are served with pickled vegetables.

4. Canh khổ qua (stuffed bitter melon soup)

This traditional soup signifies the start of the Lunar New Year. To stuff the bitter melon, the inside is hollowed out and packed with a mixture of ground pork, wood ear mushrooms, and vermicelli noodles. The bitter melon is then cooked in a rich meat or vegetable broth. The savory stuffing helps alleviate the bitterness of the bitter melon creating a balanced and intricate soup.

5. Cha gio (Vietnamese spring rolls)

A classic favorite is the cha gio, also known as Vietnamese spring rolls. Spring rolls are typically stuffed with pork and vegetables and fried for a satisfying crisp exterior. Vietnamese spring rolls are best served with a side of dipping sauce made with fish sauce, sugar, and pickled carrots and radishes.

6. Mut (candied fruit)

Dried, chewy, and sweet, these candied, dried fruits, referred to as mut, are found on Vietnamese Lunar New Year spreads as tasty snacks. While you can have a variety of candied fruits on display, popular ones include candied coconut, tamarind, mango, and sweet potato.

7. Mam ngu qua (five-fruit tray)

Although the five-fruit tray is not typically eaten, it is an important part of the Vietnamese Lunar New Year. Mam ngu qua is displayed on an altar as an offering to the family’s ancestors. Five different fruits, typically of varying colors, are used. Oranges, apples, pomelos, bananas, persimmons, and pears are just a few of the typical fruits you’ll see in a five-fruit tray.

Start holiday grocery shopping

When it comes to the holidays, it’s always best to get a head start. If you plan on going holiday grocery shopping, you can save time by browsing Instacart. Through Instacart, you can see what items are available in your area and either pick up your items curbside or have your groceries delivered to you. With the convenience of regaining time in your schedule, you can focus your efforts on creating a beautiful Lunar New Year feast.

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