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vegan Vietnamese sweet soup dessert recipe with coconut milk and tapioca pearls in a white bowl

Vegan Vietnamese Sweet Soup Dessert (Chè)

A traditional Vietnamese sweet soup dessert (Chè) made vegan with mung beans, tapioca pearls, coconut milk, and pandan fragrance. The beauty of this dish lies in its layered textures — soft beans, chewy tapioca, and silky coconut milk broth. Serve warm in cold weather or chilled over ice in summer.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 1 cup dried mung beans soaked 2–8 hours, drained
  • 0.5 cup small tapioca pearls
  • 1 can full-fat coconut milk 400ml
  • 4 cups water
  • 0.5 cup coconut sugar or granulated sugar or to taste
  • 2 pandan leaves tied in a knot, or 0.5 tsp pandan extract
  • 1 slice fresh ginger thin, optional
  • 1 pinch salt to balance sweetness

Method
 

  1. Drain the soaked mung beans. Place in a pot with 3 cups water and bring to a boil. Add pandan leaves and ginger. Reduce heat and simmer for 20–25 minutes until beans are tender but still hold their shape.
  2. While beans cook, bring a small pot of water to a boil. Add tapioca pearls and cook for 10–15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until translucent. Drain and rinse with cold water.
  3. Add the remaining 1 cup water to the bean pot along with sugar and salt. Stir to dissolve.
  4. Remove pandan leaves and ginger. Add the cooked tapioca pearls to the bean mixture and stir gently.
  5. Warm the coconut milk gently in a small pot — do not boil. Stir into the soup gradually.
  6. Taste and adjust sweetness. Serve warm in bowls with a drizzle of extra coconut milk, or let cool and serve over ice for a refreshing chilled version.

Notes

Soak mung beans for at least 2 hours or overnight for faster, more even cooking. Tapioca pearls should be translucent when done — do not overcook or they become mushy. Do not boil coconut milk hard as it can curdle and turn grainy; warm it gently. Adjust sweetness with more or less sugar to taste. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to 3 days.