Chè Ba Màu, or Vietnamese Three Color dessert, is an easy, delicious, and refreshing dessert that's reminiscent of Filipino halo-halo. It typically consists of three layers of tri-colored ingredients of red beans, a sweetened mung bean paste, and chewy pandan jelly in a glass before being topped with shaved ice and a creamy coconut sauce.

Looking for more Vietnamese desserts? Check out this refreshing Vietnamese fruit cocktail dessert (Che Thai) or the creamy coconut banana pudding (Che Chuoi).
What is Che Ba Mau?
Chè ba màu, also known as three-color dessert or rainbow dessert, is a popular Vietnamese dessert. "Chè" refers to a category of sweet soups or beverages in Vietnamese cuisine, and "ba màu" means three colors in Vietnamese.
Che ba mau typically consists of three layers of different colored components. The base is usually made with red beans are often cooked with sugar until they become soft and slightly mashed. The next layer consists of cooked mung beans, which are sweetened with sugar. The mung bean layer is then topped with a layer of bouncy pandan jelly and a layer of coconut milk or coconut cream.
The dessert is typically served cold in a glass or bowl, allowing the vibrant colors of the three layers to be visible. It is a refreshing and sweet treat that is enjoyed throughout the year, particularly during hot weather in Vietnam.
Che ba mau can be found in Vietnamese restaurants or dessert shops in various parts of the world, as Vietnamese cuisine has gained popularity globally. It is a refreshing dessert for those who enjoy the combination of different flavors and textures in a single dish.
Ingredients and Substitutions
All of these ingredients can be found at your local Asian grocery store, at your local grocery store, if you have a good international aisle, or online.
The red layer consists of red beans such as adzuki, red beans, or kidney beans. To save some time, you can use adzuki canned beans or sweetened red bean paste, which doesn't require any cooking.
The yellow layer consists of a sweetened mung bean paste made of dried split mung beans and sugar.
The green layer consists of pandan jelly made from agar agar powder, pandan extract, sugar, and water. If you do not want to make pandan jelly from scratch, substitute it with ai yu jelly, grass jelly, or cendol (banh lot).
All of this is topped with a coconut sauce and crushed ice. The coconut sauce is made of coconut cream (full fat coconut milk), sugar and thickened with tapioca starch. Sometimes you'll see tapioca starch labeled as tapioca flour. It's essentially the same thing but different brands will label their products differently.
⬇️ Please scroll down to the recipe card to see the full ingredient amounts and instructions ⬇️
How to make it
RED ADZUKI BEANS
Step 1: Soak the adzuki beans in water overnight.
Step 2: Drain the beans. In a small saucepan, bring 3 inches of water to a boil, add beans, and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until softened.
Step 3: Drain the water and add sugar.
GREEN PANDAN JELLY
Step 4: Bring water to a boil. Add agar agar powder. Stir in pandan extract and sugar until dissolved.
Step 5: Pour into a 4x4 glass dish and let it cool at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or freeze for 2 hours).
Step 6: Slice into thin strips or cubes.
YELLOW MUNG BEANS
Step 7: In a small saucepan, add mung beans and water. Turn the heat on to medium-high and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until softened.
Step 8: Add more water, if needed. The consistency should be a smooth paste. Mix in sugar.
COCONUT SAUCE
Step 9: Heat coconut cream until it starts to boil. Whisk in sugar and tapioca starch. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved and the sauce has thickened.
Step 10: Remove from heat. Let it cool to room temperature and put it in the fridge until ready to use.
ASSEMBLE THE CHE BA MAU
Step 11: Layer in red beans, mung bean, and pandan jelly in a cup. Drizzle coconut sauce over the top.
Step 12: Top with crushed ice and serve.
⭐️ Tips for the best Che 3 Mau
- Plan ahead of time: this dessert is simple to make but it does require some prep work such as soaking the adzuki beans overnight and letting the pandan jelly set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. It is best to start the day before.
- Let the ingredients cool completely: this is a cold dessert. Let the beans and coconut sauce cool in the fridge for a few hours before assembling.
- Assemble right before eating: pour the coconut sauce in right before serving to preserve the freshness of this dessert.
Frequently Asked Questions and Answers
Che ba mau, or Vietnamese three color dessert, is made with a combination of ingredients that create its distinct layers and flavors. The main components of che ba mau include sweetened mung bean paste, sweet red beans, chewy pandan jelly, and a creamy coconut sauce.
How to store leftovers
To store leftover che ba mau, it is important to properly refrigerate it to maintain its freshness and prevent spoilage. Here are the steps to store leftover che ba mau:
- Allow the che ba mau to cool down to room temperature before storing it. This will prevent condensation from forming inside the storage container.
- Transfer the leftover che ba mau to an airtight container. Glass or plastic containers with lids work well for this purpose.
- If possible, keep the coconut sauce and che ba mau ingredients separately. This will help it stay fresh longer.
- Place the container in the refrigerator. Che ba mau can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
- When ready to enjoy the leftover che ba mau, simply remove it from the refrigerator, pour on the coconut sauce, and serve chilled or topped with shaved ice.
It's important to note that it is best consumed fresh, as the texture and taste may change slightly after being refrigerated. If it becomes too soft or loses its distinct layers, it may not be as visually appealing but can still be enjoyed for its flavors.
RECIPE
Chè Ba Màu (Vietnamese Three Color Dessert)
Ingredients
Red Bean Layer
- 1 cup adzuki beans
- water
- 2 tablespoon sugar
Yellow Mung Bean Layer
- ⅔ cup dried split mung bean, washed and rinsed until water runs clear
- 2 cups water
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Green Pandan Jelly Layer
- 1 tablespoon agar agar powder
- 2 cups water
- ¼ teaspoon pandan extract
- 3 tablespoons sugar
Coconut Sauce
- 1 (13.5 oz) can coconut cream
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons tapioca starch
Topping
- shaved ice
Instructions
Adzuki Beans
- Soak the adzuki beans in water overnight.
- Drain the beans. In a small saucepan, bring 3 inches of water to a boil, add beans, and cook for 18-20 minutes, or until softened.
- Drain the water and add sugar.
Pandan Jelly
- Bring water to a boil. Add agar agar powder. Stir in pandan extract and sugar until dissolved.
- Pour into a 4x4 glass dish and let it cool at room temperature. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours (or freeze for 2 hours).
- Slice into thin strips or cubes.
Mung Beans
- In a small saucepan, add mung beans and water. Turn the heat on to medium-high and bring to a boil. Simmer for 10-12 minutes, or until softened.
- Add more water, if needed. The consistency should be a smooth paste. Mix in sugar.
Coconut Sauce
- Heat coconut cream until it starts to boil. Whisk in sugar and tapioca starch. Simmer for 2-3 minutes, or until the sugar is dissolved.
- Remove from heat. Let it cool to room temperature and put in the fridge until ready to use.
Assemble the Che Ba Mau
- Layer in red beans, mung bean, and pandan jelly to a cup. Drizzle coconut sauce over the top.
- Top with crushed ice and serve.
Notes
-
- Plan ahead of time: this dessert is simple to make but it does require some prep work such as soaking the adzuki beans overnight and letting the pandan jelly set in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours. It is best to start the day before.
-
- Assemble right before eating: pour the coconut sauce in right before serving to preserve the freshness of this dessert.
Justine says
We love trying new recipes and this one was fantastic! It did take a bit of planning, but it was well worth it - everybody really enjoyed it.
Suja md says
This looks amazing and such a treat! Thank you!
Nikki says
What fabulous flavors and textures in this che ba mau. I'm looking forward to trying it.
GRETA says
This was such an interesting dessert. I love to try out different desserts from different cuisines and I loved it. Thanks
Kushigalu says
Interesting dessert recipe. Looks so delicious. Thanks for sharing.