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Banh Xeo Recipe

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This delicious banh xeo recipe is a play on a recipe I learned in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh), Vietnam.

While traveling around Vietnam I tried some amazing banh xeo recipes. If making this banh xeo recipe for the first time, I recommend using a non-stick pan. Using a cast iron pan with lots more oil is better but perhaps not as good for you. 

That is how I cooked them in Saigon over a roaring hot charcoal fire. I loved doing this so much I purchased one of the barbecues shown in the photo below but for this recipe we’ll do it on the stovetop. 

cooking crispy pancake

About this banh xeo recipe.

If you look at the cast iron pan in the photo above, that is a banh xeo I made while in Ho Chi Minh and it was so good! You will notice that there is a lot of oil in the pan. Traditionally, banh zeo are shallow fried giving them a delicious, crispy texture. 

I learned to make banh xeo on a food tour I booked through Back of the Bike Tours and I highly recommend scheduling a tour if you find yourself in Ho Chi Minh.

In my recipe below, I use less oil and cook the banh xeo in a non stick pan. I do this to make the banh xeo a bit healthier but the cast iron version with lots of oil is always an option if you want to do that. I explain everything in detail below. 

What are banh xeo?

Bánh xèo (Vietnamese spelling) is a popular Vietnamese dish, often referred to as “Vietnamese sizzling pancakes” or “Vietnamese crispy crepes.”

The name “bánh xèo” literally translates to “sizzling cake,” which refers to the sound the batter makes when it hits the hot skillet. You are only going to get that sizzling sound if you cook with a lot of oil but you can still make an amazing banh xeo using less oil.

What goes into a banh xeo?

All in all, making banh xeo is quite easy. You will need to source a few ingredients and prepare a batter before starting.

The Batter: The batter for bánh xèo is made from rice flour, water, and turmeric, which gives it a distinct yellow color. Sometimes coconut milk is added to the batter for extra richness.

The Filling: The pancakes are typically filled with a combination of ingredients, including thin slices of pork belling or shoulder, prawns or shrimp, bean sprouts to add texture and crunch and spring onions (scallions) for flavour.

How do you cook banh xeo the traditional way?

You cook them just as they do at the best food stalls. Heat about 70ml (1/4 cup) oil over a high heat and then pour in the batter. This recipe calls for a lot less oil but if you want to cook your banh xeo the traditional way, you’ll need a lot more.

One bonus to cooking in more oil in a hot cast iron pan is that they banh xeo get a lot crispier. 

How do you serve banh xeo?

Bánh xèo is usually served with a variety of fresh herbs like lettuce, mint, and basil, along with pickled vegetables. It is often eaten by wrapping pieces of the pancake in rice paper or lettuce leaves, then dipped into **nước chấm**, a tangy and slightly sweet dipping sauce made from fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and chilli.

This dish is enjoyed for its combination of textures and flavours—crispy, savory, fresh, and aromatic.

What is the best way to serve these cripsy pancakes?

That’s up to you. They are perfectly good simply served on their own with a hot sauce.

Often they are served wrapped in lettuce leaves with a few herbs like basil and mint but my favourite way to serve them is wrapped in rice paper with lots of green herbs and lettuce. 

Really… food doesn’t get much better! Below is a photo of my banh xeo folded and ready to eat.

Step by step photographs.

Ingredients for the recipe.

Get all your ingredients together before you start cooking. It’s easier that way.

Whisking the batter ingredients together until smooth.

Place all of the batter ingredients on a large mixing bowl. Whisk until creamy smooth with no lumps.

Cooking pork belly and shrimp in a pan.

Divide the prawns (shrimp) evenly into 8 portions. Grease your pan with a little oil and place one portion of the pork and shrimp in a pan over medium heat to cook.

Cooking the shrimp and pork through in a pan.

For for a couple of minutes, stirring occasionally until cooked through.

Adding batter to the pan with the shrimp and pork.

Pour in a ladle of the batter and roll the pan from side to side. Add a little more to coat the bottom of the pan but keep the pancake thin.

Adding bean sprouts to a cooked banh xeo.

Fry until cooked through and turning crispy brown on the bottom. Then add a good handful of the bean sprouts.

A cooked banh xeo folded over in a pan.

Fold it over and it’s ready to serve. Eat this as it is with a dipping sauce. Very good!

Banh xeo on a serving plate with sauce.

So crispy and delicious! You can enjoy them simply folded over like this.

Banh xeo wrapped in soft rice paper with herbs.

That or wrap it up in rice paper as described in the recipe card notes below.

 

 

 

vietnamese crispy pancake
 

You can roll the banh xeo like in the photograph below. These make an easy to carry snack.

bahn xeo

Want to get fancy?

Below is my favourite way to eat banh xeo. Wrap it all up with herbs in a damp rice paper. Eating banh xeo this way is nothing short of amazing!

bahn xeo

Can you store leftover banh xeo in the fridge?

Yes, you can store leftover bánh xèo in the fridge, but there are a few things to keep in mind to maintain the best texture and flavour. The best way forward is to only cook what you need and keep the batter in the fridge to make your banh xeo fresh. If you have already prepared your banh xeo or want to work ahead, here are a few storage tips…

1. Separate the Components: If possible,  you should store the components separately. Keep the pancakes separate from the fillings and herbs. This helps prevent the bánh xèo from becoming soggy.

2. Use Airtight Containers: You should place the pancakes in an airtight container or wrap them tightly in plastic wrap or aluminum foil to prevent them from drying out in the fridge.

3. Herbs and Vegetables: Store the fresh herbs and vegetables separately in a container or zip-lock bag with a paper towel to absorb excess moisture and keep them fresh.

You can store banh xeo in the fridge for up to two days.  After that, the texture and flavour might start to degrade.

How do you reheat these Vietnamese crispy pancakes?

When you’re ready to eat the leftovers:

1. Reheat the Pancakes: To regain the crispiness, reheat the pancakes in a hot, lightly oiled skillet or in the oven at a medium temperature until they are heated through and crispy. Avoid using a microwave, as it can make the bánh xèo soggy.

2. Serve Fresh: You can add the fresh herbs and dipping sauce just before serving to enjoy the full flavour of the dish.

 

If you like this recipe, you might like to try some of these Vietnamese favourites too!

Shaking Beef
Vietnamese Rotisserie Chicken
Vietnamese Tofu with Pork Stuffing
Beef Congee
Vietnamese Grilled Scallops
Cha Ca – Fried fish with Dill
Bo Kho – Spicy beef soup
Vietnamese Chicken Wings
Bun Cha – Grilled Pork Patties in Sauce
Chicken Pho
Beef Pho
Duck Pho
Pork on Lemongrass Skewers

Have you tried this banh xeo recipe?

If so, please give it a star rating in the comments below and leave a comment. I love receiving your feedback and I’m sure other readers of my blog do too. Thank you.

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Yield: 8

Banh Xeo Recipe

Banh xeo being cooked in a cast iron pan.
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 25 minutes
Total Time 40 minutes

Ingredients

  • FOR THE NU’Ó’C CHAM
  • 3 tbsp fish sauce
  • 3 tbsp sugar
  • 3 tbsp lime juice
  • 2 red bird’s eye chillies, cut into thin rings (more or less to taste
  • 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • FOR THE BATTER
  • 370g (2 cups) rice flour
  • 3 tbsp corn flour (cornstarch)
  • 1 level tbsp ground turmeric
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 400ml (1 ½ cups) water
  • 170ml (3/4 cup) coconut milk
  • 4 spring onions (scallions), thinly sliced
  • TO COOK
  • 20tbsp (1 ¼ cup) rapeseed (canola) oil (approx.)
  • 450g (16oz) streaky bacon, cut into 5cm (2 inch) pieces
  • 450g (16oz) prawns, peeled and deveined
  • 300g (3 cups) bean sprouts
  • TO SERVE
  • Cos (romaine) lettuce
  • Mint leaves
  • Coriander (cilantro) leaves
  • Basil leaves

Instructions

  1. If you are making the dipping sauce, I suggest doing that first. Whisk all of the ingredients together and set aside. This can be stored in the fridge and used as required.
  2. Now make the batter for the pancakes. In a large mixing bowl, whisk all of the ingredients together up to and including the spring onions (scallions). Whisk until you have a smooth batter with no lumps.
  3. When you have a creamy, smooth batter, divide the bacon, prawns and bean spouts so that you have 8 equal portions. Heat up your frying pan over medium high heat. I recommend using a non-stick pan for these as it is a lot easier. When hot, stir in about 2 tbsp of oil. Then add a portion of the bacon and prawns, spreading these out equally in the pan and fry until cooked through, turning once.
  4. Now add about a ladle or a bit more of the batter. Move the pan around while you do this and try to get the pancake looking like a thin pancake or crepe should. Nice and thin.
  5. Reduce the heat to medium and allow to cook for a further couple of minutes or until the bottom begins to brown. Top the pancake with some of the bean sprouts and cover the pan to continue cooking for another minute or so. The pancake should lift off the pan easily when it is cooked through so don’t rush this.
  6. When cooked through and crispy, fold the pancake in half and serve immediately. This isn’t one to bring to the table all at one time unless you have a lot of pans. Just serve them as and when they are ready with the dipping sauce, lettuce and herbs.
  7. Even more delicious is to wrap damp rice paper around the lettuce, herbs and bahn xeo! See note below.

Notes

To wrap the banh xeo in rice paper, pour a little water onto a plate and place the rice paper in it to dampen on both sides.

Transfer the rice paper to a plate and let it is for a few seconds. Then top with the banh xeo and herbs and roll it all up to serve.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 213Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 7mgSodium: 924mgCarbohydrates: 30gFiber: 1gSugar: 6gProtein: 6g

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