Vietnamese Bánh Xèo (Crispy Vietnamese Pancakes)

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Make crispy Vietnamese bánh xèo at home with golden, lacy edges, savory pork and shrimp filling, fresh herbs, and tangy nuoc cham dipping sauce. This recipe uses a special batter technique for a shorter resting time.

This bánh xèo recipe is probably one of the best I’ve ever made. It uses a special batter technique that lets you rest the batter for just 30 minutes instead of several hours or overnight. A little fine cornmeal adds an extra touch of crispness, while sparkling water helps create a light, airy texture. Once you try homemade bánh xèo, you may find yourself craving it again and again.

My first experience with bánh xèo

We once brought a friend to a Vietnamese restaurant for dinner. They had never really eaten at a Vietnamese restaurant before, and our minds were already set on ordering beef pho. Our friends ordered the same thing. Then the waiter walked past our table carrying this enormous yellow pancake for another table. Honestly, I thought it was an omelet! We stopped the waiter and asked what it was, and she told us it was bánh xèo. That was my first introduction to bánh xèo almost a decade ago, and I never looked back! I loved the contrast between the crispy pancake, savory filling, crunchy bean sprouts, and fresh herbs. Wrapped in lettuce and dipped into nuoc cham, every bite was full of flavor and texture. Since then, bánh xèo has become one of those Vietnamese dishes I always enjoy eating. Making it at home takes a little practice, but the result is absolutely worth it.

What is bánh xèo?

Bánh xèo is a traditional Vietnamese savory pancake made primarily with rice flour and water, often with coconut milk and turmeric added to the batter. It is cooked in a hot skillet until the pancake becomes thin and crispy, with a distinctive golden-yellow color.
The name bánh xèo is often translated as “sizzling cake.” The word xèo refers to the sizzling sound the batter makes when it hits the hot pan.
Bánh xèo is commonly filled with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts, although fillings vary by region and household. It is usually served with lettuce, fresh herbs, and nuoc cham dipping sauce.
Unlike a Western pancake or omelet, bánh xèo is not meant to be soft and fluffy. The goal is a thin, crisp crepe with a savory filling and delicate, lacy edges.

Why this bánh xèo recipe is different

Traditional bánh xèo recipes often recommend resting the batter for several hours or overnight. This gives the rice flour time to hydrate properly before cooking.
This recipe takes a different approach by cooking a small portion of the batter first, then mixing it into the main batter. The technique helps the batter develop the right consistency without requiring a long resting time.
The batter is divided into two parts:
Batter 1: A small amount of rice flour is whisked with water and coconut milk, then gently cooked until it thickens into a smooth, gravy-like mixture.
Batter 2: The remaining rice flour is combined with fine cornmeal, salt, turmeric, and cold sparkling water.
The warm, thickened Batter 1 is then whisked into Batter 2. After a 30-minute rest in the refrigerator, the batter is ready to use.
Cooking part of the rice flour mixture before combining it with the rest helps the batter develop a suitable consistency more quickly. You still need to let it rest, but you don’t have to plan a day just to make bánh xèo.

Ingredients and substitutions

1. Rice flour: Use regular rice flour, not glutinous rice flour. It provides the base for the crispy pancakes.
2. Water: Use plain water for Batter 1 and Batter 2.
3. Canned coconut milk: Full-fat coconut milk adds richness and a subtle coconut flavor. Light coconut milk can be used for a less rich batter.
4. Fine cornmeal: This helps give the pancakes their distinctive crispy texture. Use fine cornmeal rather than coarse polenta, and don’t skip it if you want to follow this recipe as written.
5. Salt: Season the batter and filling.
6. Turmeric powder: Gives bánh xèo its signature golden-yellow color and a subtle earthy flavor. You can reduce the amount for a milder flavor.
7. Cold sparkling water: Use plain, unflavored sparkling water or club soda. Keep it refrigerated until you’re ready to prepare the batter.
8. Green onion: Finely chop the green onion so it distributes evenly throughout the batter.
9. Neutral cooking oil: Use a high-smoke-point oil, such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil, for cooking the pancakes.
10. Pork: Use pork tenderloin for a leaner filling, pork shoulder for a meatier texture, or pork belly for a richer, fattier filling. Cut it into thin strips so it cooks evenly.
11. Shrimp: Medium or large shrimp, peeled and deveined, work well. You can omit them and use pork alone, or substitute thinly sliced mushrooms or tofu for a vegetarian filling.
12. Onion: A small yellow or white onion adds sweetness to the filling.
13. Bean sprouts: Fresh mung bean sprouts provide a refreshing crunch. Add them just before folding the pancakes.
14. Lettuce: Green leaf or butter lettuce works well for wrapping pieces of bánh xèo.
15. Thai basil: Adds a fragrant, slightly anise-like flavor. Mint is a good alternative.
16. Cilantro: Adds freshness to the lettuce wraps. You can use extra mint or Thai basil if you don’t enjoy cilantro.
17. Sugar: Sweetens the nuoc cham dipping sauce and balances the salty fish sauce and tangy lime juice.
18. Fish sauce: Provides the dipping sauce’s characteristic savory, salty flavor. For a vegetarian version, use a vegetarian fish sauce alternative.
19. Lime juice: Freshly squeezed lime juice adds brightness and acidity. Adjust the amount to taste.
20. Red chilies: Finely chopped red chilies add heat to the nuoc cham. Remove the seeds or omit the chilies for a milder sauce.

Tips for making crispy bánh xèo

1. Get the skillet hot before adding the batter. A properly heated skillet helps the thin batter spread quickly and develop crispy edges.
2. Use only a little oil at first. Too much oil can cause the batter to slide around instead of clinging to the sides of the pan. Drizzle a little more oil around the edges during cooking.
3. Stir the batter before every crepe. Rice flour and other starches settle during resting, so thorough stirring helps each crepe cook evenly.
4. Keep the cooked crepes on a wire rack. Avoid stacking them or covering them tightly, as trapped steam softens the crispy edges.

Frequently asked questions

1. Why is my bánh xèo not crispy?
   The skillet may not be hot enough, the batter may be too thick, or too much oil may have been used. Make sure the batter spreads into a thin layer, keep the heat at medium-low after pouring, and allow enough time for the bottom to become crisp and golden.
2. Can I make the bánh xèo batter ahead of time?
   Yes. You can refrigerate the prepared batter for up to 24 hours. Before cooking, stir it thoroughly and check its consistency. If it has thickened considerably, whisk in a small splash of sparkling water to loosen it.
3. Can I make bánh xèo without shrimp?
   Absolutely. You can use only pork, or replace the pork and shrimp with thinly sliced mushrooms, tofu, or other vegetables for a vegetarian version. If you want the dish to be vegetarian, use a vegetarian dipping sauce instead of fish sauce.
4. Can I use regular water instead of sparkling water?
   You can, but the texture may be slightly different. Sparkling water is included to help create a lighter batter, so I recommend using it if possible.
5. Can I use glutinous rice flour instead of regular rice flour?
   No, I don’t recommend it. Glutinous rice flour has different starch properties and tends to produce a chewier, stickier texture rather than the light, crisp pancake you’re looking for.
6. How should I store leftover bánh xèo?
   Store leftover cooked pancakes in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Keep the dipping sauce and fresh herbs separate.
7. How do I reheat bánh xèo?
   Reheat the pancakes in a skillet over medium-low heat or in an air fryer until heated through and crisp again. Avoid microwaving if possible, as it tends to make the pancakes soft.
8. Can I freeze bánh xèo?
   You can freeze the cooked pancakes, although their texture may not be quite as crisp after thawing. Cool them completely, separate them with parchment paper, and store them in a freezer-safe container. Reheat directly from frozen in a skillet or air fryer until hot and crisp.

What to serve with bánh xèo

Bánh xèo is usually served with fresh lettuce, fragrant herbs, and nuoc cham rather than a separate side dish. If you’re preparing a Vietnamese-inspired meal, you could also serve it with a light vegetable salad or a bowl of Vietnamese pickled vegetables. The fresh, crunchy accompaniments are important because they balance the richness of the pork, shrimp, and coconut milk in the crepes.

Tips to keep Banh Xeo crispy

Achieving and maintaining the signature crispiness of banh xeo can be tricky, but these tips will help you nail it every time:
1. Precook the batter: It’s an extra step, but not a difficult one, and only take less than 5 minutes. This step shorten the resting time for the batter but the batter is steady and doesn’t tear easily when you cook it
2. Use cornmeal: because cornmeal has that gritty texture, it gives that crispy texture in this banh xeo and you can’t even tell that there’s cornmeal in it
3. Rest for 30 minutes: You still need to rest the batter for 30 minutes before cooking the crepes
4. Keep the batter cold in the fridge: The cold will help to preserve the fizz from the carbonated/sparkling water
5. Don’t Overfill: While it’s tempting to load up on fillings, too much moisture from the ingredients can make the crepe soggy. Use a modest amount of fillings and drain any excess liquid from items like shrimp or bean sprouts before adding them.
6. Cook it long enough: The crepes need to be cooked long enough to ensure that crispy texture
7. Keep them warm or serve immediately: Banh xeo is best enjoyed fresh off the skillet. As it cools, the crepe will soften, losing its signature crunch. If you don’t plan to serve immediately, keep them warm in the oven to preserve that crispy texture

Variations on fillings

While the batter is the star of banh xeo, the fillings make it a complete dish. Popular combinations include:
1. Shrimp and Pork: A classic pairing, often combined with mung beans and bean sprouts.
2. Vegetarian: Mushrooms, tofu, and steamed mung beans make for a satisfying meat-free option.
3. Seafood: A mix of shrimp, squid, and scallops for a coastal twist.

How to eat banh xeo

A Vietnamese friend told me once that there was no glamorous way of eating banh xeo! You simply tear off some of the pancakes, put it on a piece of lettuce, add some herbs, roll it up and dip it into the sauce and into your mouth 🙂