Banh xeo is a thin, crispy and savory Vietnamese crepe made with a golden turmeric and coconut rice flour batter, then filled with pork, shrimp, bean sprouts and onion. It’s traditionally made to order in small batches, then served immediately with a variety of fresh herbs and a nuoc cham sauce. It’s a must have authentic Vietnamese dish to try!
Vietnamese banh xeo is similar to a thin pancake, except it’s cooked to a nice crispiness and it’s filled with shrimp, pork, and bean sprouts which adds a savory and umami flavor to the dish. I love eating these right off the pan, while it’s hot and crispy!
Growing up, my mom would be the one hovering over the stove, cooking these to order to make sure we had them fresh to enjoy. These irresistible, crispy banh xeos are made with such care and love, it’s a dish that has a special place in my heart and always reminds me of my childhood.
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Ingredients
Rice flour – You can get this at your local Asian grocery. Some main stream grocery stores carry them as well. I llike to use this Thai brand.
Coconut milk – Full fat is best for banh xeo. I typically like the Asian brand coconut milk because the fat tends to not separate as much. I like to use the Arroy-D brand.
Corn starch – Helps to thicken the batter and makes for a crispy crepe.
Turmeric – This is the essential spice to get the signature golden yellow color.
Green onion – Finely sliced, it adds a bright hit of flavor.
Water – Helps thin out the batter.
Salt – just a touch to bring out the turmeric flavor.
For convenience you can also buy banh xeo flour mix at most Asian stores. My personal favorites are Kim Tu Thap brand and TL Bon Con Voi brand.
Banh xeo filling ingredients
Typical ingredients include pork and shrimp, some varieties include oyster mushrooms and mung bean for a vegan option – but it’s really up to you!Â
Pork – Thin sliced pork belly is what I use, and for a healthier option use pork shoulder or even chicken breast meat.  Â
Shrimp – bigger sized shrimp will give you juicy and plump bites. I always love more shrimp in my filling. Â
Bean sprouts – is an additional vegetable, adds another layer of texture and flavor. Â
Onion – yellow onions work best. Â
Accompaniments
Banh xeo is traditionally eaten with a lot of greens and veggies, like lettuce, mint, cilantro and cucumber.
Dipping sauce like nuoc mam is a MUST.
Instructions
1). Make the batter. Let it set for 1 hour.
2). Boil the bean sprouts 1 to 2 minutes. Drain well.
3). In a pan on medium high, add oil and cook the sliced pork and onions. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
4). Sauté the shrimp until cooked, transfer to the bowl with the pork.
5). Brush oil into the pan, heat on med high. When the pan is hot but not smoking, take it off the heat. Ladle in about ½ cup of the batter. Lift and tilt the pan to swirl the batter around to create a crepe (like a very thin pancake).
Lower the heat to medium and cover the pan with a lid. Cook for about 2 minutes with lid on.
Remove the lid, add the filling to half of the crepe, cook for an additional 4 to 5 minutes.
6). Use a spatula to fold the crepe over to cover the filling. Transfer onto a plate and enjoy!
How to eat banh xeo
You’ll essentially be making a lettuce wrap. Take a medium sized lettuce leaf, and add a piece of the banh xeo with filling onto it.
Add additional herbs and veggies on top, like mint, cilantro, cucumber, and then wrap the rest of the lettuce around the banh xeo and herbs.
Dip the wrap into some nuoc mam sauce and enjoy!
*Optional: I also love wrapping the lettuce wrap in a rice paper, like a spring roll, it is absolutely delicious!
Pro tips
- For crispy banh xeo, it’s all about technique – be patient. Cooking on medium heat will allow the batter to crisp up on the outside, without burning it.
- Make sure to let the batter rest for an hour, this allows the batter to thicken, otherwise it will be too thin and crack easily.
- Cooking with the lid on allows the batter to cook thoroughly.
- Be generous with the oil, you will need to coat the pan thoroughly to get every bit of the batter crispy!
- Use a good pan, the best pan in my experience is a large 10″ cast iron skillet, but this is quite heavy and may be hard to tilt and maneuver. If you are a newbie, use a lighter, non-stick pan.
- If the edges of the batter stick to the pan, brush some oil around the sides, to help it loosen up.
- Eat it right away, as the hot filling creates steam and will soften the crispy batter the longer it sits.
- With certain brands of coconut milk, the fat separates from the liquid, make sure to mix thoroughly before adding it to the batter.
- You can experiment with other ingredients such as chicken, tofu, or mushrooms. This can make the dish more versatile and customizable to your taste.
Frequently asked questions
The batter may not have cooked long enough. Or it sat for too long and the residual heat softened it.
Eat it in a lettuce wrap rolled with herbs and vegetables.
In some Banh xeo recipes, egg is used in the batter.
Banh Xeo is best served fresh, but you can make the batter and filling ahead of time and store them separately in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, heat up the skillet and cook the pancakes to order.Â
More Vietnamese recipes
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Crispy Vietnamese Banh Xeo
Banh xeo is a thin, crispy and savory Vietnamese crepe made with a golden turmeric, coconut milk, rice flour batter, then filled with pork, shrimp, bean sprouts and onion.
InstructionsÂ
Banh xeo batter
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Add the rice flour, corn starch, turmeric, coconut milk, water and salt in a large mixing bowl. Whisk to combine ingredients. Let it set in fridge for 1 hour.
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When ready to cook, add the sliced green onions and mix into the batter.
For the filling
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Boil the bean sprouts for 1 to 2 minutes in hot water. Drain well and set aside.
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In a large pan, heat some oil on medium high heat. Add the sliced pork and cook for about 2 to 3 minutes. Add the sliced onions. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook until the pork is cooked through and onions are soft. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
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Add more oil to the same pan as needed. Add the shrimp and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook on medium heat until cooked through, about 5 to 6 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
How to cook crispy ban xeo
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Brush some oil onto the pan, heat on medium high. When the pan is hot (not smoking) take it off the heat and ladle in , starting at the top of the pan, about ½ cup of batter. Quickly add in more batter as needed. Lift and tilt the pan to swirl the batter around to create the crepe (a very thin pancake).
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Lower the heat to medium and over the pan with a lid. Cook for about 3 minutes with the lid on.
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Remove the lid, add some pork, shrimp, onions and bean sprouts to half of the crepe. Continue to cook on medium for an additional 4 to 5 minutes or until crispy to your liking.
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Use a spatula to fold the crepe over to cover the filling. Transfer onto a plate and serve with vegetables, herbs and a nuoc cham dipping sauce. Eat immediately.
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Repeat with the remaining batter and filling until finished.
Notes
- For crispy banh xeo, it’s all about technique – be patient, cooking on medium heat will allow the batter to crisp up on the outside, and then fully cook in the center.
- Use a good pan- cast iron pans work really well, if this is too heavy, use a good quality non stick pan.Â
- Make sure to let the batter rest for an hour, this allows the batter to thicken.
- Be generous with the oil, use a basting brush to coat the pan thoroughly to get every bit of the batter crispy!Â
- If the edges of the batter stick to the pan, brush some oil around the sides, to help it loosen up. Â
Nutrition
Serving: 10peopleCalories: 404kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 13gFat: 24gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 9gTrans Fat: 0.001gCholesterol: 79mgSodium: 176mgPotassium: 292mgFiber: 2gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 31IUVitamin C: 4mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 2mg
