Vietnam · Sizzling street-food favorite
Bánh Xèo — Crispy Vietnamese Crêpes
Bánh xèo gets its name from the sizzling sound of batter hitting a hot skillet. These thin, golden rice-flour crêpes are filled with shrimp, pork and bean sprouts, then wrapped in lettuce and herbs and dipped in savory-sweet nước chấm.
Illustrative AI-generated image. This is a traditional-inspired home recipe; fillings, size and batter vary by region. Recipe not independently kitchen-tested by Asian Table Atlas.
Ingredients
- 200 g (1⅔ cups) rice flour
- 35 g (¼ cup) cornstarch, for extra crispness
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp salt
- 300 ml (1¼ cups) coconut milk
- 250 ml (1 cup) cold water, plus more if needed
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced
- 250 g (9 oz) pork belly or pork shoulder, thinly sliced
- 250 g (9 oz) medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 small onion, thinly sliced
- 300 g (10 oz) fresh bean sprouts
- Neutral cooking oil, for the skillet
- Lettuce leaves, mint, Vietnamese perilla and other fresh herbs, to serve
- For dipping sauce: 3 tbsp fish sauce, 3 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp lime juice, 9 tbsp water, 2 minced garlic cloves and sliced chili
- Optional: shredded carrot or daikon for dipping sauce
How to make bánh xèo
- Whisk rice flour, cornstarch, turmeric and salt. Add coconut milk and water gradually until smooth and quite thin, like light cream. Stir in scallions. Rest the batter 20–30 minutes while preparing the fillings.
- Mix fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and water until sugar dissolves. Add garlic, chili and optional shredded vegetables. Taste and adjust for a balance of sweet, salty and sour.
- Heat a 25–28 cm (10–11 inch) nonstick or well-seasoned skillet over medium-high heat. Add a little oil, then cook a few slices of pork until cooked through. Add shrimp and onion; sauté until shrimp are opaque and cooked through.
- Stir the batter before each crêpe. Add a little more oil if necessary, then pour a thin ladleful of batter into the hot skillet, swirling quickly to cover the bottom in a very thin layer. The pan should sizzle.
- Scatter a handful of bean sprouts over one half. Cook uncovered until the edges become crisp and golden, about 4–6 minutes. If needed, briefly cover to soften sprouts, then uncover to restore crispness.
- When the underside is deeply golden and releases easily, fold the crêpe in half with a spatula. Slide onto a plate. Repeat with remaining batter and fillings, adding small amounts of oil and adjusting heat as needed.
- Serve immediately with lettuce and herbs. Tear off a piece of bánh xèo, wrap it in lettuce with herbs, and dip in nước chấm. For the crispiest result, avoid stacking cooked crêpes.
Tips for crispy, lacy bánh xèo
Keep batter thin: Add a little cold water if it becomes thick. Use a hot pan: A fast sizzle helps create delicate, crisp edges. Don't overcrowd: Too much filling traps steam and softens the crêpe. Serve immediately: Bánh xèo loses crispness as it sits.
How to eat it
Tear off a portion of the crêpe, wrap it in lettuce and fresh herbs, then dip it into nước chấm. In some regions, diners also use rice paper to wrap bánh xèo.
Helpful kitchen tools
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- Nonstick skillet — helps create thin, crisp crêpes.
- Thin spatula — makes folding easy.