Banh Xeo – Crispy, Sizzling Vietnamese Crepe Recipe

Irresistibly crispy, this Vietnamese crepe recipe (Banh Xeo) is packed with shrimp, ground chicken, mung beans and bean sprouts.  An easy, yet tasty choice for brunch, Banh Xeo is served with Nuoc Cham - Vietnam’s famous dipping sauce.

Banh Xeo (“baan say-ow”) is a crispy, Vietnamese rice crepe, stuffed with meats and vegetables like shrimp, pork belly, scallions and bean sprouts.  In Vietnamese, Bánh refers to cake or bread and Xèo means sizzle, referring to the sound that the rice batter makes when poured into a hot skillet. 

I love Banh Xeo because the flavors never fail to delight me - I could eat it all day. Also known in Vietnam as "happy pancakes," Banh Xeo is literally the perfect recipe for a stay-at-home brunch.

The recipe is really easy - if you can make an omelet, you can make Banh Xeo. If you do not have the exact ingredients, you can easily substitute the ingredients with what you have.

There is no dainty way to eat this dish but its SO OMG TASTY, its totally worth it!

What does Banh Xeo taste like?

The first bite of these rice flour pancakes begins with the refreshingly sweet, yet garlicky taste of Nuoc Cham soaked lettuce and herbs, followed by the crispy, slightly chewy crust of the crispy Vietnamese pancakes.

The medley of flavors ends with the savory notes of the crisply fried ground chicken, shrimp and vegetable fillings.

Is Banh Xeo the same as French crepes?

Banh Xeo is different from French crepes in that it contains no eggs, have a distinctively crispy outer shell and is always savory.  French crepes contain eggs and are soft and pliable. They can also be either sweet (e.g., filled with strawberries and Nutella) or savory (e.g., filled with ham and cheese).

Is it hard to make this Vietnamese Crepe Recipe?

Making Banh Xeo is as easy as making a stuffed omelet.

The cooking process includes three easy steps - mixing the batter, prepping the ingredients and finally cooking the crepe.

What ingredients are needed to make this Vietnamese crepe recipe?

The batter ingredients include flour, turmeric powder, salt, sugar, water and coconut milk. I also include use a little oil to help fry and crisp the crepe.

• Flour – Banh Xeo is traditionally made with white rice flour.  However In this Vietnamese crepe recipe I use a combination of all purpose flour and rice flour because all purpose flour browns a little better and gives a really lovely color. Feel free to go full traditional and use rice flour if you prefer. 
• Turmeric powder – turmeric is a signature ingredient for this recipe as it provides the rich yellow color of the crepe.  While turmeric has many beneficial properties, its use in this dish does not add much flavor. If you wanted to avoid turmeric, you can either omit it or use food color instead. 
• Coconut milk – since coconuts are abundant in Vietnam, coconut milk is often included in many Vietnamese recipes. Coconut milk gives the crepes a delicious, distinctive flavor. The use of coconut milk is optional.
• Water – Banh Xeo batter is traditionally made with water.  I use warm water in this recipe because it helps the rice flour dissolve more easily. You can also use beer or carbonated water. Carbonation is often used to add more crisp to dishes like fish ‘n chips and fried chicken. 
• Scallions - Scallions give the pancakes some texture and peppery flavor.

The meat and vegetable fillings for Banh Xeo typically varies from region to region.  For example, in coastal areas a variety of seafood like octopus and shrimp is used. In other areas, starfruit is also included in the filling. This Vietnamese crepe recipe uses shrimp, ground chicken, onions, bean sprouts, mung beans and scallions.

• Shrimp – I use small to medium peeled and deveined shrimp for this dish. Vietnam is famous for its fresh seafood markets so for a more authentic taste, use fresh shrimp if you can.
• Ground Chicken - I use fresh ground chicken from my local grocery store in this Vietnamese crepe recipe. The ground chicken can also be substituted with ground pork or sliced pork belly or fried firm tofu.
• Onions and Scallions – I like to use a combination of sliced white onion and thinly sliced scallion (green onion) to add a little sweet/peppery flavor and texture to this dish. 
• Bean sprouts – sprouts add a bit of garden-fresh crunch and texture to the dish.
• Mung beans – these beans are typically sold dry in the store – an easy way to prepare them is to soak them overnight and then microwave them until soft. I really love including them because the plain cooked version tastes like edaname.
• Other fillers - other commonly used fillers include cucumber, carrot, pickled radish, octopus and mushrooms.

Banh Xeo is typically served with lettuce, fragrant herbs and a dipping sauce.

• Lettuce – greens are traditionally served with Banh Xeo – a variety of types like red lettuce, mustard greens, butter lettuce and iceberg work well.
• Fragrant Herbs –while mint is often served with Banh Xeo, other herbs like cilantro and basil work too.
• Dipping sauce – If you do not have some Nuoc Cham on hand, you can make some using my Nuoc Cham recipe.  This addictive dipping sauce is made of water, sugar, lime juice and fish sauce. It’s basically a limeade with an umami punch. Optional flavoring ingredients such as minced garlic and chilis enhance the flavor. 

How do you make Banh Xeo?

Banh Xeo can be made in three easy steps as shown below. For optimal crispiness, it needs to be cooked and served immediately. 

Step One - Prepare the Batter – Whisk the dry ingredients  - all purpose flour, rice flour, turmeric, salt and sugar in a large bowl to ensure even distribution.  Add the water and coconut milk.  Mix well.  Add the scallions and mix.  Let the batter rest in the fridge for at least a half hour to overnight.

If you decide to make the batter ahead, just refrigerate after Step One until you are ready.  Stored in an airtight container the batter can be made up to four days ahead. 

Step Two - Prepare the lettuce leaves, herbs and dipping sauce – Wash and dry the lettuce leaves and fresh herbs.  Arrange on a serving platter. If you don't happen to have Nuoc Cham on hand, you can easily make it in about five minutes using my Nuoc Cham recipe.  Pour the Nuoc Cham dipping sauce equally into individual serving bowls. You want to prepare all the accompaniments right before you start cooking so that you can eat the Banh Xeo immediately.

Step Three - Cook the Banh Xeo

• Heat an eight-inch nonstick skillet on medium to medium high heat.  Add half a teaspoon of oil and fry one portion of the sliced onions, chicken and shrimp -about 2-3 minutes.  Evenly arrange the cooked onions, chicken and shrimp into a semi-circle on one side of the pan. 

• Add a third of a cup of crepe batter to the hot pan and swirl in a circular motion.  Cover the entire bottom of the pan with a thin layer of batter.  Add some bean sprouts and mung beans on top and cover the pan until the bean sprouts just begin to wilt (about 1-2 minutes).  

• Remove the lid and add half a teaspoon of oil around the edge of the crepe.  The crepe is cooked when the edges look crisp and the bottom is golden yellow bottom and bubbly. Carefully fold the crepe in half and slide onto a plate.  Serve immediately!

What is the secret to a super crispy, perfect Banh Xeo?

Here are some ways to ensure that you get a crispy crepe everytime:

• Batter consistency – when poured from a spoon, the batter should look a little thicker than heavy cream.  The perfect batter flows smoothly across the pan.  If it moves slowly like ketchup it is too thick – just adjust the flour to water ratio until you get the right consistency.
• Let the batter rest - Resting the batter for at least 30 minutes helps the gluten to relax and the starch grains to swells - creating a really nice finish on the pancake.
• Excess condensation – if you keep the lid on for too long the condensation can drip back into the pan adding steam which kills the crispiness of the Banh Xeo.
• Insufficient oil – sometimes the batter will stick and not crisp up if there is too little oil.  This is generally an issue if you are using an older non-stick pan or an unseasoned metal pan. The batter can also sometimes stick because it is too thin.
• Too much coconut milk – the fat content of coconut milk can vary depending on the source, the extent to which you shaked the can etc.  Too much fat can make the crepes buttery which will prevent it from crisping.  In that case reduce adjust the recipe adding a little more flour and water.
• Pan is not hot enough – a low temperature will lead to soft crepes.
• Pan issues - try a different pan – some pans simply fail and sometimes using a different pan is all you need to do.

Some cooks use carbonated water like beer and selzer instead of water to get a crispier finish. I have never used this trick because the rice flour creates just the right amount of crispiness for me.

How do you serve Banh Xeo?

Banh Xeo is typically served with a side of lettuce and fragrant herbs like cilantro, mint, basil and pickled daikon/carrots. Nuoc cham, Vietnam's incredibly flavorful dipping sauce is typically served as well. Banh Xeo is eaten by wrapping a small slice of the crepe in the lettuce and herbs and dipping it in Nuoc Cham. In some parts of Vietnam, the Banh Xeo is also wrapped in rice paper.

How do you eat Banh Xeo?

Eat Banh Xeo with your hands. There is absolutely no dainty way to eat it - its messy but so OMG good! Here is how you eat it:

Step 1: Cut a strip of the cooked crepe (about 2-3 bite size). 

Step 2: Take a piece of lettuce.  Put a few leaves of herbs like cilantro, mint and/or basil on it. 

Step 3: Put the Banh Xeo strip on top fold it like a lettuce wrap.

Step 4: Dip it in some Nuoc Cham and Enjoy!

Batter storage

Store Banh Xeo batter in an airtight container in the fridge. The batter will stay fresh for about four days. When ready to use, just give the batter a quick stir to make sure all the ingredients are evenly distributed.

Vietnames Crepe Recipe FAQs

FINALLY, IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE

I’d love to hear how it went – please leave a comment and rate this recipe. Above all, I love hearing from all of you and will do my best to answer each and every comment!

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