Why We Love This Bánh Xèo Recipe (Vietnamese Crepes)
So what exactly is Bánh Xèo? (And how do you pronounce it??) We first fell in love with these delicious dip-able bites on a trip to Vietnam several years ago… And we are so excited to share the love with you here! Bánh Xèo is a type of gluten-free Vietnamese Crepe that is golden in color, very crispy on the outside, and filled with pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts. Bánh Xèo is pronounced Bon Zee-Ow. Bánh refers to anything made with flour, while Xèo refers to the sound the crepe batter makes when it hits the hot skillet. The proteins are usually cooked directly in the crepe batter. Yet, any produce is added on top and folded into the center, like an omelet. In fact, Bánh Xèo looks like an omelet… But contains no eggs. The yellow color comes from turmeric! Once the crepes are made, they are cut into wedges, wrapped in rice paper with fresh greens, and rolled into little bundles. Then you dip each bundle in Nuoc Cham, a savory-sweet dipping sauce… Yes, of course we have a recipe for that, too!
Bánh Xèo Recipe Ingredients
Do not let the ingredient list scare you away from making this Banh Xeo recipe. It’s actually very simple to make. These ingredients can be found at most large grocery stores with a decent international section.
For the Crepe Batter –
Rice flour (or a mixture of 3 parts rice flour to 1 part all-purpose flour, if you aren’t worried about the recipe being gluten-free) Salt Ground turmeric Water Mung bean sprouts Chopped scallions Tiny shrimp Pork chop Coconut oil
For the Wrappers –
Rice paper wraps Spring mix greens Fresh mint leaves Cilantro leaves
For the Nuoc Cham –
Water Granulated sugar Fish sauce Fresh lime juice Chile garlic sauce Garlic
How to Make Authentic Vietnamese Crepes (Bánh Xèo)
Mix. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the rice flour, salt, turmeric, and water together until very smooth. It should be the consistency of half & half. (Thin, but not watery.) Add more water if needed. Prep. Chop the shrimp, pork chop, and scallions. Sizzle. Set a small skillet over medium-high heat and add coconut oil to the skillet. Place some shrimp and pork in the skillet. Allow them to cook for about 30 seconds. Pour. Use a ladle to pour thin batter over the surface of the skillet. Quickly swirl the pan to coat the bottom of the skillet. Cook the bottom of the crepe for 1-2 minutes. Fold. Then place a few mung bean sprouts and chopped scallions on one-half of the crepe, and fold it over. Continue to cook another few minutes per side, to make the crepe very golden and crispy. Repeat. Carefully move the Banh Xeo to a cutting board and cool slightly. Slice each folded stuffed crepe into 4 even triangles. Make the Nuoc Cham. Combine the water and sugar in a microwave-safe bowl, and microwave for a minute or two to dissolve the sugar. Then stir in the remaining ingredients. You can use immediately, or make the sauce ahead of time and have in waiting in the fridge to use.
How To Serve Bánh Xèo – Like They Do In Vietnam!
Bánh Xèo is meant to be a group activity as well as a meal! Friends and family sit around the table to roll and dunk their Bánh Xèo in rice paper rolls, as they laugh and catch up on life. These Vietnamese Crepes are usually served as-is in Americanized Vietnamese restaurants. However, in Vietnam, they are most often wrapped in rice paper with mixed greens and herbs. Then dipped in Nuoc Cham. You simply…
Dunk a rice paper wrapper in water to soften it. Set a hot crispy piece of Banh Xeo on the rice paper. Top it with greens. Roll it up and dip away!
Looking for More Amazing Vietnamese Recipes? Be Sure to Also Try:
Cold Vietnamese Chicken Salad (Gio Ga) Recipe Bun Cha Gio Noodle Bowls Recipe Fresh Spring Rolls Recipe Vietnamese Banh Mi Sandwiches Recipe Banh Mi Salad Recipe Low Carb Beef Pho Recipe Chicken Pho with Zoodles Recipe
Get the Complete (Printable!) Bahn Xeo Recipe Below. Enjoy! Share This Recipe With Friends!
