If there’s one Vietnamese dish that’s won the hearts of food lovers worldwide, it’s Bánh Xèo – the crispy, golden Sizzling Vietnamese Pancake. You’ll find it on the menu of most Vietnamese restaurants globally. The good news is you don’t need to dine out to enjoy it. You can easily make it at home and indulge as much as you like!
Like many Vietnamese dishes, Bánh Xèo is served with a generous amount of fresh vegetables, making it light, refreshing and surprisingly satisfying – even if you end up having more than you planned!
What does “Bánh Xèo” mean?
As we were enjoying Bánh Xèo for dinner tonight, my husband turned to me and asked, “What does ‘Bánh Xèo’ actually mean?”. He loved it so much that he was curious about its name. The answer? “Xèo” means “sizzling” – a reference to the sound the batter makes when it hits the hot pan. That’s why it’s known in English as Sizzling Vietnamese Pancake.
What is Bánh Xèo?
Bánh Xèo is a crispy, savoury pancake with a hint of coconut, folded in half to hold a delicious filling. The classic version includes pork belly, king prawns, beansprouts, julienned carrots, thinly sliced onions and steamed mung beans.
How to make the perfect Bánh Xèo batter
For the batter, you can either buy pre-mixed Bánh Xèo flour (which already contains the right balance of ingredients) or mix it yourself. If making from scratch, here’s the perfect ratio:
- 280 g rice flour
- 120 g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon turmeric powder – for that beautiful golden colour.
- 1 tablespoon coconut powder – for a hint of sweetness.
Mix these dry ingredients in 800 ml water to form a smooth batter. Then, stir in some finely chopped green parts of spring onions and let it rest for 20 minutes before frying.
Prepare the filling
Ingredients
- Pork belly, sliced into 0.7cm thick pieces.
- King prawns (without skin on).
- Beansprouts, julienned carrots and thinly sliced onions – these provide a refreshing crunch.
- Steamed mung beans – an optional but traditional ingredient.
Stir-frying the pork belly and prawns
- Marinate the pork belly and prawns with chopped shallots, fish sauce and ground pepper for about 5-10 minutes.
- Heat a tablespoon of olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Add sliced shallots and fry until fragrant.
- Add the pork belly and stir-fry for about 10 minutes until nearly cooked.
- Add the prawns and continue cooking for another 5 minutes.
- Once done, remove from heat and set aside.
The essential dipping sauce (Nước chấm)
The dipping sauce is what ties everything together, adding the perfect balance of sweet, sour, salty and spicy. It’s incredibly easy to make. Simply mix 1 part fish sauce, 1 part sugar, 1 part lime juice, 5 parts water and minced garlic, finely chopped red chilli, and you’re done! You might want to prepare this before making the pancakes as Bánh Xèo is best served immediately while crispy.
How to make Sizzling Vietnamese Pancakes
Cooking tips:
- Use a good non-stick pan.
- Keep the heat at medium for the perfect crispiness.
- A cooking brush helps evenly spread oil.
Cooking instructions:
Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and brush it lightly with olive oil. Once hot, pour a couple of scoops of batter into the pan. Quickly swirl it around and spread the batter into a thin, even layer that slightly extends up the sides.
Cover with lid for one minute to let the batter set. Remove the lid and add:
- Cooked pork belly and prawns
- A handful of beansprouts, julienned carrots and sliced onions.
- A sprinkle of steamed mung beans.
Brush a little oil around the edges of the pancake, cover again and cook for another 2 minutes – this helps steam the vegetables while keeping them crunchy.
Remove the lid, then use a spatula (or chopsticks) to carefully fold the pancake in half. By now, the edges should be golden and crispy.
Transfer to a plate and repeat until the batter and fillings are used up.
How to serve Bánh Xèo
Bánh Xèo is best enjoyed fresh and crispy! Traditionally, it’s served with lots of lettuce leaves.
Eating Bánh Xèo the Vietnamese way:
- Cut the pancake into smaller pieces using scissors.
- Wrap each piece in a lettuce leaf (optionally adding fresh herbs).
- Roll it up like a mini wrap.
- Dip it in the sweet and sour fish sauce before taking a bite.
For an extra authentic touch, served with pickled mooli and carrots on the side. It’s optional but adds a refreshing crunch to balance the richness of the pancake.
Will you give it a go?
We absolutely loved having Sizzling Vietnamese Pancakes for dinner tonight. It was light, crispy and so moreish that we ended up up eating a lot without feeling too full. If you haven’t tried making it at home yet, I highly recommend it. It’s fun, delicious and brings a little bit of Vietnam into your kitchen.
Will you give it a go? Let me know if you try it – I’d love to hear how it turns out.
Sizzling Vietnamese Pancake (Bánh Xèo)
Description
Bánh Xèo, or Sizzling Vietnamese Pancake, is a crispy, savoury pancake filled with pork, prawns and fresh vegetables. Wrapped in lettuce and dipped in tangy fish sauce, it's a light yet flavour-packed dish that's perfect for any meal!
Ingredients
For the Pancake Batter
For the Filling
For the Dipping Sauce (Nước Chấm)
For Serving
Instructions
-
Prepare the Batter
- In a bowl, mix the Bánh Xèo flour mix in 800ml water until smooth.
- Stir in chopped spring onions and let the batter rest for 20 minutes.
-
Prepare the Filling
- Marinate pork belly and prawns with chopped shallots, fish sauce and ground pepper for 5-10 minutes.
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a pan over medium heat.
- Fry shallots until fragrant, then add pork belly. Stir-fry for 10 minutes.
- Add prawns and cook for another 5 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
-
Make the Dipping Sauce
- In a bowl, mix fish sauce, sugar, lime juice and water.
- Add minced garlic and chopped red chilli. Set aside.
-
Cook the Pancakes
- Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat. Lightly brush with olive oil.
- Pour a thin layer of batter, swirling the pan the coat evenly. Cover and cook for 1 minute.
- On one side of the pancake, add cooked pork belly, prawns, beansprouts, carrots, onions and steamed mung beans.
- Brush a little oil around the edges, cover and cook for another 2 minutes.
- Remove the lid, fold the pancake in half and let it crisp up.
- Transfer to a plate and repeat until all the batter and fillings are used.
-
Serve and Enjoy
- Cut the pancake into smaller pieces using scissors.
- Wrap each piece in lettuce leaves with fresh herbs if using.
- Dip in the dipping sauce and enjoy!
Note
- Use a good non-stick pan to get crispy edges.
- Keep the batter thin for a light, crispy texture.
- Serve immediately for maximum crunch!
