✔ Updated · new crispy batter ratio, nuoc cham, safe cooking temps and pan tips
Banh xeo are crisp, golden Vietnamese crepes made from rice flour, coconut milk and turmeric, stuffed with pork, shrimp and bean sprouts. The name comes from the loud sizzle the batter makes when it hits the hot pan.
At a glance
The one tip that matters: Listen for the sizzle. If the batter doesn't hiss loudly the moment it hits the pan, the pan isn't hot enough yet and the crepe will turn out soft instead of crisp.
Why You'll Love These Crepes
- Shatter-crisp edges with a soft, savory middle full of pork, shrimp and sprouts.
- Naturally gluten-free, since the batter is just rice flour, cornstarch and coconut milk.
- A hands-on dinner, everyone wraps their own in lettuce and herbs at the table.
What Is Banh Xeo?
Banh xeo is a crispy Vietnamese crepe, often called a sizzling pancake. Unlike a French crepe it has no eggs or wheat flour: the batter is rice flour and coconut milk, and turmeric gives it that sunny yellow color.
In southern Vietnam the crepes are big and thin, folded over a pile of pork, shrimp and sprouts. You don't eat them with a knife and fork. You tear off pieces, wrap them in lettuce and herbs, and dunk them in sweet-sour nuoc cham.
Step-by-Step Photos
Here's how it comes together. Exact amounts, times and temperatures are in the recipe card below.
Tips for Success
- Use regular rice flour. Glutinous (sweet) rice flour turns the crepe chewy and gummy. Look for plain rice flour in the Asian aisle; the bag usually says rice flour without the word glutinous.
- Keep the batter thin. It should run like heavy cream. Rice flour settles fast, so I give the bowl a good stir before every single crepe.
- Be patient with the crisping. The first time I made these I folded too early and got a floppy yellow pancake. Wait until the edges lift and turn deep gold; that's when the bottom shatters.
- Fry in a well-oiled nonstick pan. A 10-inch pan gives the perfect thin crepe. More oil around the edges equals more crunch, so don't be shy.
- Cook the filling first. Pork and shrimp need to reach 145°F. Pre-cooking them means the crepe only has to crisp, not cook raw meat through.
Banh Xeo (Vietnamese Crispy Crepes)
4
crepes25
minutes30
minutes460
kcal55
minutesCrispy, lacy Vietnamese crepes made with a rice flour, coconut milk and turmeric batter, filled with pork, shrimp and bean sprouts, then wrapped in lettuce and herbs and dipped in nuoc cham. Makes 4 large crepes.
Ingredients
- For the Batter
1 cup rice flour (not glutinous rice flour)
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup canned coconut milk, well stirred
1 cup cold water or club soda
2 scallions, thinly sliced
- For the Filling
8 oz pork shoulder or pork belly, very thinly sliced
8 oz medium shrimp, peeled and deveined
1 small yellow onion, thinly sliced
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 cups bean sprouts
1/4 cup neutral oil, for the pan
- For the Nuoc Cham
1/2 cup warm water
3 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons fish sauce
3 tablespoons fresh lime juice
1 garlic clove, minced
1 Thai chili, sliced (optional)
- To Serve
1 head lettuce leaves (green leaf or butter lettuce)
1 large handful fresh mint, cilantro and Thai basil
Directions
- Batter and Sauce
- Whisk the rice flour, cornstarch, turmeric and salt in a bowl. Whisk in the coconut milk and water until smooth and thin, like heavy cream. Stir in the scallions and let it rest while you prep everything else.
- For the nuoc cham, stir the sugar into the warm water until dissolved, then add the fish sauce, lime juice, garlic and chili. Taste and adjust.
- Filling
- Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Cook the onion for 2 minutes, add the pork with the fish sauce and pepper and stir-fry until no pink remains (145°F). Add the shrimp and cook 1 to 2 minutes until pink and opaque (145°F). Transfer to a plate.
- Cook the Crepes
- Wipe out a 10-inch nonstick skillet, add 2 teaspoons oil and heat over medium-high until shimmering. Scatter a quarter of the pork, shrimp and onion in the pan.
- Stir the batter, then pour in about 1/2 cup, swirling the pan right away so it coats the bottom thinly. It should sizzle loudly. Pile a quarter of the bean sprouts on one half, cover and cook 2 minutes.
- Uncover, drizzle 1 teaspoon oil around the edge and cook 3 to 5 minutes more, until the bottom is deep golden and crisp and the edges lift from the pan. Fold in half and slide onto a plate. Repeat with the rest, re-stirring the batter each time.
- To eat, tear off a piece of crepe, wrap it in lettuce with herbs and dip it in the nuoc cham.
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Filling Swaps
- Vegetarian: use sliced mushrooms and firm tofu instead of pork and shrimp, and soy sauce in the nuoc cham.
- Chicken: thinly sliced chicken thigh, cooked to 165°F before it goes in the crepe.
- Extra crunch: add a few slivers of jicama or a handful of mung beans to the filling.
More Asian-Inspired Recipes
Love crispy wrappers? Compare spring rolls vs egg rolls, or read up on pho vs ramen. For more shrimp dinners, browse my shrimp recipes, and serve these with Thai side dishes for a bigger spread.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is banh xeo made of?
Banh xeo batter is rice flour, water and coconut milk, colored yellow with turmeric and flecked with scallions. The usual filling is pork, shrimp, onion and bean sprouts. It's served with lettuce, fresh herbs and nuoc cham, a lime and fish sauce dipping sauce.
Why is my banh xeo not crispy?
Usually the batter is too thick, the pan isn't hot enough or the crepe was folded too soon. Thin the batter with a splash of water, wait for the oil to shimmer, and cook uncovered until the edges lift and turn deep golden.
Is banh xeo gluten-free?
The batter is naturally gluten-free because it's made with rice flour and cornstarch. Check your fish sauce label, since a few brands add wheat. Serve it with lettuce instead of rice paper and the whole meal stays gluten-free.
Can I make banh xeo batter ahead?
Yes. Mix the batter up to 1 day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Leave out the scallions until you cook, and stir well, because the rice flour sinks to the bottom as it sits.
How do you reheat leftover banh xeo?
Cooked crepes soften as they sit, so they're best fresh. To revive leftovers, heat them in a dry nonstick skillet over medium heat for 2 to 3 minutes per side, or in an air fryer at 375°F for 3 to 4 minutes, until crisp and hot through to 165°F.
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