Vietnamese Rice Crepes (Bánh Xèo) at Home

Vietnamese rice crepes, often called bánh xèo, are thin, golden pancakes made with rice flour, coconut milk, and turmeric, then folded around a savory filling. This version uses pork, shrimp, and bean sprouts, served with fresh herbs, lettuce, and a tangy fish sauce dip; regional and family versions vary in batter, filling, and size.

Ingredients

For the batter: 1 1/2 cups (240 g) rice flour, not glutinous rice flour
1/2 cup (60 g) cornstarch
1 teaspoon (3 g) ground turmeric
1/2 teaspoon (3 g) fine salt
1 3/4 cups (420 ml) water
1 cup (240 ml) canned coconut milk, well stirred
2 scallions (about 20 g), thinly sliced
2 tablespoons (30 ml) neutral oil, such as canola or sunflower oil, for the batter
For the filling: 8 ounces (225 g) ground pork
8 ounces (225 g) raw shrimp, peeled, deveined, and cut into bite-size pieces
1 small yellow onion (about 110 g), thinly sliced
2 cups (about 100 g) mung bean sprouts, rinsed and drained
1 tablespoon (15 ml) neutral oil for cooking the filling, plus 4 tablespoons (60 ml) for cooking the crepes
1/4 teaspoon (1.5 g) fine salt and 1/4 teaspoon (0.5 g) black pepper
For the dipping sauce: 1/4 cup (60 ml) warm water
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fish sauce
2 tablespoons (30 ml) fresh lime juice, from about 1 lime
1 tablespoon (12 g) granulated sugar
1 small garlic clove (about 3 g), finely minced
1 small red chili (about 5 g), thinly sliced, optional
To serve: 8 to 12 lettuce leaves (about 150 g), plus 1 packed cup (30 g) mint leaves and 1 packed cup (30 g) cilantro leaves

Instructions

Mix and rest the batter. In a large bowl, whisk the rice flour, cornstarch, turmeric, and salt. Gradually whisk in the water and coconut milk until smooth, then stir in the scallions and 2 tablespoons oil. Set the batter aside for 15 minutes while you prepare the other ingredients. Rice flour can settle, so plan to stir the batter again before each crepe.
Prepare the dipping sauce. Stir the warm water and sugar in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Mix in the fish sauce, lime juice, garlic, and optional chili. Taste it: the sauce should be bright, salty, and lightly sweet. Add a spoonful of water if you prefer a milder dip, or a little more lime if it tastes too salty. Set it out with small dipping bowls.
Cook the pork and shrimp. Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the onion and ground pork, breaking the meat into small pieces as it cooks. Season with the salt and pepper. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes, until the pork is browned and reaches 160°F (71°C) on a food thermometer, the USDA FSIS safe minimum for ground meat. Add the shrimp and cook for about 2 minutes, turning the pieces, until opaque and at least 145°F (63°C) at the thickest point. Transfer the filling to a clean plate. If your skillet is small, cook the filling in batches so it browns rather than steams.
Heat the crepe pan. Wipe the skillet clean if needed and set it over medium-high heat. A well-seasoned, nonstick, or carbon-steel skillet about 10 inches across works well. Stir the batter thoroughly. Add about 1/2 teaspoon of the crepe oil to the pan and swirl it over the surface. The pan should be hot enough for the batter to sizzle gently, but not so hot that the oil smokes.
Make the first crepe. Pour in about 1/2 cup batter, immediately tilting and rotating the pan so it spreads into a thin layer. Scatter a portion of the pork and shrimp filling over one half, then add a small handful of bean sprouts. Cover the pan for about 1 minute to soften the sprouts and set the batter. Uncover and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes, until the edges look dry and crisp and the underside is golden. The crepe is not meant to be flipped; keeping the filling on one side makes it easier to fold.
Fold and finish. Use a thin spatula to loosen the bare half of the crepe, then fold it over the filling. Slide the folded crepe onto a plate. If it sticks, give the edge another few seconds to crisp before lifting it. Add a little more oil to the pan and repeat with the remaining batter, filling, and sprouts, stirring the batter before each pour. The recipe makes about 8 crepes, depending on the pan and how thinly you spread the batter. Keep finished crepes in a single layer or loosely tent them; stacking tightly traps steam and softens their edges.
Serve while crisp. Bring the crepes to the table as they come off the pan, with lettuce, mint, cilantro, and dipping sauce. To eat, tear off a piece of crepe and filling, wrap it in a lettuce leaf with herbs, and dip it in the sauce. You can also cut each folded crepe into pieces and let everyone assemble their own bites.

Tips

Use rice flour, not sweet rice flour. Regular rice flour gives these crepes their thin, crisp character. Glutinous or sweet rice flour has a different starch profile and can make the batter sticky and chewy rather than crisp.
Keep the batter thin and well stirred. The batter should pour easily, closer to light cream than pancake batter. If it thickens as it sits, whisk in water 1 tablespoon (15 ml) at a time. Rice flour settles at the bottom, so stir before every ladleful.
Control the heat and oil. Medium-high heat helps the edges crisp, but an overheated pan can brown the crepe before it cooks through. Use a thin film of oil for each one; too much oil can make the result greasy, while too little can cause sticking.
Make practical swaps. If you cannot find coconut milk, use 1 cup (240 ml) additional water for a lighter, less rich crepe. Fish sauce is important to the dipping sauce’s savory flavor; soy sauce can replace it in the same amount for a different, less traditional taste. For a shellfish-free version, leave out the shrimp and use an extra 8 ounces (225 g) ground pork or sliced mushrooms.

Serving Suggestions

Serve bánh xèo as a hands-on main course rather than as a stack of plain pancakes. Put the folded crepes on a platter with lettuce leaves, mint, cilantro, and the dipping sauce alongside. Diners can wrap a bite in lettuce, tuck in herbs, and dip it just before eating. This fresh, crisp-and-herbal contrast is part of what makes the dish satisfying, and it keeps the hot crepe from becoming soggy on the plate.

For a fuller meal, add steamed jasmine rice or a simple cucumber salad, though the crepes are substantial enough to serve on their own. Extra bean sprouts, sliced cucumber, or fresh herbs can go on the table as additional fillings. If serving several people, bring out small batches from the stove rather than making a high stack; the first crepes stay crisper when they are not covered tightly or piled up.

Variations

There is no single filling used everywhere. Some versions include thinly sliced pork belly, different seafood, or mushrooms, while others use more sprouts and herbs. To use pork belly instead of ground pork, slice it thinly and cook until browned and fully cooked through before adding the shrimp. Because whole cuts of pork and ground pork have different safety guidance, cook whole-cut pork to 145°F (63°C) and allow a 3-minute rest; ground pork must reach 160°F (71°C).

For a vegetarian filling, omit the pork and shrimp and sauté sliced mushrooms with the onion. Add firm tofu cut into small pieces if you want a more substantial filling, and cook it until hot throughout. Replace the fish sauce with soy sauce or a vegetarian fish-sauce alternative in the dipping sauce. The flavor will be different, but the lime, garlic, and herbs still make a lively accompaniment.

For a milder crepe, reduce or omit the turmeric, though the batter will lose its familiar golden color. You can leave the chili out of the sauce for a family-friendly table and serve sliced chili separately. If you prefer smaller portions, use about 1/3 cup batter per crepe in a smaller skillet; the cooking time may be a little shorter, so watch for dry edges and a crisp underside rather than relying only on the clock.

Storage and Reheating

These crepes are best just after cooking, when the edges are crisp. Let leftovers cool briefly, then refrigerate them within 2 hours in a covered container. For the best texture, store the cooked crepes and dipping sauce separately, and keep lettuce and herbs in their own container. Refrigerated cooked crepes and filling keep for 3 to 4 days. Discard them if they have been left at room temperature for more than 2 hours, or 1 hour in temperatures above 90°F (32°C).

To reheat, place crepes in a lightly oiled skillet over medium heat and warm them until hot throughout, turning once if needed. If reheating leftover pork or shrimp, bring the food to 165°F (74°C), the USDA FSIS temperature for reheated leftovers; check the thickest part with a food thermometer. A microwave works for a quick reheat, but it softens the crepe, so finish it in a skillet if you want to restore some crispness. Avoid storing the lettuce and fresh herbs with the hot filling because they wilt and release moisture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are Vietnamese rice crepes the same as bánh xèo?
Bánh xèo is the name commonly used for the savory, usually crisp Vietnamese crepe made with rice flour and turmeric. The word is often associated with the sizzling sound the batter makes in a hot pan. Recipes differ by region and household, so fillings and batter proportions are not identical everywhere.

Why are my crepes soft instead of crisp?
The batter may be too thick, the pan may not be hot enough, or the crepes may have been stacked while steaming. Stir the batter and thin it with a little water if it pours slowly. Let each crepe cook until its edges are dry and its underside is golden, use only a light film of oil, and serve them soon after cooking.

Can I make the batter ahead?
Yes. Mix it, cover the bowl, and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. The rice flour will settle, so whisk it thoroughly before cooking and add a tablespoon or two of water if it has thickened. For the best texture, cook the crepes shortly before serving rather than making them far ahead.

Can I make bánh xèo without coconut milk?
Yes. Replace the coconut milk with the same amount of water. The crepes will still cook, but they will be less rich and have less coconut aroma. Do not replace the rice flour with glutinous rice flour, which can make the texture gummy.

Can I freeze cooked Vietnamese rice crepes?
Freezing is possible, but the crepes and sprouts may soften after thawing. Cool them quickly, separate them with parchment, and freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and reheat in a skillet until hot throughout; for leftover pork and shrimp, the reheated filling must reach 165°F (74°C).

More recipes to cook

Safety notes: safe minimum internal temperatures from USDA FSIS; raw and undercooked fish guidance from the U.S. FDA. Food safety notes

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