An In-depth Look at Bánh Xèo

Fact: People in the Mekong Delta usually have bánh xèo on Tết Đoan ngọ, a festival on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar.

#8 in Vietnam

Bánh Xèo: Basic Information

Pronunciation

[ɓǎjŋ̟ sɛ̂w] or
/bahn say-oh/

Alternative Name(s)

Banh chao (in Cambodia)

Dish Type

Pancakes, rice dishes

Course

Non-course dish

Mealtime

Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner

Bánh Xèo: Origin and Region

Origin

Vietnam

Continent’s Region

Southeast Asia

Country’s Region

Nationwide Origin

Associated Region

Unspecified

Popular Bánh Xèo Variations

Bánh Khoái

Bánh Xèo: Ingredients and Preparation

Main Ingredients

Rice flour, turmeric powder, pork, prawns, and bean sprouts

Main Cooking Method

Pan-frying

Preparation Process

Preparing the rice batter, frying the pancakes, assembling bánh xèo.

Bánh Xèo: A Deep Dive

Cultural Significance

Popular dish and street food with Vietnamese people from all walks of life

Taste

Savory

Texture

Crispy pancake with various textures from different ingredients

Aroma

Rich

Color

Golden or off-white pancake with various colors from different ingredients

Serving Style

Eaten by hand or with chopsticks
Rolling the pancake around vegetables and dipping it in the sauce

Serving Temperature

Hot or warm

Accompaniment

Vegetables: mustard greens, Romaine lettuce, lettuce, fíh mint, beefsteak plant, lemon basil, spearmint, young mango leaves, julienne-cut mangoes, etc.
Dipping sauce: Vietnamese dipping sauce, pâté-based sauce, peanut sauce
Others: Rice paper wrappers

Occasions

On any occasions

Seasons

Year-round

Special Diets

Non diet-specific

Calories

315 calories, according to data of Nutritionix for one bánh xèo (8 ounces or 226 grams) with shrimp, pork, mung beans

Popularity

Vietnam, Cambodia

Popular Similar Dishes

Khanom Bueang Yuan
Bánh Căn
Bánh Khọt
Appam
Bindae-Tteok
Okonomiyaki
Crêpe
Taco
Jianbing
Roti Canai
Buchimgae

Popular Dining Area

Street vendors, restaurants, and households in Vietnam

Bánh xèo, also known as Vietnamese crepes, is a traditional stuffed pancake dish popular throughout Vietnam. It is usually stuffed with pork, prawns, and bean sprouts, but many regional versions may incorporate different ingredients.

Common accompaniments for bánh xèo are fresh vegetables and nước chấm (sweet and sour dipping sauce). Locals usually enjoy bánh xèo whole or folded in half, eating it with their fingers or using chopsticks to pick up the pancake.

Sometimes, the pancake can be rolled around the vegetables and dipped in the sauce. Bánh xèo can be eaten in both ways as a street food or for a full meal.

Bánh xèo is sometimes confused with bánh khoái, which is a Central Vietnamese bánh xèo variant served with a special pâté-based sauce.

Over its long history, bánh xèo has inspired similar pancake dishes in Cambodia and Thailand.

There are many more engaging facts I want to tell you about bánh xèo, such as its origin, main ingredients, and distinctions between bánh xèo in different regions of Vietnam.

I will also delve into the advantages and disadvantages of eating this pancake dish, cover frequently asked questions about it, and suggest similar dishes.

Key Points

Bánh xèo is a Vietnamese stuffed pancake popular with people from all regions of Vietnam, especially the Mekong Delta.
Despite being a renowned main dish and street food, bánh xèo has an unclear origin.
The main ingredients of bánh xèo are rice flour batter, pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, and other toppings.
Bánh xèo is usually served with Vietnamese dipping sauce and plenty of vegetables.
There are notable differences between regional versions of bánh xèo.

Bánh Xèo Images

What Is the Origin of Bánh Xèo?

There are many theories about the origin of bánh xèo. The most popular one says that the Khmer community in Southern Vietnam created it. Another one says that bánh xèo originated in Central Vietnam, whereas many people speculate it is a Vietnamese interpretation of French crepes dating back to colonial times.

Bánh xèo literally means “sizzling pancake” due to the sound created when the batter is added to the hot skillet. Other than the rice batter, there are many other ingredients in this pancake dish.

What Is the Origin of Bánh Xèo?

Ingredients	Description
Rice batter	Common ingredients: Rice flour, water, turmeric powder Optional ingredients: Coconut milk
Toppings	Common options: Sliced pork belly, prawns, bean sprouts Additional options: Seafood (fish, scallops, squids, etc.), mushrooms (straw mushrooms or enoki mushrooms), tofu, mung beans, taro, jicama
Fresh vegetables	Common options: Mustard greens, Romaine lettuce, lettuce, fíh mint, beefsteak plant, lemon basil, spearmint, cucumbers, etc. Additional options: Young mango leaves, julienne-cut mangoes, sliced star fruits, elephant ear fig (Ficus auriculata) fruits, etc.
Dipping sauce	Common options: Nước chấm made from Vietnamese fish sauce, garlic, chili peppers, lime juice, julienne-cut carrots (optional) Additional options: Pâté-based dipping sauce, peanut sauce

The use of distinct ingredients is one of the most significant differences between bánh xèo in Southern, Central, and Northern Vietnam, but there are many other distinctions worth considering.

What Are the Differences Between Bánh Xèo Throughout Vietnam?

Bánh xèo versions from the southern, central, and northern regions of Vietnam stand out from one another in the following 5 aspects: size, main ingredients, color, accompaniments, and popularity.

Southern Vietnam

Size:
8-12 inches (20-30 centimeters) in diameter
Main ingredients:
Rice batter: rice flour, coconut milk, eggs, turmeric powder

Toppings: pork, shrimp, duck, bean sprouts, mushrooms, heart of palm, điên điển flowers (Sesbania sesban)
Color:
Golden
Accompaniments:
Sweet and sour Vietnamese dipping sauce

Served with many types of different herbs and vegetables

Usually not served with rice paper wrappers
Popularity:
Extremely popular in the Mekong Delta

A common dish for Tết Đoan ngọ (a festival on the fifth day of the fifth month of the lunar calendar)

Central Vietnam

Size:
Below 6 inches (15 centimeters) in diameter
Main ingredients:
Rice batter: rice flour and turmeric powder (absent in some versions)

Toppings: pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, seafood
Color:
Off-white (in versions without turmeric powder) or golden
Accompaniments:
Vietnamese dipping sauce or pâté-based sauce made from pork liver

Has relatively less diverse vegetable content than in the south

Can be served with rice paper wrappers
Popularity:
Popular dish sometimes substituted for rice

Northern Vietnam

Size:
Usually below 6 inches (15 centimeters) in diameter
Main ingredients:
Rice batter: rice flour and turmeric powder

Toppings: pork, shrimp, bean sprouts, mushrooms

Julienne-cut taro and jicama
Color:
Golden
Accompaniments:
Vietnamese dipping sauce balanced between saltiness, sweetness, and tanginess

Has relatively less diverse vegetable content than in the south

Can be served with rice paper wrappers
Popularity:
Less popular than in other regions

Regardless of where it comes from, bánh xèo always displays the same advantages and disadvantages. Read on to discover them.

Pros and Cons of Eating Bánh Xèo

Bánh xèo has the following benefits and shortcomings.

Pros

Diverse Flavor Profile: Bánh xèo delivers a satisfying taste that mixes the richness of the pancake and savoriness of protein-rich toppings with the refreshing goodness of vegetables and tasty dipping sauce.
Versatility: You can add a variety of toppings to bánh xèo to make it suitable for your preferences.
Cultural Experience: Bánh xèo is one of the most notable dishes in Vietnamese cuisine.
Communal Eating: Vietnamese people usually serve bánh xèo in large gatherings, family meals, or with friends.
Nutritional Values: Bánh xèo is an ample source of various nutrients thanks to its content of carbs, protein, and vegetables.

Cons

Caloric content: As a fried pancake, bánh xèo is relatively high in calories and fat compared to steamed or boiled Vietnamese dishes.
Cooking Technique: Making bánh xèo requires certain skills to get the pancake crispy and golden without burning it, which may be challenging for beginners.
Messy Eating: People unfamiliar with bánh xèo can find it messy as this pancake dish may involve wrapping pieces of the pancake in leafy vegetables.
Food Allergies: Some people might be allergic to shrimp, a popular ingredient in bánh xèo.

After knowing about these upsides and downsides, why don’t you discover other dimensions of bánh xèo in the FAQs section?

Bánh Xèo FAQs

There are a few reasons why your bánh xèo isn’t crispy enough, usually because the oil isn’t hot enough or too little. In addition, homemade bánh xèo can end up soft and soggy if the cooking time is too short or the rice batter is too thick.

Bánh xèo is a pancake dish with various toppings with widespread popularity throughout Vietnam. By contrast, bánh khọt is a mini pancake mainly enjoyed in Southern Vietnam, with pork and shrimp as the main toppings.

The best type of pan for making bánh xèo is a non-stick wok, but you can also use any type of deep frying pan with a suitable size for making the pancake.

Yes, there are many plant-based bánh xèo recipes that replace animal-derived toppings with ingredients like mushrooms and tofu.

Whether bánh xèo is healthy varies according to how it is prepared and served. Traditional bánh xèo is a fried pancake high in oil, carbs, and energy-rich toppings, but it is also served with plenty of greens and vegetables. Therefore, you should consume it responsibly as a main course.

Similar Dishes of Bánh Xèo

Bánh Căn

Bánh căn is a Vietnamese mini pancake often found in the central region, featuring rice flour batter and various toppings.

Bánh Khọt

Bánh khọt is a Vietnamese savory mini pancake made from rice flour and is topped with shrimp for serving with a dipping sauce.

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Truc Tran (Kris)

Senior Food Editor

Expertise

Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Recipe Development, Baking and Pastry, Food Editor, Cooking-video Maker, Vietnamese Food Evaluation Expert

Education

Hospitality (Commercial Cookery) at TasTAFE
Culinary Arts at Kendall College (Australia Branch in Sydney)
Vietnamese Cuisine Head Chef at HNAAu School (Vietnam, International Joint Training Program)

Truc Tran (Kris), an experienced food writer and editor, is great at exploring and describing global cuisines, from simple street food to fancy dining. In her writing, she skillfully mixes different flavors, cooking methods, and culinary traditions, showing the unique character of various cultures through their food and drinks. On azcuisines.com, Kris highlights her knowledge, especially in Asian cuisine and worldwide traditional dishes.

Bánh Xèo

Bánh Xèo: Basic Information

Bánh Xèo: Origin and Region