Vegan Bánh Xèo

Bánh xèo – one of the most interesting dishes of Vietnamese cuisine!

The first time I tried it was in Saigon, Vietnam. I ordered it from a street food vendor offering both vegan and non-vegan versions. The batter was sizzling in woks placed over charcoal stoves, creating lots of smoke, while the cook was skillfully juggling with multiple woks at the same time. What an experience! Once my bánh xèo was ready, the cook transferred it to a paper plate and gave me a huge bag of greens and herbs with it!

So what is bánh xèo, you may ask? It’s a savory crêpe made of rice flour filled with various veggies and/or meats. It’s cooked in a wok until it gets super crispy edges and a golden brown color.

Bánh xèo is typically enjoyed broken into smaller pieces and wrapped in lettuce and other herbs (hence that big bag of greens I was given) before being dipped in a sweet and sour dipping sauce. Trust me, the combination of the crispy crêpe with the vegetables, fresh herbs, and sauce makes this dish a real flavor-bomb!

While bánh xèo is a simple dish, there are a few tips to follow in order to get crispy edges and perfectly golden brown crêpes, which I’ll be sharing with you below.

⭐️ Why You Will Love It

A taste of Vietnam from the comfort of your home.

Having lived in Vietnam for already over two years, you can be sure that I had my share of bánh xèo! Through the years, I have tried tens of different versions before developing my own. My bánh xèo recipe has nothing to envy the authentic one. It’s based on recipes that I have gathered from locals and adjusted to my preference. The best thing is that you can now try this wonderful dish from home!

Additionally, my version is also less greasy than the one you can find sold as street food there (cooks tend to use a lot of oil when frying it).

A medley of different textures.

Bánh xèo is quite a unique dish that is layered with texture and complex flavors. It consists of three components: the crêpe, which is crispy and subtly infused with nutty coconut milk – the filling that usually features fresh vegetables and some kind of protein – and finally, the dipping sauce that is umami-rich with sweet, sour, and salty flavors.

Add to that plenty of fresh herbs like perilla leaves and Thai basil and you have a balanced dish that promises to excite your tastebuds!

Forget about the pre-made mix.

If you browse Asian supermarkets regularly, you may have seen bánh xèo flour on the shelves before. It’s basically a mix of different flours that you need to combine with coconut milk and water. The thing is, pre-made bánh xèo flour mixes not only differ depending on the brand but are also more expensive and harder to find compared to making your own mix.

After checking the labels and ingredients of those mixes, I experimented with different ratios and flour to come up with a mix that tastes just as good and is even cheaper! Worry not – my flour mix only relies on rice flour, cornstarch, all-purpose flour, and turmeric. There is no hard-to-find ingredient!

📘 What Is Bánh Xèo

Bánh Xèo is a Vietnamese crêpe filled with a variety of vegetables, meat, and/or seafood and served with a dipping sauce called “nước chấm.”

The name “bánh xèo” can be translated to cracking cake, which comes from the sound the batter makes when it hits the piping hot skillet.

🌾 Ingredient Notes

Rice flour

It makes the base of the batter, giving the crêpes a crispy texture. Make sure you are using white rice flour – not brown rice or glutinous rice flour. Those would not work and would completely alter the texture of your crêpes.

Where to buy: You can buy rice flour online or get it from the dry section of any Asian supermarket.

Cornstarch + flour

Through testing, I discovered that combining rice flour with cornstarch and all-purpose flour yielded a superior texture. The crêpes are not as tough and much more tender while remaining crispy on the outside.

Gluten-free option: If you want to make this recipe gluten-free, you can replace the all-purpose flour with more cornstarch or with a 1:1 gluten-free flour mix. The texture will be slightly different, but it will still taste great.

Coconut milk

While coconut milk doesn’t add a lot of flavors (just a hint of nuttiness), it brings some fat, which is also essential to get a crispy crêpe. For optimal results, I suggest using full-fat coconut milk. You can use light coconut milk, but if you do, add a teaspoon of oil to the batter.

Salt and sugar

To season the batter.

Enhance the flavor: If you have it in your cupboard, feel free to add a pinch of mushroom seasoning or MSG to the batter. It’s optional but helps round up the overall flavor.

Turmeric

Bánh xèo might look like it used some eggs to get its vibrant color, but it didn’t! The color comes from ground turmeric.

Green onions

Chopped green onions (also known as scallions) are essential flavor and freshness. They are incorporated directly into the batter.

If you want to make this dish as authentic as possible, do not omit them!

🥣 How to Make It

1. Make the batter

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the white rice flour, cornstarch, all-purpose flour, salt, sugar, and turmeric. A quick tip: you can add a pinch of mushroom seasoning or MSG to enhance the overall flavor.
2. Add the wet ingredients. Pour in the coconut milk and water. Add the chopped green onions.
3. Whisk until combined. Next, whisk until you get a smooth batter. Cover and let the batter rest for at least 15 minutes.

2. Prepare the filling

While the batter is resting, you can make the filling. Note that the filling is super versatile, so feel free to use any vegetable you have on hand!

1. Fry the tofu. Heat two tablespoons of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the sliced tofu and pan-fry for 10-15 minutes, flipping the tofu from time to time until golden brown on each side.
2. Set aside. Transfer the tofu to a plate lined with kitchen paper towels to remove the excess oil and set aside.

3. Sauté the vegetables. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the carrot matchsticks and sliced mushrooms. Season with a pinch of salt and ground black pepper. Sauté for 5-7 minutes or until the carrots are tender but still slightly crunchy.
4. Add the tofu. Next, add the tofu and cook for one more minute. Set the filling aside.

3. Cook the Bánh Xèo

1. Heat the oil. Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick skillet or wok over medium heat. Use a kitchen paper towel to spread the oil evenly.
2. Pour in the batter. Pour about 3/4 cup (or less if using a small pan) of the batter into the skillet and quickly tilt to spread it into an even thin layer. Cook for 2 minutes.

3. Top with the filling. Top one-half of the crêpe with some of the cooked mushrooms, tofu, carrots, and a handful of bean sprouts. Do not go overboard with the amount of filling.
4. Cook until golden brown. Cook the crêpe uncovered for another 3-5 minutes or until it is golden brown and crispy.
5. Fold it in half. Using a spatula, fold the bánh xèo in half, covering the halve containing the filling. Transfer to a serving plate and repeat with the remaining batter and filling.

🥢 How to Serve

If you are new to bánh xèo, you may be wondering how you are supposed to eat it. Well, there are a couple of ways to enjoy it:

Wrap it in lettuce or rice paper

The most common way to enjoy this dish is to take a small piece of bánh xèo (the crêpe and some of the filling) and wrap it in a leaf of lettuce with a few fresh herbs such as Thai basil, perilla leaves, and/or cilantro. Then, you dip it into the sauce and enjoy!

Some people like to wrap it in rice paper as well, similar to how you would prepare fresh spring rolls.

Enjoy in a bowl

The second way to enjoy it is what I would call the lazy one. Actually, it’s my favorite way. Slice the bánh xèo into pieces and add them to a bowl. Thinly slice lettuce and fresh herbs (the same as noted above) and drizzle with the sauce. Stir to combine everything and enjoy!

🥬 Variations

The filling of bánh xèo is versatile, and the possibilities are endless! Feel free to be creative and use extra veggies or protein:

• Veggies: red bell pepper, zucchini, spinach, shredded jicama, Morning Glory, or broccolini.
• Beans: Authentic bánh xèo often includes cooked mung beans as well. You can sprinkle some cooked mung beans on top of the crêpes at the beginning of cooking.
• Protein: tempeh, smoked tofu, sliced vegan sausages, or even vegan chicken.

I hope you will love this bánh xèo recipe! This Vietnamese classic is incredibly flavorful and loaded with different textures.

🇻🇳 More Vietnamese Recipes

Vietnamese Braised Tofu & Mushrooms

Easy Vegan Egg Rolls

Vegan Bánh Tráng Nướng (Vietnamese Grilled Rice Paper)

Stuffed Tofu in Spicy Tomato Sauce

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!

Note: This recipe was first released in November 2020 and updated with new process shots and detailed instructions in August 2024.