Ever thought about putting a Vietnamese spin on your waffle iron? I came across this clever idea called Banh Xeo Waffles, and it’s worth trying.
Savory Vietnamese Waffles (Bánh Xèo Inspired)
Banh Xeo, those crispy Vietnamese pancakes or crepes, are usually made in a pan to get that perfect thin crunch.
I picked up this clever trick from some amazing Vietnamese home cooks in the States, added my own spin, and guess what? It’s a fun, stress-free way to make and enjoy this classic at home.
Related Recipes | More creative waffle iron ideas:
Why this Bánh Xèo waffle recipe rocks:
It’s such a fun and creative twist — who knew your waffle iron could make Bánh Xèo?
You’ll use way less oil than the traditional pan-frying — that’s a total win!
You can cook and enjoy it fresh right at the table with your family.
Ingredients
The batter
- Rice flour
- Potato starch (or corn starch)
- Coconut cream
- Warm water
- Chicken powder
- Turmeric powder
The fillings
- Mung bean sprouts
- Shrimps
- Pork belly (or pork shoulder)
- Shallots
The dipping sauce
My Nuoc Cham Recipe:
- Fish sauce
- Sugar
- Vinegar or lime / lemon juice
- Garlic & chili
You’ll also want some Do Chua (pickled carrots & daikon), fresh lettuce, and a handful of classic Vietnamese herbs like mint, perilla, and Thai basil.
Instructions
- Make the Batter: Mix rice flour, potato/corn starch, turmeric, chicken powder, and water. Rest 1 hour. Stir in coconut cream and strain.
- Make Nước Chấm: Combine fish sauce, sugar, water, vinegar (or lime/lemon), garlic, and chili.
- Prep Fillings & Herbs: Rinse sprouts, lettuce, and herbs. Slice pork, peel/devein shrimp. Sauté shallots, cook pork halfway, add shrimp, cook through.
- Cook Waffles: Preheat and oil waffle iron. Pour batter halfway, add fillings, top with more batter. Cook until done.
- Serve & Enjoy: Wrap waffles with lettuce or rice paper and herbs. Dip in Nước Chấm with Đồ Chua.
If you love Bánh Xèo, you might also enjoy:
Vietnamese Spring Rolls (with Hoisin Peanut Sauce)
Bun Cha (Northern Vietnamese Rice Noodles with Grilled Pork)
Bun Bo Hue (Spicy Beef Noodle Soup)
Banh Mi (Vietnamese Baguette)
Bo Ne (Steak & Eggs)
Banh Cuon (Steamed Rice Rolls)
Bun Bo Xao (Rice Noodle Salad with Beef)
Savory Vietnamese Waffles (Banh Xeo Inspired)
Equipment
- 1 waffle iron
Ingredients
The batter:
- ⅛ cup rice flour (200g / 7oz)
- ⅓ cup potato starch / cornstarch (40g / 1.4oz)
- 1 tsp turmeric powder
- 5.5 oz coconut cream (165ml / 1 small can)
- 1¾ cup water (420ml)
The filling:
- 0.5 lb pork belly or pork shoulder (230g)
- 0.5 lb shrimps (230g)
- 1.1 lb mung bean sprouts (500g)
- 1 shallot
- Cooking oil
- Chicken powder (to your taste)
- Salt (to your taste)
Nước chấm dipping sauce
- 2 tbsp fish sauce (to your taste)
- 2 tbsp sugar (to your taste)
- 4 tbsp hot water
- 1 tsp lime / lemon juice or 5% vinegar (to your taste)
- Minced garlic (to your taste)
- Minced chili (to your taste)
- Đồ Chua (Pickled carrots & daikon) (optional)
Vegetables & Herbs
- Lettuce or Mustard greens
- Mint, perilla leaves, Thai basil
Instructions
Prepare the Banh Xeo batter:
- Combine rice flour, potato starch, turmeric powder, and chicken powder with water then let it rest for an hour.
- After the hour, add coconut cream and mix well. Strain the batter to remove any clumps.
Make Nước Chấm:
- Whisk together fish sauce, water, sugar, vinegar (or lime / lemon juice), then incorporate minced garlic and minced chili.
Get the fillings & herbs ready:
- Rinse and let the mung bean sprouts, herbs, and lettuce drain.
- Slice the pork into pieces. Peel and devein the shrimp, and if they're large, cut them into smaller pieces.
- In a pan, heat cooking oil and sauté the shallots until they become fragrant. Stir-fry the pork until it's halfway cooked, seasoning with salt and chicken powder. Add the shrimp and continue stir-frying until the fillings are fully cooked.
- Set aside the cooked fillings.
Cook & Enjoy:
- Heat up your waffle iron and coat its surface with cooking oil to avoid sticking.
- Pour batter onto the waffle iron, adjusting the amount to fill just half of it.
- Add mung bean sprouts, pork, and shrimp onto the waffle. Pour more batter to completely fill the iron.
- Cook until the Banh Xeo waffles are fully done (no more steam is coming out from the waffle iron).
- Carefully take the waffles out of the iron.
