This Bò Né or Bánh Mì Chảo is the Vietnamese version of steak and eggs.
Growing up in Vietnam, it was my favorite breakfast (yes, we have steak for breakfast!), but honestly, it’s a meal that can be enjoyed at any time of the day.
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Bò Né vs. Bánh Mì Chảo
Bò Né originates from Vietnam’s South Central region, particularly Nha Trang and Phan Thiết. As a NhaTranger, I’ve been enjoying Bò Né since childhood. I even have a list of favorite spots in town for the best Bò Né!
“Bò” means beef in Vietnamese, and “Né” translates to “to dodge.” So, Bò Né literally means “Dodging Beef”. When I was younger, I had no idea why it was called that until my mom explained that you need to dodge the hot oil splatters when they bring the sizzling cast-iron pan to your table.
In the Mekong Delta’s version, Bò Né is stir-fried beef served with Tonkin Jasmine (Hoa Thiên Lý) or thinly sliced bitter melon (all Viet kids would know the stuffed bitter melon soup aka Canh Khổ Qua).
How about Bánh Mì Chảo?
“Chảo” means pan in Vietnamese. So, Bánh Mì Chảo literally translates to Bánh Mì served with a pan loaded with multiple toppings.
Sometimes, people just call it Bánh Mì Ốp La, which literally means Bánh Mì served with sunny-side-up fried eggs.
While Bò Né & Bánh Mì Chảo are very similar, there are still some distinctions. Bò Né is typically cooked in a Cast Iron Cow-Shaped Plate and always includes beef.
On the other hand, Bánh Mì Chảo can be prepared in a two-handle pan, which is similar to a paella pan . Moreover, Bánh Mì Chảo toppings may or may not include beef.
Some people say Bò Né is a French-Vietnamese fusion dish (like Bánh Pate So, Bánh Flan, or Egg Coffee).
However, in my opinion, it’s much more influenced by American steak & eggs during the Vietnam War era. Bò Né is a relatively recent dish compared to the French colonial period and is just popular in Southern Vietnam.
More Vietnamese recipes for your breakfast
In my home country, breakfast is just as important as dinner. So, don’t be surprised when traveling in Vietnam, you will find local people enjoying fancy dishes like a plate of steamed rice with lemongrass pork chops (Cơm Tấm) or a piping bowl of Phở for breakfast.
(Hanoi-style)
(Sticky Rice with Chinese Sausages)
(Vietnamese Turmeric Noodle Soup)
(Vietnamese Sandwich)
Ingredients for Vietnamese steak & eggs
Beef
Bò Né is called Vietnamese steak & eggs in English but in fact, there is no steak.
Even today, steak made with American or Australian beef still remains a luxury in Vietnam and it is not for everyone. That’s why local people opt for local beef to cook Bò Né.
Vietnamese local beef is best suited for soups like Beef Phở, Bún Bò Huế, or Bò Kho, but it’s not enough tender to make steak. When cooking Bò Né, local people have to thinly slice and marinate the beef.
You could use flank steak, top round steak, sirloin, or your favorite cuts to make stir-fries. It quite similar to the stir-fried beef in Bún Bò Xào (Vietnamese beef vermicelli bowl).
The marinade ingredients:
Other Toppings (Just choose whichever toppings you like)
Other Ingredients
How To Enjoy Bò Né
- Serve it hot with a toasted Bánh Mì baguette. You could garnish it with some cilantro and add some carrot & daikon pickles for more flavors.
- To enjoy Vietnamese steak and egg, take a piece of baguette and dip it into the runny egg yolk, tomato sauce, liver pâté and processed cheese. Then, use a spoon to scoop up some beef and sausage to place on the baguette. Bon appétit!
- The perfect beverage to accompany Bò Né is undoubtedly Vietnamese Coffee (cà phê sữa đá). But I also recommend some iced drinks like Vietnamese Salt Coffee and Caramel Milk Tea.
Helpful Tips
- Cook only one or two portions at a time. Use one small pan for a single serving or one large pan for two servings.
- If you prefer the beef to have a bit of spice, you can add some Ớt Sa Tế (lemongrass chili oil) or Sriracha to the marinade.
- If you can’t find Vietnamese Banh Mi baguette, just use any kinds of baguette that you like.
More Asian recipes with beef
(Pan-fried pho noodles with stir-fried beef)
(Spicy satay beef pho noodle soup)
Bò Né / Bánh Mì Chảo (Vietnamese Steak & Eggs)
Ingredients
Beef Marinade:
- 0.9 pound beef (400g) (top round steak, flank steak, or sirloin)
- 3 tbsp Maggie soy sauce
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp ketchup
- 1 tsp ground black pepper
- 1 tbsp minced garlic
- ¼ bulb onion
- 1 sprig scallion
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tbsp cornstarch (or tapioca starch, potato starch)
Other toppings
- 2 Eggs
- 3.5 oz Sausages (100g)
- 3.5 oz Vietnamese liver pâté (100g) (or your favorite liver pâté)
- 1 can Sardines in tomato sauce (or Vietnamese meat balls in tomato sauce)
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
Instructions
- Begin by thinly slicing the beef against the grain. Next, mince the garlic, thinly slice the onion, and cut the scallions into 2-inch (5 cm) long pieces.
- Combine the beef with oyster sauce, soy sauce, ketchup, sugar, cooking oil, cornstarch, minced garlic, sliced onion, and scallions. Let it marinate for 15 minutes.
- Heat your cast iron pan and add butter and cooking oil. Once the butter is melted, add the beef and stir-fry over high heat. Be careful as the butter will splatter quite a bit.
- When the beef is about halfway cooked, crack eggs into the pan and add liver pâté, Chả Lụa, canned sardines (or any toppings you prefer), and processed cheese. Let it cook for just one or two minutes (be careful not to overcook the beef and keep your fried eggs runny).
- Serve it hot with a toasted Bánh Mì baguette (or any type of baguette you have on hand). You could garnish with some cilantro and add pickled vegetables if you'd like.
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