Bánh Pateso (Pâté Chaud)—golden, flaky, buttery, with savory pork tucked inside—always takes me back to childhood in Vietnam.
Just me, a warm pastry, and a glass of Ca Phe Sua Da—mornings don’t get more comforting than this.
What’s Inside
Origin of Pa Tê Sô
Bánh Pateso (Pâté Chaud, Pork Pâté Chaud) is more than a golden, flaky meat pie—it’s a little piece of history. Its name comes from the French Pâté chaud, meaning “hot pie,” though the term has mostly faded in France.
Today, Bánh Pateso can still be found in many Vietnamese bakeries. In some regions, however, “Bánh Pate So” isn’t the puff pastry pie—it’s the deep-fried Bánh Xếp, Vietnam’s take on empanadas.
For me, Pateso is pure childhood nostalgia—lazy afternoons when my dad would surprise me with a warm pastry before extra classes. It was my comfort snack, often paired with silky Vietnamese flan or a rich avocado smoothie.
When I moved to Germany, I realized how much I missed those flavors. It wasn’t until I discovered ready-made puff pastry at local supermarkets that I could recreate that taste of home.
If you love tracing French influences in Vietnamese cuisine, many French-Vietnamese dishes like Gà Rô Ti (chicken in coconut water sauce) and Da Ua (yogurt) are part of the same delicious story—just like Pateso.
Ingredients
Puff Pastry: In Vietnam, Pâté Chaud uses softer, less flaky puff pastry than what I find in German supermarkets—but honestly, store-bought puff pastry is still a total lifesaver.
Filling: Ground pork, seasoned perfectly—like the filling for fried spring rolls or Bánh Bao, but without the wood ear mushrooms or glass noodles.
- Ground Pork: The classic choice, though chicken or beef works just as well.
- Onion: Adds natural sweetness and keeps the filling juicy.
- Liver Pâté: The “pâté” in Pâté Chaud isn’t literally liver, but a bit of pâté really takes it up a notch. Vietnamese liver pâté is ideal, but any good pâté works.
- Egg White & Cornstarch: Keeps the filling tender and moist—save the yolk for egg wash.
- Seasonings: Oyster sauce, chicken powder, soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper.
- Optional Crunch: Chopped jicama or water chestnuts.
Related Recipes | More delicious treats from Asian bakeries
Instructions
Step 1: Make the Filling
- Mix it up: Combine ground pork, liver pâté, and chopped onion (plus jicama or water chestnuts if you like). Stir in egg white, cornstarch, and seasonings until well blended. Chill for 15 minutes.
- Tip: Microwave a small piece to taste and adjust seasoning.
Step 2: Assemble Pastries
- Thaw Puff Pastry: Let it sit 2–3 hours at room temp or overnight in the fridge.
- Circles: Cut 10 cm (4‑inch) circles, spoon in 1½ tbsp filling, top with another circle, crimp edges, and brush with egg yolk.
- Rectangles: Cut 7.5 × 15 cm (3 × 6‑inch) rectangles, add filling to one side, fold, press out any air, crimp edges, and brush with egg yolk.
Step 3: Bake
- Air Fryer: Air fry 10 min at 160°C, then 5 min at 200°C (392°F) until golden.
- Oven: Preheat to 180°C (350°F). Bake 20–25 min until golden.
Expert Tips
Soggy bottom? Flip the Pâté Chaud and bake or air fry at 160°C (320°F) for 5–8 minutes to crisp them up.
Storing & reheating: Keep them in the fridge for a few days or freeze for up to 2 months. Reheat in the oven or air fryer until warm and flaky.
Perfect pairing: Enjoy with a cup of Vietnamese salt coffee, Vietnamese milk tea or egg coffee.
Craving More? Try These Easy Vietnamese Snacks
(Vietnamese street corn with dried shrimps)
Pâté Chaud (Bánh Pate Sô) – Vietnamese Meat Pie
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- A knife or a 4-inch (10 cm) round cookie cutter
Ingredients
- 2 sheets fresh or frozen puff pastry dough (around 500g or 1.1 lbs)
- 0.6 pound ground pork (280g)
- 0.3 pound liver pâté (130g) (Vietnamese liver pâté works best)
- ½ large onion (finely diced)
- 0.2 pound jicama or water chestnuts (100g) (finely diced, optional)
- ½ tbsp cornstarch
- 1 egg (white and yolk separated)
- ½ tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp chicken powder
- 1 tbsp oyster sauce
- ½ tsp sugar
- 1 tsp black pepper powder
Instructions
Make the filling
- Mix ground pork, liver pate, onion, and jicama/water chestnuts (optional) in a bowl. Add egg white, cornstarch, and seasonings; combine with your hand.
- Let the filling rest in the refrigerator for 15 minutes to allow the flavors to meld and enhance.
- Make a taste test by microwaving a small amount of filling until fully cooked. Adjust flavor to your liking.
Assemble the Vietnamese Pork Pâté Chaud
- Thaw puff pastry sheets on the counter for 2-3 hours or overnight in the fridge to avoid breakage during processing. Skip if you use fresh dough.
Circle-Shaped Pastries:
- Open up the puff pastry sheets.
- Use a sharp-edge round cookie cutter with a diameter of 10cm or 4 inches to cut the pastry sheets into circle shapes. Each Pate So will need two pieces of pastry.
- Spoon about 1.5 tablespoons of filling onto the center of one piece of puff pastry. Place another piece on top.
- Use the tips of a fork to crimp the edges of the pastry cakes, firmly sealing the top and bottom pieces together.
- Before baking, lightly brush the top with egg yolk.
Rectangle-Shaped Pastries:
- Cut the puff pastry into rectangles (7.5cm x 15cm or 3 inches x 6 inches squares).
- Place 1.5 tablespoons of filling on one side of a puff pastry square. Fold over, removing air as much as possible, and align corners to create a neat square.
- With the tips of a fork to crimp the edges, firmly seal the top and bottom squares together.
- Before baking, lightly brush the top with egg yolk.
Bake Bánh Pateso (With Oven / Air fryer):
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F) for at least 10 minutes before baking.
- Place all the Pâté Chaud on a sheet pan lined with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- With air fryer: Air fry the Pâté Chaud at 160°C (320°F) for 10 minutes, then increase to 200°C (392°F) and continue for 5 minutes until golden brown. Adjust time for pastry size.
- With oven: Bake the Pâté Chaud in the oven for 20-25 minutes until golden brown. Adjust time based on size. Enjoy when beautifully golden!
[…] to Spain or Mexico with these Chorizo Pasties, Turkey Empanadas, or Vietnam for these Bánh Pate So . China for these Asian spiced Meat Pies, the American west for Venison and Wild Mushroom Hand Pies […]