Bánh Pateso (or Pâté Chaud, Pork Pâté Chaud, Pa Tê Sô, Pa Ti Sô) was my favorite snack during my childhood in Vietnam.
These Vietnamese meat pastries are a perfect blend of buttery, flaky goodness, combined with the savory flavors of the pork filling.
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Origin
The origins of Bánh Pate Sô date back to the French colonial era, a period that left a lasting mark on Vietnamese cuisine with iconic dishes like Bánh Mì and Cà Phê Sữa Đá (Vietnamese Iced Coffee).
The term Pate sô is the Vietnamese adaptation of Pâté chaud, which means “hot pie.” This phrase was commonly used during the French colonial period in Vietnam, though it’s no longer widely used in modern French today.
Today, Bánh Pateso is not only a popular street food across Vietnam but also widely enjoyed in Vietnamese diaspora communities around the world.
Interestingly, in some parts of Vietnam, locals refer to Bánh Gối (a deep-fried turnover similar to an empanada) as Bánh Pateso.
It was one of my favorite childhood snacks, along with Vietnamese flan and Vietnamese avocado smoothies. My dad would always buy me one before my extra classes.
After moving to Germany, I often found myself craving the flavors of my childhood snacks. That was until I realized how simple it is to recreate them using store-bought pastry puffs from German supermarkets.
Related Recipes | More French-Vietnamese fusion dishes
(Vietnamese Red Wine Beef Stew Pho)
(Vietnamese Chicken in Coconut Water Sauce)
Ingredients
Puff pastry: Honestly, the puff pastry used for Pâté Chaud in Vietnam isn’t as flaky as the kind I get from German supermarkets. That said, store-bought puff pastry is still a fantastic alternative!
Filling: The filling of Pâté Chaud is made with ground pork, quite similar to the fillings in Chả Giò and Bánh Bao, but without the wood ear mushrooms and thread noodles.
- Ground pork: pork is staple in Vietnamese cuisine, however, you could use ground chicken or beef.
- Onion: Adding chopped onions to the filling enhances its sweetness and juiciness.
- Liver pâté: Vietnamese liver pâté works best in this recipe; but you can opt for any type of liver pate.
- Egg white and corn starch: They make the filling juicy. Don’t forget to save egg yolk for the egg wash.
- Seasonings: oyster sauce, chicken powder, soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper powder.
- Chopped jicama or water chestnuts (optional): You can add them to enhance the texture of the filling.
How to Serve
Bánh Pate So is a versatile treat, perfect for both snacking and breakfast. It pairs wonderfully with many drinks like:
Expert Tips
- If your Pâté Chaud looks soggy at the bottom, simply flip the meat pies and air fry or bake them at 160°C (320°F) for about 5-8 minutes.
- Avoid overfilling your Pate So, as too much filling may overwhelm your appetite.
- You can store your Pork Pâté Chaud for a few days or freeze them for up to two months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, just warm them up in the air fryer or oven.
More easy Vietnamese snacks to make at home
(Vietnamese street corn with dried shrimps)
Easy Bánh Pate Sô (Pork Pâté Chaud/Vietnamese Meat Pie)
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- A knife or a round cookie cutter (4-inch or 10 cm diameter)
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 to achieve a delightful golden crust.
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 for a golden crust.
Bake Bánh Pateso (With Oven / Air fryer):
- Preheat the air fryer to 160°C (320°F) or 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 […]