Making egg rolls at home is so easy that you will never feel the need to order them again! Plus, they taste so much better than the ones you order from the restaurant because they are packed with fresh ingredients. It’s a double win for everyone!

Gone in 60 seconds.

It’s a movie title I know but it also applies to what happens when I make vegetable egg rolls and place them in front of my hungry husband. Ben cannot resist their crispy texture and cabbage filled interior.

We used to order them all the time from our favorite American Chinese spot in Brooklyn but it’s been a bit of a challenge ordering Asian vegetarian food since our move. So instead of complaining about the lack of vegetarian options in the area (I try to keep my complaints to a minimum since I hate complainers), I started making my own vegetarian egg rolls.

It turns out that egg rolls are ridiculously easy to make, who knew! Not me, obviously, otherwise I would have added them to my easy meals collection years ago! Better late than never though, right?

This is a simple recipe for vegetable egg rolls that requires minimal prepping and don’t worry about the rolling part either – I have step-by-step pictures showing exactly how to do it below. Let’s cook!

Ingredients for Vegetable Egg Rolls

• Egg roll wrappers: I’m using Nasoya’s vegan egg roll wrappers in these pictures because they were the only option available at Whole Foods that day. They turned out to be absolutely delicious! You can obviously use any brand for this, just make sure you are buying egg roll wrappers and not spring roll wrappers, which are round and dry.
• Filling: A mixture of stir fried cabbage, carrot, and scallions, seasoned with sesame oil, ginger, garlic, soy sauce, sugar, salt, and ground white pepper.
• Oil: The oil will be used for frying the egg rolls so choose something neutral that has a high smoke point such as refined vegetable oil or safflower oil.
• Dipping sauce: Pick your favorite one, seriously! I personally think that when it comes to dipping sauces, we should always use one that we enjoy eating. It’s not because egg rolls usually come with duck sauce that you have to eat them with it. My husband doesn’t like duck sauce and instead makes his own dipping sauce by mixing soy sauce, chinkiang vinegar, and chili crisp.

You can simplify the list of ingredients even more by omitting the carrot and scallions, and just using cabbage as a filling. Or if you’d like to make the rolls a little more substantial you can add smoked tofu or chopped mushrooms.

This recipe for egg roll is a very basic one so there’s room to play with it. I suggest you make it exactly like the recipe says the first time and then add your own twist to it!

How to Make Egg Rolls

1. Start by frying your veggies. Heat up the sesame oil in a skillet over medium high heat and add the ginger and garlic. Cook for 1 minute.
2. Add the cabbage, carrot, and scallions, and cook for 5 minutes, or until the vegetables are tender.
3. Stir in the soy sauce, sugar, salt, and ground white pepper and cook for 1 minute. Turn the heat off and transfer the vegetables to a bowl. Let them cool for 10 minutes.
4. Take an egg roll wrapper and place it on a flat surface with one edge of the wrapper facing you (diagonally).
5. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the vegetable mixture and place it in the center of the wrapper. Spread the mixture until there’s about 2 inches of wrapper left free on each side.
6. Take the edge of the wrapper facing you and fold it over the filling. Tightly roll until you reach the center of the wrapper.
7. Tightly fold each side of the wrapper toward the center (where the filling is) and continue rolling until you reach the top corner.
8. Seal the top of the wrapper by wetting the corner with a little water. Place the egg roll on a plate with the top corner facing down. Do the same for the other 11 egg rolls.
9. Put enough oil in a skillet to cover the surface by about half an inch. Turn the heat to medium high and when the oil is very hot, almost smoking, carefully place a few egg rolls in the skillet making sure not to overcrowd the pan.
10. Fry for 1-2 minutes, until the egg rolls are golden brown, and flip them. Fry on the other side for another 1-2 minutes and transfer them to a plate covered with paper towel to remove excess oil.
11. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or my easy dumpling sauce recipes. Congrats, you just made vegetable egg rolls!

How to Bake Egg Rolls

1. Preheat the oven to 400ºF (204ºC).
2. Follow the above steps to making the egg roll filling and rolling the egg rolls.
3. Cover a baking sheet with parchment paper and spray cooking spray on top.
4. Place the egg rolls on the parchment paper and spray a little cooking spray on top of each egg roll.
5. Place in the center rack of the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Flip the egg rolls over and bake for an additional 6-7 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
6. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or my easy dumpling sauce recipes.

Making Egg Rolls in an Air Fryer

You all know how much I love my air fryer so it goes without saying that I have of course used it to make egg rolls. Here’s how to achieve a great crispy texture in your air fryer:

1. Follow the above steps to making the egg roll filling and rolling the egg rolls.
2. Preheat the air fryer to 400ºF  (204ºC) for about 5 minutes.
3. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray, including the sides.
4. You may need to do this is batches – place enough egg rolls to fill the bottom of the air fryer, making sure to leave an inch of space between them (otherwise the egg rolls will stick together.)
5. Spray a little cooking spray on top of the egg rolls and close the air fryer.
6. Cook for about 8-12 minutes (cooking time can vary based on the air fryer you own), until golden brown and flip them over. Spray a little cooking spray on top of the egg rolls, close the air fryer and cook for an additional 5-7 minutes. The egg rolls are ready when all the sides are golden brown.
7. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or my easy dumpling sauce recipes.

What to Serve with Egg Rolls

Now that you’ve made yummy egg rolls, why not serve them with other dishes you can find at an American Chinese restaurant! I’ve got some really easy recipes that will complement these egg rolls beautifully. Some of my favorites are:

• Moo goo gai pan
• Sweet and sour tofu
• Shrimp lo mein
• Chicken egg foo young
• Chinese eggplant with garlic sauce
• Mu shu tofu

Did you like this Vegetable Egg Rolls Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Vegetable Egg Rolls

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

Making egg rolls at home is so easy that you will never feel the need to order them again! Plus, they taste so much better than the ones you order from the restaurant because they are packed with fresh ingredients.

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 35 minutes
• Yield: 12 egg rolls
• Category: Side
• Method: Pan frying
• Cuisine: Chinese
• Diet: Vegetarian

Ingredients

• 12 6-inch square egg roll wrappers (approximately)
• Cooking oil such as vegetable oil or peanut oil

Filling:

• 1 1/2 tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon ginger, peeled and minced
• 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
• 4 cups shredded cabbage
• 2 cups carrot, julienned
• 4 scallions, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. In a pan over medium heat, add sesame oil, ginger, and garlic, and cook for 1 minute.
2. Add cabbage, carrot, and scallions, and cook for 4-5 minutes, until vegetables are tender.
3. Add soy sauce, sugar, salt, and ground white pepper and stir. Cook for 1 minute, turn the heat off, and transfer the mixture into a bowl. Set aside for 10 minutes, until the vegetables have cooled down a bit.
4. Grab an egg roll wrapper and place it diagonally on a flat work surface (one edge of the wrapper should be facing you).
5. Scoop about 2 tablespoons of the vegetable mixture and place it in the center of the wrapper. Spread it across sideways leaving about 2 inches of wrapper free on each side.
6. Grab the bottom edge of the wrapper and fold it over the filling. Tightly roll until you reach the center of the wrapper.
7. Tightly fold each side of the wrapper toward the center (where the filling is) and continue to roll until you’ve reach the top corner.
8. Seal the top by wetting the corner with a little water. Place the egg roll on a plate with the top corner facing down. Repeat the same step until all the filling has been used.
9. In a large pan over high heat, add enough oil to cover the surface of the pan by about half an inch.
10. When the oil is hot, carefully slide a few egg rolls into the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Flip the egg rolls over and cook for another 1-2 minutes. 
11. Transfer the egg rolls to a plate covered with paper towel to drain.
12. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce or my easy dumpling sauce recipes.

Notes

Please refer to the steps written in the post if you are looking to bake or air fry these vegetable egg rolls. 

Refrigerate leftover egg rolls in an airtight glass or plastic container. They will last 3 to 4 days.

Freezing egg rolls: Wait until the egg rolls have completely cooled down. Once cooled, place them back on the baking sheet and put in the freezer for about 4 hours. Take them out of the freezer, place the egg rolls in a plastic storage bag, and put them back in the freezer. They will last for 1-2 months.

Reheating frozen egg rolls: Preheat the oven to 350ºF. Place the egg rolls on a baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Flip them over and bake for an additional 8-10 minutes.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 egg roll
• Calories: 135
• Sugar: 2.7 g
• Sodium: 301.2 mg
• Fat: 4.5 g
• Saturated Fat: 2.2 g
• Carbohydrates: 20.7 g
• Fiber: 1.8 g
• Protein: 3.4 g
• Cholesterol: 2.4 mg

Keywords: appetizer, vegetarian, spring roll

Recipe Card powered by

Easy Vegetable Egg Rolls
Pickled Plum.

This is a quick, easy and VERY tasty recipe for chicken pho made with leftover roasted chicken. Ready in 20 minutes, this full-flavored chicken pho recipe delivers the savory promise of a slow cooked broth in about 20 minutes – the best!

Roasted Chicken Pho Recipe

I’m a little crazy for pho.

Yep – it’s just one of those Asian soup recipes I fall head over heels for in pretty much any form I find it in.

The only drawback arises when I’m totally craving pho, but am also pressed for time. Sure, I could order out and get delicious Vietnamese soup delivered to my doorstep. But Seamless already gets enough of my money

Luckily, I have a total all-pro hack for an easy chicken pho recipe that will deliver the full-flavored, savory promise of a slow cooked broth in about 20 minutes.

Seriously, this is a fun one!

But first, what is pho?

Pho is a Vietnamese soup made up of rice noodles, herbs and a savory broth made from aromatics like charred onion, ginger, star anise, fennel seed, cinnamon and simmered beef bones.

While there are a ton of regional variations from recipe to recipe in Vietnam, the one nearly constant factor is that, in Vietnam at least, pho is breakfast food.

Wait… what?

Yep – pho is traditionally eaten in the morning. It’s the perfect balance of filling yet light. Great if you’re headed in to work and need fuel for your body – but don’t want to be weighed down by a heavy meal.

In the West, we tend to eat it for lunch or dinner. Different strokes, right?

So is pho Vietnamese chicken noodle soup?

Not exactly. You see pho is the composed dish. And it can be served in a number of ways. Most usually, it is served with multiple cuts of beef and offal. It is wonderful with thinly sliced rare beef.

Btw… if you’re looking for a simple and delicious beef pho recipe (phở bò), check this out

So then, chicken pho (aka: pho ga – or phở gà) is Vietnamese noodle soup with served with chicken instead of beef, right?

Yep!

And, while that’s an oversimplification of a very layered and dense foodie topic, we’re here to cook, right?! So let’s get to it!

So here’s the big reveal for my super easy chicken pho recipe

The set up: The night before last, I served a roast chicken (one of those pre-cooked rotisserie deals they sell at the supermarket) with lentils, roasted veggies and a big bowl of gravy.

You see, I was born in Montreal – so I need a chicken and gravy fix as often as possible, hehe! But I digress…

The dilemma: Buying a roast chicken for two means there are definitely going to be leftovers the next day.

And that got me thinking…

One of the best and tastiest ways to serve leftover chicken is by making chicken noodle soup. Classic American chicken soup is comforting and delicious.

Why couldn’t the same rules apply for Vietnamese chicken pho!? I mean, the roast chicken should theoretically impart deep, smoky flavor to a broth in a super short amount of time.

The solution: So, I decided to try my theory – and, let me tell you, it did not disappoint!

Into the stockpot, that roast chicken went!

I am not exaggerating when I say this chicken pho recipe is absolutely TO DIE FOR.

In fact, this homemade pho is one of my favorite new quick chicken recipes. Perfect for those times you just need a dose of comforting, rich flavor, but don’t have enough time for said flavors to develop in the normal time frame.

How to make pho

As mentioned, this version differs quite a bit from a traditional pho soup recipe.

In Vietnam, you’ll see complex, time honored and close guarded broth recipes, handed down through the generations being prepared.

So, keeping in mind that this is a departure from the norm, let’s see how we can go about making this super quick chicken pho recipe in 20 minutes. Perfect for busy work and school nights!

In keeping with the quick and easy theme of this chicken pho recipe, I am using store bought low sodium chicken stock. However I highly recommend making the broth yourself if you’re so inclined. It delivers an even more chicken-y taste!

Simply add a quart of chicken broth and around two tablespoons of thinly sliced ginger to a pot – and bring to a boil.

Shred your leftover rotisserie chicken with your fingers (or two forks). Add it to the boiling stock, along with a couple tablespoons of fish sauce. Cover and simmer that savory, bubbling goodness for about 15 minutes.

Meanwhile, prepare your rice noodles according to the instructions on the package.

Once the soup and noodles are ready, just assemble your bowls: noodles, herbs like cilantro, basil and mint – and a heavy splash of broth.

Finally, just add a little fish sauce, julienned ginger strips and chiles to taste.

You totally have a bowl of savory Asian street food on the table, without even leaving your doorstep!

What are the best pho noodles?

Most times, you’ll find pho served with rice noodles – sometimes referred to as rice stick noodles.

Most brands of Asian rice noodles will call for you to prepare them simply by soaking in hot water and draining – although some brands will call for a full boil. Read the package!

And, while some rice noodles come in thicker varieties, pho is usually served with noodles that are vermicelli thin.

An easy chicken pho recipe you can add your own mark to

Cooking should be a fun and carefree experience. Give yourself license to play around with different techniques and ingredients.

Obviously, the more you play, the more familiar you’ll become with making the things you’ll LOVE to eat.

The measurements for this easy chicken pho recipe are arbitrary. You can add more or less chicken – or noodles for that matter – depending on whether you want the soup to be an appetizer or a main.

Even the type of noodles and sides are optional; my husband loves using ramen noodles with a squirt of sriracha. I gravitate towards rice noodles and a squeeze of lime.

What makes this chicken pho recipe taste so darn good is the use of roasted chicken meat instead of regular boneless chicken breasts. The broth seriously tastes like it’s been simmering in a barbecue pit; intense and smoky!

That said, if you’re a vegetarian you can easily make this vegetarian pho broth recipe and use it in your own homemade pho creations.

It’s your world. Savor it!

I like pairing this chicken pho recipe with a light spicy Thai mango apple salad or some quick vegetable maki rolls.  The recipe for this easy chicken pho makes enough for four appetizer size bowls or two mains.

Other yummy Asian recipes:

• Vietnamese beef meatballs
• Moo goo gai pan
• Baked general tso chicken
• Bihon pancit
• Chicken egg foo young
• Singapore chow mei fun

Did you like this Easy Chicken Pho Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

GET PICKLED PLUM’S 51 RECIPES ECOOKBOOK TODAY!

Easy Chicken Pho Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 4 reviews

This is a quick, easy and VERY tasty recipe for chicken pho made with leftover roasted chicken.

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 2 people
• Category: Soups
• Method: Stove top
• Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

• 1 quart low sodium chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons ginger (cut into thin strips)
• 2 cups roasted chicken (shredded or roughly chopped)
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/2 cup cilantro (finely chopped)
• 1 jalapeno (thinly sliced)
• 6 ounce rice noodles, dry
• lime wedges

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. In a medium pot over high heat, add broth and ginger and bring to a boil.
2. Shred the roast chicken using your fingers and add to the broth. Add fish sauce, lower heat and cover. Simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Bring a pot of water to boil and turn the heat off. Add rice noodles and let soak for 6-10 minutes or follow instructions on the package. Strain and set aside.
4. Put your bowl of soup together by adding noodles and topping with jalapeno and cilantro.
5. Serve chicken pho recipe with lime wedge and white pepper.

Notes

This Easy Chicken Pho Recipe Is:

Very low in sugar
High in manganese
High in niacin
High in selenium

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 439
• Sugar: 1.9 g
• Sodium: 3000.2 mg
• Fat: 1.6 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
• Carbohydrates: 74.1 g
• Fiber: 1.8 g
• Protein: 27.8 g
• Cholesterol: 48 mg

Keywords: recipe, main, noodle soup, chicken noodle soup, Asian

Recipe Card powered by

Roasted Chicken Pho Recipe
Pickled Plum.

This Banh Xeo Recipe marries savory Vietnamese rice pancake with shrimp, sprouts, leafy greens and loads of herbs. Translating into ‘sizzling cake’, bánh xèo is absolute perfection when dipped in nuoc cham – Vietnam’s most famous savory, sweet, sour, salty and spicy condiment!

Ben and I did the long distance thing for almost two years at the beginning of our relationship.

He was in New York and I was in Toronto. The first time he came to visit me in Toronto, we ate a LOT.

And It was at a hole-in-the-wall Vietnamese restaurant where I first realized that food was pretty dang important to him – just like it is for me.

That night he taught me the merit of ordering your fish ball egg noodle soup with the noodles and broth separate (so your noodles don’t overcook in the hot soup).

And I taught him how to layer herbs on top of large leafy mustard greens to make a proper wrap for banh xeo – a crispy, shrimp studded rice flour pancake – (so you can dunk your crispy Vietnamese pancake in a ramekin of savory nuoc cham).

Well, fast forward more years than I’d care to admit – and we’ve just celebrated a decade of marriage!

This super crispy banh xeo recipe is not only delicious and easy to make, it’s a little foodie flashback to a meal I shared with my husband before he was even officially my boyfriend!

What is banh xeo?

Banh xeo (bánh xèo) are savory Vietnamese crepes, made of rice flour.

Typically loaded with pork belly and shrimp, these crispy pancakes get their trademark yellow tinge from turmeric, which is added to the batter before cooking.

Btw… Turmeric is sorta my favorite. Check out some other scenarios where I use turmeric.

While I’m not using pork in this banh xeo recipe, it’s normally there. Feel free to add a bit of pork belly to your Vietnamese rice pancake if you feel so inclined.

There’s a crispy and chewy element to banh xeo that’s just so appealing from a textural standpoint.

You’ll also normally find bean sprouts, and sometimes mung beans, folded into the crispy crepe.

Finished banh xeo are usually served with an entire garden on the side (I’ll get to that in a second).

And it’s meant to be dipped in a fragrant nuoc cham dipping sauce.

Actually, nuoc cham is used with so many dishes in Vietnamese cuisine – from bun cha to grilled meats and fish. A true multipurpose condiment if there ever was one.

From a cooking standpoint, banh xeo is crazy easy to make (and I’m excited to show you how).

And from an eating standpoint, these Vietnamese crepes are pure joy!

Ingredients for banh xeo

• Rice Flour, Cornstarch, Turmeric Powder, Kosher Salt, Coconut Milk and Water: These ingredients comprise the banh xeo batter. Turmeric in particular will give your sizzling crepe it’s trademark orange/yellow hue.
• Vegetable Oil: Any neutral tasting oil will work well for pan frying.
• Shrimp: You’ll need about 1/2 pound of shrimp, peeled and deveined.
• Onion: Slice about a half-cup of onions into thin, half-moon shapes. You’ll pan-fry these with the shrimp just prior to adding your batter to the pan.
• Bean Sprouts: These will add a pliant garden fresh crunch to your banh xeo.
• Cilantro and Mint: Chop or hand-tear these herbs and sprinkle them on your finished crepe for a vibrant pop of color and flavor.
• Mustard Greens, Leafy Lettuce, Shiso / Perilla Leaves and Basil: While these are optional, there’s nothing better than wrapping hunks of your banh xeo in a garden’s worth of greens.
• Nuoc Cham: Savory, sweet and spicy – this is your Vietnamese dipping sauce. Learn how to make homemade nuoc cham for this Vietnamese crepe recipe.

How to make banh xeo

Even though the results seem complex and exotic, whipping up our banh xeo mix from scratch is amazingly simple.

1. To make the batter, just whisk rice flour, cornstarch and turmeric with a pinch of salt, a half-cup of coconut milk and about a cup and a half of water. Make sure it’s mixed well. Then let your batter rest for at least 30 minutes.
2. In the meantime, you can whip up your nuoc cham (fish sauce based) dipping sauce.
3. Then, I like to divide my onions and shrimp into six equal piles. Yep – that’s one pile per crepe. I like to do this so each ban xeo has equal parts deliciousness. If we just mixed everything into the batter at once, you’d likely get one seafood crepe, just loaded with shrimp – and the rest might be a little more… ahem, skimpy.
4. Now, in a 9 inch skillet over medium-high heat, add a bit of vegetable oil and toss in one portion of your onions and shrimp. Give it a good stir and then move the mix over to one half of the pan.
5. Add about a half cup of your batter to the pan and tilt the pan so the entire bottom is covered with your banh xeo mix. 
6. Just add some bean sprouts on top of your crepe and cover the pan with a lid for around 2-3 minutes until the sprouts start to wilt.
7. Finally – open the lid, fold your crepe in half and plate it up.

You’re gonna love how your Vietnamese yellow pancake has that perfectly crispy, slightly chewy mix nailed!

How to get crispy banh xeo?

• Short answer: cooking on higher than normal heat.

We’re not lightly steaming these Vietnamese crepes – nor are we blitzing them over a gargantuan flame reserved for stir-frying in a wok.

What we’re going for, from a temperature standpoint, is the highest side of medium. This will deliver the heat we need to keep things crispy and crunchy – without burning the outside of our banh xeo.

• Another secret to crispy savory Vietnamese crepes is using rice flour in the batter.

Ever notice how the French style baguettes you get from the banh mi shop are crispier and flakier than their French counterparts?

That’s due to the use of a mix of both rice flour and wheat flour when baking.

And while some banh xeo recipes also call for a mix of the two flours when making crispy crepes, I find that using rice flour alone really nails the texture I’m looking for.

Rice flour is the unsung hero in this banh xeo recipe (from a crispy perspective anyway).

How to eat Banh xeo

The only thing better than cooking up these crispy Vietnamese shrimp crepes is sitting down to eat them!

And, if you want to just spoon nuoc cham over the top and tear in with a fork, that’s your prerogative. There’s no shame at all in eating your banh xeo on the simple side.

However, if you’re looking for the full Monty in terms of flavor, these savory and crispy pancakes are traditionally torn up and served inside a whole host of leafy goodness.

To borrow a phrase from Chicago food etymology, banh xeo is meant to be ‘dragged through the garden’ before you put it in your mouth.

Here’s how:

• A nice palm sized piece of mustard greens (cải bẹ xanh) makes a great base. You can also use a leafy lettuce if mustard greens are tough to find.
• Then, pile on perilla (AKA: shiso) leaves, mint, basil and cilantro leaves. Whoa! That’s a lotta green!
• Now, break off a nice big hunk of your sprouts and shrimp filled banh xeo crepe and roll it up inside that amazing bed of greens you just created. Kinda like a reverse spring roll, right!?
• The only thing left to do is to dunk your roll-up in nuoc cham (that delicious salty, sweet, spicy and sour dipping sauce I keep mentioning, hehe). Check out my easy-to-make, full flavored recipe for nuoc cham here.

The resulting bite is just one of those things that quite literally has all the flavors – and a ton of texture.

A verdant and crisp brightness from the greens meets a savory and chewy crunch from the seafood crepe inside. And sweet heat meets a salty and sour punch from the nuoc cham.

Unreal YUM!

What’s the meaning of Banh Xeo in English?

Bánh xèo translates from Vietnamese to English as sizzling cake.

It’s named in accordance with the loud sizzling sound the batter makes as it hits the pan.

And you don’t even have to stretch your imagination too far to conjure batter hitting a super hot pan making a loud, “zzzeeeeeeooooowwwww.”

Phonetically named food is a cool thing in my book!

Is Banh Xeo French?

You could totally be forgiven for thinking banh xeo might have some French culinary influences at play.

After all, crepes just seem kind of French, right?

Furthermore, during France’s well documented and long colonial rule in Indochina, things like bread and coffee worked their way into the Vietnamese food lexicon.

Now, whether you call Vietnam’s largest metropolis Ho Chi Minh City, or still call it Saigon, these former influences are now so ingrained in the modern Vietnamese food culture it would be impossible to separate them.

That said, banh xeo is 100% Vietnamese.

Yep – this crispy crepe likely originated in central Vietnam centuries ago.

And, these days, whether you’re in Hue, Hanoi or Nha Trang, the banh xeo you eat in each respective place will likely reflect the culinary nuances drawn from the region it is served in.

With my love of travel – and my passion for food – It’d be amazing to get the opportunity to try them all!

Maybe that should be the delicious plan when we celebrate our 11th year of marriage, right!?

How about you? Where in the world would you like to go to try all the food under the sun? I’d love to hear all about your food and travel dreams in the comments section

Other simple, delicious Vietnamese recipes:

• Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce)
• Vegetable Pho Broth
• Vietnamese Beef Meatballs
• Bun Cha With Shrimp
• Meatless Meatball Banh Mi

Did you like this Banh Xeo Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Banh Xeo (Bánh Xèo) – Savory Vietnamese Crêpe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 review

This Banh Xeo Recipe marries savory Vietnamese crepes with shrimp, sprouts, leafy greens and loads of herbs. Translating into ‘sizzling cake’, bánh xèo is absolute perfection when dipped in nuoc cham – Vietnam’s most famous savory, sweet, sour, salty and spicy condiment!

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 45 minutes
• Yield: 2
• Category: Main
• Method: Pan frying
• Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

• 1 cup rice flour
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon turmeric powder
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1/2 cup coconut milk
• 1 ½ cups water
• 1 scallion (thinly sliced)
• vegetable oil (for frying)

Filling

• 1/2 pound shrimp (peeled, deveined and sliced in half, lengthtwise)
• 1 small onion (thinly sliced) about 1/2 cup
• 1 ½ cups bean sprouts
• mustard greens or leafy lettuce, shiso (perilla), basil (optional )

Other

• nuoc cham (dipping sauce for serving)
• 1/2 cup mix cilantro leaves + mint leaves

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. In a large mixing bowl, whisk in rice flour, cornstarch, turmeric, salt, coconut milk and water until the mixture is smooth. Set aside to rest for at least 30 minutes (or leave refrigerated overnight; cover with plastic wrap).
2. Make your dipping sauce by following the
   nuoc cham recipe.
3. Divide the onions and shrimp into 6 portions – 1 for each crepe.
4. Divide the bean sprouts into 6 portions – but keep separate from your portions of shrimp/onion.
5. In a 9-inch skillet over medium high heat, add 1/2 tablespoon vegetable oil and swirl around to coat the skillet evenly.
6. Add 1 portion of the shrimp and onions and cook for 1 minute.
7. Move the shrimp and onions to one side of the pan, making sure they’re spread out – and pour about 1/2 cup of batter in the skillet. Tilt the pan quickly to evenly cover the entire bottom of the pan and add beans sprouts on top.
8. Cover and cook for 2-3 minutes, until the bean sprouts have begun wilting.
9. Take the lid off, cook for 1 minute, add cilantro and mint and turn the heat off.
10. Fold in half and transfer to a plate.
11. Repeat the same process for the remaining ingredients.
12. Serve simply with nuoc cham – or wrap bits of your cooked crepes in mustard greens (or leafy lettuce), perilla, basil and cilantro and dip in nuoc cham.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2
• Calories: 600
• Sugar: 5g
• Sodium: 478.3.mg
• Fat: 17.4g
• Saturated Fat: 12.4g
• Unsaturated Fat: 1.4g
• Carbohydrates: 81.3g
• Fiber: 4.4g
• Protein: 31.6g
• Cholesterol: 186mg

Keywords: recipe, Vietnamese pancake, crepe, Southeast Asian

Recipe Card powered by

Banh Xeo (Bánh Xèo) – Savory Vietnamese Crêpe
Pickled Plum.

Elevate your spring rolls with this seriously tasty Vietnamese dipping sauce! This Nuoc Cham Recipe has perfect levels of sour, sweet, salty, savory, and spicy, to bring a kick to your Vietnamese dishes, and to your taste buds!

I think you’ll agree with me that a condiment or dipping sauce can make or break a dish. It can elevate the flavors of the dish as a whole – or sink the entire ship.

Well, it turns out you can make a delicious and classic Vietnamese dipping sauce like nuoc cham that will be the star of your dinner in no time flat! Five minutes in the kitchen with simple ingredients is all it takes to make this easy recipe.

Today’s post is all about the most magical of Vietnamese condiments to go along with your delicious Vietnamese food or other southeast Asian dishes. I will be diving into how to make it, what to eat with it and even some culinary pitfalls to avoid. If you’ve ever wondered about nuoc cham, this one is for you!

What is Nước Chấm?

Nuoc cham is the absolutely delicious Vietnamese dipping sauce that tends to accompany fried spring rolls (Chả giò), pan fried crepes (Bánh xèo) and rice noodle dishes (Bún).

This ubiquitous condiment is a mixture of fish sauce (nước mắm), garlic, palm sugar, lime juice, a splash of water and (sometimes) bird’s eye chilis.

In this home chef’s opinion, the most important element to a good nuoc cham is finding the proper balance of sour, sweet, salty, savory and spicy.

However from an ingredients perspective, finding and using a good fish sauce – or nuoc mam – is the key to full on flavor!

Nước Chấm Ingredients

• Palm sugar: Palm sugar is less sweet than refined sugar as it is lower in sucrose. You can usually find it in Thai or Vietnamese supermarkets, or you can order it here on Amazon. If you don’t have palm sugar you can go ahead and use regular white sugar.
• Water: Warm water is used to melt the sugar. You can technically also use cold water but it will take you a lot longer to melt the sugar.
• Lime juice: I recommend using fresh lime juice but you can also use store bought if you already have some in your fridge.
• Fish sauce: While I do find Red Boat to be the best fish sauce out there, I wouldn’t recommend using it for this recipe. That’s because Red Boat is very expensive and should only be reserved for special occasions and dishes where the fish sauce is the most prominent taste. For a sauce like nuoc cham, I recommend sticking to a cheaper yet still delicious fish sauce like Golden Boy or Squid.
• Garlic: Minced garlic adds spiciness and pungency (on top of the fish sauce!) to this dipping sauce.
• Thai chilis: Also called bird’s eye chili, this small green or red pepper is a staple ingredient in Southeast Asian cooking. These chilis can be seriously hot which is why I’m only using one. But feel free to add an extra one if you like your food to be spicy!

How to Make Nước Chấm

Scroll all the way down to the recipe card for the full recipe.

1. Gather all of your kitchen tools and ingredients.
2. Dissolve the palm sugar in lukewarm water and whisk in the lime juice, fish sauce, minced garlic and Thai chilis. 
3. I like to let my nuoc cham sit at room temperature for a few minutes to let the flavors develop. But that’s an optional step.
4. Serve as a dipping sauce for spring rolls, as a salad dressing for lettuce or other green leafy vegetables, or as a flavor topper over rice, with bun cha, meats, seafood, tofu, etc..

Is Nước Chấm the Same as Nước Mắm?

What’s the difference between nuoc mam and nuoc cham?

Nước mắm is technically unadulterated fish sauce made from fish, water, salt, and amino acids. Nuoc cham is the dipping sauce we are making in this post which contains nuoc mam (fish sauce), water, lime, chilis, sugar, and garlic.

Therefore:

• Nuoc mam = fish sauce
• Nuoc cham = dipping sauce made using nuoc mam

Restaurant Nước Chấm VS Homemade Nước Chấm

Most of the same ingredients tend to be in use when you get your spring roll sauce or dipping sauce for your Vietnamese bun delivered to the table when dining out.

However, I have found that the nuoc cham served in Vietnamese restaurants across Canada and the US tend to be on the sweeter side, more so than the well balanced mixes I’ve had in Southeast Asia. This is probably done to please the Western palate which is a shame since the real nuoc cham is so much tastier.

That said, there is a place in our neighborhood in Brooklyn that has a nuoc cham sauce so finely tuned, I feel like I’m sitting on a small plastic stool in Hue inhaling my noodles every time we drop in for a bite.

How to Pronounce Nước Chấm

The Vietnamese language is full of rising, falling and flat tones that can render the same word with different meanings depending on the delivery. Getting it right can seem like an impenetrable fortress to someone just getting started.

To say nuoc cham with something approaching accuracy, say nuoc as ‘nook’ (like the Barnes & Noble e-reader). And say cham as ‘chum’ (like an old friend from your days at school).

That’s how it was explained to me – and it’s worked at restaurants sufficiently well to this point!

The Perfect Spring Roll Dipping Sauce

While there are plenty of main dishes and sides that pair well this Vietnamese sauce, a number one fan favorite is hands down spring rolls, or summer rolls. But I also enjoy using this versatile sauce with good old vegetable egg rolls – it’s so good!

Here are other dipping sauces you might like to serve with your next batch of Vietnamese rolls, or other types of rolls:

Other Dipping Sauces You Might Like

Duck Sauce

The Best Dumpling Sauce Recipe

Easy Hoisin Sauce

Ssamjang (Korean Dipping Sauce)

Did you like this nuoc cham recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Nuoc Cham (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce)

Print Recipe

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

Use it as a sauce for spring rolls, bun cha (vermicelli bowls), or as a dipping sauce for lettuce and other greens.

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Total Time: 5 minutes
• Yield: 1 cup
• Category: Sauces
• Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

Units USM

• 1/4 cup palm sugar
• 2/3 cup lukewarm water
• 1/3 cup fresh lime juice
• 6 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 cloves garlic (minced)
• 1 Thai chile (minced)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. In a small bowl, add water and sugar and stir until sugar has dissolved.
2. Whisk in lime juice, fish sauce, garlic and chile, and stir well. At this point, taste the sauce and add more sugar if you prefer it to be sweeter.
3. Serve this dipping sauce with lettuce and other green leafy vegetables, spring rolls, over rice, with Vietnamese bun dishes, meats and seafood.

Notes

The nuoc cham will keep refrigerated for up to 4-6 weeks.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 2 tablespoons
• Calories: 35
• Sugar: 7 g
• Sodium: 1065.2 mg
• Fat: 0 g
• Saturated Fat: 0 g
• Trans Fat: 0 g
• Carbohydrates: 8.1 g
• Fiber: 0.1 g
• Protein: 0.9 g
• Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: homemade sauce, Asian, dipping sauce, condiment

Recipe Card powered by

Nước chấm (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce)
Pickled Plum.

This is the ultimate vegetarian Meatless Meatball Vietnamese Banh Mi recipe! The use of moist and tender meatless meatballs take this traditional Vietnamese classic to another level of yummy. Ready in 25 minutes from start to finish.

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Gardein^TM. The opinions and text are all mine.

Meatless Meatball Banh Mi

I’ve been eating mostly plant-based for about two months now and have to say there’s nothing boring about it. We tend to associate vegetarian food with blandness, but this couldn’t be further from the truth. The flavors are bold and beautiful. Some are even new which makes cooking that much more exciting!

I also feel lighter – three pounds to be exact – I’m more alert and, funny enough, my grocery bills are substantially lower than they used to be. Win-win!

I’m eating less fat and calories without trying and the dishes that have been coming out of my kitchen are more wholesome and vibrant than ever. Ben has also reaped the rewards because we both feel so good and are looking forward to keeping the ball rolling indefinitely. Maybe forever!

Speaking of ball, I’ve got a really yummy recipe for you today.

It’s a plant-based Banh Mi recipe that tastes just like the real thing. All the ingredients from the traditional sandwich are there with some tender meatless meatballs stuffed in there. Yum!

I’m using Gardein‘s (pronounced “gar-deen”) Meatless Meatballs, which are made from non-GMO soy and wheat, ancient grains and veggies. I’ve been all over their products since finding them in the frozen aisle at Kroger (grab your coupon here) – they are so good! So far I’ve used the Sweet And Sour Porkless Bites to add to stir fries, the Golden Fish Fillets to serve with oven baked fries, and the Seven Grains Crispy Tenders as a snack. Gardein’s stuff is very tasty, plus, you get the texture and nutrition of meat with less fat, fewer calories and no cholesterol. Gardein is guaranteeing you’ll love it or your money back. Visit GardeinDelightGuarantee.com for details!

This Banh Mi is very easy to make, and the ingredients needed are also very easy to find. You can use any type of baguette style bread, although I highly recommend Portuguese rolls. I like that they are crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. It makes for a really nice and well balanced bite that’s not messy and pleasant to chew.

For toppings and sauces I went the traditional way; pickled daikon and carrots, jalapeños, cilantro, cucumber, sriracha sauce and mayonnaise (I’m using plant- based mayonnaise). What you get is a sandwich that’s multi-layered with flavors and textures. The vegetables add a refreshing note while the nutty, smoky meatless meatballs make this sandwich filling and beyond satisfying!

This recipe makes two sandwiches which means you will have a few meatless meatballs left for one more sandwich.

OR…

You could add them to your next tomato based pasta dish, just like I did. I was actually very excited to top my spaghetti arrabiata with a few of those meatless meatballs. The idea of not having to slave in the kitchen for hours to enjoy a delicious bowl of pasta is always a good thing, especially if I have a busy work week.

How to do the prep work for this Meatless Meatball Banh Mi Sandwich

Since this is a sandwich, it’s impossible to make the entire dish the day before eating. But there is quite a bit of prep work you can do beforehand. Here’s how:

• Make the carrot and daikon pickles ahead of time and store them in the fridge.
• Thinly slice cucumber. Refrigerate
• Pick the coriander leaves. Rinse well and pat dry. Wrap them in a damp paper towel and refrigerate.
• Cook the Meatless Meatballs and keep them refrigerated.

Then, right before eating, all that’s left to do is to briefly microwave the meatless meatballs, assemble the sandwich and enjoy every bite of it!

Did you like this Meatless Meatball Banh Mi Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share?

Print

Meatless Meatball Banh Mi

Print Recipe

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

A vegetarian banh recipe made with meatless meatballs. Delicious!

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 15 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 2 sandwiches
• Category: Sandwiches
• Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive
• 8 Gardein Meatless Meatballs
• 1/2 cup daikon (peeled and julienned)
• 1/2 cup carrot (peeled and julienned)
• 1 small jalapeno pepper
• 10 cucumber slices (thin slices)
• 1/4 cup cilantro (leaves picked)
• plant based mayonnaise or regular mayonnaise
• sriracha sauce
• 2 Portuguese rolls (or other baguette style bread)

daikon and radish pickle juice:

• 2 tablespoons warm water
• 5 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Whisk all the ingredients for the pickling juice in a bowl and add daikon and carrots. Stir until all the vegetables are covered and let sit for at least 15 minutes.
2. Meanwhile, in a medium size pan over medium heat, add olive oil and Gardein Meatless Meatballs. Cook for 10-15 minutes, turning them often, until they are cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.

Assembling:

1. Slice the Portuguese rolls across, leaving one side uncut.
2. Open them and layer each sandwich starting with mayonnaise and sriracha sauce. Top with cucumber slices, Gardein Meatless Meatballs, cilantro, jalapenos and pickled vegetables. Serve immediately.

Keywords: recipe, vegan, vegetarian, plant based

Recipe Card powered by

This is a sponsored conversation written by me on behalf of Gardein^TM. The opinions and text are all mine.

Meatless Meatball Banh Mi
Pickled Plum.

Summer Chicken Pho

My very first experience with pho (pronounced “fuh”) was in Chinatown in Toronto, Canada. I was hanging out with one of my closest friends, Carmen, who suggested we have lunch at her favorite Vietnamese restaurant. As soon as we sat down, Carmen grabbed a menu and pointed to a picture of a bowl of noodle soup with what looked like raw beef on top. “They make the best pho here for just 5$!” she exclaimed and said that it came topped with beans sprouts, fresh basil, mint and a big lime wedge. Since I love beef tartare and all kinds of noodle soups, this pho thing sounded like something right up my alley. “I’ve never had it but my mouth is drooling from just hearing about it. I’ll have one too!”, I said to Carmen as I raised my hand to get the waiter’s attention.

It was love from the first slurp – all the elements were there to get me hooked on pho. The broth was deeply flavored with spices such a cloves, star anise and cinnamon. The rice noodles were perfectly cooked and the fresh basil, mint and chilis made each bite a different experience. A squeeze of lime along with a few drops of sriracha sauce took the dish to another level of yumminess. This was a food experience I’ll never forget since it marked the beginning of my obsession with pho.

Since then I’ve eaten many variations of pho – I’ve had vegetarian pho, chicken pho (pho ga), spicy pho with short ribs, seafood pho, dry pho, you name it I’ve tried it. I’ve also become quite the expert at making quick and easy pho. Take this summer chicken pho for example; it’s ready in 30 minutes but tastes like it’s been simmering for hours.

What makes this recipe a little different is the use of corn and caramelized shallots which add pops of sweetness throughout the dish. I’m also cooking the chicken in boiling hot water – a method that is very close to poaching. Once the chicken is cooked, it is shredded into strips so every bite is tender and silky. For this recipe, I’m using Just BARE Chicken Breast Fillets which are American Humane Certified and traceable to family farms (Just BARE Chicken carries a wide variety of organic and natural products). This means that the chickens are vegetable and grain fed, have access to outdoors, and are raised with No Antibiotics—Ever.

One of the things I love about this pho recipe is the fact that it’s so healthy. The mix of spices, lean poultry, vegetables and comforting broth makes it a winner even among those who think soup is boring. There’s something inherently addictive about chicken noodle soup done the Southeast Asian way.

Some of the best chicken noodle soups can be found on the side of dirt roads in Thailand. One bowl will cost you a dollar and seating comes in the form of a rock or tree stump. And don’t be fooled by the lack of bells and whistles, there’s enough flavor in the broth alone to make your taste buds dance for hours! This is cooking in its purest form. It’s made with love from an old lady who has been making the same chicken soup for decades – which makes it hard to beat.

I’d like to think that this simple summer chicken pho recipe can help you get an idea of what authentic Southeast Asian food tastes like. It’s pungent, aromatic and clean. Not only are the flavors traditionally Southeast Asian but so are the textures. Chewy rice noodles, fresh basil and mint leaves and the traditional shredded chicken method. Soups on!

Did you like this Summer Chicken Pho Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share?

I was selected for this opportunity as a member of CLEVER and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.

Print

Summer Pho

Print Recipe

★ 5 Stars ☆ ★ 4 Stars ☆ ★ 3 Stars ☆ ★ 2 Stars ☆ ★ 1 Star ☆

No reviews

This is an easy, light and savory summer chicken soup recipe with a Vietnamese flair. You’ll love it!

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 3 people
• Category: Soups
• Method: Stove top
• Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

For the broth:

• 2 breasts Just BARE Chicken (about 3/4 pound)
• 4 ounces rice noodles (flat, medium width)
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 3–4 baby bok choy (sliced in half, lengthwise)
• 1 large shallot (finely sliced)
• 1/2 cup canned or fresh corn
• 6 cups low sodium chicken stock
• 4 star anise
• 5 cloves
• 2 1/2 tablespoons Thai or Vietnamese fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons granulated sugar

Toppings:

• 1 jalapeno (thinly sliced)
• mint leaves (optional)
• lime wedges (optional)
• sriracha sauce (optional)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Bring a medium size pot of water to boil. Turn the heat off and add Just BARE Chicken breasts. Cover and let sit for 20 minutes, or until cooked through. Drain and chill in the fridge until the breasts are cool enough to be handled by hand.
2. Using your fingers or a fork, shred the chicken and set aside.
3. In a pot over medium high heat, add all the ingredients for the broth and bring to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Cook rice noodles according to directions on the package. Drain and set aside.
5. Meanwhile, in a large pan over medium high heat, add oil and swirl to evenly coat the pan. Place baby bok choy with the flat surface facing down. Push the bok choy to one side of the pan and add shallots and corn to the other side. Cook for a few minutes (2-3 minutes) and flip the bok choy over. Cook until bok choy and shallot are golden brown, almost caramelized and turn the heat off. Transfer vegetables to a plate and set aside.
6. Even distribute rice noodles among 3-4 bowls and add broth.
7. Top with bok choy and corn mixture, jalapenos, mint leaves, sriracha sauce and lime wedges. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 446
• Sugar: 6.4 g
• Sodium: 1461.9 mg
• Fat: 11.5 g
• Saturated Fat: 2.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 48.4 g
• Fiber: 3.1 g
• Protein: 38.9 g
• Cholesterol: 82.7 mg

Keywords: recipe, noodle soup, main

Recipe Card powered by

Summer Chicken Pho
Pickled Plum.

This is a mild yet fragrant vegetable pho broth recipe. Who says you need meat to make everything better? This vegetable pho broth proves that veggies done well can taste spectacular!

Vegetable Pho Broth

I crave noodles almost daily. It’s been an obsession of mine for as long as I can remember.

During the summer as a kid, whenever the temperatures rose about 80 degrees, my mother would make somen noodles over ice with a tsuyu dipping sauce. Chilled thin rice noodles with a dipping sauce made of kombu, bonito flakes, soy sauce and mirin is something I still can’t get enough of.

I slurped the noodles with gusto and asked mom to top them with tons of scallions since I loved the combination of crunchy and chewy. I would end the meal by drinking the dipping sauce which would leave me thirsty for the rest of the afternoon!

Winter on the other hand was all about instant ramen noodles topped with a mountain of veggies and a drizzle of sesame oil.

My mother is the queen of turning cheap food into 4 star meals! Packages of Sapporo Ichiban and Umaka-chan occupied an entire shelf in our pantry which would need replenishing monthly since my brother, to this day, is a ramen worshipper.

Udon noodles were on the menu whenever we took a trip to Japan. My mother’s parents, who lived in Kurume, were good friends with their neighbors who owned an udon noodle restaurant.

The summers in Japan can get brutally hot and one way to beat the heat was to go next door for lunch.

Sitting on tatami mats, we would each order a plate of chilled udon noodles and an ice cold glass of barley tea. I can still hear the soothing sound of wind chimes sing as the fans lazily swung back and forth to provide us with some relief. Aah Japan, I love you so much!

I could go on forever about noodles but one thing to understand about noodles is that without a great broth or sauce, they cannot stand on their own.

Beef pho is a great example; not only do the noodles have to be cooked right (otherwise they will stick together, break and expand quickly), the broth must also be fragrant and delicate in flavor.

When the two parts are perfectly executed, they combine and make music together. When it comes to broth, making it from scratch is the way to go. Today, I’m showing you how to make an easy and delicious vegetable pho broth.

The reason I chose vegetables over beef or chicken is because a vegetable broth takes less time to make. Since I have a pretty busy life I don’t have a lot of time to spend in the kitchen and to let a good broth simmer for hours.

This vegetable broth recipe only takes one hour and the flavors are very reminiscent of a classic pho. You can taste the cloves, star anise and cinnamon and the color is simply stunning!

Dried shiitake mushrooms, cilantro stems, carrots and leeks make the base of the broth along with a dash of soy sauce for extra umami. All the ingredients are brought to a boil and then left to simmer for an hour.

The key to having clear broth is to strain it through a sieve that’s been covered with a cheese cloth. Voila! You’ve just made your own vegetable pho broth!

Serve this vegetable pho broth with rice stick noodles and top with all the usual suspects; beans sprouts, mint leaves, basil leaves, jalapeno slices, scallions, fried shallots and a lime wedge.

A good squirt of sriracha sauce never hurts either! You can adjust the taste by adding a little more soy sauce or a sprinkle of salt.

One thing to remember about noodle soup; you don’t want the broth to be too strong since you will be slurping a whole bowl of it. If the flavors are overwhelming from the first sip, you won’t be able to eat more than a few spoonfuls.

My advice is to keep the vegetable pho broth mild and adjust the flavor as you eat it.

Other quick and delicious noodle soup recipes:

• Easy chicken pho
• Easy beef pho
• Wakame and vermicelli soup
• Light udon noodle soup
• Miso ramen

Did you like this Vegetable Pho Broth Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share?

Print

Vegetable Pho Broth

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 3 reviews

A heavenly pho broth made for vegans!

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 5 minutes
• Cook Time: 60 minutes
• Total Time: 65 minutes
• Yield: 6 cups
• Category: Soup
• Method: Stove top
• Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

• 1 large onion (chopped)
• 1 3-inch piece ginger (peeled and lightly smashed)
• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
• 1 stalk leek (white and green parts, chopped)
• 1 carrot (chopped)
• 4 cloves garlic (peeled and lightly mashed)
• 3 star anise
• 3 cloves
• 1 stick cinnamon
• 1/4 cup cilantro stems (reserve the leaves to use as a topping for the pho)
• 3 dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 8 cups water

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Turn the oven to broil and place the oven rack 6-8 inches below the broiler element.
2. Line a cooking tray with parchment paper or foil and add onion and ginger.
   Broil until the vegetables are charred and flip them over. Broil again until charred and take out of the oven.
3. In a large pot over medium high heat and when the oil is hot, add vegetable oil, leek, carrot, garlic, star anise, cloves, cinnamon stick cilantro stems.
4. Stir and cook for 5 minutes, until the vegetables have soften and ingredients create a fragrant aroma.
5. Add ginger, onions, shiitake mushrooms, soy sauce, salt and 2 quarts water (8 cups).
   Bring to a boil, lower to a simmer and cover. Cook for 1 hour.
6. Place a cheesecloth over a colander and strain the broth into a bowl.
7. Let cool to room temperature and transfer to a container. Reheat before serving.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cup
• Calories: 12
• Sugar: 0.1 g
• Sodium: 181.7 mg
• Fat: 1.2 g
• Saturated Fat: 0.4 g
• Carbohydrates: 0.4 g
• Fiber: 0 g
• Protein: 0.2 g
• Cholesterol: 1.2 mg

Keywords: recipe, soup, stock, vegan, plant based, vegetarian, gluten-free, noodle soup

Recipe Card powered by

Vegetable Pho Broth
Pickled Plum.

Slurp your noodles with abandon in 30 minutes with this Easy Beef Pho Soup Recipe! A quick, satisfying and full-flavor version of Vietnam’s national dish.

Easy Beef Pho Soup Recipe – Phở Bò

If you try to order phở at noon in Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City), you may already be too late.

Pho soup is traditionally a breakfast food in Vietnam.

And while you may have more a bit more luck these days finding pho in the evening as you travel this beautiful country, the more traditional shops open up around 6AM and are sold out around 9 or 10AM.

Pho is one of those rare foods that is filling enough to energize you for a day of work or sightseeing in the notorious Southeast Asian heat and humidity – but light enough not to weigh you down.

While pho vendors in Vietnam have likely been simmering the rich broth since the day before, my pho soup recipe only takes 30 minutes to prepare from start to finish. You’ll be slurping noodles in no time – at any time of the day or night with this easy recipe!

How To Make Pho Soup (phở)

Making a traditional pho soup (or broth) typically takes hours.

The rich and intricate flavors need time to develop so they can transform a simple bowl of beef and noodle soup into something unforgettable.

Those aromatic flavors are achieved by simmering beef bones and oxtail in the stock-pot along with onions, sugar, fish sauce and lots of spices.

And if you are wondering what spices are in pho, here’s the list:

• fennel seeds
• star anise
• coriander seeds
• cloves
• cinnamon

As much as I love eating the real thing, pho is one of those global cuisines that’s a bit tough to make at home. Not only does it take a long time to make, some of the ingredients might also be hard to find depending on where you live.

By taking these two matters into consideration, I’ve simplified the ingredients and came up with an easy pho recipe that only takes 30 minutes to make.

Obviously this version doesn’t have the same depth of flavor as a traditional bowl of pho. But hey, you can make this in your own kitchen and it still tastes really good!

Is Pho Soup Good For You?

Yes!

Pho soup is typically low in fat and contains key vitamins and minerals such as iron, vitamin C and vitamin A. It’s also high in protein and fiber. The only thing to watch for is the sodium level which can be high if you are eating out.

The good thing about making pho at home is you get to control what goes into your soup, including sodium.

How To Eat Pho

Once the broth has reached heavenly levels of goodness, it’s time to focus on the noodles.

What are the best noodles to use for pho?

• Narrow rice noodles are best for pho and for most Asian noodle soups.

As far as brands are concerned, I like the Three Ladies Brand in size S (they have S, M and L) because the noodles are the perfect consistency and don’t break easily.

I’ve had some bad moments with non Asian brands and their Asian style noodles. Some disintegrated before they were even entirely cooked!

So now I stick to Japanese brands for soba, somen and udon noodles, Chinese for egg noodles, Korean for sweet potato noodles, and Vietnamese or Thai for rice noodles. So far it’s worked like a charm.

Are rice noodles gluten free?

Yes and we love them for that!

When it comes to rice noodles, the cooking process is a little different than with most noodles.

Instead of adding noodles to a pot of boiling water, you add them to a pot of very hot water (that’s not boiling) and leave them anywhere from 3 to 10 minutes, depending on the width and thickness of the noodles.

Pho Toppings And Sauces

Eating pho (pronounced “fuh”) is actually a lot of fun!

That’s because pho comes with a variety of toppings and sauces.

You can add fresh leaves of basil, mint and cilantro, bean sprouts, chopped scallions and fresh chilies. If you like heat, squirt some sriracha on top or add a little hoisin sauce for sweetness. Finish with a generous squeeze of lime and ăn tự nhiên nhé!

That’s Vietnamese for enjoy your meal

Add a few extra dashes of fish sauce if you are looking for real southeast Asian pungent flavors.

And if want a pho recipe that takes even less time to make, check out my 20 minute roasted chicken pho recipe (phở ga) that uses rotisserie chicken for a blast of smoky richness to your pho soup.

AH-MAZING!

As in most beef pho soup recipes, this preparation calls for paper thin slices of beef to be added to the serving bowls just before your diners dig in.

The heat of the broth cooks the thin beef and leaves it extremely tender.

If your beef slices are too thick, the hot soup will have a tough time penetrating the beef.

It’s definitely tough to slice raw beef paper thin without a meat-slicer.

Never fear!

Just put your sirloin or London broil into a freezer bag, and place it in the freezer for 15-20 minutes. You’re not actually freezing the meat – but the time spent cooling will firm it up and make it easier to slice thinly.

This easy and delicious pho soup recipe is simple enough to whip up in 30 minutes – but will taste like you spent hours in the kitchen.

Your diners don’t have to know how easy it was. And their empty soup-bowls and content smiles will let you know that it was a satisfying hit!

How do you like your pho soup? Spicy, sweet, tart, savory? All of the above? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!

Other simple and delicious Vietnamese recipes:

• Nuoc cham – Vietnamese dipping sauce
• Meatless meatball banh mi sandwich
• Summer chicken pho
• Vegetable pho broth
• Shrimp bun cha
• Vietnamese spicy cabbage salad

Did you like this Easy Beef Pho Soup Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

GET PICKLED PLUM’S 51 RECIPES ECOOKBOOK TODAY!

Print

Easy Pho Soup Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 review

Slurp your noodles with abandon in 30 minutes with this Easy Pho Soup Recipe! A quick, satisfying and full-flavor version of Vietnam’s national dish.

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 20 minutes
• Total Time: 30 minutes
• Yield: 2 people
• Category: Main
• Method: Stove top
• Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

Pho soup broth

• 1 teaspoon canola oil
• 1 small onion (peeled and halved)
• 1 3-inch piece ginger (peeled)
• 1 quart low sodium beef broth (946ml)
• 2 cups water
• 2 star anise
• 2 cloves
• 1 cinnamon stick
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Noodles and toppings

• 4 ounces dry flat rice noodles
• 1/4 small onion (thinly sliced into half moons)
• 1/3 pound sirloin or London broil steak (cut into ⅛ inch slices (putting the steak in the freezer about 15–20 minutes prior to cutting makes it easier to slice))
• 2 stalks scallions (thinly sliced on the bias)
• 1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves
• 1 cup bean sprouts
• 6–8 mint leaves
• 6–8 basil leaves
• 6–8 sprigs cilantro
• 1 lime (sliced into wedges)
• 1 jalapeno pepper (thinly sliced)

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. In a medium size pot over high heat, add oil, onion halves (cut side down) cinnamon stick and ginger and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Add all other ingredients for the broth and bring to a boil. Stir, lower heat to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes (uncovered).
3. Meanwhile, cover the rice noodles with hot water and soak for 8 minutes (or follow instructions on the package). Drain and set aside.
4. Discard onion, star anise, cloves, ginger and cinnamon stick.
5. Divide noodles evenly among two bowls and pour broth over them. Finish by adding toppings of your choice. Serve immediately.

Notes

This Easy Pho Soup Recipe is:
High in manganese
Very high in niacin
High in thiamin
Very high in vitamin C

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 446
• Sugar: 13 g
• Sodium: 2337.6 mg
• Fat: 6.1 g
• Saturated Fat: 1.5 g
• Carbohydrates: 69.1 g
• Fiber: 6 g
• Protein: 28.9 g
• Cholesterol: 44.6 mg

Keywords: recipe, noodle soup, soup, noodles, Asian

Recipe Card powered by

Easy Beef Pho Soup Recipe – Phở Bò
Pickled Plum.

A fresh, light Vietnamese noodle dish with caramelized shrimp, fragrant herbs and nuoc cham dipping sauce. This Shrimp Bun Cha Recipe is ready in 25 minutes!

The years I spent living in Southeast Asia made me into a bit of a noodle junky.

I had unlimited access to Pad Kee Mao, Laksa and Char Kway Teow, thanks to Bangkok’s night markets, Singapore’s hawker centres, Hong Kong’s street stalls, etc…

I was spoiled.

After deciding to move back to North America I had a certain noodle-intake-quotient I needed to uphold for the wellbeing of my tastebuds. Luckily, Toronto, which is where I decided to settle for a while, had plenty of amazing Asian food to choose from, especially when it came to Chinese and Vietnamese.

I would often dip into a dingy Vietnamese spot and place my order for bun cha during my lunch break. I couldn’t get enough of the thin rice vermicelli noodles with lettuce, fragrant herbs and nuoc cham (a sweet, sour, savory and spicy Vietnamese dipping sauce). I usually topped off my bowl of noodles with grilled shrimp or tofu. Bun cha is one of those rare noodle dishes that manages to be substantive yet  light – perfect for eating lunch in the summertime heat!

What is Bún chả (Bun Cha)?

Traditional Bun Cha is a dish consisting of pork patties seasoned with fresh herbs that are served over rice noodles. Some consider these small patties to be Vietnamese pork meatballs that have been flattened. Bun cha has many components but generally constitutes of rice vermicelli noodles (bun) topped with some type of meat (cha), fresh herbs, and pickled vegetables, and served with side dishes such as lime wedge, and crushed chilis, and nuoc cham which is a sweet and pungent dipping sauce.

Origins of Bún chả

There is no specific event to trace back the origins of bun cha, but we do know that it most likely originated from Hanoi, the capital city of Vietnam, where it is still a menu mainstay. While the dish appears on breakfast and dinner menus, Hanoians prefer to eat it for lunch. Outside Hanoi, in southern Vietnam another similar dish called bún thịt nướng is the preferred option.

Bun Cha Ingredients

• Shrimp: Look for sustainable shrimp that have been farmed in the US (Whole Foods has a good selection). Shrimp from U.S. farms are produced under strict environmental laws, making them a much better choice than imported, farmed shrimp. Not only do they taste significantly better, they are healthier and friendlier to the environment.
• Rice noodles: Rice noodles come in many different sizes but there’s an easy way to find the right ones for this dish. Look on the packaging for the word bun – the noodles should be very thin and dry. One brand I used a lot is Three Ladies Brand.
• Basil and Mint leaves: Fresh herbs add a bright and cleansing element to the dish. I like to tear the leaves by hand to give my bowl of noodles a stronger aroma.
• Lettuce Leaves: The crunch of the watery lettuces leaves is another great part of this dish. Plus, I love the combination of nuoc cham and lettuce. I could eat those two alone and be completely satisfied!
• Cucumber: You can use any type of cucumber but I do find that English cucumber slices have the nicest texture. They are usually crispy and fresh while standard cucumbers have a harder skin, big seeds, and the center can be a bit soft at times.
• Marinade: You will need a small shallot, some sugar, honey, fish sauce, black pepper, oil, and a blender.
• Dipping sauce (nuoc cham): The dipping sauce is a mixture of fresh lime juice, granulated sugar, fish sauce, Thai chilis, and water.

How To Make Bun Cha

1. Start by prepping all of your ingredients.
2. Gather all of your kitchen tools and prepped ingredients.
3. Take the ingredients for the marinade and place them in a blender. Blend until smooth.
4. Take the marinade and pour it in a storage bag along with the shrimp. Massage the marinade into the shrimp so they are evenly coated and squeeze the air out of the bag before sealing. Refrigerate for at least two hours.
5. Put the ingredients for the dipping sauce into a bowl and whisk until the sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
6. Cook vermicelli noodles according to directions on the package. Most often the noodles are added to boiling hot water and left to soak for about 10 minutes.
7. Drain the noodles and rinse them under cold water. Drain well again.
8. Brush a grill pan or skillet with a little oil and turn the heat to medium high. When the pan is hot, add the shrimp and cook on each side for 3 minutes, until they are slightly charred. This will give it the caramelized look and taste. Turn the heat off and transfer shrimp to a plate. Set aside.
9. Divide the noodles evenly among bowls and top with shrimp, fresh herbs, and lettuce.
10. Serve with sauce on the side and some sriracha sauce for a kick of heat.

This shrimp bun cha recipe is my spin on the traditional recipe, replacing pork with shrimp. The caramelization on the shrimp plays perfectly with lively notes from the herbs and the salty nuoc cham sauce. Not only is bun cha super easy to make at home, it really tastes like you’re sitting on a small plastic stool at a restaurant in Hanoi or Saigon, slurping noodles with abandon! I like to add a bit of sriracha sauce to my bun cha noodles.

Other Simple Asian Noodle Dishes You Might Like

Singapore Chow Mei Fun

Drunken Noodles – Pad Kee Mao

Easy Japchae – Korean Glass Noodles

Vegan Dan Dan Noodles

Did you like this Shrimp Bun Cha Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share? Share your tips and recommendations in the comments section below!

Shrimp Bun Cha Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.7 from 3 reviews

A fresh Vietnamese noodle dish with caramelized shrimp, fragrant herbs and nuoc cham dipping sauce. This Shrimp Bun Cha Recipe is ready in 25 minutes!

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Total Time: 25 minutes
• Yield: 3 people
• Category: Main
• Method: Stove top
• Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

Units USM

• 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined
• 1/2 pound rice noodles
• 6 basil leaves, hand torn
• 6 mint leaves, hand torn
• 1/2 cucumber, thinly sliced

Marinade

• 1 shallot, finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 tablespoons canola oil

Dipping Sauce

• juice of 1 lime
• 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
• 5 tablespoons fish sauce
• 2 Thai chilis, finely chopped
• 3 tablespoons tepid water

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Put all the ingredients for the marinade in a blender and blend until smooth.
2. Pour marinade into a Ziploc bag along with shrimp and squeeze air out. Seal and refrigerate for at least two hours.
3. Put all the ingredients for the dipping sauce into a bowl and stir until sugar has dissolved. Set aside.
4. Cook vermicelli noodles according to directions on the package. Most often the noodles are added to boiling hot water and left to soak for about 10 minutes.
5. Drain and rinse noodles under cold water. Drain well.
6. Brush a grill pan or regular pan with a little canola or other neutral oil. Turn the heat on to high and when the pan is hot, add shrimp and cook on each side for 3 minutes, until slightly charred. This will give it the caramelized look and taste. Turn the heat off and transfer shrimp to a plate. Set aside.
7. Assembling the bun cha:
8. Divide noodles evenly among bowls and top with shrimp, lettuce and herbs.
9. Serve with sauce on the side and pour on top before eating. Serve with sriracha sauce for a kick of heat.

Notes

I like to leave a little bit of sauce in a separate bowl to use as a dipping sauce for the shrimp.

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 bowl
• Calories: 548
• Sugar: 13.8g
• Sodium: 4076.5mg
• Fat: 10.6g
• Saturated Fat: 1g
• Unsaturated Fat: 3g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 76.4g
• Fiber: 1.7g
• Protein: 33.4g
• Cholesterol: 228.1mg

Keywords: Vietnamese rice noodles

Recipe Card powered by

Shrimp Bún chả
Pickled Plum.

What is Banh Mi?

Well, banh mi literally translates into ‘bread’ – but normally references a sandwich served on a flaky, fresh French style baguette. Instead of relying solely on wheat flour, the Vietnamese version of the baguette will usually use wheat and rice flour. This results in a lighter, crispier crust and an airier texture to the bread.

The fillings differ from preparation to preparation, however most classic banh mi sandwich recipes will have pate, a cold cut like thin sliced ham and maybe spiced ground meat or pork belly for good measure.

What is ubiquitous in a banh mi sandwich is the use of vinegary and sweet pickled carrots and daikon radish – along with fresh cilantro, cucumber and (optional) fresh jalapeños.

It is also quite common to use mayonnaise and a chili sauce like sriracha in your banh mi sandwich. It is truly a mash up of ingredients endemic to France and Vietnam, used in harmony to create something spectacular.

A Healthier Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich

Print

Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

5 from 1 review

Make your own Vietnamese sandwiches at home! This is an Easy Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich Recipe your family will love!

• Author: Caroline Phelps
• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 7 minutes
• Total Time: 22 minutes
• Yield: 2 people
• Category: Sandwich
• Cuisine: Vietnamese

Ingredients

• 1/2 pound boneless chicken breast (cut into thin slices)
• 1 jalapeno (thinly sliced)
• 1 English cucumber (cut into strips)
• 2 small shallots (finely chopped)
• 1 clove garlic (finely chopped)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• juice of 1 lime
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• freshly ground black pepper
• 1 baguette
• mayonnaise
• sriracha sauce
• handful cilantro

For the pickled carrots and daikon:

• 1/2 cup carrots (cut into thin strips)
• 1/2 cup daikon (peeled and cut into thin strips)
• 1/4 cup warm water
• 3 tablespoons rice vinegar
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 teaspoons sugar

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

1. Put carrots, daikon and ingredients for the pickling into a bowl. Stir well and set aside for 15-20 minutes.
2. In a bowl, add lime juice, fish sauce, 1/2 tsp salt, fresh black pepper, 2 tbsp oil, shallots and garlic. Add chicken and mix well. Put the mixture and the chicken in a zip lock back, take out excess air and seal. Massage well and refrigerate for at least an hour.
3. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
4. Section the baguette into sandwich size portions, put in a cooking tray and toast for a few minutes (just so there is a bit of a crunchy texture). In a pan over medium/high heat, add chicken and shallots and cook until well done. Throw the pickling juice away and squeeze excess liquid from the carrots.
5. Assemble banh mi and eat immediately.

Notes

These ingredients are just suggestions. Get creative and add your own spin to this Chicken Banh Mi Recipe! You can refrigerate the ingredients separately for 3-5 days.

* I use Red Boat fish sauce because it’s 100% pure and is Gluten Free

Nutrition

• Serving Size:
• Calories: 707
• Sugar: 8.6 g
• Sodium: 4016.3 mg
• Fat: 14.1 g
• Saturated Fat: 3.9 g
• Carbohydrates: 16 g
• Fiber: 2.2 g
• Protein: 27.3 g
• Cholesterol: 89.8 mg

Recipe Card powered by

Other Yummy Sandwiches:

Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich Recipe
Pickled Plum.