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Banh Cuon from Vietnam

Banh Cuon

Silky steamed rice rolls filled with pork and mushroom. · Vietnam

📍 Northern Vietnam ★ 4.4
Last updated Aug 13, 2026 · Reviewed by the WhatWhereVacay editorial team

Silky steamed rice rolls filled with pork and mushroom.

About Banh Cuon

A thin batter is steamed on cloth into delicate sheets, rolled around minced pork and wood-ear mushroom, then strewn with fried shallots and dipped in nuoc cham. Light and slippery, it is a classic Vietnamese breakfast.

🏛️ History & Culture

Banh cuon traces its roots to northern Vietnam, particularly Hanoi, where it has been a beloved morning dish for generations. Its origins are not precisely documented, but the technique of steaming rice batter on a cloth is a hallmark of Vietnamese culinary tradition, likely refined in the Red River Delta region.

Regional variations abound: in the south, the rolls are often thicker and served with a sweeter dipping sauce, while the northern version stays minimalist with its classic pork and mushroom filling. Culturally, banh cuon is more than street food—it symbolizes the delicate, labor-intensive craft of Vietnamese cooking, often prepared fresh at dawn and enjoyed as a comforting start to the day.

🍳 How to make Banh Cuon

AI-assisted, not kitchen-tested

Bánh Cuốn (Steamed Rice Rolls with Pork and Wood-Ear Mushroom)

Steamed rice sheets rolled around a savory filling of minced pork and wood-ear mushroom, garnished with crispy fried shallots and served with nước chấm. A classic northern Vietnamese breakfast.

Prep
45 min
Cook
30 min
Total
75 min
Serves
4
Difficulty
Medium

Recipe ingredients

  • 250 g (9 oz) rice flour, regular, not glutinous
  • 50 g (1¾ oz) tapioca starch, or cornstarch
  • 700 ml (3 cups) water, plus about 80 ml / ⅓ cup extra as needed
  • 1 tsp neutral oil, for the batter
  • 0.5 tsp (½ tsp) fine sea salt
  • 200 g (7 oz) ground pork, around 20% fat is ideal
  • 15 g (½ oz) dried wood-ear mushrooms, about 3-4 medium; rehydrated
  • 2 shallots (2 medium shallots) shallots, finely chopped
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 0.5 tsp (½ tsp) fish sauce, for the filling
  • 0.25 tsp (¼ tsp) freshly ground black pepper
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) vegetable oil, for frying shallots; divided use
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) fish sauce, for nước chấm
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) lime juice, freshly squeezed, for nước chấm
  • 50 g (¼ cup) sugar, for nước chấm
  • 120 ml (½ cup) water, for nước chấm
  • 1 clove garlic, finely minced, for nước chấm
  • 1 thai chili (1 small chili) thai red chili, thinly sliced, optional, for nước chấm

Steps

  1. 1 Make the nước chấm: in a small bowl, whisk 60 ml fish sauce, 60 ml lime juice, 50 g sugar and 120 ml water until the sugar dissolves. Stir in the minced garlic and sliced chili. Set aside to let the flavors meld.
  2. 2 Fry the shallots: slice 2 shallots very thinly. Heat 60 ml oil in a small pan over medium heat. Fry the shallots in a single layer until pale golden, 3-4 minutes, then transfer to a paper towel. Reserve the shallot oil.
  3. 3 Cook the filling: put the dried wood-ear mushrooms in a bowl, cover with hot water and soak for 20 minutes until soft; drain and finely chop. Heat 1 tablespoon of the reserved shallot oil in a skillet over medium heat. Cook the chopped raw shallot and garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the pork and break it up; stir in the chopped wood-ear, ½ tsp fish sauce and black pepper. Cook, stirring, until the pork is just cooked through, about 3 minutes. The filling should still be moist, not dry. Set aside.
  4. 4 Make the batter: whisk 250 g rice flour, 50 g tapioca starch, ½ tsp salt and 700 ml water in a bowl until very smooth, then stir in 1 tsp neutral oil. The consistency should be like thin cream; if too thick, whisk in extra water 1 tbsp at a time. Strain through a fine sieve to remove any lumps. Rest 15 minutes.
  5. 5 Set up the steamer: bring a wide pot of water to a rolling boil with a flat steamer rack or a round cake tin or pie pan inside. Cut a piece of clean, thin cotton cloth (or a 30 cm / 12 in round of muslin) large enough to drape over your steaming pan.
  6. 6 Steam the sheets: moisten the cloth, wring it well, and lay it flat over the steaming pan. Dip a ladle or small measuring cup (about 60 ml / ¼ cup) into the batter, give it a stir, then pour a thin, even layer onto the cloth. Cover and steam 60-75 seconds, until the surface looks set and slightly translucent. Lift the cloth off the pot and tip the sheet onto a clean plate or a banana leaf. Repeat, stirring the batter each time.
  7. 7 Assemble: spoon about 1 tablespoon of the pork filling in a line along one side of each warm rice sheet. Roll it up snugly, then slice each roll into 2-3 short pieces. Keep covered with a damp cloth while you finish the remaining batter.
  8. 8 To serve: arrange the rolls on plates, scatter generously with the crispy fried shallots and a little freshly ground black pepper. Serve immediately with the nước chấm for dipping, along with fresh herbs such as cilantro and Thai basil, and sliced cucumber.
  9. 9 Doneness and safety cues: the pork filling is fully cooked when there is no pink color and juices run clear; for ground pork, heat to an internal temperature of 71 °C / 160 °F. The steamed rice sheet is done when it lifts cleanly off the cloth and is flexible, not sticky. Fried shallots should be golden, not dark brown, to avoid a bitter taste.
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Ingredients
Steps

Banh Cuon — frequently asked questions

What is Banh Cuon?

A thin batter is steamed on cloth into delicate sheets, rolled around minced pork and wood-ear mushroom, then strewn with fried shallots and dipped in nuoc cham. Light and slippery, it is a classic Vietnamese breakfast.

What is Banh Cuon made of?

Banh Cuon is made with rice batter, minced pork, wood-ear mushroom, fried shallots and nuoc cham.

Where does Banh Cuon come from?

Banh Cuon comes from Vietnam, and is especially associated with Northern Vietnam. Banh cuon traces its roots to northern Vietnam, particularly Hanoi, where it has been a beloved morning dish for generations.

Where can I eat Banh Cuon?

A northern Vietnamese breakfast stall, steamed fresh to order.

How do you make Banh Cuon?

Making Banh Cuon at home takes about 45 minutes of prep and 30 minutes of cooking. The recipe on this page serves 4 and is rated medium. Full ingredient list and step-by-step method are in the recipe section above.

→ More traditional dishes from Vietnam

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