Bánh tráng trộn (Vietnamese rice paper salad) is a famous snack commonly found on the streets of Saigon and other Southern provinces. It is a delectable combination of rice paper with green mango, meat jerky, dried shrimp, roasted peanuts, and other flavor-packed ingredients.
When coming to Vietnam, you’ll find many street stalls selling this snack. The vendors whip up this dish at an impressive speed and hand it to you in a plastic bag with a pair of single-use chopsticks.
Cheap and simple as it might sound, this salad is the ultimate comfort food for hot summer days when you crave a refreshing and easy-to-make snack. In this post, I’ll give you a recipe that takes bánh tráng trộn straight from the busy streets of Vietnam to your home kitchen!
Banh Trang Tron – from a Classic Dish to A National Phenomenon
Rice paper, or “bánh tráng”, is an indispensable part of Vietnamese cuisine. The people in Vietnam have invented many mouth-watering treats that include this classic ingredient. For example, it appears in many iconic dishes, such as gỏi cuốn (fresh spring rolls) and bò bía (spring rolls with Chinese sausage).
Originating from Tay Ninh, a province situated in Southeast Vietnam, bánh tráng has long become a nationwide phenomenon with countless variations. Among those variants, bánh tráng trộn is arguably the most well-known one.
It’s hard to tell when exactly this snack gained immense popularity. When I was a student, high schoolers used to go crazy over this street treat, thanks to its low price and addictive flavors. Even today, you will still find most bánh tráng trộn vendors standing near school gates.
While rice paper is typically crispy and has a mild taste, it will turn slightly chewy and full of flavor once it soaks up the sauce and seasonings. In addition, the dried ingredients, such as beef and chicken jerky, give the treat a diverse texture.
What Are the Must-Have Tools for Bánh Tráng Trộn?
Since bánh tráng trộn is a street food, it comes as no surprise that it doesn’t require any fancy kitchen tools to make.
Which Ingredients Make Up Bánh Tráng Trộn?
Here is what you need for a standard serving of bánh tráng trộn. Note that the ingredients are easily customizable, so feel free to add your favorite kinds of jerky or herbs.
How to Craft Bánh Tráng Trộn at Home?
In just 3 quick and simple steps, you’ll have a delectable rice paper salad to enjoy any time of the day!
Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables
Roll up 10.5 ounces of rice paper and cut it into bite-sized strips (about 0.5 inches wide) using scissors.
Cut the Vietnamese mint finely and leave some stems uncut for serving on the side.
Shred the mango into thin, long strips.
Make the bánh tráng trộn sauce by mixing:
Step 2: Mix the Ingredients
Continue to add these ingredients into the mixing bowl:
Put your food prep gloves on and toss everything together.
Once every ingredient is combined, add in the boiled quail eggs and toss the salad another 3 to 4 times.
Step 3: Finish the Dish
Put the rice paper salad on a plate with some Vietnamese mint on the side. Sprinkle more meat jerky, fried shallots, and roasted peanuts on top to make the dish look more appealing.
Squeeze a little kumquat juice on the rice paper and mix well before serving to enhance the flavor. Enjoy!
Handy Tips For The Best Rice Paper Salad
I believe that you’ll have no trouble making this rice paper salad at all. However, don’t skip the tips in this part, as they can help you make the best-tasting bánh tráng trộn every time without fail.
Have the Best Snack Time with Bánh Tráng Trộn!
From teenagers to grown-ups, bánh tráng trộn has captured the hearts of countless foodies in Vietnam. If you give this dish a try, I’m sure that you’ll understand why it is considered one of the best street foods in Vietnam.
After enjoying your homemade bánh tráng , don’t forget to comment your thoughts on the dish. Since this recipe is easy to customize, I’d love to hear what you’ve added to it. Lastly, please give this article a like and share it with other snack lovers!
Bánh Tráng Trộn Recipe (Vietnamese Rice Paper Salad)
Equipment
- Scissors
- Peeler
- Food Prep Gloves
- Mixing Bowl
Ingredients
- 10.5 ounces of soft rice paper
- 1 green mango
- 12 quail eggs, boiled
- 1.77 ounces of roasted peanuts
- 0.7 ounces of Vietnamese-style mayonnaise
- 0.7 ounces of fried shallots
- 0.68 fluid ounces plum sauce or Vietnamese sweet, sour, and chili sate sauce
- 0.68 fluid ounces of homemade Banh Trang Tron sauce
- 1.06 ounces of beef liver jerky, preferably Vietnamese style
- 1.06 ounces of curry beef jerky
- 1.06 ounces of chicken jerky
- 1.06 ounces of dried squid
- 1.06 ounces of dried small shrimp
- 3.5 ounces of Vietnamese mint
- 1 kumquat
For the Banh Trang Tron sauce
- 0.34 fluid ounces of water
- 3 teaspoons vinegar
- 5 teaspoons soy sauce
- 3 teaspoons sugar
Instructions
- Roll up the rice paper and cut it into bite-sized strips. Cut the Vietnamese mint finely and leave some stems uncut. Shred the mango into thin, long strips.
- Mix water with vinegar, soy sauce, and sugar to make the Banh Trang Tron sauce. Add all the ingredients, except the quail eggs, into a mixing bowl. Toss to combine.
- Add in the boiled quail eggs and toss the salad another 3 to 4 times.
- Put the rice paper salad on a plate with some Vietnamese mint on the side. Sprinkle more meat jerky, fried shallots, and roasted peanuts on top.Squeeze a little kumquat juice on the rice paper and mix well. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- The total time is based on 4 servings.
- You can find some of the ingredients on online shopping sites, but for the most authentic flavor, I highly recommend going to an Asian or Vietnamese store.
- If you want the rice paper to have a softer texture, let it rest for about 2 minutes after tossing it with the sauce.
- Feel free to adjust the ingredients to your taste.
- Banh tráng trộn is not an ideal make-ahead recipe, as the rice paper can become overly soggy if you let it sit for too long.
- Pork cracklings and Vietnamese scallion oil are great additions to the salad.
Nutrition
Richie
Content Writer
Expertise
Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Food Styling, Food Photography, Cooking-video Maker, Beverage Evaluation Expert
Education
Saigon Culinary Arts Centre, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam
Vietnam Australia Vocational School (VAAC), Hanoi, Vietnam
Richie, based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is a dynamic Content Writer with a talent for capturing the essence of culinary art.
Richie specializes in creating visually appealing and tasty content, offering a new angle on Vietnamese and other culinary traditions. With a background in graphic design and a love for food styling and photography, he expertly combines beauty with food narratives, encouraging his audience to discover the culinary world through his imaginative perspective.