banh mi – vietnamese sandwich

Make your own banh mi sandwich at home with this delicious recipe featuring a crispy baguette and rich and savory marinated pork! Top your Vietnamese sandwich with spicy mayo and pickled or fresh veggies for a quick meal that’s bursting with flavor!

Banh mi has become increasingly popular in the past decade, with a handful of Vietnamese sandwich shops even popping up throughout Nebraska in the past few years! It’s not at all hard to understand how this simple sandwich has become a favorite around the world. Originally sold by street vendors across Vietnam, banh mi is fusion at its finest! A crispy baguette (introduced in Vietnam during the French colonial period) is slathered with spicy mayo, then stuffed with savory marinated pork and topped with fresh, crunchy veggies!

Of course, this is just our favorite version of banh mi and there are endless options to build your sandwich! Some popular toppings include cold cuts, pâté , pork meatballs, grilled chicken, sardines, fried eggs and tofu. 

While the marinated pork is definitely the star of the show, this sandwich wouldn’t be the same without the spectacular lineup of veggies! Spicy jalapeno peppers, crisp cucumbers and pickled carrots and daikon add an array of flavors and textures that make this sandwich stand out. And don’t forget to top it off with fresh cilantro and spicy mayo!

Another option is to sprinkle a few drops of Maggi seasoning directly onto your sandwich. Although I didn’t include it in the ingredients for this recipe, I’ve tried it before and it gives the sandwich some extra umami. If you have it on hand, use it! But it’s definitely not necessary to go out and buy a bottle just for this recipe.

banh mi | vietnamese sandwich

serves: 4 prep time: 30 minutes cook time: 10 minutes 10 minutes

Rating: 5.0/5

( 2 voted )

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ingredients

• vegetable oil for frying
• baguette 1-2 loaves

marinade

• pork 500 g (1 lb)
• (we used pork tenderloin)
• vegetable oil 1 tbsp
• soy sauce 2 tbsp
• honey 2 tbsp
• brown sugar 1 tbsp
• fish sauce ½ tbsp
• sesame oil 1 tsp
• garlic 3 cloves
• shallot 1 medium
• pepper ½ tsp

spicy mayo

• mayonnaise 120 g (½ c)
• sriracha 1-3 tbsp

toppings (optional)

• - cucumber slices
• - jalapeno
• - pickled carrots and daikon radish
• - cilantro, chopped

instructions

1. Slice the pork very thinly across the grain.
2. Finely dice the shallot and mince the garlic. Mix all the ingredients for the marinade making sure to entirely coat the meat. Let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes or overnight in the refrigerator.
3. Heat the vegetable in a skillet over high heat and and cook the meat for approximately 2-3 minutes on each side. Don't overcrowd the pan and cook in batches if necessary.
4. To make the spicy mayo, mix together mayonnaise and sriracha. Continue adding sriracha until you reach your desired level of spiciness.
5. Cut the baguette in half lengthwise and toast in the oven until crispy.
6. Spread the spicy mayo on the baguette and finish each sandwich off with pork, jalapenos, cucumbers and pickled carrots and daikon.