Banh Mi Sandwich

When you sink your teeth into the crunchy perfection that is a Banh Mi Sandwich, it is not an experience you quickly forget. This savory, flavorful Vietnamese street food is the definition of umami and a joy to eat.

What is Banh Mi?

This delightful Vietnamese sandwich is full of flavor and fresh herbs. Traditionally, it is made with savory meat, pickles and seasonings piled up on a crusty bun and eaten like a sub sandwich as a meal unto itself and can be enjoyed at room temperature. Sometimes, the filling is served without bread. Trust us it's worth buying the ingredients and making your own Vegan version, a tofu banh mi with our recipe.

This is not an authentic Vietnamese cuisine recipe, we are not Vietnamese. It's our interpretation of a vegan Tofu Banh mi sandwich that we enjoyed many years ago in Philly.

Banh Mi Sandwich Ingredients

Making Your Own Pickled Carrots and Daikon

• Daikon.
• Carrots.
• Jalapeno Pepper.
• Watermelon Radish. (optional)
• Ginger.
• Grated Garlic.
• Boiling Water.
• Seasoned Rice Vinegar. White or apple cider vinegar mixed with 1 tbsp of sugar will also work.
• Apple Cider Vinegar
• Salt
• Sugar (optional)

Making the Lemongrass Tofu

• Lemongrass Stalks.
• Garlic.
• Ginger.
• Scallions.
• Hot Pepper Flakes. Or Aleppo pepper.
• Soy Sauce.
• Freshly Squeezed Lime Juice or Lemon Juice.
• Rice Vinegar
• Agave 
• High Protein Tofu
• Toasted Sesame oil, you can also use vegetable oil 

Ingredients to Build the Banh Mi Sandwich

• Baguette.
• Pickled Carrots and Daikon.
• Lemongrass Tofu.
• Vegan Mayo.
• Sriracha.
• Pesto.
• Persian Cucumbers.
• Fresh Cilantro.
• Mint.
• Basil Leaves.

Different types of Banh Mi Fillings

Traditional Banh Mi can be made with many different types of meat. Even a vegan banh mi like this one can work with different proteins. Here are some possibilities.

Banh Mi with Tofu Chunks: Our recipe calls for tofu that is fried in sesame oil. Sometimes a different marinade is used in banh mi depending on the Vietnam region. You might want to play with options over time.

Banh Mi with Thinly Sliced Tofu: Make a vegan version of the banh mi variety made with stir-fried vegetables and sometimes glass noodles.

Banh Mi with Vegan “Ham”: If you've never had this copycat meat, you should try it to see if you like it. It is made from processed bean curd to copy the flavor of ham and beet juice is often used to copy the color. This version is the one that imitates the one made with Vietnamese cold cuts.

Banh Mi Wheat Gluten: is sold under the name Seitan in stores. If you do not like tofu or cannot have it, you can use seitan as a substitute. Often you can find it already marinated in tamari when you purchase it.

How To Make This Vietnamese Sandwich

You will start by making pickled vegetables. Put the daikon, carrots, jalapenos, and watermelon radish in a large jar with a tight lid. Boil the remaining ingredients, stirring them really well until the salt and sugar are dissolved. Pour this mixture over the vegetables and close the lid. Let the pickle jar sit on the counter for about an hour to cool and then move it to the refrigerator.

Your tofu needs to marinate overnight ideally, which will give the vegetables time to pickle up. After you've bruised the peeled and cut lemongrass, place all of the ingredients except for the sesame oil into a sealed plastic baggy and place it in the refrigerator to marinate. When you are ready to cook the tofu, heat the sesame oil in a large skillet and cook the tofu for four to five minutes per side.

Assembling your Tofu Banh Mi

Cut the baguette into 4 pieces. Slice each piece in half, but without going all the way through, keeping the two halves attached. This makes it easier to hold and eat the sandwich without it falling apart. Toast the baguette, just enough to make it crunchy on the outside.

Mix mayo and sriracha and spread on one side of the cut side of the baguette. Spread the pesto on the other side of the cut side of the baguette. Fill the sandwich with tofu, pickled veggies, cucumber, fresh cilantro, mint, and basil. 

What is Banh Mi Sandwich?

A Saigon sandwich is just all of the ingredients of banh mi, served on a crusty baguette. It's one of the best and most interesting sandwiches you will ever eat, with elements of sweet and sour and even a distinctive and enticing aromatic smell.

Tips for the Perfect Sandwich

It's important to bruise the lemongrass in order to release its flavor. Make sure to read our information about lemongrass to understand how to work with this ingredient.

If you get a chance freeze the tofu, defrost it, and squeeze as much water out as possible. Freezing tofu gives it a texture that is more similar to meat.

We highly recommend that you marinate the tofu overnight so it gets a chance to absorb all the marinade flavors.

Ginger and sesame oil are not traditional flavors found in lemongrass tofu, but we used them to add more flavor.

1 tbsp of mayo per sandwich may seem like a lot, but that amount works great in this sandwich. Just try it. 

All the components of this recipe can be made ahead of time. Toast the baguette and assemble the sandwich right before eating.

Banh Mi Sandwich Variations

Take your banh mi up a notch by changing up the chilis. Jalapeños are the most common but you can definitely turn up the heat if you prefer.

Change up the flavor of the banh mi by making your own homemade vegan aioli (mayonnaise) sauce.

Lemongrass FAQ

What is lemongrass?

Lemongrass is a tropical grass from South East Asia with aromatic stalks which is used as a flavoring in cooking many Asian dishes.

Where can I find lemongrass?

You should be able to find lemongrass at your local Asian market or specialty supermarket.

How to cook with lemongrass?

Take the lemongrass stalk and cut off ½ " from the bottom. where the hard bulb is and about 2" from the top.  Peel 2 layers of the leaves. With a wooden spoon hit the lemongrass until it releases some of its fragrant smell. 

More Homemade Sandwiches to Make

• Za'atar Grilled Cheese Pita Sandwich
• Asian Inspired Sesame Crusted Tofu Veggie Sandwich
• Sabich Sandwich
• Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Feta Cheese, tomatoes and Spinach
• Chickpea Salad Sandwich

If you enjoyed this recipe, it would help us tremendously if you left us a star rating in the comments below or on the recipe card. Do you have any questions about the recipe or do you need a swap for any of the ingredients? We are here to help, just leave us a question in the comments below.

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