I love to make my favorite restaurant style sandwiches at home including a chicken club sandwich, Monte Cristo sandwiches, Cuban sandwiches and this fresh and delicious banh mi sandwich. We are a family of sandwich lovers – it’s not uncommon for sandwiches to be on the menu on nights where I don’t feel like cooking. This Vietnamese banh mi sandwich is a little more exotic than your typical ham and cheese or peanut butter and jelly, but it’s surprisingly easy to make. This is not a 100% authentic version of the traditional recipe, but it’s one that everyone over here enjoys (hold the chilies for the kids!). Serve your sandwiches with some fun (although not traditional!) sides such as onion rings, sweet potato fries or homemade french fries.
Banh Mi Ingredients
To make this recipe, you will need pork, soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, lemongrass, garlic, sesame oil, vegetable oil, salt, black pepper, carrot, daikon radish, rice vinegar, granulated sugar, french rolls, mayonnaise, cucumbers, cilantro and chili peppers.
How Do You Make A Banh Mi Sandwich?
Start by marinating thinly sliced pork in soy sauce, fish sauce, brown sugar, lemongrass, garlic, sesame oil, vegetable oil, salt and pepper. Let the meat sit in the marinade for at least 30 minutes. Make the pickled vegetables by whisking together rice vinegar, salt, sugar and water. Place the carrot and radish in the vinegar mixture to soak. Grill the pork, then layer the pork onto the bread with mayonnaise, pickled vegetables, cucumber, cilantro and sliced chilies. Serve immediately and enjoy!
Tips For The Perfect Sandwich
If you’re not into spicy, it’s totally fine to omit the chilies. My local grocery store carries daikon radish, it looks like a long white root vegetable. If you can’t find it at your regular grocery store, try an Asian market. Prepare the pickled vegetables and marinate the pork up to 24 hours in advance. Serve your sandwiches immediately after you prepare them. I prefer to grill the pork, but you can also cook it on the stove in a pan. Lemongrass can be found in the produce section of most grocery stores. Remove the tough outer coating then mince the tender interior layer.
Banh Mi Sandwich Variations
This is a basic recipe to prepare these classic sandwiches, but you can add other ingredients to customize the flavors to your tastes.
Protein: Try using thinly sliced chicken or slabs of tofu instead of pork tenderloin. You can also add thin slices of pork pate to the sandwich for an authentic flavor. If you can find a local Asian market, you can also add Vietnamese sausage or cold cuts to your sandwich. Vegetables: Add other veggies to your pickling mix such as red onions. You can also substitute classic red radishes for the daikon radish. Herbs: I like to add other fresh herbs that I have on hand, such as fresh mint leaves or thinly sliced green onion.
Skip the local sandwich shop and make banh mi at home. You won’t be disappointed!
Banh Mi Video
