Vietnamese · Sandwich · Easy
Banh Mi
The crackly baguette sandwich born of French colonialism and Vietnamese ingenuity. Crunch, acid, herbs, and savory in every single bite.
The whole recipe in 60 seconds
Banh Mi, in 5 ideas
- Pickles cut the richness. That sharp sweet-sour crunch is what keeps the sandwich from feeling heavy. Do not skimp; pile them on.
- Warm the bread. Five minutes in a hot oven revives even a day-old baguette, restoring the crackle that is essential to the experience.
- Cilantro stems are fine. The tender upper stems have tons of flavor. Just discard the thick woody bottoms.
- Maggi is the secret shake. That savory umami seasoning at the end ties everything together. Soy sauce works, but Maggi has a distinctive depth.
- Any protein works. Grilled chicken, meatballs, fried egg, even tofu. The formula is the same: savory protein, pickles, herbs, crunch, heat.
What you need
Ingredients
- 4 crusty baguettes or banh mi rolls (light and airy, not dense sourdough)
- 1 lb grilled pork (thin sliced pork shoulder marinated in fish sauce, sugar, garlic) or pork meatballs
- For the pickles: 1 cup julienned daikon, 1 cup julienned carrot, 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 1/2 cup water, 2 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise (or mix with a spoon of pate)
- 1 cucumber, sliced into long thin strips
- 1 bunch cilantro, large stems removed
- 2 jalapenos, thinly sliced
- Maggi seasoning or soy sauce, to taste
How to make it
Directions
- Make the pickles first: dissolve the sugar and salt in the vinegar and water. Pour over the daikon and carrot and let sit at least 30 minutes. They keep for weeks in the fridge.
- If grilling pork, marinate thin slices in fish sauce, sugar, and garlic for at least 30 minutes, then grill or sear over high heat until charred at the edges. Slice into strips.
- Split the baguettes lengthwise without cutting all the way through. If they are not crackly, warm them in a 350F oven for 5 minutes to recrisp.
- Spread a generous layer of mayonnaise on both cut sides. A thin smear of pate on one side is traditional and delicious.
- Layer in the pork, then a tangle of drained pickles, cucumber strips, cilantro, and jalapeno slices.
- Finish with a few dashes of Maggi seasoning or soy sauce. Close, press gently, and eat immediately while the bread is still crackling.
The bread makes or breaks it. You want a baguette with a shattering crust and an airy, almost hollow interior. Dense artisan sourdough fights you; light Vietnamese-style rolls surrender.