Banh Mi

Banh Mi sandwich is a Vietnamese street food that originated in Saigon. Served on a soft French baguette, it is a delicious combination of French and Vietnamese cuisine. It usually contains pickled carrots, radish, chili pepper, cucumber slices, coriander, mayonnaise, and protein. Popular proteins include marinated pork, chicken, and pâté, but this recipe uses tofu to make it vegetarian.

Banh Mi Sandwich Ingredients

Baguette – Look for a soft baguette with a little crunch on the outside. If it’s too chewy or crispy, the filling will stick out of the sandwich.
Fried Marinated Tofu – The “meat” of this sandwich. Marinate firm tofu in a mixture of tamari soy sauce, lime juice and zest, garlic, ginger, and black pepper. It’s very filling, light and delicious!
Pickled vegetables – These ingredients are key to giving banh mi its signature sweet and spicy flavor. Marinate carrots, cucumbers, jalapeños, and radishes in white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. If you can’t find daikon radish, red radish is also delicious. If you are sensitive to spices, handle jalapenos with care.
Spicy mayonnaise is essential for banh mi dishes! Made with mayonnaise, Sriracha, lime juice, and sesame oil, this sauce adds delicious richness and heat to this fresh sandwich. To make this recipe vegan, substitute your favorite store-bought vegan mayonnaise or make your own. Coriander – The perfect fresh finish.
Once the tofu is marinated, heat a Teflon-coated frying pan over medium heat and sear the tofu on both sides. Once golden brown and caramelized, stuff the baguette with pickles, coriander and a dollop of spicy mayonnaise. enjoy!

Banh Mi Recipe Tips

Plan ahead. To get the best sweet and sour flavor, you should prepare the pickles in advance. It tastes better after an hour in the refrigerator, but it gets better every day. If possible, prepare this recipe 1-2 days in advance.
Press the tofu. It’s a simple process that takes only 20 to 30 minutes and will give your tofu an amazingly chewy texture. I love his Tofuture tofu press. It’s easy to use, absorbs excess moisture from tofu, and cleans up easily.  Check out my guide to the best tofu presses!
Don’t waste pickles! You’ll probably have leftover cucumbers when making this recipe. Store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks. Make more sandwiches later, serve in a bowl, top with avocado toast, or stuff into spring rolls.
Change it. This vegetarian banh mi recipe is as great as written, but feel free to experiment. Avocado, sautéed shiitake mushrooms, and extra cucumber slices also work well. Let me know what variations you try!

Popular Tofu Recipes

If you like this tofu banh mi sandwich, check out this post with the best tofu cooking tips. Then try one of his delicious tofu recipes.

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