Description
This authentic Banh Mi recipe features tender marinated pork grilled to perfection, pickled daikon and carrots, and a spicy chili garlic mayonnaise, all layered inside a toasted French baguette with fresh herbs and crunchy cucumber. The sandwich blends savory, sweet, tangy, and spicy flavors with fresh and pickled textures for the perfect Vietnamese street food experience at home.
Ingredients
Scale
Meat Marinade
- 1 pkg. pork tenderloin, trimmed (2 – 2 ½ lbs. total)
- 2 shallots, peeled and roughly chopped
- 1/4 cup lemongrass (white inner part of 3 stalks)
- 1/3 cup fish sauce
- 3 tablespoons oyster sauce
- 3 tablespoons lime juice
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 inch ginger, peeled (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
- 5 cloves garlic, peeled (or 1 teaspoon garlic powder)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon vegetable or canola oil
- 1 tablespoon Asian chili sauce (Sambal Oelek or Sriracha)
- 1 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice powder
Pickled Vegetables
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- ½ cup water
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup matchstick carrots (2-3 carrots)
- 1 cup daikon cut into matchsticks (or radishes)
Chili Garlic Mayonnaise
- 3/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1-3 teaspoons Asian chili sauce (Sambal Oelek or Sriracha)
Sandwich Assembly
- 6-8 soft French baguettes, about 8-inches each (long crunchy rolls or sandwich-size baguettes can be used)
- Pâté, optional
- 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 4-6 jalapenos, thinly sliced
- 1 cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
- Maggi seasoning, optional (see notes for DIY recipe)
Instructions
- Pickle the Vegetables: Combine rice vinegar, water, sugar, and salt in a microwave-safe bowl and heat until boiling (about 60 seconds) or warm on the stovetop. Whisk to dissolve the sugar and salt completely. Place matchstick carrots and daikon radish into a jar or bowl. Pour the hot brine over the vegetables, pressing them down to submerge completely. Allow to cool to room temperature for 30 minutes, then refrigerate. Pickled vegetables are best after at least 24 hours but can be made alongside marinating the pork.
- Marinate the Meat: Freeze pork tenderloins for 1-2 hours to firm them for easier slicing. Slice each tenderloin lengthwise into 1/4-inch slices, then pound the slices to about 1/8-inch thickness using a meat mallet. In a high-powered blender, combine shallots, lemongrass, fish sauce, oyster sauce, lime juice, maple syrup, brown sugar, ginger, garlic, sesame oil, vegetable oil, Asian chili sauce, ground coriander, and Chinese five-spice; blend until smooth. Place sliced pork and marinade in a zip-top bag or shallow dish and refrigerate for 4-8 hours, preferably longer.
- Prepare the Grill and Toast Buns: About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the pork from the fridge to come to room temperature. Heat a grill or grill pan on high heat (if indoors, use a vent or exhaust fan). Open baguette rolls and grill the cut sides for 1-2 minutes until toasted and lightly browned. Alternatively, broil the buns in the oven for about 5 minutes until toasted. Set aside toasted rolls.
- Grill the Pork: Grease grill or grill pan lightly with vegetable oil. Cook pork slices in batches in a single layer for about 2 minutes per side until just cooked through; avoid overcooking. Transfer cooked pork to a plate to rest briefly.
- Prepare Chili Garlic Mayonnaise: Whisk together mayonnaise and Asian chili sauce until smoothly combined. Adjust the chili sauce amount for desired heat.
- Assemble the Sandwiches: Spread a thin layer of chili garlic mayonnaise on the toasted top and bottom of each roll. Optionally spread pâté on the bottom half. Layer the sandwich with grilled pork slices, drained pickled vegetables, cucumber slices, jalapeno slices, and fresh cilantro leaves. Drizzle a little Maggi seasoning on top if desired. Serve immediately for best freshness and texture.
Notes
- Lemongrass: Use fresh white inner stalks; chop roughly for blending. Can substitute 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste if fresh is unavailable.
- Chinese Five-Spice: Adds authentic aromatic flavor. Omit if using pâté since it often contains the spice.
- Daikon Radish: Crunchy and mildly tangy, can substitute traditional radishes but will be spicier.
- DIY Maggi Seasoning: Combine 2 tablespoons soy sauce, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 teaspoon sugar as a substitute.
- Cooking Pork: Remove pork immediately once cooked to avoid drying. Grill cooks unevenly, so remove slices as they finish.
- Variations: Use chicken breasts or thighs marinated whole and then sliced after grilling, or use Vietnamese cold cuts for variety. Vegetarian option: substitute pork with grilled or marinated tofu, tempeh, or mushrooms. For vegan, use vegan mayo like Vegenaise.
- Storage: Prepare sandwich components ahead of time for easy assembly. Marinate and slice pork up to 24 hours ahead. Pickled vegetables keep up to a week. Chili mayo lasts 3 weeks refrigerated. Assemble sandwiches fresh or store pre-assembled sandwiches airtight in fridge for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 480
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 950mg
- Fat: 22g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 16g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 45g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 28g
- Cholesterol: 65mg
