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Tofu Banh Mi with Vietnamese pickled veggies, cilantro, and a mayo-hoisin sauce – one of the most delicious sandwiches ever!
Have you ever dreamed of the perfect vegan sandwich? Here it is! A recipe and guide how to make the most delicious Tofu Banh Mi Sandwich.
It’s perfect for lunch, dinner, your next party, or even as a meal prep for lunch at the office. Do you see how tasty it looks with the sauce drizzling out of the sandwich? No wonder I have this deep love for Asian food.
What Is Banh Mi?
Banh Mi is one of the most traditional sandwiches in Vietnam. It’s made with a baguette, marinated meat or in this case tofu, authentic Vietnamese pickles veggies, cilantro, and a delicious sauce. This sandwich is an Asian taste sensation you don’t want to miss out. Let me show you how to make it.
How To Make Tofu Banh Mi
- Start marinating the tofu with a mixture of Asian sauces and spices (you can find the specific ingredients in the recipe card) for at least 15 minutes (see image below).
- Meanwhile, prepare the pickled vegetables and the sandwich sauce
. - Fry the tofu with oil in a pan until brown and lightly crispy. I like to add all the remaining marinade to the pan, this can get a bit messy but will enhance the flavor.
- Slice a large baguette in 4 pieces and cut each one open but don’t cut it entirely through – so that one end still holds together.
- Spread the baguette with the sauce, add tofu, pickled vegetables, and cilantro.
- ENJOY!
Vietnamese Pickled Vegetables
Authentic Vietnamese pickled vegetables are essential for the taste of this vegan sandwich. You can also use them as a topping for various Asian dishes such as rice noodle salad or stir-fries.
How to make them:
- Cut carrots and radish into julienne strips. The authentic recipe uses daikon radish, but you can also substitute it with radishes or use a mixture of both.
- Add sugar, salt, and rice vinegar and massage gently.
- Leave it to sit for at least 15 minutes.
- Leftovers can be stored up to a few days in the fridge.
How To Make Banh Mi Sauce
This Vietnamese Banh Mi tasted the best with a sauce mixture made of vegan mayonnaise (HERE is a recipe for homemade vegan mayo), hoisin sauce, and sriracha. If you don’t like it spicy, leave the sriracha sauce out. You can find hoisin sauce in every Asian market or in larger supermarkets within the Asian food section.
More Asian Tofu Recipes
📖 Recipe
Tofu Banh Mi Sandwich
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Ingredients
Marinated Tofu
- 7 oz (200g) extra firm tofu
- 2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp maple syrup or any other liquid sweetener
- ½ tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp sriracha or sambal oelek
- 1 tsp ginger minced or grated
- 1 clove garlic minced or grated
Pickled Veggies
- 1 cup carrots julienne strips
- ½ cup daikon radish, radish, or both mixed julienne strips
- 1.5 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tbsp sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
Hoisin-Mayo
- 3 tbsp vegan mayo
- 1.5 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1.5 tsp sriracha use more or less to adapt your own spice level
Sandwich
- 1 large baguette
- 1 pkg. cilantro
Instructions
Marinated Tofu
- Cover the tofu in a paper towel and press to remove excess water. Cut into thin slices (~0.5 inch/1cm).
- Mix all the ingredients for the marinade, place the tofu slices in a large casserole, drizzle with the sauce and let it sit for at least 15 minutes – Flip the tofu a few times.
- Heat a nonstick frying pan with oil and cook each side of the tofu for 5 minutes until brown and lightly crispy. I always add the remaining marinade to the pan for more flavorful tofu – be aware that it can get a little messy with all the sauce in the pan.
Pickled Veggies
- Slice the carrot and radish into julienne strips. Place in a bowl, add the rice vinegar, sugar, salt and massage with your hands. Leave it to sit for at least 15 minutes.
Prepare Sandwich
- Cut the baguette in 4 pieces and slice each one open in the middle, but don’t cut entirely through, so that one end still holds together.
- Mix all the ingredients for the Hoisin-Mayo and spread the bread with it. Add tofu, pickled veggies, and cilantro.
Notes
- The recipe is for four small or two large sandwiches.
- All ingredients can be stored up to two days in the fridge.
- Sandwiches can be prepared in advance and kept for max. one day in the fridge.
