Banh Mi

Bánh Mì (Vietnamese Pork and Pâté Sandwich)

A classic Vietnamese sandwich with crisp baguette, savory pork, rich pâté, pickled vegetables, and fresh herbs. This version uses readily available ingredients while staying true to the balance of flavors that define bánh mì.

Prep

30 min

Cook

25 min

Total

55 min

Serves

4

Difficulty

Medium

Recipe ingredients

• •4 small baguettes light, airy baguette, Vietnamese-style with thin crust; or null
• •400 g (14 oz) pork shoulder or loin, thinly sliced, or null
• •2 tbsp fish sauce, Vietnamese brand preferred, or null
• •1 tbsp sugar, or null
• •1 tsp black pepper, freshly ground, or null
• •1 medium onion, sliced, or null
• •2 cloves garlic, minced, or null
• •120 g (4 oz) liver pâté, smooth, or null
• •1 large carrot carrot, julienned, or null
• •150 g (5 oz) daikon radish, julienned, or null
• •60 ml (¼ cup) rice vinegar, or null
• •1 tbsp sugar, for pickling, or null
• •salt, ½, or null
• •cucumber, ½, thinly sliced, or null
• •1 bunch fresh coriander, cilantro, leaves and stems, or null
• •1 fresh red chili chili, thinly sliced, or null
• •2 tbsp mayonnaise, or null
• •1 tsp soy sauce, Maggi seasoning preferred, or null

Steps

1. 1 Make pickled vegetables: In a bowl, dissolve 1 tbsp sugar and ½ tsp salt in 60 ml rice vinegar with 60 ml warm water. Add julienned carrot and daikon. Let sit for at least 20 minutes, or refrigerate up to 1 week.
2. 2 Marinate the pork: Combine 2 tbsp fish sauce, 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tsp black pepper, sliced onion, and minced garlic. Add thinly sliced pork and mix well. Marinate for 15 minutes.
3. 3 Cook the pork: Heat a pan or grill over medium-high heat. Cook pork slices 2-3 minutes per side until caramelized and cooked through (internal temperature 71°C / 160°F). Remove from heat and slice into bite-sized pieces if desired.
4. 4 Warm the baguettes: Cut each baguette lengthwise but not all the way through. Lightly toast in an oven at 180°C / 350°F for 3-5 minutes until warm and crusty.
5. 5 Assemble the bánh mì: Spread mayonnaise on both sides of the warm baguette. Layer pâté on one side, then add the cooked pork.
6. 6 Add pickles: Drain the pickled carrot and daikon, then add a generous handful to the sandwich.
7. 7 Finish with fresh vegetables: Add sliced cucumber, fresh coriander (cilantro), and sliced chili. Drizzle with soy sauce or Maggi seasoning.
8. 8 Serve immediately while the bread is still warm and crisp.