A Vietnamese vegetarian banh mi with quick pickled veggies, marinated and fried tofu, and vegan spicy mayo. An easy sandwich perfect for spring and summer lunches! Spicy, tangy, and juicy with umami flavor. Vegan.
One of Hunter and I's favorite takeout options in Nashville is Vui's Kitchen. Their vegetarian banh mi is unbelievably juicy with a smoky, umami flavor. Hunter asked if I would try a copycat version, and I came up with this! I knew it had to be saucy. I have tried other vegetarian banh mi recipes, and they taste a little dry to me. Once you assemble these Vietnamese sandwiches, drizzle extra marinade and spicy mayo on top for a burst of tangy flavor with each bite!
What is Bánh Mì?
Banh mi is a Vietnamese sandwich made with short baguettes. These banh mi buns have a thin, crisp, soft, and airy texture. You can use French-style baguettes, either demi baguettes or slice a long baguette into four pieces.
What is in a Traditional Vietnamese Bánh Mì?
Typically, they are made with a type of mayonnaise, protein, pickled vegetables, green onions, cilantro, and fresh chillies. Many Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches contain Vietnamese ham, steamed pork, or other types of meat.
My vegetarian banh mi variation uses marinated and fried tofu, a vegan spicy mayo, quick pickled veggies (radish, carrot, cucumber, jalapeño), and fresh jalapeño. I skip the green onion and cilantro, as they are not my husband's faves, but feel free to add them if you wish. 😉
Ingredients
- Tofu: Use extra firm tofu.
- Demi baguettes: Or banh mi buns.
- Jalapeño: Half will be used for pickled veggies, the other half kept fresh.
- Radish: Daikon is best, but use watermelon or red radish if you can't find daikon!
- Carrots
- Cucumber: Small cucumber.
- Rice vinegar
- Sugar
- Tamari: Or soy sauce or liquid aminos.
- Sesame oil: If you only have toasted sesame oil, that will work too.
- Maple syrup: Or agave or brown coconut sugar.
- Lime juice
- Garlic cloves
- Fresh ginger
- Oil: Olive oil or avocado oil. You can turn the heat up a bit higher with a neutral, high-heat oil like avocado oil.
- Vegan mayonnaise
- Sriracha
How to Make Vegetarian Bánh Mì Sandwiches
1. Marinate the tofu. Drain tofu and pat dry, gently pressing out excess liquid. Slice into ½-inch thick slices. Arrange in shallow dish. Whisk marinade ingredients together (except for pepper). Pour over top of the tofu, then season with black pepper. Marinate 30 minutes, flipping pieces after 15 minutes.
2. Prepare pickled veggies. Add matchstick radish and carrots, along with cucumber slices and half of the jalapeño slices to a glass jar or container. In a small saucepan, combine water, vinegar, sugar, and salt. Warm over medium heat until most of the sugar and salt dissolve. Let cool for a minute, then pour over veggies. Let sit in fridge for 15 minutes.
3. Make spicy mayo. Whisk together mayo and sriracha in jar or bowl.
4. Fry the tofu. Heat oil in large skillet over medium heat. Add tofu and fry 5 minutes, without moving it around. Flip the pieces and cook for another 5 minutes. Then flip a final time, cooking for an additional 1-2 minutes. Remove from heat and transfer to paper towel-lined plate. Brush remaining marinade over both sides of tofu.
5. Prep baguettes. While tofu is frying, slice baguettes down middle lengthwise, doing your best not to cut through all the way. Gently open up and place in toaster oven until desired crispiness. This step is optional!
6. Assemble the banh mi. Spread mayo onto both sides of each sandwich.
Add fresh jalapeños, then 2-3 pieces of tofu.
Top with pickled veggies. Drizzle any extra marinade or spicy mayo on top!
Chef Tips
- Press the tofu. If you the extra prep time, place paper towels beneath and above your block of tofu, all on top of a cutting board. Gently place 1-2 cookbooks on top and leave for 15-30 minutes, or up to an hour! You may have to change the paper towels halfway through.
- Marinate the tofu for longer. You can marinate the tofu for up to 2 hours if you plan ahead!
- Use pickled veggies for other recipes! You may not use up all of the pickled veggies. Add them to tacos, other sandwiches or wraps, avocado toast, or my Tofu Nachos! The pickled veggies last in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
- Don't forget to reserve the marinade! As you begin to fry the tofu, don't throw out the marinade sauce. It makes the banh mis extra juicy when brushed over top before serving.
- Add fresh herbs. Add green onions or cilantro if you wish!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Tofu adds a rich source of protein, plus you'll receive a healthy does of vitamins, antioxidants, and minerals from the raw pickled veggies. If you'd like to create a lighter sandwich, simply leave the top slice of baguette off and serve open-faced!
If you can't find authentic banh mi buns, a French-style baguette works great! Hoagie-style rolls also work for this.
Banh mi sandwiches are best served fresh, however you can store the pickled veggies on their own and the spicy mayo on its own for 2 weeks. Store any extra tofu on its own for 2-3 days. Alternatively, you can wrap an assembled banh mi tightly in plastic wrap or foil and store in the fridge to be enjoyed the next day.
Let me know what you think of this Vegetarian Banh Mi in the comments! 🙂 A rating also helps other readers know how you liked the recipe. Enjoy!
More Tofu Recipes You'll Love!
- Spring Roll Bowl with Baked Tofu
- Sesame Sticky Tofu
- Spicy Peanut Noodles
- Vegan Tantanmen with Red Miso
- Tofu Steak with Mashed Sweet Potato
- Coconut Curry Noodles
- Grilled Bok Choy and Tofu Stir Fried Rice
- Grilled BBQ Tofu
- Tofu Lettuce Wraps
If you loved this sandwich, then try my Tofu Caprese Baguette!
📖 Recipe
Vegetarian Banh Mi
Ingredients
- 14 ounces extra firm tofu
- Jalapeño reserve half for pickled veggies
- 2 tablespoons olive oil or avocado oil
- 4 demi baguettes or banh mi buns
Tofu Marinade
- ¼ cup tamari
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 garlic cloves peeled and minced
- 1 inch knob fresh ginger peeled and minced
- Black pepper freshly ground
Quick Pickled Veggies
- ½ cup matchstick daikon, watermelon, or red radishes 1 daikon or watermelon, or 3-4 red radishes
- ½ cup matchstick carrots 2 small or 1 large carrot
- ½ cup sliced cucumber 1 small cucumber
- ¾ cup water
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Spicy Mayo
- ¾ cup vegan mayonnaise
- 3 tablespoons sriracha
Instructions
- Drain the tofu and pat dry. Slice into ½-inch thick slices. Arrange in a shallow dish (a square baking pan works great!). Whisk together marinade ingredients (excluding pepper) in a small bowl or measuring cup. Pour over top of the tofu. Season generously with black pepper. Marinate for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. After 15 minutes, flip the pieces.
- Cut the radish and carrots into matchsticks and slice the cucumber and jalapeño. Add the radish, carrots, cucumber, and half of the jalapeño to a jar or glass container. Add water, vinegar, sugar, and salt to a small saucepan and warm over medium heat. Whisk frequently until most of the sugar and salt dissolve. Let cool for just a minute, then pour over the veggies. Let sit in the fridge for 15 minutes (or up to a week).
- Prepare the spicy mayo by mixing together the mayo and sriracha in a small bowl.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once warm, add the tofu to the pan and let sit, frying for 5 minutes without moving or wiggling the tofu. Reserve the leftover marinade in the dish. After 5 minutes, flip the pieces carefully, then cook for another 5 minutes. Once done, flip a final time and cook 1-2 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Brush remaining marinade over both sides of the tofu.
- While the tofu cooks, slice the baguettes down the middle lengthwise, being careful not to slice them completely in half. (You can slice in half, but it makes it a little messier to eat!) Pop them in the toaster oven to toast slightly, if desired, or leave them as is.
- Assemble the banh mi. Spread mayo onto both sides of the baguettes, add desired amount of fresh jalapeños, add 2-3 pieces of tofu to each, then top with pickled veggies. Feel free to drizzle any extra mayo or marinade onto the sandwiches to make them extra juicy!
