I’ve been wanting to try a banh mi sandwich for a really long time. Banh means “bread” or “sandwich” in Vietnamese. These sandwiches are very popular at food trucks, but usually feature meat.
I recently spent a few days in New York City and went to several fabulous vegan restaurants. I don’t think I could recreate what most of them served (very complex vegan sushi, pizza, pasta, etc), but I did have an “accidentally” plant-based sandwich that seemed approachable to attempt copying at home–this sandwich.
Banh mi encapsulates the harmonious blend of French and Vietnamese culinary traditions. This iconic sandwich typically features a crispy baguette filled with a variety of savory ingredients, making it a beloved street food and a staple of Vietnamese cuisine.
A Brief History of Banh Mi
The origins of banh mi can be traced back to the French colonial period in Vietnam during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. The French introduced baguettes to Vietnamese cuisine, which were soon embraced and adapted by locals. As Vietnamese cooks began to fill these baguettes with traditional ingredients, banh mi was born—a fusion of French bread and Vietnamese flavors.
Over the years, banh mi evolved, incorporating local meats, pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, and condiments. Today, it reflects the diversity of Vietnamese culinary practices, with each region adding its unique twist. There are classic pork banh mi sandwiches to contemporary vegan variations.
You can find this type of food at almost any pho or Vietnamese restaurant.
To make it truly whole food plant based, use a whole grain bun. They can be hard to find and I didn’t have the time to make any from scratch. You can also use a gluten free bun or a gluten-free or whole grain wrap (although it’s not as authentic—I’m sure it’s still delicious!).
How to Make these Delicious Sandwiches
You make four things, but they are simple!
Pickled Vegetables. Chop and marinate carrots, cucumber, green onions, cilantro and jalepeno in a vinegar mixture. You could add radish here which is very traditional, but I don’t like radishes so I left them out. Bell peppers could be colorful and yummy, too. 
Mushrooms. Dry saute them with salt and pepper. Boom. Done.
They shrink a lot.
Spicy Mayo. You can make a cashew version or a quick version with either vegan mayo or yogurt.
The sandwich I ate at that restaurant in NYC actually didn’t have any spicy mayo (which is usually a staple ingredient), but hoisin sauce. You can make your own hoisin sauce using this simple recipe, if you’d like. I always put the bottle back on the shelf after reading the ingredients, so I prefer to make my own. Sweet chili sauce or other similar sauces you might have in your fridge would also be delicious.
Enjoy this tasty sandwich!
Tofu Mushroom Banh Mi Sandwich
Ingredients
Tofu & Mushrooms
- 1 8-oz package mushrooms, whole or sliced
- 1 16-oz package extra firm tofu
- 2 TBSP soy sauce
- 1 TBSP maple syrup
- 1/2 TBSP rice vinegar
Pickled Vegetables
- 1/4 cup rice wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup or sugar
- 1 lime zested, then juiced (use zest and juice)
- 2 carrots, grated
- 1 cucumber, halved then thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- 3 green onions, sliced
- 1 jalepeno, minced, seeds removed (use half or omit if you prefer)
Spicy Mayo
- 1/4 cup vegan mayo or plain yogurt
- 2-3 tablespoons sweet chili sauce or 1 TBSP sriracha sauce
- OR make the Cashew Spicy Mayo, recipe in the notes
Sandwiches
- 4 sandwich buns, baugette, or slices of french bread loaf (or gluten free bun or wrap if needed)
- hoisin sauce or sweet chili sauce (or other sauces in the door of the fridge you have, like chili garlic sauce, gochujang, etc) -- all optional
Instructions
- Begin by pressing the tofu for at least 10 minutes. Use either a tofu press or wrap in a clean towel and put it under a heavy pot or book.
- Next, make the pickled vegetables. Stir together the rice vinegar, maple syrup and lime juice and zest in a large bowl. Slice the cucumber, grate the carrots, mince the jalepeno, and chop the cilantro and green onion. Stir it all together with the vinegar mixture. Salt and pepper it. Let it sit while you finish the rest.
- Make the spicy mayo by either blending together the cashew mayo (recipe below--it's so good!) or stirring together some vegan mayo or plain yogurt with some sweet chili sauce and sriracha. I don't measure here. It's hard to go wrong. Set aside in a bowl.
- Slice the mushrooms and add them to a dry skillet on medium heat. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let cook until golden brown and shrunken in size. Mushrooms release a lot of water as they cook, so no oil or water is usually needed, but if yours are sticking, add a little water to deglaze the pan. Remove from heat onto a plate.
- While the mushrooms are cooking, mix the soy sauce, vinegar, and maple syrup in a small bowl. Set aside. This is to season the tofu.
- In the same now-empty skillet, spray with a little oil. Slice the tofu into 6 thin slices (cut the block in half length wise, then into three columns). Lay them flat in the pan and let them brown on both sides.
- Pour the soy sauce/maple/vinegar mixture over the hot browning tofu. Let cook a few minutes longer, flipping and pushing it around to coat it, until the tofu is brown and carmelized-looking. Remove from heat.
- Toast the buns in the oven. I open them up, set them on the rack, and use the broil setting on my oven for 3 minutes, or until golden.
- Assemble the sandwiches by spreading spicy mayo on both sides of the toasted bun, layering mushrooms, tofu, and pickled vegetables on. Add hoisin sauce, sweet chili sauce or any other sauce you like if desired.
Notes
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