Vegan Bahn Mi Sandwich (2024)

This vegan tofu Banh Mi combines marinated pan-fried tofu, vegan sriracha mayo, pickled vegetables, and fresh herbs for a flavor-packed sandwich that will make your mouth water.

The literal translation of Banh mi means bread, but it also refers to delicious Vietnamese sandwiches filled with sandwich meat, fresh herbs, and pickled veggies. These sandwiches are easily made vegan by swapping out the meat for tofu or vegan deli meat.

❤️ Why you'll love tofu Banh Mi

These Vietnamese-style sandwiches are packed with flavorful herbs, spicy sriracha mayo, healthy pickled veggies, and protein-packed marinated tofu.

When my family needs a quick and easy meal, we love to eat sandwiches like tofu egg salad, vegan tuna sandwiches, chickpea salad sandwiches, or buffalo chicken sandwiches, but our all-time favorite is vegan Banh Mi sandwiches.

🥖 What bread is best for Banh Mi

Traditional Banh Mi sandwiches are served in Vietnamese baguettes. You can make these baguettes yourself or use French baguettes or ciabatta rolls.

You want to use bread that is crispy on the outside and chewy in the middle. I like to use ciabatta rolls since it is easy to find vegan versions at my local grocery stores.

Frying Pan - for pan-frying the tofu before adding it to the sandwich.

🥄 How to make tofu Banh Mi

A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.

Make the pickled Bahn Mi Vegetables

Step 1- Peel and slice carrots and daikon into small matchsticks or buy bags of shredded carrots and daikon. (I find both of these precut at Trader Joe's and it saves a lot of time.)

Step 2- Add 1 cup of finely sliced carrots and 1 cup of finely sliced daikon to a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle with 2 teaspoons of sea salt and 1/4 cup of vegan sugar then massage the salt and sugar into the veggies and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.

Step 3- Then pour 1/2 cup of rice vinegar, 1/2 cup of white vinegar, and 1 cup of water over the veggies and stir well.

Step 4- Refrigerate for at least 1 hour or keep prepared in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Make the vegan sriracha mayo

Step 5- In a large measuring container, add 1 cup of vegan mayo, 4 tablespoons sriracha, and the juice of 1 freshly squeezed lime (2 tbsp). Stir well until combined. (Add more or less sriracha to adjust the spice level to your taste.)

Make the marinated tofu

Step 6- Drain and press a 14 oz container of the firm or extra firm tofu. Be sure to get out as much liquid as possible. Pat it dry, then cut it into 1/4-inch-sized slices.

Step 7- Add soy sauce, molasses (or brown sugar), water, sesame oil, vinegar, and sriracha (optional) to a shallow dish. Stir well, and add pressed tofu.

Step 8- Flip the tofu a few times to get it well coated in the marinade and allow it to sit for at least 15 minutes to soak it up. You can also store it in the fridge for up to 2 days and cook it at your convenience.

Step 9- Add 2 tablespoons of light olive oil to a skillet and turn the heat to medium-high. Once your pan is warm, add the marinated tofu and cook for about 2 minutes on each side until browned and crispy.

Assemble the sandwiches

Step 10- Toast the baguettes or rolls in a toaster oven or conventional oven for about 8 minutes until the outside crust is crispy. Cut the bread in half and spread vegan sriracha mayo on both sides.

Step 10- Place 2-3 slices of cooked tofu on the bread with a heaping scoop of pickled veggies. Top with cilantro or your choice of fresh herbs and jalapeno slice and place the other half of the bread on top. Serve immediately.

🥡 Storage

You can make the marinated tofu, vegan sriracha mayo, and the pickled carrots and daikon ahead of time so that you have them on hand to assemble the sandwiches. Keep them all in the fridge in a sealed container for up to 5 days before serving.

The sandwiches are best if assembled just before eating.

🌟 More vegan sandwiches

• Vegan BBQ Sandwich
• Tofu Wrap
• Vegan Chicken Salad Sandwich
• Vegan Falafel Wrap
• Vegan Bologna Sandwich
• Vegan Chicken Wrap

📌 Be sure tofollow me on Pinterestfor new vegan recipes!

📋 Tofu Banh Mi recipe

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