Bánh mì

A Vietnamese baguette — crackly crust, pâté or mayo, pickles, herbs, chilli, and a filling that is not 'an Asian sub'.

Recipe by I Want Some Food · Reviewed by the editorial kitchen.

Start cooking
Measurement system
Prep
25 min
Cook
10 min
Rest
None
Total
35 min
Difficulty
Easy
Spice
Mild
Cost
Cheap nightUnder $8 USD · indicative, not a store price
Bánh mì

About

Bánh mì is a short baguette with a thin crisp crust and a light crumb, spread with liver pâté or mayo, then filled with meat, pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, coriander and fresh chilli. The bread is the Vietnamese remake of a French loaf. A supermarket baguette still works if you crisp it.

What you'll need

11 ingredients. Tap each one once it's out on the bench.

0 of 11 ready
2 servings

Ingredients

Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.

Steps

  1. Step 1

    Toss carrot and radish with vinegar, sugar and a pinch of salt. Rest 20 minutes. Crisp the baguettes in a hot oven 5 minutes.

    20 min

  2. Step 2

    Split, mayo (and pâté if you have it), meat, pickles, cucumber, coriander, chilli. A drop of fish sauce or Maggi if that is your house.

Nutrition

Per serving · estimate

Calories
499 kcal
Protein
32.2 g
Carbs
26.5 g
Fat
28.5 g
Saturated fat
7.7 g
Fibre
4.1 g
Sugar
12.6 g
Sodium
477 mg

Calculated from canonical ingredient data (USDA FoodData Central averages and equivalent published tables). Estimates only.

Allergens

Informational only. Not a medical guarantee. Cross-contamination happens in real kitchens.

  • Wheat
  • Eggs
  • Dairy-free
  • Nut-free

Adapt this recipe

The original recipe stays as it is. Personal versions are labelled. Serving changes are simple maths.

Adaptations · 0 / 15 used. Resets 10 November.

Substitutions

  • Pâté → Extra mayo

    Less funk. Still a sandwich.

Tips

  • Do chua pickle keeps a week. Make extra.
  • Tofu, grilled, is a real filling, not a consolation.

History & culture

Saigon street breakfast and the sandwich that travelled. The filling changes; the pickle-and-herb logic does not.

Colonial wheat bread that Vietnam lightened and filled until it was no longer French.

Modern adaptation

Provenance: Editorial adaptation.

Questions about this recipe

Answers taken from this dish's times, amounts, swaps and tips.

How long does Bánh mì take?

35 min all in — 25 min prep, 10 min cook. Cook and rest follow the method. Leftover storage and optional extra waits are not included.

How many does it serve?

The recipe is written for 2 sandwiches. Scale the ingredient list on the page if you are cooking for a different number.

How hard is it?

Easy.

How spicy is it?

Mild.

What allergens should I watch?

This recipe is labelled for Wheat, Eggs. Labels are informational — check the packets in your kitchen. This is not medical advice.

Does it fit a diet?

The published recipe is labelled Dairy-free, Nut-free.

9 more questions
What does it cost to cook?

Cheap night — about Under $8 USD, as a grocery budget for this recipe, not a restaurant price.

What equipment do I need?

Mixing bowl, Oven.

How much salt do I put in?

This recipe does not list salt as its own ingredient. Saltiness comes from Fish sauce — 1 tsp (optional). Taste at the end rather than adding a number we did not write.

How much vinegar?

3 tbsp of Vinegar.

How much sugar?

1 tbsp of Sugar.

How much fish sauce?

1 tsp (optional) of Fish sauce.

What can I use instead?

Pâté → Extra mayo. Less funk. Still a sandwich.

Any tips from this recipe?

Do chua pickle keeps a week. Make extra. Tofu, grilled, is a real filling, not a consolation.

Can I use an air fryer?

This method is not written for an air fryer. The core technique on the page still applies.

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