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.
- 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

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.
Ingredients
- Pork, grilled slices or leftover roast200 g
- Mayonnaise30 ml
- Carrot, julienned1
- Korean radish, julienned daikon80 g
- Vinegar44 ml
- Sugar15 ml
- Coriander1 handful
- Fish sauce (optional)4.9 ml
Scaling multiplies the written quantities. Baking still prefers a scale.
Steps
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
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 questionsFewer 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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