Make your own Pork Banh Mi (Vietnamese sandwich) at home! Don’t miss out on this perfect balance of savory, tangy, and fresh flavors of the lemongrass pork. Paired with pickled veggies inside a crusty baguette is the perfect lunch or for a picnic!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
A Vietnamese Bahn mi is delicious because of the super flavorful pork and fresh vegetables. The vegetable toppings to assemble the banh mi are optional, but I think the herbs (cilantro, jalapēno) and pickled veggies cut down the fattiness of the pork. If you don’t want to make a banh mi, you can also make a rice bowl with the lemongrass pork and its so bomb! You won’t regret it.
- Toppings are endless! I prefer to make pickled vegetables with carrots and daikon to ensure the acidity cuts through the pork. You can skip this and add more vegetables if you like.
- Multi-purpose pork – The pork is super flavorful with hints of savoriness and sweetness. Use any leftover meat for a rice or noodle bowl. Add your lemongrass pork on this One Pot Mushroom Rice or Filipino Pancit.
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Ingredients
Here’s a look at what you need to make this Pork Bahn Mi. The first part of this recipe is to marinate the pork for at least 30 minutes or overnight. Once you cooked the pork, you can start the second part of the recipe: assembling! The highlights are here but the full ingredient list and quantities of each are in the recipe card.
Pork Marinade
- pork shoulder or pork loin – a cheaper cut of pork is usually used for this recipe. Feel free to tenderize the pork prior to marinating to make it extra delicious!
- lemongrass – Gives a nice citrus and fragrant flavor to the pork. I found fresh lemongrass at my local grocery store. You can also buy the precut squeezed tube.
- aromatics – chopped garlic cloves, ginger, shallot are added in the pork marinade to take out the gaminess of the meat as well as provide extraordinary flavor.
- sauces – I used hoisin sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce to marinate the pork. They are available at asian grocery stores. The brands I used are in the photo below and highly recommened!
Pickled Veggies
I believe that pickled veggies make the sandwich extra tasty. However you will need at least one day to marinate them to ensure they are sour and crispy. I marinate the carrots, daikon radish in rice vinegar, water and sugar.
Bahn Mi Assembly
- french baguette – ensure that the bread is extra fresh to ensure a delicious sandwich. I bake it in the oven for 5 minutes to make the crust a little toasty and warm.
- mayonaise – kewpie mayo, butter or chicken pate is used to add creaminess to the sandwich.
- vegetables – I love how there’s so many vegetables in the sandwich. Add fresh cilantro, cucumber, jalapeno, and picked veggies for the most authentic banh mi!
- marinated pork – bake the pork prior to assembling the sandwich so the meat is nice and warm!
Substitutions and Variations
- Substitute the pork with chicken. You can try using my lemongrass chicken recipe for this bahn mi!
- Make it extra spicy! Add extra jalapeños, sriracha, or a flavorful chili oil for a spicy pork bánh mì twist.
- Gluten-free option: Add the fillings in lettuce wraps or wrap in Vietnamese rice paper instead of bread for a low-carb bánh mì.
How to Make Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi
Step 1: Start by slicing your pork thinly.
Step 2: Chop your aromatics – garlic, ginger, and shallot.
Step 3: Hit the stem of the lemongrass to release flavor. Chop the lemongrass (only need the inside stem part, which yields 1-2 tsp).
Step 4: Next, add lemongrass, garlic, ginger, shallot, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, black pepper, and drizzle of neutral oil in a bowl with the pork and mix well. Marinate for at least 6-24 hours in refrigerator.
Step 5: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 10 minutes, mix around and then broil for 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the meat.
Step 6: To assemble the banh mi, start toasting your bread. Once its nice and toasty, cut in the middle but not all the way through and spread on some mayo. Next, add your lemongrass pork and pickled veggies. Add your fresh herbs like cilantro, cucumbers, and jalapēno. This is optional, but you can finish off the banh mi with some maggie seasoning. Hope you enjoy!
Pan Fry Version – Drizzle some oil in a medium heat pan. Fry your pork for 5 minutes by continuing mixing. Pork is done with there’s some charred pieces and the pork is golden.
Expert Tips
- Marinate your pork overnight – the more flavor the pork has, the more delicious it will be! If you are running short on time, marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Toast your baguette before assembling your Vietnamese sandwich. That way, your bread will be crunchy and warm when you eat it.
- Bake the pork with some extra oil on top so it can get some charred pieces. You can also brush some honey on top of the pork while baking to make it a little sweet!
Recipe FAQs
Pork bánh mì is a Vietnamese sandwich made with a light, crispy baguette filled with marinated pork, pickled vegetables (carrots and daikon), cucumber, cilantro, and optional pâté or mayonnaise. It’s a fusion of French and Vietnamese culinary traditions. It’s usually a quick street food snack sold in the streets of Hanoi and Saigon.
You can use Vietnamese ham, bbq pork, or even grilled tofu if you like. If you’re feeling fancy, you can try adding air fryer short rib beef inside. You can also add these Thai Fried Eggs for a breakfast bahn mi!
Bánh mì is best eaten fresh, but you can store the components separately. Keep the bread at room temperature, and store the pork and pickled veggies in the fridge. Assemble right before serving for the best texture.
Of course! You can prep most ingredients ahead—marinate and cook the pork, pickle the veggies, and wash the herbs. Toast the bread and then assemble the sandwich just before eating to keep the bread from getting soggy.
Check Out More Vietnamese and Pork Recipes
- Vietnamese Lemongrass Chicken with Nuoc Cham – flavorful marinated chicken cooked in the oven or air fryer and served with sweet, tangy, and savory sauce.
- Easy Instant Pot Chicken Pho (Vietnamese Pho Ga) – the aromatic broth and tender chicken is made in an Instant Pot (you can also make in a regular pot) without the long hours of simmering.
- Katsudon (Pork Cutlet Rice Bowl) – crispy fried pork cutlets simmered in a delectable dashi sauce.
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Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi
Ingredients
Pork Marinade
- 1 pound pork shoulder sliced in ½ inch pieces
- 1 lemongrass minced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ tablespoon ginger
- 1 shallot minced
- 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
Pickled Veggies
- 1 carrot shredded or sliced in thin strips
- 1 cup sliced daikon
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- 2 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
Banh Mi
- 2 french baguette or vietnamese baguette cut in desired sections
- mayonaise
- cilantro
- pickled veggies
- cooked lemongrass pork
- cucumber
- jalapeno optional
- Maggie seasoning optional
Instructions
Pickled Veggies
- Peel your carrots and daikon radish.
- Then, slice them in matchsticks. Place them in the jar with rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. Marinate them overnight if possible.
Lemongrass Pork
- Start by slicing your pork thinly.
- Chop your aromatics – garlic, ginger, and shallot.
- Hit the stem of the lemongrass to release flavor. Chop the lemongrass (only need the inside stem part, which yields 1-2 tsp).
- Next, add lemongrass, garlic, ginger, shallot, hoisin sauce, fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar, black pepper, and drizzle of neutral oil in a bowl with the pork and mix well. Marinate for at least 6-24 hours in refrigerator.
- Oven Instructions: Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Bake for 10 minutes, mix around and then broil for 5 minutes. Be careful not to burn the meat.Pan Instructions: Heat pan on medium heat. Add some oil. Then, add your pork and saute for 5 minutes until pork is cooked and there's some brown charred bits. Be careful of the splatter.
Assemble Banh Mi
- To assemble the banh mi, start toasting your bread. Once its nice and toasty, cut in the middle but not all the way through and spread on some mayo.
- Next, add your lemongrass pork and pickled veggies. Add your fresh herbs like cilantro, cucumbers, and jalapēno. This is optional, but you can finish off the banh mi with some maggie seasoning. Hope you enjoy!
Video
@cookwithdana go and make yourself a delicious lemongrass pork báhn mì right now! full recipe on ig: cookwithdanaa 🥖 #asianfood #vietnamesefood #tiktokfoodie
♬ original sound – Jecus Andrei
Notes
- Marinate your pork overnight – the more flavor the pork has, the more delicious it will be! If you are running short on time, marinate for at least 30 minutes.
- Toast your baguette before assembling your Vietnamese sandwich. That way, your bread will be crunchy and warm when you eat it.
- Bake the pork with some extra oil on top so it can get some charred pieces. You can also brush some honey on top of the pork while baking to make it a little sweet!
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