Instead of stuffing this banh mi sandwich with meat, I fill it with zesty marinated tofu. Pickled veggies and cilantro leaves take it over the top.
When I lived in Austin, I got a tofu banh mi sandwich from two different Vietnamese restaurants as often as I could. Stuffed with sweet and tangy pickles, herbs, creamy mayo, and more, the sandwiches were hearty and comforting, but still refreshing. My mouth is watering just thinking about them! Since we’ve moved, I’m still searching for a great banh mi in Chicago (let me know if any of you have suggestions!). Until I find one, I’ll be making this yummy banh mi recipe to curb my cravings at home.
What is banh mi?
Banh mi sandwiches are a Vietnamese street food that originated in Saigon. Served on soft French baguettes, they’re a delicious hybrid of French and Vietnamese cuisine. Typically, they contain pickled carrots, daikon, chiles, cucumber slices, cilantro, mayo, and a protein. Popular proteins include marinated pork, chicken, and paté, but I use tofu in this recipe to make it vegetarian.
Banh Mi Sandwich Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this recipe:
- Baguette – Look for soft baguette with a lightly crisp exterior. If it’s too chewy or crusty, the fillings will squish out of the sandwich!
- Seared marinated tofu – The “meat” of this sandwich. I marinate firm tofu in a blend of tamari or soy sauce, lime juice and zest, garlic, ginger, and black pepper. It’s super savory and bright. Yum!
- Pickled vegetables – These guys are key for giving a banh mi its signature sweet and tangy flavor. I pickle a combination of carrots, cucumber, jalapeño, and daikon in white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, salt, and sugar. If you can’t find daikon, red radishes taste great here too. And if you’re sensitive to spice, go easy on the jalapeño.
- Mayo – A banh mi essential! It adds a delicious richness to this fresh sandwich. To make this recipe vegan, substitute your favorite store bought vegan mayo, or make your own.
- Sriracha – For extra heat.
- Cilantro – The perfect fresh finishing touch!
After the tofu marinates, heat a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat and sear the tofu on both sides. When it’s golden brown and caramelized, stuff it into the baguette with the pickled veggies, cilantro, a slather of mayo, and a squirt of sriracha. Enjoy!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
Banh Mi Recipe Tips
- Plan ahead. For the best sweet and tangy flavor, you need to make the pickles ahead of time. They’ll taste good after an hour in the fridge, but they get better by the day. If you can, prep them a day or two before you make this recipe!
- Don’t let the pickled veggies go to waste! You’ll likely end up with leftover pickles from making this recipe. Store them in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Make more sandwiches later on, or pile them onto rice bowls, top them onto avocado toast, or stuff them into spring rolls!
- Change it up. This vegetarian banh mi recipe is fantastic as written, but feel free to play with it. Avocado and sautéed shiitake mushrooms would both be excellent here, as would extra cucumber slices. Let me know what variations you try!
More Favorite Tofu Recipes
If you love this tofu banh mi sandwich, check out this post for my best tofu-cooking tips! Then, try one of these delicious tofu recipes next:
- Crispy Sesame Tofu
- Best Vegetarian Lasagna
- Avocado Summer Rolls
- Vegan Egg Salad
- Sesame Noodle Bowl
- Ginger Miso Soup
Banh Mi Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 (14-ounce) package extra firm tofu (see notes)
- extra-virgin olive oil, for the pan
- 4 baguette pieces, sliced in half
- Good quality mayo, or vegan mayo
- A few sprigs of cilantro per sandwich
- Sriracha
Pickled Veggies:
- 1 small daikon, sliced into matchsticks
- 2 small carrots, sliced into matchsticks
- 1/2 small cucumber, seeded & sliced into matchsticks
- 1/2 jalapeño, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, more as needed
- 1/4 cup rice vinegar, more as needed
- Pinches of sugar
- Pinches of salt
Tofu Marinade:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons tamari
- Juice of 1/2 lime + a little zest
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 teaspoon minced ginger
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Make ahead: Place the daikon, carrots, cucumbers, and jalapeños in a medium jar with the white wine vinegar, rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. If the liquids don’t cover the veggies, add about 2 tablespoons water and more vinegar if necessary. Let chill for at least an hour, or store in the fridge for up to a week.
- Drain the tofu and slice it into 1/2-inch slices. Place it on a towel and gently pat dry to remove excess water.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the olive oil, tamari, lime juice and zest, garlic, ginger, and pepper.
- Place the tofu in a shallow pan and pour the marinade on top. Flip the tofu to fully coat it, adding more tamari if necessary. Let the tofu marinate for at least 15 minutes.
- Heat a nonstick skillet to medium-high heat. Add a little oil to the pan and place the tofu pieces with enough space between each so that they’re not too crowded, working in batches if necessary. Without moving the tofu slices around too much, let them cook for a few minutes per side until they’re deeply golden brown and caramelized around the edges. Remove from heat and season to taste.
- Assemble sandwiches with the baguette, mayo, tofu slices, pickled veggies, and cilantro, and serve with sriracha.
Notes
I don’t eat tofu often, but this looks so yummy I might have to try! The colorful veggies are so enticing! Pinned!
I don’t either. I wonder if it would be just as good to replace the tofu with sautéed mushrooms?
I’m not big on tofu either, but this was really really good. We used the extra tofu in some fried rice later. You might want to give it a try.
I work for a bakery in London and we’ve developed extra light and crusty baguettes specifically for Bahn Mi which means i’ve been lucky enough to get to try them out. Haven’t yet made at home but this is such a fantastic idea. I like the suggestion of pickling in advance. Pickle prep. (Might add some char siu pork though….)
This looks delightful! I’m so going to add this to my menu plan for the week ahead. I made veggie “meatball” subs this past week with peppers and my husband loved it. I can’t normally get him to eat cucumber (I still have no idea why not) so I’ll see if I can sneak it in this way.
Breakfast bahn mi! I love that idea. Beautiful pics as always.
Such a gorgeous and healthy sandwich! Love, love, love!
I am vietnamese and also an Austinite! If you want to try a delicious and authentic banh mi I recommend you go a little north to Hong Kong market at 183 and Ohlen — a cute little couple make banh mi at a counter at the back of the store and it is delicious!
This homemade version looks so delicious (as does all your food)! I am totally going to try that tofu marinade.
I LOVE LOVE LOVE your blog! So happy to have found it!
Hi Christine – thanks! We’ll go check it out this weekend!
These look amazing! I have always wanted to make my own after having them so many times at restaurants. I will definitely be trying out this recipe. Thanks for sharing!
I think this recipe will be the one to convert me to eating tofu, never been a fan but this looks amazing.
This looks and sounds amazing! I’ve never had bahn mi before, but am tempted to make this at home now for my first try. Especially love those pickled veggies.
Amazing looking sandwich. I just pinned it to make soon!
Hey there!
This looks amazing, I will have to give it ago asap, I’m also loving your pics! Looks delicious! Be sure to check out my blog as well, I love cooking and eating healthy along with food photography. I also have an obsession for lemons :D!
https://xoamys.wordpress.com/
Love Bahn Mi and this recipe looks delish!
I have been doing tons of pickling lately and just picked up some daikon (cashier had no idea what it was). I was planning on pickling it with carrots but I love how you included jalapeño and cucumber. Hmmm. . .perhaps a quick jaunt to the grocery store is in order.
http://www.theroadtohoney.com
I love this – Bahn Mis are my favorite!! Ever since moving away from SF, I’ve been craving one! Thank you!
Living in sunny Portugal brings lots of joy but it doesn´t come in the way of Vietnamese food, especially street food. So I am looking for recipes to share this cuisine with my readers.Will definitely try this one.
Tofu is totally not my thing, but I can’t really articulate why. I want to love it. I would love to see a guide to tofu or something, haha. I’ve only had it in miso soup and it just tastes like flavorless jello? Maybe I’m eating bad miso soup…
Anyway, my favorite Vietnamese place in Tampa is Bamboozle Cafe. My husband and I go there at least twice a month (which is a big deal since we cook at home 98% of the time), and I get the BBQ Pork Bahn Mi. Hold me…
Ha, maybe one day I’ll do a guide to tofu, if you think that would be helpful :). There are many types and different ways to cook it (the kind cubed in miso soup is on the plain side). I think tofu gets a bad reputation when people want it to taste just like meat (because even the meatiest version still won’t taste like meat to a true carnivore). You have to kind of like it for being it’s own thing… maybe it’s an acquired taste, I’m not sure because I’ve liked it for so long!
New Healthy tips and tricks blog. Check it out! healthytipsgarard.blogspot.com
I have yet to eat one of these sandwiches. l live in a small town. BUT now we do have a place. So I am going to try ‘the place down the street’, because your post looks delicious and I was reminded. What a lovely thing to have on my ‘to do ‘ list.
Aaah, banh mi, my favourite. Looks delicious
Even though I’m sick right now this looks like heaven on a bun!
This banh mi sounds fantastic! You have to love all those beautiful zingy vegetables and herbs in the dead of winter. 🙂
I absolutely LOVE Tofu Banh Mi and have been craving one ever since coming back from New York. I always thought to make it at home but never got around to it. Now I have no excuse. This looks incredible and the fact that you pickled your own veggies is a huge plus. Love quick pickling! Also, how in the world did you find a small daikon? The ones I find look like they’re on steroids!
Ha, let me know if you give it a try :). The ones at my farmers market (like the one pictured) was on the small side. But I’ve definitely seen ones in Japan that are the size of a small arm! You can adjust the vinegar amounts and pickle as much as you like… it’ll last in the fridge for awhile.
Ahh! I LOVE banh mi, and used to get the tofu and mock duck curry band mi from a local place. The fillings are ‘incidentally’ vegan, so I didn’t think anything of it. Then, a friend learned that the bread has egg in it! 🙁 It was really sad news, and I’ve been missing my banh mi since then.
Sandwiches are not usually on the top of my list to make, but this one would certainly cut in line. I think marinated and cooked tempeh would be a good sub for tofu as well. And these pickled vegetables, wow!
So very excited about this recipe! Yum!
This look so delicious Jeanine! I’m a massive tofu lover!
Is it just me, or is it really hard to find hearty, filling vegan sandwich recipes? This looks amazing and I can’t wait to give it a try – thank you! Plus, anything with sriracha is a big win for me.
xx Kathryn
http://www.throughthethicket.ca
This looks so good. Glad that you posted this recipe, maybe I can try it soon. More awesome Vegan options.
Delicious! Beautiful sandwiches!!!
I want one of these right now! They look fantastic. I normally would choose meat, but I like the idea of pickled vegetables and tofu as a variation of the usual; plus, it’s healthier. 🙂
I used parsnips instead of daikons, since I couldn’t find any at my grocery store (I’ll have to check out one of my city’s Asian speciality stores some time). In any case, I followed the other directions exactly as written, and it turned out great! I will definitely make this sandwich again – excellent job Jeanine 🙂
thanks Jerrica – I’m so glad you liked it!
This looks delicious and the tofu marinade sounds perfect, I love the combo of ginger and lime and I think tofu is best when it gets to carmelize. I might just try the tofu all on it’s own, it sounds that good to me.
yum….. photos looking delicious.
oh man. i lived in austin as well and just recently moved back to illinois so i’m missing lulu b’s and elizabeth st. HARD. i don’t think i’ve had a bahn mi since then. i can’t wait to try this recipe! you rule!
Oh wow! This has me craving a banh mi now. Nom nom!
Love these easy pickled veggies! Tofu is not my thing but these sandwiches look killer 🙂
oh my word! how stunning are your photos though 🙂
Made these tonight. They were amazing. I’ve never had banh mi before. Thank you for the recipe. I will be making these on a regular rotation.
What a lovely photograph! Sometimes vegetarian banh mi is all ya need right? I usually don’t pickle my cucumbers for this but that sounds good too, will try it out.
Cheers!
This looks really amazing and I’m planning on pickling vegetables today. One question, though: the recipe says let sit for at least an hour or at least one week. Could you clarify that? Thanks!!
Hi Amy, I meant to say that they’ll last in the fridge for up to a week after you make them. Hope you like!
This looks delish, hoping to make it tonight. I’ve made refrigerator pickles in the past and was told to simmer the wet ingredients before adding to veg. Is this not necessary?
Hi Breana, it’s not necessary if you’re putting them in the fridge (it is necessary if you’re canning). Sometime I heat my brine, most of the time I don’t. If you’re adding spices to your brine, simmering it will help infuse the flavors. In this particular recipe, I haven’t found it to make a big difference either way.
Thank you for good recipe. I introduce your recipe on my blog in Japan.
I didn’t wait 1week, so only 3hours put vegetables in vinegar. But I can eat them 🙂
Very tasty!
Liked your recipe a lot. Looking forward for some more mouth watering recipes. Keep up the good work.
This looks amazing!
If I can’t find daikon, is there anything you recommend as a substitute?
Hi Jess, you could use radishes, or you could just skip it and just use the carrots & cucumbers – it would be good either way 🙂
how long does the pickle last in the fridge?
at least a couple of weeks
I made this yesterday for the Superbowl and it was so good! My husband loved it so much he asked if there would be seconds today, but all I have left are extra pickled veggies. Looks like I’ll be busy cooking more tofu tonight! Can’t wait…
Hi Carmen – glad you both loved them! (sorry for my slow reply :))
Thank you for posting this recipe! I substituted sugar syrup for the oil in the marinade since I am on an oil free diet. I also skipped the mayo on mine but put it on my husband’s. It was delicious even with those substitutions. My iPad won’t let me give it stars, but it deserves 5!
Hi Debra – so great to hear – glad you and your husband loved them!
Tried these sandwiches and loved them. I skipped the mayo and added hoisin sauce instead. Thank you for posting it.
My mostly Vegan family loved these sandwiches! We ate these 10 years back in Sydney, Australia. Amazing, another lunch sandwich for my picky 11 year old.
Thanks.
Hi, I’m just wondering if the tofu marinade could be made ahead of time/how long it will keep in the fridge? Thanks!
how long does it trake for prep and make time?
Making this tonight, chicken for the family and tofu for me. I’ve been making Bahn Mi for years and my recipe is a bit different, but I came across this and knew it would be a perfect meal.
LOVED the pickled veggies! Used a shredder instead of chopping into matchsticks and it was so easy I quickly went overboard and ended up with nearly 4 cups of veggies. Hanging onto the extra to make the banh mi spring rolls this week!
Instead of mayo, try a more vegan variation, soft tofu whipped with crunchy peanut butter, sesame oil, lime juice and sriracha. Yum.
sorry, whipped silken tofu
Been craving this sandwich for days.bought one at a local pho plave for $7! And it wasn’t worth it. Pickling and marinating for this recipe right now! Thank you! Can’t wait(but i have to!)
I used this recipe to make bahn mi spring rolls. They were delicious! I used a lettuce leaf to hold all the ingredients before wrapping it in the rice paper. I didnt have sriracha so I mixed garlic chili paste with mayo and put a little bit of that in the roll. I also figured out that chilling the tofu before putting it in the roll makes it better. Yum! 🙂
Hi Amanda, I’m so glad you enjoyed these as spring rolls!
Wonderful recipe. Have you tried flavoured tofu? Have you any alternative suggestions to frying tofu? I try avoid using oil. Perhaps baking?
I like to drizzle tofu pieces with tamari (and a little olive oil) and bake for about 20 minutes until the tofu has firmed up around the edges. Toss with a little sriracha as it comes out of the oven. I also really like baked tofu that you can get ready-made (the Wildwood brand is really tasty and easy to find).
Any of the above would work well on these sandwiches!
Thank you very much for your suggestion. The description alone is mouth watering.
Really solid recipe. I followed the marinade recipes for both the pickled veggies and the tofu, and they were excellent. (note I am a full-fledged carnivore foodie, I just like good eats, and this is it)
On the sandwich construction, the only things I did differently were to pre-mix the sriracha and mayo, add some red onions, and squeeze some lime on top, all of which are minor edits. Fantastic recipe
I’m not sure where in Chicago you live, but I love the lemongrass tofu bahn mi from Bon Bon in Bucktown! Angelic Organics is a great CSA too if you’re looking for one! 🙂 That’s how I discovered daikon!
I will have to try that, thank you!! I’ve heard of Angelic Organics – thanks for the recommendation!
Funny, I’m not a vegetarian, but this banh mi is the first one that has gotten me excited about that sandwich. Thank you!
Hi Susan, I hope you love it!
Love tofu and use it often and living in Australia banh mi is oft made, and, yes, for breakfast too! But have never made it vegetarian or put the two together: methinks a treat in store 🙂 !
Hi Eha, I hope you enjoy the sandwiches!
Hi! Not sure which part of Chicago you’re in but my favorite bahn mi is at Lotus Bahn Mi, 166 W Washington. It’s like a Subway or Chipotle but with Vietnamese food, and it’s consistently fresh and delish. Thanks for the recipe! 😀
Thanks Michele, I”m going to check it out!!
Literally salivating. I need these in my life STAT.
Doubled this to make for a group of friends tonight. Got a lot of compliments! The tofu marinade is amazing and the tofu turned out really flavorful. The pickled veggies are also superb.
Hi Anna, I’m so happy to hear that everyone loved these!
This recipe is delicious! I didn’t think I would like tofu (I’ve only had mock duck bahn mi in the past) but the texture and flavor worked very well.
My grocery store didn’t have daikon so I used red radishes and julienned them into teeny tiny pieces. It was a pain, but the flavor was good.
My two sons begged me to make these again. And my husband who’s not a vegetarian went in for seconds.
Thanks for the recipe! This will definitely be added to our regular meal rotation.
Ooh, I’m so happy you all loved the sandwiches! Thank you for sharing!
oooh yummy, i want this
Just made this! Ate it too quickly to take pics!!! Doubled liquid for pickling, and added mushrooms with tofu!! Awesome recipe!
lovely
This recipe is great! I definitely recommend adding kimchi and a small amount of mixed greens. That took it to the next level for me.
Ooh, I love the idea of adding kimchi :). I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
This is one of the best/easiest ways’ I’ve ever cooked tofu! It was so flavorful, I’ve started just to make it this way for other dishes. My boyfriend also LOVED the pickled veg. All in all, a really really great recipe!
PS We used firm tofu that we smooshed(?) water out of for a bit and it worked just fine!
Hi Kayla, yay! I’m so glad you both loved these!
Try 2 Asian Brothers in North Park! Great banh mi
Thank You for this recipe. I have been looking for a Banh Mi recipe since I tried this sandwich in LA last year! Your recipe looks yummy and can’t wait to try it out!
I hope you enjoy it!
If you’re one of those people who reads through comments to determine whether a recipe is worth making, please allow me to shout this immediately into your eyeballs: YES, YOU SHOULD DEFINITELY MAKE THESE!!!
I made these two days ago, and they came out so delicious!!! I did a few lil personalized tweaks to the recipe:
1) I pressed the tofu for about 30 minutes before I put it in the marinade.
2) I heated the brine to just under boiling and let it cool for 10 minutes, then put it on the veggies for pickling.
3) I added a little bit of sesame oil (like, maybe a teaspoon) and some thinly chopped scallions to the marinade and marinated the tofu in a baggie instead of a bowl.
4) I didn’t have sriracha, so I roasted a thai chili pepper, removed the seeds and skin, and put that in some mayo along with a little hot sauce.
These came out so freaking tasty, and the cooked tofu keeps really well in the fridge! I actually assembled an entire banh mi sandwich the night I made everything, wrapped it in foil, and ate it the next day for lunch—in my opinion, this was just as good as (if not better than!) the sandwich with the hot tofu. Maybe putting the whole thing in the fridge gave it time for the flavors to mingle?
This recipe is on point, and I just wanted to leave a comment and say thank you for sharing it! 🙂
Hahaha, I’m so glad you loved it so much! Thank you for coming back to let me know! You have me craving a banh mi now 🙂
Absolutely delicious! So easy to make, I’ll definitely be making this again. I added some fresh mint leaves to mine.
This was so good. I feel like since going vegetarian I really don’t eat many sandwiches anymore. But I will be now since this will be on regular rotation!
I’m so glad you loved it!
THIS IS SO GOOD!!! My wife is very carnivorous and hates it when I go through a vegetarian phase, her one rule has been no tofu…. until I made these. She loves them! The only tofu recipe and one of the only vegetarian recipes she actually requests. This is so good!
Ha ha, I’m so glad she liked the tofu! 🙂