Tofu Banh Mi

Arguably the best sandwich in the world, let’s make a Vegan Banh Mi with Tofu! Complete with a Mushroom Pate!

I haven’t had a Banh Mi since going vegan and I definitely missed it! And I got a ton of requests for it after polling people on Instagram about what sandwich I should make from the Taste Atlas List of the World’s Best Sandwiches, I knew I had to get on it and fast!

Banh Mi is from Vietnam, and has an interesting history. In fact, this recipe was inspired by Andrea Nguyen and her video with Munchies, and she goes into the history, so check out HER VIDEO!

But Banh Mi can be made with just about anything, however pork is very common. We’ll be using tofu, and we can prepare it similar to my Grilled Tofu Chicken recipe. We can also make some that’s more chopped up, similar to my Tofu Cheesesteak recipe.

You can also simply use some store-bought vegan products of your choice, or Soy Curls, Mushrooms, whatever you like!

ingredients for tofu Banh Mi

TOFU – Obviously, we’ll need some Tofu! I’m a fan of the Super Firm kind since it doesn’t require pressing. You can use Extra Firm, just be sure to press it. And if you want to freeze and thaw your tofu, by all means, go for it!

Tofu Marinade – For the marinade we’ll be using some soy sauce, Hoisin sauce, sesame oil and some pantry staples. It’s a pretty simple but flavorful marinade!

Pickled Veggies – Carrots and Daikon Radish seem to be the most common for this. All we need to do is cut them into matchsticks and then add them to a sweet and sour brine to pickle them.

Mushroom Pate – We’ll also swap the Liver Pate for Mushrooms! This is super easy to make and is insanely delicious too! Leftovers can be enjoyed on some crackers!

Fresh Veggies – Jalapeños, Cilantro and Cucumber will also provide some spice and crunch!

French Rolls – If you want to make your own Banh Mi Rolls from scratch, Mary’s Test Kitchen has a good recipe. Otherwise just get a soft but sturdy French Roll. I don’t personally like using baguettes as they are too tough and chewy in my opinion.

how to make Tofu Banh Mi

For the pickled veggies, we just need to cut them into matchsticks and then let them hang out in the brine. They are honestly pretty good right away too!

For the mushroom pate, we will cook down the mushrooms, shallots and garlic. Then reduce them down in some soy sauce and veggie broth. Lastly, we’ll blend it up in a food processor.

For the tofu, you can thinly slice your tofu and marinade it or you can slice it into fillets. Optionally you can shape the filets to have a more organic shape. I like to do this because then I can use the scraps in a tofu scramble, but it’s not necessary.

So if you wanna get creative, round off the edges of two corners.

Your filet should look something like what I’ve got on the left (below). If you want to get even more artistic, you can shave off the edges and make them a bit rounder and softer. Again, totally optional, but I like to do it!

Once your filets are looking good, score them lightly so the marinade can penetrate a bit more. I like to score them one way on both sides. Make sure you don’t score too deeply as this will make the fillet a bit more delicate and might fall apart. But scoring will create a more “shreddy” texture as well.

After that we’ll just whip up a quick marinade!

Then we can marinade for 30 minutes to overnight.

After that we simply need to grill our tofu fillets.

Optionally, you can dredge and shallow fry these as well. I found that this gave them a nice “skin” like texture that stayed crispy even after being all sauced up.

Then slice them up lengthwise for the sandwich.

an easier option

Or you can thinly slice the tofu and toss it in the marinade! This is much quicker and easier, so do whatever you like!

Then just cook the sliced / crumbled tofu until browned and delicious!

Assemble the sandwich by spreading the pate on the bottom roll, then adding the tofu, jalapeños, cucumbers, pickled veggies, cilantro and some sriracha or sriracha mayo if you like!

storage

The pickled veggies are good for a month. Everything else should be stored in the fridge and eaten within 4 – 5 days.

other sandwich recipes you’ll dig!

• Cheesesteak
• Italian Beef
• Chicken Salad
• Steak & Chimichurri Sandwich
• Seitan Fried Chicken

Handy dandy video here!

Recommendations for Kitchen Gear, Spices & Pantry Items, Photos and Videos, can be found on my AMAZON Storefront!

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Tofu Banh Mi

Thee Burger Dude

The Iconic Vietnamese Sandwich using Tofu (Banh Mi Chay)

4.43 from 7 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Servings 3 Servings

Equipment

• Food Processor

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 16 oz Super Firm Tofu
• 3 French sandwich rolls
• 1 medium cucumber (sliced or cut into matchsticks)
• 1 – 2 jalapeños (sliced)
• 1 cup cilantro leaves (whole or roughly chopped)

MARINADE

• 1 ½ Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 ½ Tbsp Hoisin sauce
• ½ tsp Maggi Seasoning (optional)
• 3 Tbsp Vegan Mayo (or neutral oil)
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp lime juice
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 2 tsp ketchup
• 2 tsp agave (as needed)

If frying

• 1/4 cup flour
• Salt & pepper

MUSHROOM PATE

• 1 lb mushrooms (portabella, shiitake, oyster, etc)
• 2 shallots
• 4 – 5 garlic cloves (minced)
• 1 Tbsp soy sauce
• 1 cup veggie stock
• 1 tsp miso paste
• 1/4 tsp Maggi Seasoning (optional)
• 1/4 cup vegan butter

PICKLED VEGGIES

• 2 cups carrots (julienned)
• 2 cups daikon radish (julienned)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 3/4 cup vinegar
• 1 cup water

Instructions

 

Pickled Veggies

• Peel the carrots and daikon radish. You'll need about 2 carrots, and 1/3 of a medium daikon radish. First cut them into planks, and then into matchsticks. You should have about 2 cups of each.
• Toss them with the 1 tsp of salt and sugar and let them rest for 20 minutes to draw out the moisture. You can rinse them after word and then pat them dry with a clean towel or paper towel. Add them to a large mason jar or similar.
• Whisk together the 1/4 cup of sugar, water and vinegar until the sugar is dissolved. Pour over the carrots and daikon and ensure they are covered. Add more water / vinegar if needed to cover. You can use them right away, and can keep the in the fridge for up to one month.

MUSHROOM PATE

• Roughly chop the mushrooms and shallots, into a large dice. Try to keep them around the same size but it doesn't need to be perfect!
• In a dry, cold pan, add the mushrooms. You may need to do this in 2 pans so you don't crowd the pan. Bring the heat up to medium and stir the mushrooms occasionally. They will release a lot of water.
• After about 10 minutes, the mushrooms should have released all their water. Just keep an eye on them, and once they have sweat it all out, add a little cooking oil and then the shallots. Stir to coat and cook until the shallots have softened, about 6 – 8 minutes.
• Add in the garlic, stir and cook for 1 minute. Then add in the veggie stock, soy sauce, miso paste, and Maggi Seasoning if using. Cook and reduce the stock until it's been absorbed, about 10 more minutes.
• Add the mushroom mixture to a food processor along with the vegan butter and process until it's a smooth pate. Taste and adjust for seasoning. Enjoy with crackers as well as a Banh Mi! Store in the fridge for 4 – 5 days.

MARINADE

• Simply mix and combine the ingredients. Taste and adjust for seasoning.

TOFU

• Make sure to use super firm tofu, the kind that's vacuum sealed and doesn't need pressing. Otherwise, if you are using extra firm, you should press it for at least 30 minutes.
• You can either cut and score your block of tofu into 3 – 4 filets like I do in my Tofu Grilled Chicken recipe, or you can thinly slice it. Both options work great!
• Once the filets / slices are prepped, coat them in the marinade. Marinade for at least 30 minutes to overnight.
• Get a pan up to medium heat, add a little oil and then grill the filets / tofu slices for about 4 – 5 minutes per side. Feel free to brush the leftover marinade before and after you flip them. Once they are cooked to your liking remove from the heat.
• If you want to shallow fry the filets, let them cool after grilling. Then dredge them in the flour and salt and pepper. Fry them in a some oil (I used 1/4 cup for a 12" skillet) over medium heat until golden brown. Remove the the pan and set aside.

BANH MI

• Split a roll in half, but don't cut it all the way, leave a hinge. Then spread a generous amount of the mushroom pate on the bottom half. Top with 1/3 of the tofu mixture, then some of the jalapeños, cucumber, pickled veggies, and cilantro. Add some sriracha or sriracha mayo to the top half if you like and dig in!

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