Top 10 Banh Mi You Should Not Miss When Traveling To Vietnam

Banh mi is not only an ordinary dish. It is also the culinary pride of Vietnam and is globally favored by numerous foreigners.

If you’ve never tried this masterpiece in Vietnam, it is certainly an omission during your trip. Suppose you don’t know which one is worth tasting. Don’t worry; this article will guide you through the 9 best types of banh mi. Keep scrolling down!

What Is Banh Mi?

Banh mi, the iconic Vietnamese sandwich, is a renowned dish worldwide.

Banh Mi (or Bánh Mì in Vietnamese) is a short baguette with a soft and crisp texture. It often has a lengthwise shape and is filled with diverse toppings, such as ground pork, sausage, coriander, cucumber, pickled daikon, and pickled carrots.

Despite its numerous ingredients, they are harmoniously combined, creating a mouth-watering taste that charms every foodie’s soul.

Its history started in the middle of the 19th century when the French introduced the baguette and sandwich to Vietnam. Over time, it became a staple dish in the early 20th century.

During this time, banh mi was also introduced to the new land, particularly the USA and Europe, where hundreds of Vietnamese refugees lived after the war. Until now, it has turned out to be a worldwide phenomenon, favored by Vietnamese and foreigners.

How to make Pâté banh mi?

The banh mi pate recipe is straightforward, which requires you to prepare fresh ingredients and stuff all of them in a baguette. Here are detailed instructions!

Basic Ingredients

These are necessary ingredients you should have to make banh mi:

Bread/baguette: This is the most important ingredient, as a tasty baguette will help enhance the dish’s overall flavor. Commonly, Vietnamese bread has two types: soft and crispy. However, both are very soft on the inside.

Pate: Pate is the soul of Vietnamese banh mi, which often derives from pork or chicken meat. When choosing pate, take notice of its color and smell. If it doesn’t smell sour and shows a light orange color inside, it’s fine to take.

Mayonnaise and chili sauce: This combination will improve the banh mi’s savory richness and juiciness. The spicy feeling also wakes up all of your senses.

Pickled carrots and daikon: Carrots and daikon provide the tartness and soft crunch to banh mi. It’s also a rich source of vitamin A, boosting your vision and development of the immune system.

Vegetables: They include green onion, coriander, and cucumber. Thanks to them, you will likely feel less bored and satiated by consuming too much pate and meat.

Maggi seasoning: Add Maggi when nearly finishing the dish off.

Cooking equipment: plastic gloves, knives, scissors, toasters, etc.

Other ingredients: sugar, rice vinegar, water, food containers, etc.

Cooking Instructions

Making banh mi is not very challenging. Image source: Flickr

Step 1: Place the daikon and julienned carrots in a bowl before tossing them with 2 teaspoons of salt and sugar. Let them sit for about 10 minutes. Next, rinse and drain well.

Step 2: Make the brine by cooking rice vinegar and sugar in a saucepan with medium heat. Heat it until sugar dissolves, and wait for it to cool down.

Step 3: Put the daikon and julienned carrots in a food container and pour the newly cooked brine. Close the container properly and place it in the fridge for an hour. If you don’t hurry, leaving it overnight is recommended.

Step 4: Grill the pork, make the ham, or fry the chicken to prepare the protein. This step is not the same for everyone, depending on your interest.

Step 5: Cut the baguette lengthwise. You should slice one side of the baguette and leave another intact. Then, spread a layer of pate and a few dashes of Maggi seasoning on its interior.

Step 6: Place protein fillings, such as ham, grilled pork, or fried chicken evenly inside the baguette. Next, add pickled carrots, daikon, and a few slices of cucumber, jalapeno, cilantro, etc.

Step 7: Squeeze mayonnaise and chili sauce over the fillings to enhance the taste. You can skip the chili sauce if you cannot handle the spicy food.

Step 8: Cut banh mi into two 6-inch sandwiches and serve it to the dish, or you can just devour the whole baguette. Bon appetit!

Top 10 Must-Try Banh Mi In Vietnam

Get ready to be amazed by the sheer variety of Banh Mi that Vietnam has to offer! With hundreds of unique recipes scattered throughout the country, each region boasts its own distinct culinary style, resulting in a mouthwatering adventure for your taste buds.

Banh mi chao (bread with combo pan)

Banh mi chao, literally translating to “bread with a combo pan,” is a unique Vietnamese street food. Unlike its name suggests, this dish features a crispy baguette alongside a sizzling hot skillet filled with savory goodies. Imagine a medley of ground pork, pate, fried eggs, and a medley of veggies, all cooked to perfection. The runny yolk mixes with the other ingredients, creating a dipping sauce for the bread that’s simply irresistible. Don’t miss out on this flavorful and satisfying breakfast or snack option!

Banh Mi Sot Vang (bread with beef stew in red wine)

Banh mi sot vang is influenced by the French style, which includes stewed red beef, pickled vegetables, cinnamon, and sauces. When hearing its name for the first time, many assume this dish is often served in luxurious restaurants.

Yet, in Vietnam, it can be easily found on the street vendors and sidewalks of Hanoi and Ho Chi Minh City. When eating banh mi sot vang, you are served with a bowl of savory broth.
Dip it deeply in the broth and enjoy every fresh flesh of beef and vegetables in your mouth.

Banh Mi Heo Quay (roasted pork banh mi)

Banh mi heo quay is famous for its crunchiness thanks to the crispy roasted pork. With just one bite, you will be surprised by a wonderful texture balance between the tasty roasted pork belly and pickled vegetables.

This is one of the favorite breakfast dishes in Ho Chi Minh City, and it’s often served by many street vendor carts. However, banh mi heo quay might not be ideal for people with teeth braces, as it’s too crunchy and can easily get stuck in their teeth.

Banh Mi Bo Ne (beef stew with banh mi)

Banh mi bo ne whets your appetite at first sight. Image source: Wiki

Banh mi bo ne is very special. Unlike other types of banh mi, whose fillings are stuffed inside, banh mi bo ne is served with a hot iron skillet, which includes sizzling steak, medium-boiled eggs, and pate.

Besides, there is a small sauce bowl and a dish of pickled vegetables.

To eat this food, you tear the baguette into pieces, place pickled vegetables and fillings in the skillet on your portion, and dip it in the sauce.

Banh Mi Op La (fried egg banh mi)

Another popular banh mi version is banh mi op la, with main ingredients including fresh bread and sunny-side-up eggs. It is often served on a skillet with fried coriander, pickled tomatoes, cucumber slices, carrots, and chili sauce.

Although its ingredients are basic, they all create a mouth-watering display and harmonious taste that melts the heart of every food enthusiast away.

Banh Mi Thit (pork meat banh mi)

One of the most classic types is banh mi thit. It usually contains various kinds of Vietnamese ham, grilled pork, pate, char siu, coriander, pickled carrots, and cucumbers.

Though its appearance is not very impressive, the real charm lies in its diverse fillings. Its price is also cheap and suitable for a quick breakfast.

Banh Mi Cha Ca (fried chopped fish ball banh mi)

The primary ingredients of banh mi cha ca are grilled fish and black pepper. The taste of umami baguette, the chewiness of grilled fish, and the gentle spiciness of black pepper all combine to create a perfect culinary delight.

This dish is popular in the center of Vietnam, especially in Nha Trang and Khanh Hoa. Don’t miss this delicious food if you plan to arrive in Vietnam soon.

Banh Mi Cham Sua

Banh mi cham sua differs from all the types of banh mi above. Indeed, you need to prepare a small bowl of sweetened condensed milk and a few baguettes. Then, you tear it off, dip the bread slices deeply in the condensed milk, and enjoy them.

You will experience the taste of sweetness spreading throughout your mouth. If you have a sweet tooth, this dish is for you.

Banh Mi Xiu Mai (char siu banh mi)

Banh mi xiu mai is typical of its big smashed pork meatball. These meatballs are seasoned with various spices, including shallots, garlic, black pepper, and fish sauce.

Served with pickled vegetables, such as cucumbers, julienned carrots, and daikon, this food surely offers an aromantic and savory experience that you will never forget.

Banh Mi Ga nuong (grilled chicken banh mi)

Banh mi ga nuong (ga xe) combines fresh and savory flavors in a crunchy baguette.

It features slices of spicy and juicy grilled chicken complemented by fresh cucumbers, cilantro, pickled daikon, carrots, and sauces.

How To Store Banh Mi Properly?

Storing banh mi is important to preserve its taste.

Storing banh mi is important if you want to maintain its freshness for later use. The best way to do this is to wrap the baguette in aluminum foil or parchment paper.

Given the fillings, such as pickled vegetables, condiments, and meats, place them in airtight containers and store them in the fridge at a cool temperature.

Suppose your banh mi has already been assembled. In that case, carefully wrap it in the tin foil paper and place it in the fridge. This way, your assembled banh mi won’t become soggy and moldy.

The Bottom Line

This article has provided helpful information about banh mi, a savory delicacy that is a great culinary pride in Vietnam. It’s best to enjoy banh mi immediately after assembling. If you need to preserve it for later use, store it properly and reheat it in a microwave.