Vietnamese Banh Mi with Pork Meatballs
Filled with pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, marinated pork meatballs and a spicy sriracha mayonnaise, this Vietnamese Banh Mi sandwich might be one of the best sandwiches ever!
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 1051kcal
Ingredients
- 3 baguettes cut in half
- pork meatballs (see below)
- 1 cup fresh cilantro roughly chopped
- 1 cup pickled vegetables (see below)
- 3 jalapenos sliced
- Sriracha mayonnaise (see below)
- crushed peanuts (optional for garnish)
Pork Meatballs:
- 1 pound ground pork
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons lemongrass minced
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon chili garlic sauce
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons green onions minced
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon corn starch
Sriracha Mayonnaise:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tablespoons sriracha
- 1 tablespoons hoisin sauce
Pickled Vegetables:
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup thinly sliced radish (substitute daikon if you have it)
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup water
- ⅛ cup coconut sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Thai chili (bird's eye chili)
Instructions
Pork Meatballs:
- Mix all the meatballs ingredients and chill for 30 minutes.
- Form mixture into 2" balls and place on a wax or parchment paper lined surface.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over medium heat and add the meatballs. Use a spatula to slightly flatten the meatballs so they are about ½ to 1" thick. This helps them stay on the sandwich better.
- Cook for about 3-4 minutes a side, until golden brown. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Spread a thin layer of sriracha mayonnaise on the top of the bread.
- Place 2 meatballs (or whatever you want to try and fit) on the bread.
- Top with the pickled vegetables, sliced jalapeno and fresh cilantro.
Sriracha Mayonnaise:
- Mix ingredients together until smooth and uniform in color.
Pickled Vegetables:
- Combine the vinegar, sugar, salt and chilies in a bowl and mix until the sugar is dissolved.
- Pour over the vegetables and let sit for at least an hour. For even better results, you can make these a day in advance and let them sit overnight.
Notes
- Don't over-mix your pork mixture as it can cause your meatballs to be more dense. We want them light and springy.
- I recommend cooking the meatballs in a non-stick skillet to prevent them from sticking to the pan. You can also use a well seasoned cast iron skillet.
- Flattening the meatballs with a spatula while they cook makes them fit on the sandwich easier.
Nutrition
Serving: 1sandwich | Calories: 1051kcal | Carbohydrates: 135g | Protein: 36g | Fat: 39g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 62mg | Sodium: 2844mg | Potassium: 622mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 2069IU | Vitamin C: 17mg | Calcium: 218mg | Iron: 8mg