Tofu Bánh Mì

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Each individual element of this tofu bánh mì is delicious on its own, but pile them all between a lightly crisp roll and you get a mind-blowing triumph of vibrant flavor and contrasting textures. Bookmark this plant-based spin on the classic Vietnamese sandwich when you want to impress.

Prep Time1

Cook Time20

Pickling Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Dinner

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: to 6

Author: Nisha Vora

Ingredients

Pickled Daikon and Carrots (aka Đồ Chua, see 2nd recipe card)
Vegan Pâté (optional but recommended, see 3rd recipe card)
Chili-Lemongrass Glazed Tofu (see 4th recipe card)
4 to 6 Vietnamese baguette-style rolls, French or Italian loaves/rolls, ciabatta rolls, or hoagie rolls (see Note 1)

Simple Umami Mayo

¾ cup (168g) vegan mayo (see Note 2)
1 ½ teaspoons Bragg’s liquid aminos (for alternatives, see Note 3)
~15 twists of freshly cracked black pepper

Toppings

Several handfuls of cilantro sprigs (remove tough stems)
A few handfuls of fresh mint leaves (optional but delicious)
Jalapeños, serranos, or Fresno peppers, sliced (for a kick!)
Sliced cucumber spears (optional)

Instructions

Make the Pickled Daikon and Carrots (Đồ Chua) at least 1 hour in advance (or a few days in advance).
Make the Vegan Pâté (up to a few days in advance).
Make the Chili-Glazed Tofu.
Make the Simple Umami Mayo: In a bowl, use a fork to whisk together the mayo, liquid aminos, and black pepper until smooth and well combined. Taste and add more black pepper or liquid aminos as desired. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Lightly toast the bread: Preheat the oven to 325ºF/160ºC. Add the bread to the oven rack and toast for 3 to 5 minutes or until lightly crisp. Allow to cool (so it doesn’t melt the mayo or pâté).
Slice the bread: Lay the baguette or roll flat on a cutting board, seam side down if there is one. Using a serrated knife, slice along the length of the bread, but stop before cutting all the way through, leaving the back edge intact so the two halves stay connected (i.e., cut the bread "hot dog style").
If there’s a lot of dough inside, scoop out a bit of the soft interior to make room for fillings.
Assemble: Spread the Simple Umami Mayo across both sides of the bread. Top with the Vegan Pâté on both sides (I like to be generous with it).
Add the Chili-Glazed Tofu followed by the Pickled Daikon and Carrots. Top with cilantro sprigs and other optional toppings.
Close the sandwiches, then slice in half for easier eating.

Notes

Bánh Mì is best with softer, less artisanal breads. Don’t use something very crusty like sourdough or anything too chewy/dense.
For vegan mayo brands, we love JUST Mayo, as well as Follow Your Heart Vegenaise. If you aren't making the pâté, you may want to increase the umami mayo quantity so you have enough spread for the sandwiches: start with 1 cup (225g) vegan mayo, 2 teaspoons Bragg’s liquid seasoning, and ~20 twists of black pepper.
Maggi seasoning is traditionally used so you can use that if you prefer (start slowly), but Bragg’s liquid aminos is a pretty good substitute (both are rich, salty umami-rich products made via hydrolyzed proteins). It's NOT the same as coconut aminos, which is quite sweet. If not available, use soy sauce (though you’ll likely want to use more than the amount listed, as it’s milder in effect).
As always nutritional calculations are automatically calculated and should be used only as an estimate. The calculations do not include the optional pâté.

Nutrition