Tofu Bánh Mì

This tofu bánh mì is a vegetarian version of the delicious Vietnamese sandwich, with so much flavor you won’t miss the meat!

Prep Time1 10

Cook Time20

Total Time1 30

Course: Sandwiches

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Servings:

Calories: 740kcal

Author: Sarah

Ingredients

For the carrot daikon salad:

2 medium carrots (julienned)
1½ cup daikon radish (julienned)
2 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 teaspoons sesame oil
1/2 teaspoon salt

For the Tofu:

1 pound firm or soft tofu (either works, depending on your preference, sliced into ¼-inch/6mm thick rectangles)
3 tablespoons neutral oil (such as vegetable, canola, or avocado oil)
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon sesame oil
3 cloves garlic (chopped)
3 tablespoons water
1 tablespoon sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons vegetarian fish sauce (or regular fish sauce if pescatarian)
2 teaspoons soy sauce
zest of 1 lime

For the rest of the sandwich:

1/4 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons Sriracha
1 tablespoon lime juice
2 baguettes
1 cucumber (thinly sliced on an angle)
1 jalapeño (de-seeded and thinly sliced)
1 cup cilantro

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Start by preparing the carrot and daikon. Add the julienned carrots and daikon to a large bowl and toss in the sugar, rice vinegar, sesame oil, and salt. Set aside for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, heat a large non-stick pan over medium-high heat, and add the oil. Add the cornstarch to a shallow dish. Once the pan is heated, quickly coat the tofu slices with cornstarch, shaking off any excess. Carefully place into the oiled pan, and repeat with the remaining tofu and cornstarch.
Pan-fry the tofu pieces in oil until crisp and golden on both sides, about 4-5 minutes per side. Once the tofu is done pan-frying, remove them immediately from the pan onto a plate (otherwise they will absorb the remaining oil in the pan off the heat). Set aside.
With the pan over medium heat, add the sesame oil and garlic, and cook for 1 minute. Then add the water, sugar, fish sauce, and light soy sauce. Bring to a simmer. Increase the heat to medium-high, and stir in the tofu and lime zest. Toss the tofu with the sauce for 1-2 minutes, until the sauce reduces and thickens to coat the tofu.
Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 400°F/200°C. Place baguettes directly onto the oven rack and reheat for 6-8 minutes, until warm and crispy.
To assemble the sandwiches, combine the mayonnaise, Sriracha, and lime juice. Cut the baguettes in half crosswise, and open them up. Spread the sriracha mayonnaise on each side. Fill with the pickled carrots and daikon. Add some slices of tofu, sliced cucumber, sliced jalapeño, and cilantro. Serve!

Notes

You can make the carrot daikon salad and Sriracha mayo up to 3 days in advance. Store in airtight containers in the fridge. Everything else should be made fresh, and you should assemble the sandwich right before serving.

Nutrition