Lemongrass Tofu Bánh Mì Sandwich

Tired of eating the same sandwiches? Allow me to introduce to you arguably the best type of sandwich in the world, Bánh Mì. This vegan friendly Vietnamese sandwich is stuffed with fresh, aromatic lemongrass tofu and a few classic vegetables such as pickled daikon and carrots. With one bite, it will hit 4 of the main taste receptors: sweet, sour, salty, and savory. 

What is Bánh Mì? 

In Vietnamese, Bánh Mì is “bread” and comprises of French baguette filled with meat, pâté, pickled vegetables, cucumber, chili pepper, and cilantro. Although more commonly made with grilled meat, it is also made with tofu for vegans and non-vegans alike. 

Vegan Food in Vietnam

Fun fact: Vietnam has normalized vegan food to the point where there seems to be mock meat (made out of gluten or soy) for every type of popular Vietnamese dish. While tofu may not be one of those mock meats, it is one of those vegan foods that has been seamlessly incorporated into the diets of many Vietnamese people. In fact, some of the best Vietnamese dishes include tofu (link here). Lemongrass tofu is no exception and if i could describe it in one word, it would be phenomenal. 

What is lemongrass?

If you haven’t tried lemongrass before, stop what you’re doing and head to your grocery store and buy a few fresh stalks now! Just kidding, but actually though…. Lemongrass (aka Cymbopogon citratus) is a plant native to the tropical climates of regions such as Southeast Asia. It is frequently used as an herb to add a lemony aroma and citrus flavor in Vietnamese cooking.

I hope you love this sandwich as much as I do. It is: 

Crispy

Nutritious

Savory

Wholesome

Easy to make

& Comforting 

If you make the pickled daikon and carrots ahead of time, you can make the entire sandwich in less than 15 minutes! 

A few notes:

1. For any leftovers, store the cucumbers, cilantro, and tofu separately from the bread. This is great for meal prep. Once you make the tofu and pickled vegetables, it is extremely quick to put together. This could be made for lunch 4 days in a row. Alternatively, you could use the leftover tofu to make spring rolls.
2. Most Asian markets sell pre-fried ready to eat tofu for cheap. I prefer buying these tofu packs when I’m short on time. However, if you don’t have a local Asian grocery store, you can fry the tofu yourself. Check out how to pan fry tofu here.
3. For Thai Bird Eye chili, you can buy a 20-30 pack of fresh chili peppers for $1 USD at your local Asian market and freeze it for later use.

Please let me know if you gave this recipe a try. Leave a comment, rate it and tag a photo on Instagram @tifflovestofu. I’d love to see or hear how it turned out for you.