This tofu banh mi is my vegan version of the classic Vietnamese baguette. Slices of marinated tofu, pickled veggies, fresh chillies, coriander and spicy sauce all served together in a delicious crusty baguette - vegan lunch perfection.
I first had tofu banh mi in Laos, when I was travelling there way back in 2008.
I was totally sold on it from the very first bite and I've always regretted that we didn't travel further east to Vietnam to eat more of them!
Luckily tofu banh mi is pretty easy to get in London these days. And now I know how to make my own I can have it whenever I want.
Made with fresh baguettes
Banh mi is a spicy sandwich served in a fresh baguette.
I was really struck by the availability of fresh European style bread when I travelled to Cambodia and Laos.
In fact the bread was very welcome indeed after spending the previous three months in India. While India has some of the best vegetarian food in the world, and has plenty of delicious flatbreads, I was definitely missing crusty white bread.
Wondering how the baguette became popular in Vietnam and south east Asia? Well, it's because the country was part of a colony called French Indochina from 1887 to 1954.
What is banh mi?
Banh mi, or bánh mì, is a Vietnamese sandwich, made with a baguette. Fillings include meat, pickled vegetables and plenty of chilli.
Veggie versions, made with tofu, are common.
Being packed full of colour, banh mi is a visually stunning sandwich.
And its taste is pretty amazing as well. If you haven't tried one before then you're in for a treat because it is delicious!
Making vegan banh mi
Banh mi is most commonly made with meat. However, it's very easy to make it vegan and tofu banh mi is fairly common in south east Asia.
Many banh mi recipes contain mayonnaise, which is spread on the baguette before serving. Sometimes this is mixed with sriracha sauce for a spicy alternative.
I am not a fan of mayonnaise so I have left it out but do feel free to spread vegan mayo on your baguette if you like it.
There are other ways you can make a vegan banh mi if you don't want to use tofu. I like the look of this cauliflower banh mi by Minimalist Baker and this jackfruit version by Lazy Cat Kitchen.
What kind of tofu to use
Any kind of tofu can be used as long as it is firm - avoid silken tofu for this recipe.
You could even use pre-marinated if you wanted. I prefer to marinate my own and for this recipe I've used a simple marinade of sesame oil, soy sauce and ginger.
Ingredients
For full ingredients list, quantities and instructions see recipe card at the end of this post.
For the marinated tofu you will need:
- 400g block firm tofu
Don't use silken tofu for this recipe. - 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 thumb-sized piece ginger
For the pickled vegetables:
- ½ cucumber
- 1 carrot
- 1 daikon or a few radishes
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
To assemble your baguettes:
- 2 small baguettes
- 1 red chilli
- handful fresh coriander
- Sriracha sauce, to serve
- Vegan mayonnaise, optional
More recipes you might like
If you like this you might also like:
- vegan pad Thai
- tofu ramen
- easy tofu ricotta
- herbed roasted radishes
- watercress, radish and asparagus salad
Pin vegan tofu banh mi for later
How to make vegan tofu banh mi
If you're marinating your own tofu be sure to leave enough time for it to cook and cool before making up your baguettes.
If you have made this recipe and loved it please consider leaving a comment and rating below.
Vegan tofu banh mi
Ingredients
For the tofu
- 400 g block firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 thumb-sized piece ginger peeled and chopped
For the pickled vegetables
- ½ cucumber cut into batons
- 1 carrot peeled and cut into thin strips
- 1 daikon or radish optional, peeled and cut into thin strips
- 2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
- 1 tablespoon sugar
To assemble your banh mi
- 2 small baguettes
- 1 red chilli sliced
- Small handful fresh coriander roughly chopped
- Sriracha sauce to serve, optional
- Vegan mayonnaise optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6. Press as much water as possible out of the tofu. You can do this with a tofu press or use sheets of kitchen towel and press under a heavy plate.
- Cut into thick slices and cover with the sesame oil, soy sauce and ginger. Mix well. If you have time leave to marinate for 30-60 minutes.
- Bake in the oven for 30 minutes until turning crispy, turning halfway. Set aside.
- While the tofu is cooking prepare your vegetables. Once the cucumber, carrot and daikon or radish (if using) are sliced place them in a bowl and cover with the white wine vinegar and sugar. Stir then cover with a lid and leave to pickle for at least 15 minutes.
- Once your tofu has cooked allow it to cool slightly* then prepare your banh mi. Slice the baguettes in half lengthways. If liked spread with mayonnaise.
- Fill with the tofu slices, pickled vegetables, sliced chillies and fresh coriander.
- Serve with sriracha sauce if liked.
Notes
- If packing to take for lunch later allow your tofu to cool completely before making up the baguette.
- Nutritional information is approximate and is intended as a guide only.
Nutrition
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