This tempeh banh mi sandwich features quick-pickled carrots and onions, paper-thin cucumbers, and cilantro.
A satisfying all-in-one combo of “meaty”, crunchy, tangy, and fresh, this tempeh banh mi is the handheld meal of my dreams. For lunch or dinner, in summer or winter, it’s impossible not to fall in love with this sandwich. It’s got all the flavors and textures you could want in a complete meal – without the need for utensils. (Or even a plate, if we’re being totally honest.)
What is a Banh Mi Sandwich
Technically, bánh mì is the Vietnamese word for bread. But sometime in the 1900’s, the term evolved to also refer to a popular street food consisting of barbecued meat, pâté, herbs, and pickled vegetables, all encased in a crusty baguette.
The banh mi sandwich is a cross-cultural hybrid born out of colonization and migration. The baguette made its way to Vietnam via French colonists in the 1800’s. While char siu – the style of barbecued pork commonly found in the sandwich – migrated over from China.
What’s In This Vegetarian Version
The star of this vegetarian banh mi is the sweet and salty glazed tempeh, which makes the perfect substitute for the pork or chicken typically found in this Vietnamese sandwich. The tempeh is complemented by crunchy quick-pickled onions and carrots, raw cucumbers, cilantro, and a swipe of mayo. A warm, toasted baguette holds it all together, creating the perfect handheld meal.
Tempeh Banh Mi Step-by-Step
Find complete instructions with ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Make the Quick-Pickled Veg
In a bowl or mason jar, combine seasoned rice vinegar (substitution ideas below) and water. Add the carrots and onions, and make sure they’re fully submerged (adding more water, if needed). Set aside to marinade for at least 30 minutes.
Step 2: Marinade the Tempeh
In a separate dish, whisk together soy sauce, maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic powder, seasoned rice vinegar, and a bit of water. Add the sliced tempeh and toss to coat. Set aside for about 15 minutes – tossing again about halfway through to make sure it’s marinating evenly.
Step 3: Cook the Tempeh
Pull the tempeh out of the marinade and cook in a non-stick skillet until golden, about 3 minutes per side. Meanwhile, whisk a bit of arrowroot starch or cornstarch (optional) into the leftover marinate. When the tempeh is cooked, add the marinade to the skillet and gently toss to coat.
Step 4: Assemble the Sandwiches
To serve, spread some mayo on a toasted baguette and layer in sliced cucumbers, the glazed tempeh, the pickled veg, and lots of cilantro.
Make-Ahead Tips
The glazed tempeh will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days, while the pickled veg can be stored for up to 2 weeks – which means this tempeh banh mi is perfect for meal prep and work-from-home lunches. Just make the two elements in advance and assemble into sandwiches throughout the week.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Banh mi sandwiches traditionally have pickled carrots and daikon – a type of white radish. Daikon can be challenging to find so I recommend carrots and onions. You can also quick-pickle regular red radishes, cucumbers, or jalapeños. Alternatively, sub the veg with kimchi.
Seasoned rice vinegar is the perfect pre-mixed pickling liquid because it already contains sugar and salt. If you don’t have it, substitute with plain rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or wine vinegar – and stir about 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons sugar or maple syrup into the brine to make up the difference.
Arrowroot is a thickening starch, much like cornstarch. Adding it to this marinade makes the glaze shiny and thick, and helps it coat the tempeh. If you don’t have either starch, skip it – you’ll just end up with less glossy tempeh.
More Vegan Sandwiches…
Let me know if you try this recipe! Give it a rating below and leave a comment, and don’t forget to tag your creation with @thenewbaguette on Instagram.
The Full Recipe
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Tempeh Banh Mi
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
- Category: Sandwiches
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
- Diet: Vegan
Description
This tempeh banh mi features quick-pickled vegetables, cucumbers, and cilantro.
Ingredients
For the Quick-Pickled Vegetables
- 3/4 cup seasoned rice vinegar* (see note below)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 medium carrot, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
- 1 small red onion, peeled and cut into thin rings
For the Tempeh and Assembly
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- One 8-ounce package of tempeh, cut into 1/3-inch-thick strips
- About 2 tablespoons avocado oil or another neutral oil, for frying
- 1/2 teaspoon arrowroot starch or cornstarch*
- 1 baguette, cut into 4 pieces, halved lengthwise, and lightly toasted
- 4 tablespoons mayonnaise
- 2 Persian cucumbers, thinly sliced lengthwise
- 2 generous handfuls of cilantro
Instructions
- Start by pickling the vegetables. In a bowl or mason jar, combine 3/4 cup rice vinegar with 1/2 cup water. Toss in the carrots and onions, making sure they’re fully submerged. Cover and set aside for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, marinade the tempeh. In a medium shallow dish, combine 2 tablespoons each soy sauce and maple syrup, 1 tablespoon each seasoned rice vinegar and sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon garlic powder with 2 tablespoons water. Stir to combine. Add the tempeh and gently toss to coat. Set aside for 15 minutes, tossing again halfway through to make sure it’s marinating evenly.
- Heat a large non-stick skillet over medium-low heat and add enough oil to lightly coat the bottom. Add the tempeh in a single layer (reserve the marinade) and cook until browned, about 3 minutes per side.
- While the tempeh cooks, whisk 1/2 teaspoon arrowroot or cornstarch, if using, to the reserved marinade. When the tempeh is ready, add the marinade and cook just until it thickens a bit, about 30 seconds.
- To assemble, spread 1 tablespoon of mayo on each quarter of the baguette. Top with 4-5 tempeh strips, pickled vegetables, cucumbers, and cilantro.
Notes
- If you don’t have seasoned rice vinegar, substitute with plain rice vinegar, apple cider vinegar, or wine vinegar – and stir about 1 teaspoon salt and 2 teaspoons sugar or maple syrup into the brine to make up the difference.
- Adding arrowroot or cornstarch to the reserved marinade makes it thick and shiny, and helps it stick to the tempeh. If you don’t have any, it’s fine to skip it.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 440
- Carbohydrates: 52.9 g
- Fiber: 1.6 g
- Protein: 16.8 g
Tami says
This was fantastic! The best tempeh I’ve ever tried.
Desmond says
This is great, i absolutely loved it.
I want to reuse the rice vinegar to pickle other things, bc it required a lot, but Ik pickling things wrong can be dangerous.
Is it okay to reuse this pickling brine, with some of the onions left over in it?
Alexandra Shytsman says
Hi Desmond! Thank you for the feedback – I’m so glad you liked this recipe 🙂
Yes, you can reuse the pickling liquid. I recommend using up the initial batch of onions first, then reusing the empty liquid with a new set of vegetables. All in all, I’d keep the same liquid for no longer than a month. Let me know if that’s clear!
Desmond says
That answers my question exactly
Thank you!
Uma Ramani says
I made this last night and used kimchi and jalapeños instead of the pickled vegetables. Was amazing 👏🏼.
Alexandra says
Good shortcut idea! So glad you liked this recipe 😀
B Strong says
Delish! I added JALAPEÑOS and PICKLED thE cucumbers as well 😍
Alexandra says
Great ideas! Thanks for sharing 😀
Stellerine says
WHY does it say cook time 1hour? it’s just a few minutes.
Alexandra says
The hour takes into consideration the time needed to pickle the vegetables. Apologies for the confusion!
Leslie says
Hello!! I love this recipe and we make it all the time… when I went to cook it today though, it seems like a lot of things have changed since last time. Do you have a link to the previous version of the recipe? With hoisin? Or am I getting confused? Thanks a lot!
Alexandra says
Hi Leslie! Yes, I updated the recipe recently because I wanted to cut down on processed sugar and make the tempeh a little healthier. Unfortunately I don’t have records of the previous version. But it was basically: slicing up the tempeh, browning it in a skillet, then adding a mixture of hoisin, minced ginger + garlic, thinned out with a little water. I do hope you’ll try the new version though! It’s delicious 😀
Elsa Dennis says
Such an amazing recipe! When I firts saw the pictures I knew I just had to try it. Yesterday I prepared it and guess what: everybody loved it, of course! Thank you for posting!
Alexandra says
Awesome! Glad it worked out 😀