This is one of my oldest and favorite recipes that I revamped and perfected for Cooking Club. Banh Mi is a classic Vietname sandwich typically served on a french baguette with savoury meats, pickled veggies and herbs. I created this recipe after I got back from a trip to Vietnam/Thailand where I consumed many banh mi and found myself craving all of the classic fresh, herby, funky flavors of southeast Asia.
Herbed fish sauce-spiked pork patties are pan-fried and paired with a rich, ginger-y coconut cilantro rice and balanced out by bright, acidic, spicy pickled radish, carrot and jalapeno and tied together with lots of fresh herbs + a spicy, tangy yogurt sauce.
Ingredient highlight
Ginger! is what I always turn to when I have an upset stomach. Ginger gets it’s medicinal effects from a substance called gingerol. It is a carminative, which means it helps get rid of gas and soothes our digestive system. It can also boost the immune system and reduce inflammation.
Servings 4 People
Prep Time 10 minutes 
Cook Time 30 minutes 
Total Time 40 minutes Ingredients
For the coconut rice:
- 1 cup short grain brown rice
- 1 ¼ cups water
- ½ cup unsweetened full-fat canned coconut milk
- 1 tbsp grated ginger
- ½ tsp kosher salt
- ½ cup chopped cilantro
For the pork patties:
- 1 lb ground pork
- ¼ cup chopped basil + more for garnish
- 3 green onions, thinly sliced + more for garnish
- 2 cloves garlic, minced or grated
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ¼ tsp kosher salt
- Oil, for frying
For the radish + carrot:
- 2 carrots, peeled, thinly sliced about 1 cup
- 1 bunch radishes, tops removed, thinly sliced about 2 cups
- 1 jalapeno, thinly sliced (optional)
- ⅓ cup rice vinegar
- ⅓ cup water
- 1 tsp kosher salt
For the spicy yogurt sauce (optional):
- 1/2 cup plain whole milk yogurt
- 1 tsp – 1 tbsp sriracha or other hot sauce depending on spice level
- 1 tbsp lime juice
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
- Water, to thin
Instructions
- In a medium pot, stir together the rice, water, coconut milk, ginger, and salt. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 30-35 minutes or until most of the liquid is absorbed and rice is cooked. If rice is cooked and there is still a lot of liquid, just simmer uncovered until it reduces. The end result should be slightly “saucy” rice.. Add cilantro to the pot and fluff it in with a fork.
- For the pickled vegetables, in a medium bowl, add the carrot, radish, jalapeno (if using), vinegar, water, and salt. Set aside.
- Line a large plate with paper towel. Add the pork patty ingredients to a bowl and mix to thoroughly combine. Form into small patties (1 heaping tablespoon worth).
- In a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat, add about 1 teaspoon olive oil. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, add the patties to the pan, pressing them down gently. Cook for 2-3 minutes per side, or until browned and cooked through. Transfer the patties to your plate. Carefully pour out excess oil and wipe out the skillet, then repeat that same process with the remaining patties.
- For the spicy yogurt sauce (if using), add all ingredients to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Stir in water, one tablespoon at a time, until it’s nice and drizzle-able. Taste and add more sriracha or salt, if needed.
- Serve the warm rice and pork patties with the pickled vegetables and herbs and drizzle sauce all over.
Items you can prep ahead (optional)
- Cook coconut ginger rice
- Make pork mixture and cook patties
- Pickle the radish, carrot, jalapeno (if using)
- Make spicy yogurt sauce
Substitutions:
- To make vegetarian, substitute the pork with baked tofu.
- To make vegan, use baked tofu and skip the yogurt sauce. Just top with straight up sriracha.
- Substitute ground turkey thigh or chicken for the pork. Just add more oil to the pan since they have less fat.
- Use cucumber instead of radish or carrot
Storage:
-
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge
- Pork patties: up to 4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer
- Rice: up to 4 days in the fridge or up to 3 months in the freezer
- Pickled veg: up to 4 days in the fridge (radish can smell a little funky, but it’s normal!)
Leftovers + Repurposing:
- Use leftover coconut milk in your oatmeal and smoothies or freeze for later use!
- Reheat the rice and pork patties. Serve with pickled veg, herbs and yogurt sauce.
- I wouldn’t repurpose this one because it’s just SO GOOD.
- As a heads up, pickled radish can smell funky but it’s normal!
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