Are you a fan of Vietnamese food? I can’t get enough. I’d eat pho every day until the day I died if I could—vegan pho, that is. I’m not sure why it appeals to me so much, but I’m lucky enough to spend most of my time in New York City, where I can get it pretty readily. Sadly, though, my favorite pho place shut down recently, so I’m on the search for a new spot that I like just as much.
I’ve never tried to make pho at home because it’s pretty tricky to get right, but that doesn’t mean I won’t give it a shot in the near future. In the meantime, there’s the Banh Mi sandwich. I see it as pho, but without the broth. And it’s on a roll instead of in a bowl (a rhyme!). It’s actually super easy to make, which is part of why I tried it. Many of the Banh Mi sandwiches I’ve found in the city aren’t vegan, and if they are, they usually include tofu (not my favorite). So I whipped this one up with seitan. It’s “meaty,” spicy, and pretty sweet. Plus, it’s on a baguette! How can you beat that?
This dish is surprisingly refreshing, so it’s perfect for this warm weather that’s upon us.
I’d love to see your photos of this recipe and know how it turns out for you. Hit me up on social media at @nutfreevegan to show me!
Seitan Banh Mi Sandwich
Ingredients
- Pickled vegetables
- ¼ cup matchstick carrots
- ¼ cup matchstick daikon radish
- ½ cup rice vinegar
- Seitan marinade
- ½ cup soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. garlic
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- ¼ cup brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 tsp. sweet chili sauce
- Sriracha mayonnaise
- ⅓ cup vegan mayonnaise I use Earth Balance Mindful Mayo
- 1 tsp. lemon
- 1 tsp. sriracha
- 1 tsp. olive oil
- 10 oz. seitan I suggest the Nut-Free Vegan “Chicken”-Flavored Seitan recipe
- 2 baguettes
- 4 thin cucumber slices
- 1 large jalapeño sliced
- ⅓ cup cilantro
Instructions
- In small bowl, mix carrots, daikon, and rice vinegar. Let sit 20 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Mix seitan marinade in medium bowl, then add seitan. Let marinate 10 minutes.
- Mix sriracha mayonnaise ingredients together and set aside.
- Heat olive oil over medium heat, add seitan and remaining marinade. Cook 10 minutes.
- Coat both sides of baguette with sriracha mayonnaise. Add cooked marinated seitan, cucumbers, pickled vegetables, jalapeño slices, and cilantro.
Nutrition
This is THE BEST. Everything was delicious. I’m making it for the second time tonight because it was just so good. A+
That’s great to hear, Jmart! I’m so happy you enjoyed it.
I’ve never had Vietnamese food before but wanted something other than the typical Korean marinades I pair with my seitan/tofu. Thankfully i came across this recipe and the marinade is fantastic! I’m meal prepping for the week, and this marinade is perfect for my paninis! I even reduced the leftover marinade to use as a sauce. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe and I hope to find actual decent baguettes so I can make the whole recipe!
That’s awesome, Jeannette! I’m really happy to hear you found some good ways to use the recipe.