Tofu Banh Mi (Vietnamese Tofu Sandwich)

This Vietnamese-inspired sandwich is all about contrast: warm and crispy tofu against cool, crunchy pickles; bright herbs balanced with a savory soy-lime marinade; and a light, airy baguette that holds everything together without weighing it down. It’s fresh, fast, and perfect for lunch, dinner, meal prep, or casual entertaining.

🔎 What Is a Banh Mi?

Banh mi is a Vietnamese sandwich traditionally served on a light, crisp baguette – a delicious legacy of French influence during Vietnam’s colonial period. Classic versions combine savory protein (often pork), pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, cilantro, chilies, and a creamy spread.

This tofu banh mi keeps the signature balance of sweet, salty, tangy, spicy, and fresh, swapping the meat for marinated, pan-seared tofu that’s deeply flavorful and beautifully caramelized.

✔️ Ingredients, Substitutions & Swaps

For the complete list of ingredients and exact quantities, check the printable recipe card below.

For the Pickled Veggies:

• Veggies: Daikon Radish + carrots (the classic combo). Add jalapeños for heat.
• Vinegar: Rice vinegar preferred, but apple cider or white vinegar works
• Sugar: Granulated sugar or your preferred sweetener.

For the Tofu and Marinade:

• Tofu: Use extra-firm tofu for best texture. Firm tofu works too.
• Soy Sauce: Use tamari instead of soy sauce for gluten-free.
• Garlic and Ginger: Fresh is best. Garlic paste and ginger paste can be used. In a pinch use dried ginger and garlic powder.
• Sesame Oil: Use toasted or roasted sesame oil which is very flavorful and aromatic.
• Lime: This recipe uses the zest and the juice of a fresh lime.
• Sweetener: Brown sugar, honey, maple syrup or your preferred sweetener.

For the Sandwich:

• Bread: Vietnamese-style baguette is ideal (light and airy) but French baguette or any sandwich roll can work. Choose soft bread with a crisp exterior as overly crusty bread is hard to eat for a sandwich like this.
• Veggies/Herbs: A banh mi sandwich is all about the fresh, crisp veggies and herbs! Sliced cucumbers (I prefer seedless cucumbers like English cucumbers but any type will work. Fresh cilantro is the classic but you can omit or substitute with parsley.

For the Spicy Mayo:

• Mayonnaise: You can use regular mayo or plant-based mayo to keep the sandwich vegan.
• Sriracha: Although we chose sriracha for this spread, other chili sauces can be used. Sambal oelek and even chili crisp can be used.

🔎 How to Make Tofu Banh Mi?

Scroll to the printable recipe card for exact directions and cooking times.

Make the Pickled Vegetables:

1. Combine daikon and carrots in a bowl.
2. Add sugar and salt; massage to dissolve and soften the vegetables.
3. Add vinegar and water (and jalapeños if using). Transfer to a jar, ensuring vegetables are submerged. Refrigerate for at least 1 hour (keeps up to 1 week).

For the Sandwiches:

1. Mix the Marinade: Whisk together soy sauce, lime juice and zest, sesame oil, garlic, ginger, brown sugar (or maple/honey), and black pepper.
2. Marinate the Tofu: Drain and pat tofu dry. Slice into ⅓-inch slabs. Coat with marinade and let sit 15-60 minutes (or overnight for best flavor).

3. Cook the Tofu: Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high. Cook tofu about 2 minutes per side, undisturbed, until golden and caramelized.
4. Make the Sriracha Mayo: Stir together mayo, sriracha, a splash of lime juice, and a few drops of toasted sesame oil. Refrigerate until ready.

5. Assemble the Sandwich: Slice baguette lengthwise (hinge-style). Spread sriracha mayo on both sides. Layer tofu, cucumber, pickled veggies, cilantro, and jalapeños. Serve immediately with lime wedges.

🤔 Frequently Asked Questions

✔️ Make-Ahead & Storage

• Make Ahead: Pickled vegetables can be stored up to 1 week refrigerated. You can marinade the tofu up to 24 hours before cooking. Sriracha mayo keeps refrigerated for 5 days.
• Storing: All components can be stored in the fridge and the tofu can be cooked a day ahead but the sandwich should be assembled just before serving for best texture. Leftover sandwich will keep in the fridge overnight but the bread will most likely get soggy because of the pickled veggies.

💛 Intentional Cooking

Your priorities, your recipe. Learn about Intentional Cooking.

Environment: Choosing plant-based proteins like tofu is one of the simplest ways to reduce your environmental footprint. Compared to animal protein, tofu requires significantly less land, water, and energy – a small shift that supports a more sustainable food system.

Finances: Tofu is one of the most affordable high-quality proteins you can buy. Paired with simple vegetables and pantry staples, this banh mi delivers bold flavor and great nutrition without stretching your grocery budget.

Community, Culture and Tradition: Banh mi reflects Vietnam’s rich culinary history – a beautiful blend of local ingredients and French influence. Preparing it at home is a way to appreciate and celebrate the flavors, techniques, and cultural stories behind this iconic street food.

🛒 Essentials you’ll adore for this recipe

• 

  John Boos Rectangular Cutting Board

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  Shun Classic Chef’s Knife 10-inch

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Vietnamese Tofu Banh Mi

Kathy McDaniel

This Tofu Banh Mi sandwich is loaded with crispy, caramelized tofu, quick pickled vegetables, fresh herbs, and spicy sriracha mayo. Fresh, flavorful, and loaded with plant-protein.

Print Pin

Prep 15 minutes mins

Cook 10 minutes mins

Pickling 1 hour hr

Total 1 hour hr 25 minutes mins

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients 

1x2x3x

For the Pickled Veggies

• ▢ 1 small daikon radish, peeled and cut into matchsticks or shredded (about ¾ cup)
• ▢ 1 large carrot,, peeled and cut into matchsticks or shredded (about ¾ cup)
• ▢ 3 tablespoons sugar or preferred sweetener
• ▢ ½ teaspoon salt
• ▢ ⅓ cup rice vinegar, white vinegar or apple cider vinegar, plus more if needed
• ▢ ⅓ cup water, plus more if needed
• ▢ ½ jalapeño, sliced (optional)

For the Marinade

• ▢ ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari, use low sodium if preferred
• ▢ Zest and juice of ½ lime
• ▢ 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
• ▢ 1 garlic cloves, grated
• ▢ 1- inch piece fresh ginger peeled and grated, about 1 teaspoon or ½ teaspoon dried ginger
• ▢ 2 teaspoons brown sugar, honey or maple syrup
• ▢ Ground black pepper

For the Filling:

• ▢ 1 14 ounce package extra firm tofu
• ▢ Oil for searing/grilling, about 2 tablespoons
• ▢ 4 baguette pieces or Vietnamese-style baguettes
• ▢ ½ cucumber, seeded and thinly sliced (lengthwise preferred)
• ▢ Fresh cilantro leaves
• ▢ Jalapeno slices

Sriracha Mayo

• ▢ ½ cup mayo or vegan mayo
• ▢ 1-3 teaspoons sriracha or more to taste
• ▢ Splash of lime juice
• ▢ A few drops of toasted sesame oil

Instructions 

To make the pickled veggies:

1. In a small bowl place the radish and cucumber sticks. Add the sugar and salt and massage both into the veggies to help both dissolve. Add the vinegar and water and mix to combine. You can add ½ sliced jalapeno if using.
2. Pack the veggies and liquid into a medium jar or container (a quart-size mason jar works). You want to have the veggies completely submerge into the vinegar mixture.Add additional water/vinegar if needed. Place in the fridge for at least an hour before serving. The pickled veggies can be kept in the fridge for up to a week.

Mix the marinade:

1. In a small bowl mix together the marinade ingredients – soy sauce or tamari, lime juice and zest, toasted sesame oil, grated garlic, ginger and sweetener of choice.

For the tofu:

1. Drain the tofu and pat it dry with a clean kitchen towel or with paper towels. Cut the tofu into ⅓ inch slabs.
2. Place the tofu in a shallow pan and pour the marinade on top. Flip the tofu to fully coat it
3. Marinade for 15 minutes or up to an hour at room temperature or you can marinate it longer (overnight), in the fridge for best flavor.

Cook the tofu:

1. Heat up a non-stick skillet over medium-high heat. Add a light coating of oil and arrange the tofu in a single layer, leaving a bit of space between pieces not to overcrowd that pan (work in batches if necessary). Cook, without moving the tofu for about 2 minutes per side or until golden and a bit caramelized on the edges.Remove from heat.

Make the sriracha mayo

1. In a small bowl combine the mayo (or vegan mayo), sriracha, a splash of lime juice and a few drops of toasted sesame oil. Set aside or refrigerate until ready to use.

Assemble:

1. Cut the baguette lengthwise on just one side so it opens like a hinged book.Spread sriracha mayo over both sides. Layer with tofu slices, sliced cucumbers, pickled veggies, fresh cilantro and jalapeno slices.

Notes

• Plan Ahead: The pickled veggies need about 1 hour of rest before serving. The tofu tastes infinitely better if you marinate it for at least 30 minutes and up to overnight.
• Pickled Veggies: For the best sweet-tangy flavor, make the pickles in advance. They’re good after about an hour in the fridge, but the flavor deepens and improves over time. If possible, prepare them a day or two ahead.
• Tofu: Extra-firm tofu holds its structure and develops the best texture. Before marinating, drain and pat the tofu dry. Pressing extra-firm tofu is not necessary.
• Make Ahead: Pickled vegetables: up to 1 week refrigerated Marinated tofu: up to 24 hours before cooking. Cooked tofu: 3-4 days refrigerated. Sriracha mayo: 5 days refrigerated
• Assemble just before serving for best texture

Nutrition

Calories: 805 kcal, Carbohydrates: 141 g, Protein: 34 g, Fat: 11 g, Saturated Fat: 2 g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2 g, Sodium: 2741 mg, Potassium: 812 mg, Fiber: 8 g, Sugar: 27 g, Vitamin A: 3053 IU, Vitamin C: 23 mg, Calcium: 336 mg, Iron: 11 mg

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