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Toasts & sandwiches · 25 minutes

Crispy Mushroom Bánh Mì

Oyster mushrooms pressed flat in a hot skillet turn crisp and meaty at the edges, and a soy-lime glaze gives them the savory punch fish sauce usually brings.

Prep
13 min
Cook
12 min
Total
25 min
Serves
2
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VegetarianDairy-freeStovetop

Oyster mushrooms are the best vegetarian bánh mì filling we’ve tried. Torn into strips and pressed flat in a very hot skillet, they go shaggy and crisp at the edges and stay juicy in the middle, almost like pulled pork. A quick glaze of soy sauce, lime, garlic and a little brown sugar seasons them right at the end, no fish sauce needed.

The pickles are quick: matchstick carrots and daikon in hot vinegar and sugar for the 10 minutes it takes to cook the mushrooms. Add sriracha mayo, cucumber, jalapeño and a big handful of cilantro, and the light, crackly baguette does the rest.

The recipe

Crispy Mushroom Bánh Mì

Prep 13 min · Cook 12 min · Total 25 min · Serves 2

Ingredients

Tap to tick off as you go.

For the quick pickles

For the mushrooms

For the sandwiches

Method

  1. Step 1: Start the pickles

    Stir the vinegar, hot water, sugar and salt in a bowl until dissolved. Add the carrot and daikon, press them under the liquid and set aside while you cook.

  2. Step 2: Sear the mushrooms

    Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high until shimmering. Add the mushrooms in a single layer and press them flat with a second pan or spatula. Cook without stirring for 4–5 minutes until deep brown and crisp underneath, then flip and press again for 3–4 minutes.

  3. Step 3: Glaze with soy and lime

    Mix the soy sauce, lime juice, brown sugar and garlic. Pour into the pan and toss for 30–60 seconds until it bubbles away to a sticky glaze. Take off the heat.

  4. Step 4: Warm the bread

    Split the baguette pieces lengthwise, leaving a hinge, and warm them cut side down in a dry skillet or toaster oven for 1–2 minutes until the crust crackles. Stir the sriracha into the mayo.

  5. Step 5: Build the bánh mì

    Spread the sriracha mayo inside each baguette. Fill with the mushrooms, a big pinch of drained pickles, cucumber, jalapeño and plenty of cilantro. Serve right away.

Good to know

  • Don’t salt or crowd the mushrooms at the start. They release water, and a crowded pan steams them instead of crisping them. Use two batches if your skillet is small.
  • Pressing the mushrooms flat with a heavy pan is what gives you crisp, chewy edges rather than soft, rubbery ones.
  • Vietnamese-style baguettes are lighter than French ones. If yours is dense, pull out some of the soft crumb so the fillings fit and the bread doesn’t dominate.

Swaps

Mayonnaise
Make it vegan: use vegan mayo, since everything else is already plant-based
Oyster mushrooms
King oyster mushrooms sliced into planks, or extra-firm tofu slices, same method
Soy sauce
Tamari, plus a gluten-free roll, to make it gluten-free
Daikon
Red radishes or extra carrot

Questions people ask

Is bánh mì vegetarian?

Traditional bánh mì usually has pork, pâté and fish sauce, so no. Vegetarian versions swap in tofu or mushrooms and season with soy sauce and lime instead of fish sauce.

How long do bánh mì pickles need?

Thin matchsticks in hot vinegar brine are tasty after 10 minutes and even better after an hour. They keep in the fridge for about two weeks.

What kind of bread is used for bánh mì?

A Vietnamese baguette, which is lighter and airier with a thinner, crackly crust than a French baguette. Any light, crusty sub roll is a good stand-in.

Get the oyster mushrooms, carrot and daikon from a farmer.

This recipe is only as good as what goes in it. Find a farmers market or CSA farm near you, or get a produce box delivered when there’s no market this week.

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