My Vegan Banh Mi is inspired by a traditional vietnamese sandwich recipe. I took the original and made a vegan version as a tofu sandwich with pickled vegetables. It’s easy to make and is probably the best Vegan Banh Mi you’ll ever try!
Already one of my more recent recipes, the Vegan Chioppino (or is it ‘Cioppino’? Anyone here knowing that?), was inspired by my time abroad. With today’s recipe, it’s in fact very similar – although I guess the sandwich is not really typical for the area. This goes back to a time when I spent a couple of months in Southern California. Orange County, to be precise. There was a place, not far from where I lived, which had these great sandwiches that I came to love: I found their tangy taste quite exciting and exotic. Eventually, I went to that place again and again to enjoy my lunch sandwich in the warm Californian sun.
Much too quickly did that time come to an end and memory about my lunch favorite started to fade with the distance. Only very recently did it pop back into my mind. And it lingered there, coming to the center of my attention whenever I started thinking about new possible recipes for myself and Contentedness Cooking. However, a Banh Mi that you’d typically get was quite full of meat. Obviously a lot has changed for me after becoming vegan so I had to find a way to make my own Vegan Banh Mi version.
In the end, this recipe is pretty straightforward. I prepared some quickly pickled vegetables (onion, carrots). The trick is to add a little syrup – either maple or date syrup – to the vinegar and lemon juice mix. Add slices of smoked, roasted tofu, vegenaise and fresh cilantro and the Vegan Banh Mi is already complete. Of course you can go creative with it and add more an/or different veggies. Go and explore! 
This Vegan Banh Mi is a fresh and satisfying lunch option for people who like their fresh bread with a load of pickled vegetables and spicy flavors. Good to go in little time.
Ingredients
- 2 carrots peeled and cut into really thin strips
- 1 onion peeled and cut into thin slices
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) white vinegar
- 1 Tbs lemon juice
- 1 Tbs maple or date syrup
- salt, pepper, ginger to taste
- fresh gluten-free bread of choice
- 7 oz (200 g) smoked tofu
- 3-4 Tbs vegenaise
- cilantro
Instructions
- Wash, peel, and cut the carrots and onion into thin strips and slices, respectively.
- In a small bowl, combine the vinegar, lemon juice, and syrup. Season with salt, pepper, and a dash of ginger.
- Add the veggies to the liquid and let sit for about 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 390°F (200°C).
- Slice the smoked tofu and put it on a baking sheet prepared with parchment paper. If you like it more spicy, feel free to season the tofu with extra pepper or hot sauce. Roast the tofu slices for 10-15 minutes.
- To assemble the Banh Mi, use the pickled veggies and the tofu strips, add a good amount of vegenaise and cilantro.
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