Banh Mi Salmon Sandwich

Two of my favorite Vietnamese foods are pho and banh mi. I’ve written about the best pho in Hanoi and shared my healthy Hanoi pho/ramen hybrid recipe elsewhere, but here I’d like to focus on how to make a delectable banh mi.

Translated from Vietnamese, “banh mi” literally means “bread.” In Saigon in the 1950’s, what we now know as banh mi sandwiches were being sold as street food, and they are still a popular food in Saigon as well as in Hanoi.

In Vietnamese cuisine, banh mi sandwiches typically combine meat and pickled vegetables like daikon, cucumber, and carrots with a mayo and chili spread. Today, however, creative chefs are filling banh mi with everything from dumplings to ice cream.

Sandwiches in Vietnam are usually eaten for breakfast or as a snack, but I prefer mine as a healthy lunch.

I don’t know if it’s just me, but does everyone remember their first banh mi sandwich? Mine was at a great Vietnamese place amidst Seattle’s vibrant foodie scene, and it was filled with melt-in-your-mouth pork belly accompanied by pickled cucumber, peppers, and onions.

Unfortunately, pork belly is out of the question for creating a healthy lunch recipe, so I have chosen salmon—and I like it even better!

It may come as surprise that my Banh Mi Salmon Sandwich recipe results in a similar mouth feel to the Pork Banh Mi that I loved so much way back then. That’s because, like pork belly, salmon is fatty. However, salmon is a healthy fish full of Omega 3, and it is so much better for you than pork belly.

Another great feature of this recipe is that it is so easy to replicate at home! And although my favorite healthy banh mi is this salmon bahn mi, you can substitute chicken, lean steak, lean pork, tofu, or any kind of protein if you wish. And feel free to use your favorite vegetables as well.

Salmon Banh Mi Sandwich Recipe
Servings: 1

Ingredients
1 medium whole wheat sandwich roll or hamburger bun
5 ounces salmon, cubed, marinated in teriyaki sauce
1 tablespoon teriyaki glaze
1 tablespoon light mayonnaise
1 tablespoon cucumber, quartered, marinated in rice vinegar
1 tablespoon red bell pepper, diced small, marinated in rice vinegar
1 tablespoon red onion, sliced thin, marinated in rice vinegar

Instructions
1. Cook salmon in the oven at 350° for approximately 7 minutes, until cooked to the desired temperature.
2. Toast the whole wheat bun until lightly toasted.
3. Mix the teriyaki glaze and mayonnaise together and spread on the bun.
4. Place salmon on the bottom part of the bun.
5. Top salmon with marinated veggies, and cover with the top of the bun.

Tips
1. Marinate salmon for at least 1/2 an hour before cooking it.
2. Marinate all vegetables for at least 4 hours before, preferably overnight.

Meal Prep
1. If you want to prepare the bahn mi ahead of time, keep the bun separate, and make the sandwich when ready to eat.
2. The marinated vegetables will last weeks in the refrigerator.

Pin This Best Banh Mi Sandwich Recipe!