Instant Pot Banh Mi | Vietnamese Sandwich

Bahn mi has really grown in popularity with the onset of the food truck phenomenon in the US.  I was introduced to banh mi when I visited a neighborhood Vietnamese restaurant and I was hooked from the first bite! It really is one of the most delicious sandwiches I’ve ever had.

Tips

Pâté (pronounced ‘pah-tay’)  is a meat spread that can be kind of expensive and/or may not be available to you.   If your pâté is not spreadable, slice it thinly.  If you don’t want to use pâté, substitute a slice of ham.  But you will be missing the rich flavor of the pâté.

Try to find a light crusty baguette – avoid a dense, chewy bread.  If you have a Vietnamese bakery near you, all the better!  Bolillo rolls, Cubano rolls, or hoagie rolls also work well.  And don’t skip toasting the bread; I find that the Instant Pot banh mi is so much more flavorful with a toasted baguette.

Maggi sauce is a soy-based sauce that’s made with different recipes depending on the country it’s sold in.  You can find many of them on amazon.  It’s one of the ingredients in an authentic, traditional banh mi.  A few drops of Maggi sauce in the banh mi, when you’re assembling it, adds a lot of flavor.  You can find Maggi sauce in Latin or Asian grocery stores. I use the Latin version.  Read more about this sauce in Andrea Nguyen’s primer on Maggi sauce.

If I don’t have any on hand, I use Golden Mountain Seasoning Sauce, which is a Thai sauce I use in noodle dishes.

Daikon is an Asian radish and is usually available at regular grocery stores, but you’ll definitely find it in an Asian grocery store. (Warning: it’s got a very strong smell, especially if you store the pickle in a bottle!)  If you can’t find it, omit it. Yet another ingredient that when combined with all the others, really enhances the flavor.  I’ve provided a recipe for pickled daikon radish and carrots – it’s really simple to make.

Although you can use plain mayonnaise, kick it up a notch by using some Sriracha mayo.  I make my own this way:

•  1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 1 1/2 tsp Sriracha sauce (or to taste)
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 1/4 tsp minced garlic

Optional toppings: sliced cucumbers, sliced jalapenos, fried egg

If you don’t eat pork, substitute bone-in chicken thighs and pressure cook them for 15 minutes with a natural release (NPR)  and proceed with the recipe.

This recipe was made using a 6 quart Instant Pot Ultra.  I haven’t had any issues with the Instant Pot coming to pressure with this recipe.  However, if you experience the ‘burn’ message frequently you might need to add some extra liquid, e.g. some broth or water.

[Read more: Instant Pot Burn Message]

Instant Pot DUO Pressure Cook:

• Close the lid and make sure steam release handle is in ‘Sealing’ position
• Press ‘Manual’ (or ‘Pressure Cook’) and ‘+’ or ‘-‘ until display reads ‘60′ (60 minutes).

Instant Pot ULTRA Pressure Cook:

• Close the lid.
• Select Pressure Cook mode and adjust time to 1 hour (01:00).
• Press ‘Start’.

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Instant Pot Bahn Mi | Vietnamese Sandwich

Prep 5 mins

Cook 1 hour, 25 mins

Total 1 hour, 30 mins

Author Paint the Kitchen Red

Yield 6 servings

Instant Pot Banh Mi is a Vietnamese Pork Sandwich that delivers an explosion of flavors.  This Asian sandwich is assembled on toasted French bread or baguette with pork, pickled vegetables, and fresh herbs.  Bring the flavors of your favorite banh mi food truck or takeout to your kitchen with this easy recipe.

Ingredients

Pork

• 1 Tbsp lime juice
• 1/4 cup fish sauce
• 1 Tbsp garlic, minced
• 1 tsp black pepper, ground
• 1 tsp Chinese 5 spice powder
• 2 Tbsp sugar
• 2.5 lbs pork butt or pork shoulder
• 1 Tbsp vegetable oil

Sandwich

• French baguette 
• Butter
• Mayonnaise or Sriracha mayo
• Pâté
• Pickled julienned daikon and carrots
• Thinly sliced English cucumber
• Maggi seasoning sauce
• Cilantro leaves
• Sliced jalapeno or serrano peppers

Instructions

Pork

1. In a small bowl, mix lime juice, fish sauce, garlic, black pepper, Chinese 5-spice powder, and sugar.
2. Place pork in Instant Pot inner pot, and pour sauce over meat and turn to coat.
3. Pressure cook for 60 minutes.
4. Allow the pressure to release naturally (NPR) and open the lid.
5. Transfer the pork from the Instant Pot to a large bowl and reserve the cooking liquid.
6. Shred the meat using two forks, and remove any visible fat.
7. Heat oil in a large non-stick frying pan on the stovetop.
8. Spread two cups of meat in the pan and saute until browned on one side.   Add cooking liquid (1 to 2 teaspoons at a time) to moisten the meat and deglaze the pan, up to 2 tablespoons total.  (Taste as you go to make sure the meat doesn't get too salty.)

Sandwich

1. Cut a 6-inch piece of baguette in half lengthwise.
2. Spread butter on the inside of both halves.
3. Toast the bread on both sides on a griddle or in the oven on a tray.
4. Generously spread mayo on one half of the baguette.
5. Generously spread pâté on the other half.
6. Layer pork, pickled daikon and carrots, a few drops of Maggi sauce, cilantro, and sliced jalapenos on the bottom half.
7. Top with the other half of the baguette and serve the banh mi immediately.

Notes

• Prep time does not include steps that are already accounted for in the ingredient list, e.g. minced garlic, cut vegetables, etc.
• Bread should not be hard and chewy, but light and airy
• If you're using larger piece of pork, cut it into 2 or 3 pieces
• See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips

Courses Main Dish

Cuisine Vietnamese, Asian

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 sandwich

Amount Per Serving
Calories 391
% Daily Value
Total Fat 18 g		28%
	Saturated Fat 6 g	30%
	Unsaturated Fat 10 g
Cholesterol 22 mg		7%
Sodium 1660 mg		69%
Total Carbohydrates 46 g		15%
	Dietary Fiber 2 g	8%
	Sugars 10 g
Protein 14 g		28%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily values may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.

I am not a certified nutritionist.  I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers.  If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons,  I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.

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