Egg Banh Mi is a Vietnamese sandwich that is made with sunny eggs, sweet-sour pickled carrot, radish and cucumber, cilantro, and garlic mayo. It is easy to put together and bold in flavor. Try it out if you want to spice up your breakfast (or any other meal)! {Vegetarian} Since we moved to Sunset Park, we’ve been enjoying the egg banh mi at Ba Xuyen, a local hole-in-the-wall restaurant that serves wonderful authentic Vietnamese sandwiches and snacks. I love the simplicity of the egg banh mi. The freshness of the crispy baguette, a medley of pickled vegetables, fragrant herbs, and the tender egg filling creates such an amazing texture and rich flavor. Today I want to share with you how to make this beloved Vietnamese street food sandwich in your own kitchen.
Egg banh mi ingredients
It only takes a few simple ingredients to make egg banh mi:
Carrot, cucumber and daikon radish for the pickled veggiesRice vinegar and sugar for the pickling liquidEggsVietnamese baguette (or bolillos, or dinner rolls)Mayo, soy sauce (or fish sauce), and garlic powder for the spreadLemon wedges and cilantro for serving
Use a good quality egg
Since the eggs are the main ingredient in the sandwich, it’s important to use high quality eggs. I love to use Pete & Gerry’s Eggs for my everyday cooking. The eggs that Pete & Gerry’s sources are all from small family-run farms, not factory farms that simply use the farm label. Their organic free-range eggs also contain no pesticides, no added hormones, no antibiotics, and no GMOs. Their eggs have a darker and harder shell, a big, vibrant yolk, and a richer taste.
What type of bread to use
Vietnamese baguette is the most authentic bread to use to make banh mi. Different from a typical baguette, the Vietnamese type has an airy texture and a crispy crust without being especially chewy. The bread is shorter and fatter than a regular baguette. If you cannot find Vietnamese baguettes, the next closest bread might be the bolillo, which you can find at Mexican and other Latin American grocery stores. Lightly toasted dinner rolls are another good option due to their fluffy texture. You need to use two dinner rolls to replace one Vietnamese baguette. It’s possible to use a regular baguette to make this recipe, but sometimes I find the texture a bit dense. You also cannot add a lot of pickles into the bread due to its narrower shape.
Egg banh mi cooking process
Cooking the egg banh mi is quite easy.
Make quick pickles: It only takes 30 minutes to make these delightful sweet and sour picklesMix the garlic mayoFry the eggs
Different way to cook the eggs for egg banh mi
I like to make sunny side up eggs that have a crispy crust for my egg banh mi. To make them, heat up the oil until very hot before adding the eggs. Then turn to medium to medium-low heat and cover the pan until the egg white turns solid. Over-easy fried eggs or fully cooked fried eggs work great as well. You can also make egg omelets for the egg banh mi, which is the way our local restaurant serves it. If you make fully cooked eggs or egg omelets, it’s easier to pack the egg banh mi for a picnic, or lunch at school or work.
Assemble the egg banh mi
Slice the bread, then spread the garlic mayo on both inner sides.Add generous amounts of picklesTop with the fried eggsGarnish with cilantro
The crispy fluffy bread, velvety egg yolk, and crunchy refreshing pickles create a harmonious blend of flavors and sensations that make Egg Banh Mi a satisfying and irresistible meal. Whether enjoyed as a hearty breakfast, a quick lunch, or a snack on the go, Egg Banh Mi is a great option to spice up your egg recipe repertoire.
More delicious breakfast recipes
Japanese Egg Sandwich (Tamago Sando)Ji Dan Bing (Chinese Breakfast Pancake, 鸡蛋饼)Instant Pot Breakfast CongeeEggplant Omelet (Tortang Talong)Chinese Steamed Eggs (鸡蛋羹)
