Bring Vietnamese street food into your home with this Banh Mi with Pork Tenderloin! This twist on the classic Vietnamese sandwich uses pork tenderloin which is juicy and cooks fast, making it perfect for busy week nights!
Top it off with pickled veggies, fresh herbs, and a spicy mayo, all tucked into a crispy crunchy baguette. This sandwich is the perfect fusion of savory, sweet, tangy, and spicy and crunchy juicy texture.
You can't go to Vietnam without trying a banh mi! This sandwich originated in Sai gon when the French invaded Vietnam and the French couldn't live without their baguettes.
Great things come when food cultures collide! French Colonialism brought baguettes, mayo and pate to Vietnam and ultimately this delicious creation was born.
Often sold as street food, this banh mi thit would make the perfect addition to our BBQ food truck! There is quite a history behind this beloved banh mi with pork tenderloin!
Try Turkey Meatball Banh Mi or Ribeye Steak Sandwich is a great option. Sweet Potato Fries fit the bill as a side dish for either of these great lunches.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Perfect for meal prep - you can make the portions of the recipe ahead of time to assemble later and have fast satisfying sandwiches all week.
- This banh mi recipe is so flavorful! It pairs acid and crunch with the creaminess of the mayo and savory juicy pork. A bit of spice and it's hitting all the notes.
- The pork cooks quickly, so a banh mi thit is a great weeknight dinner even when you are busy. Try air fryer ribeyes for another quick weeknight meal!
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Recipe Ingredients
- Pork tenderloin: This lean cut, when cooked quickly and sliced thinly, is the perfect sandwich filling. Pork tenderloin is a different cut than pork loin, smaller and more tender. It also has a quick cooking time and works well for meal prep.
- Baguette: Crispy on the outside and soft inside, it holds up to the filling.
- Fish Sauce: You can find fish sauce in the Asian aisle at your local grocery store or at an Asian market. This really gives a lot of flavor to this banh mi recipe with pork tenderloin, but not a fishy flavor. It's one of my favorite ingredients in Asian cooking, use it in Green Curry Shrimp too!
See recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Substitutions & Variations
- Pork loin can be used in place of pork tenderloin. I recommend slicing pork loin very thin for this banh mi.
- Try chicken thighs instead of pork tenderloin to make a chicken banh mi! Thighs are one of my favorites, I love them in a Chicken Shawarma Bowl too.
- Adjust the spice level up or down in this easy banh mi recipe by using more or less Sriracha, more or less jalapenos or substituting serrano peppers or Thai chiles for the jalapeno peppers.
This recipe has not been tested with other substitutions or variations. If you replace or add any ingredients, please let us know how it turned out in the comments below!
How To Make Banh Mi with Pork Tenderloin
Step 1: Whisk marinade ingredients well to combine.
Step 2: Marinate pork tenderloin for no less than six hours.
Step 3: Whisk up brine and add cucumber, jalapeno, and onion for a quick pickling session.
Step 4: Mix chili sauce in mayo in a small bowl and pop in the fridge.
Step 5: Once cooked, thinly slice pork.
Step 6: Toast bread and spread with mayo.
Step 7: Add pork and all the fun toppings.
Step 8: Serve banh mi with pork tenderloin and enjoy!
Expert Cooking Tips
- Allow pork to marinate for 6-24 hours to really impart flavor into the meat. Ideally at least overnight.
- Use a very hot skillet to achieve a great sear on the pork.
- Allow pork tenderloin to rest for 5-10 minutes before slicing. This allows the juices to redistribute and keep the meat moist. This rule goes for any meat, including roasted half chicken.
- Layer your sandwich like a pro! Start by toasting the bread then layering up with pork, veggies and herbs.
Recipe FAQs
Banh Mi with Pork Tenderloin is the perfect meal prep meal. The mayo and pickles can be made up to 5 days in advance. The pork will last for 5 days after cooking, in an airtight container in the fridge. Just don't assemble your Vietnamese pork sandwich more than you will be eating at once because a leftover sandwich will be sad and soggy.
I love having pans that multi-task in the kitchen. When purchasing new pans for the stovetop, check what the handles are made of. Cast iron will always be one-piece totally cast iron, so completely oven safe. Many stainless steel pans are safe as well, and even some ceramic coated pans. If you are unsure your pan is safe, simply transfer the seared meat to a sheet pan before placing in the oven to finish cooking.
Pork has had a reputation in the past for being really dry and tough. If you know how to cook pork you'll never have that dreaded feeling again! Pork can safely be removed from the heat once it has an internal temperature of 140°F. This way you will have juicy slices, even when thinly sliced. It will also be easy to slice at this tender junction.
Banh Mi with pork tenderloin can be served as a bowl over rice or vermicelli. Make it a salad and serve over the top of romaine or into a lettuce wrap using bibb lettuce. We love using the leftover pork in fried rice or as a banh mi taco!
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📖Recipe
Pork Banh Mi Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 2lbs pork tenderloin
- ⅓ cup lime juice fresh
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
- 2 teaspoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon ginger paste
- 2 teaspoon garlic cloves minced
- 3 teaspoon kosher salt divided, Diamond Crystal brand
Pickled Veggies
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt Diamond Crystal brand
- 1 cup hot water
- 1 cup rice vinegar
- ½ red onion sliced thin
- 2 fresh jalapenos sliced thin
Spicy Mayo
- 1 cup mayo Hellman's or Duke's
- ½ cup sweet chili sauce Mae Ploy brand
- 1 tablespoon sriracha
Toppings
- 1 English cucumber sliced into ribbons on mandolin
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves stemmed
- 1 cup fresh mint leaves stemmed
- 1 cup cilantro leaves stemmed
- 1 French loaf bread cut into 4 pieces, 5-6 inches each
Instructions
Pork & Marinade
- Place pork tenderloin in a gallon resealable plastic bag
- Add lime juice, brown sugar, sriracha, fish sauce, ginger, garlic and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt to a mixing bowl and whisk. Add mixture to plastic bag with pork. Seal the bag, pushing out any air and squish the bag around to distribute marinade over the pork. Refrigerate overnight or for at least 6 hours.
Pickled Veggies
- Whisk sugar, salt and hot water together in a medium bowl. Add rice vinegar, red onions and jalapenos. Cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours and up to 72 hours
Spicy Mayo
- Whisk all spicy mayo ingredients together then chill until needed
Cooking Pork
- Preheat the oven to 400°F and heat a large skillet over medium-high heat until pan is very hot. Drizzle a bit of olive oil in the pan then sear pork for 2-3 minutes per side. Place pan in the oven and roast until pork reaches 150°F, about 10 minutes
- Allow pork to rest 5-10 minutes then slice in thin slices
Building Banh Mi
- Toast bread in the oven for 3-5 minutes on a sheet tray until outside is warm and crispy and inside of bread is soft
- Layer spicy mayo on both sides of bread, add pork, pickled veggies, cucumber ribbons, mint, basil and cilantro. Serve immediately
Krista
One of my favorite sandwiches with so many layers of flavor! Cold pickled veggies and herbs make it so fresh
Zach
Delicious and refreshing! Never had bang mi before and boy did this recipe deliver. Can’t wait to make again