Homemade egg banh mi with pickles and cilantro

This is a classic Vietnamese street food sandwich that balances crispy bread, creamy egg, tangy pickled daikon and carrot, and fresh cilantro in every bite. The garlic mayo ties everything together with a savory, slightly rich spread. If you enjoy simple egg recipes like my Japanese egg sandwich or my delicious Chinese breakfast pancake, this one is worth adding to your rotation.

My husband and I discovered egg banh mi at Ba Xuyen, a small Vietnamese restaurant in our Sunset Park neighborhood. We go there so often that I wanted to recreate it at home so we could have it any morning without leaving the house. The version I make at home is very close to theirs, and now my husband requests it almost every weekend.

I start by making quick pickles with daikon radish and carrot while I prep everything else. Then I fry the eggs, mix the garlic mayo, and assemble the sandwiches in minutes. The combination of textures, crispy bread, runny egg yolk, crunchy pickles, and fresh herbs, is what makes this sandwich so satisfying. Try it for your next weekend brunch and see why we make it so often.

Two Egg Banh Mi Vietnamese sandwiches

Ingredients

It only takes a few simple ingredients to make egg banh mi. I divide the ingredients into 3 groups so the pickles have time to marinate while I prep everything else.

Ingredients for making egg banh mi

For the Sandwich

I use Vietnamese baguettes, eggs, mini cucumbers, cilantro, and vegetable oil for frying. For optional toppings, I keep sriracha, lime juice, and sliced jalapeno on the side for anyone who wants extra heat.

Quick pickles

I use daikon radish and carrot cut into thin strips, then marinate them in a mixture of rice vinegar, sugar, and salt. The pickles need about 30 minutes to develop that sweet and sour crunch that makes the sandwich so good.

Garlic mayo

I mix mayonnaise with soy sauce (or fish sauce) and garlic powder. This takes less than a minute and adds a savory, garlicky richness to the bread that balances the tangy pickles and rich egg.

How to Make

1. Make the pickling liquid: Combine rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small pot over medium heat. Whisk until the sugar dissolves and the liquid comes to a boil. Transfer to a container and let it cool.

2. Pickle the vegetables: Once the liquid is mostly cooled, add the daikon radish and carrot strips. Let them marinate for 30 minutes while you prepare the rest of the ingredients. Drain before assembling.

pickling the vegetables in a bowl

3. Mix the garlic mayo: Stir together the mayonnaise, soy sauce (or fish sauce), and garlic powder in a small bowl until combined. Set aside.

mixing the garlic mayo in a bowl

4. Fry the eggs: Heat oil in a large nonstick pan over medium high heat until hot. Add the eggs and reduce to medium heat. Cover the pan and cook until the whites are set but the yolks are still runny. Transfer to a plate and season with salt.

frying two eggs in a pan

5. Prep the bread: Slice the baguettes lengthwise without cutting all the way through. Spread the garlic mayo on both inner sides.

Slice the baguettes

6. Assemble the sandwiches: Layer a generous amount of pickled vegetables and sliced cucumber on the bottom, then top with the fried eggs.

sandwich with vegetables and fried eggs

7. Finish: Garnish with cilantro, and add sriracha, lime juice, or jalapeno if you want extra flavor.

garnishing sandwich with cilantro

My Cooking Tips

Use a Vietnamese baguette for the best texture: I look for Vietnamese baguettes at Asian bakeries or grocery stores. They are shorter and fatter than French baguettes, with an airy crumb and a thin, crispy crust that does not fight the fillings. If I cannot find them, I use bolillos from a Mexican grocery store, which have a similar texture.

Get the oil hot before adding the eggs: I heat the oil until it shimmers before I crack in the eggs. This gives the egg whites a crispy, lacy edge while keeping the yolk runny. If the oil is not hot enough, the eggs spread out thin and cook flat without any crunch.

Make the pickles first: I always start with the pickles because they need 30 minutes to marinate. While they sit, I prep everything else so the sandwich comes together quickly once the pickles are ready. The longer the vegetables sit in the brine, the more flavor they absorb.

Try different egg styles for different situations: I make sunny side up eggs when I eat the sandwich at home because I love the runny yolk. For packed lunches or picnics, I switch to a fully cooked omelet style egg so the sandwich does not get messy in transit. Both versions taste great.

How to Serve

I usually make this for a lazy weekend brunch when I want something more exciting than regular eggs. I eat it right away while the bread is still warm and the egg yolk is runny, with a squeeze of sriracha on top. My husband likes his with extra Chinese-Style pickled shallots and a side of instant pot breakfast congee when he wants a bigger meal.

When I make these for friends, I set up an assembly station with the bread, pickles, garlic mayo, and eggs so everyone builds their own sandwich. I put out sriracha, sliced jalapeno, lime wedges, and extra cilantro for toppings. It works perfectly for a casual brunch alongside Chinese steamed eggs or a simple eggplant omelet.

Two sunny side up Vietnamese sandwiches

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I store leftover egg banh mi?

Honestly, this sandwich is best eaten fresh because the bread loses its crunch and the egg yolk firms up as it cools. If I have leftover components, I store the pickles, garlic mayo, and bread separately and assemble a new sandwich when I am ready to eat. That way everything stays at the right texture.

Can I use fish sauce instead of soy sauce in the garlic mayo?

Yes. I swap in the same amount of fish sauce when I want a more traditional Vietnamese flavor. Fish sauce adds a slightly funkier deeper savory note compared to soy sauce. Both work well in my opinion.

How do I keep the bread from getting soggy?

I toast the baguette lightly before assembling so the crust stays crispy. I also make sure to drain the pickles well before adding them to the sandwich. Spreading the garlic mayo on both inner sides of the bread creates a thin barrier that helps keep the moisture from soaking in.

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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}

Egg Banh Mi

By Maggie Zhu
No ratings yet
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Inactive cooking time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
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This easy Egg Banh Mi is a crispy and savory Vietnamese sandwich stuffed with sunny eggs, sweet and sour pickled vegetables, and garlic mayo on a toasted baguette. I love that I can have it ready in just 50 minutes and is one of my favorite quick meals for breakfast, lunch, or a snack on the go.

Ingredients 

Quick pickle

  • 1 cup rice vinegar
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • Pinch of salt
  • 8 oz daikon radish (yields 1 cup of strips)
  • 8 oz carrot (yields 1 cup of strips)

Sandwich

  • 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 mini cucumbers , sliced (or 1/2 English cucumber)
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce (or 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce)
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/3 cup cilantro , chopped
  • 2 Vietnamese baguettes (or 6 dinner rolls)

(Optional) Toppings

  • Sriracha sauce
  • Lime juice
  • Sliced jalapeno

Instructions

Make the pickles

  • Combine the rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small pot. Heat over medium heat until the brine reaches a boil. Whisk to make sure the sugar dissolves thoroughly. Once done, transfer the pickling liquid to a tupperware container or a medium-sized bowl to cool.
  • Once the pickling liquid is mostly cooled (it’s fine if it’s lukewarm), add the daikon radish and carrot to it. Let marinate for 30 minutes while preparing the rest of the ingredients.
  • Once done, drain the marinating liquid and set aside the pickled veggies for assembling in the sandwiches.

Cook the eggs

  • When you’re ready to serve, cook the eggs. Heat the oil in a large nonstick pan over medium-high heat until hot. Add the eggs and turn to medium heat. Cover the pan, cook the eggs until the white has set. You can also fry both sides of the eggs or cook it other ways you prefer. Once done, transfer the eggs to a plate and sprinkle with salt to season.

Assemble the sandwiches

  • Mix the mayonnaise, soy sauce and garlic powder together in a small bowl.
  • Halve the baguettes without cutting all the way through the bread. Spread mayonnaise mixture on both inner sides. Spread a generous amount of pickles on the bottom, top with two eggs, and garnish with cilantro (and jalapeno if using). You can also squeeze on some Sriracha sauce and / or lime juice. Halve the bread crosswise and enjoy!

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 349kcal, Carbohydrates: 47.4g, Protein: 12.3g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 2.6g, Cholesterol: 168mg, Sodium: 597mg, Potassium: 604mg, Fiber: 4.3g, Sugar: 10.8g, Calcium: 69mg, Iron: 3mg

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