This egg banh mi recipe is sponsored by Pete& Gerry’s Eggs. All opinions expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the companies that keep this blog going.
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 veggies
- Rice vinegar and sugar for the pickling liquid
- Eggs
- Vietnamese baguette (or bolillos, or dinner rolls)
- Mayo, soy sauce (or fish sauce), and garlic powder for the spread
- Lemon 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 pickles
- Mix the garlic mayo
- Fry 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 pickles
- Top with the fried eggs
- Garnish 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 Congee
- Eggplant Omelet (Tortang Talong)
- Chinese Steamed Eggs (鸡蛋羹)
Egg Banh Mi
Ingredients
Quick pickle
- 1 cup rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 8 oz. (225 g) daikon radish (yields 1 cup of strips)
- 8 oz. (225 g) carrot (yields 1 cup of strips)
Sandwich
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 4 Pete & Gerry’s 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!
Hello! I’ve been enjoying your recipes and really appreciating how accessible they are while still having such depth of flavor. This sandwich looks delicious and I would love to try it, but I’m wondering if the cucumber is meant to be pickled with the carrot and radish?
Thanks,
Sarah
Thanks for the kind words Sarah!
The cucumber is not meant to be pickled because it will change its texture and become too soft.
These bahn mi are sooooo good! I added a little paté and felt like I was in Vietnam! Great recipe, and so easy!
So happy to hear you tried this one out and liked it! Adding some paté sounds awesome, I’d love to try out next time 🙂