Tempeh Banh Mi

This plant based tempeh banh mi recipe is loaded with flavor and perfect to enjoy for a healthy lunch or dinner. If you are a sandwich lover this is a recipe you have to try! This vegan recipe is plant based, oil-free, dairy-free, high protein, and gluten-free!

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Today’s Tempeh Banh Mi is my all time favorite sandwich recipe. That’s coming from the girl who ate sandwiches almost everyday for lunch growing up. It’s actually funny, because I didn’t actually discover the Banh Mi sandwich until I went vegan. I was super skeptical to try it initially, because when I first went vegan I ate very plain foods, and I did not really branch out at all. However over the course about the last year and a half, I have been branching out and trying things I normally wouldn’t (all vegan of course). It never ceases to amaze me how many ways there are to cook foods, and how many foods (as in plants) there are in this world.

What is a Banh Mi sandwich:

A banh mi sandwich is a Vietnamese sandwich that features fresh vegetables and flavorful protein with a creamy sauce, served with sourdough bread. The traditional sandwich is not vegan, but luckily this is one of those foods that can easily be veganized. Not only is this tempeh banh mi veganized, but it can be made gluten-free just by switching out the bread. I am fairly new to Vietnamese cuisine, but let me tell you I am hooked! I’ve been working on a lot of Vietnamese recipes, here are some of my other recipes:

• Vietnamese Noodle Salad

The most important part in making the perfect banh mi is the sauce. The banh mi is already loaded with flavor on its own, but the sauce is really what takes this tempeh banh mi sandwich to the next level. Most of the recipes for banh mis online are made with refined oils and other unhealthy ingredients. This vegan recipe on the other hand is made with super simple and clean ingredients.

Can I pack this sandwich for work/school?

I think that a sandwich either makes the perfect packed lunch, or the worst packed lunch. This comes down to how you pack it. Lucky for you this is one of those recipes that can be easily packed and meal prepped. To meal prep this tempeh banh mi, you simply need to chop the vegetables and store them separate from the bread. You will also need to make the sauce and keep it separate. Once ready to serve, you just need to toast the sandwich (optional) and serve!

Why make this Tempeh Banh mi:

If I haven’t convinced you to try out this tempeh banh mi recipe yet, let me make my final pitch. If you’re a vegan, then you may know the struggle of serving “vegan food” to non vegan friends and family. I know this struggle very well. I always try to plan recipes that I am serving to non vegans around dishes they are already familiar with. Banh Mi may not be a dish everyone is familiar with, but a sandwich is. When I served this recipe to my non vegan family they were obsessed! There is no better complement to a vegan recipes than when non vegans want it!

Ingredients for this Tempeh Banh Mi:

• Daikon radish
• Sourdough bread
• Carrots
• English cucumbers
• Tempeh
• Jalapeño
• Cilantro
• Liquid aminos
• Smoked paprika
• Aquafaba
• Cashews
• Garlic powder
• Lemon
• Apple cider vinegar
• Sriracha
• Stone ground mustard

Tempeh Banh Mi

This plant based tempeh banh mi recipe is loaded with flavor and perfect to enjoy for a healthy lunch or dinner. If you are a sandwich lover this is a recipe you have to try! This vegan recipe is plant based, oil-free, dairy-free, high protein, and gluten-free!

5 from 7 votes

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Prep Time 5 mins

Cook Time 15 mins

Course Main Course, Sandwich

Cuisine Asian

Servings 4

Equipment

• 1 High speed blender

Ingredients

  

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For the Sandwich:

• 8 slices sourdough bread (or gluten-free bread of choice)
• 1 daikon radish
• 3 carrots
• 1 jalapeño
• 1 english cucumber
• 1 block tempeh
• cilantro
• 1 tbsp liquid aminos
• 1 tsp smoked paprika

For the sauce:

• 1 can aquafaba liquid from 1 can of chickpeas
• 3/4 cup soaked cashews
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1/2 lemon
• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
• 2 tbsp sriracha
• 1 tsp stone ground mustard

Instructions

 

• Begin by preparing the sauce. If you have not soaked the cashews ahead of time you can quick soak them with boiling water. Strain the cashews and add to a high speed blender with the remaining ingredients. Blend on high for about a minute. Set aside and prepare the rest of the sandwich.
• Chop or shred the carrots and daikon radish. If chopping, chop julienne. Chop the cucumber and Jalapeño into rounds. Set aside.
• To make the tempeh, simply cut into strips and add to a pan with the liquid aminos, and smoked paprika and cook. The liquid aminos will cook to the pan, but simply add water and continue to cook. You may have to repeat this a few times, but it will help the tempeh absorb the flavor.
• Toast the bread and assemble the sandwich. Start by layering the cucumber and the jalapeño. Follow with the tempeh and then the carrot and daikon radish. Finish off with cilantro and a generous portion of sauce. Serve immediately, enjoy!

Keyword Asian fusion, tempeh recipe, tempeh sandwich, vegan sandwich

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