You can enjoy the fresh flavor combo of a traditional Vietnamese-style banh mi but with no meat at all!
This bbq tempeh banh mi a great Meatless Monday idea that you’ll want leftovers of all week. You’ve probably seen veggie versions of this sandwich made with tofu in some restaurants. But I like the heartiness and full flavour of tempeh.
The tempeh gets smothered with sweet BBQ sauce and it's nearly perfect paired with quick pickled cabbage and carrots, crunchy cucumbers, spicy jalapeños, and citrusy cilantro.
If you're looking for vegan-friendly BBQ sauce at the store, just be on the look out for ingredients like honey or anchovies in the product. Those would be a no-go!
If this bbq tempeh banh mi puts you in a bbq frenzy, I hear you! If you have a hankering for more sweet and tangy vegan sandwiches, I have recipes for bbq mushroom and bbq pulled pork, too.
bbq tempeh banh mi
Ingredients
- 1 250 g brick/package tempeh
- ½ C favorite bbq sauce
- ¼ C water
- 1 C shredded napa cabbage
- 1 C carrot, shredded or ribbons
- ½ C unseasoned rice vinegar (or white wine vinegar)
- ¾ C hot water
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- ½ teaspoon ground mustard
- ½ teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 long french-style baguette, divided into 4 pieces (or 4 crusty rolls)
- ½ C vegan mayonnaise
- 3 field cucumbers, thinly sliced or shaved
- ¼ C pickled jalapeños
- 1 C cilantro leaves
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Slice tempeh into quarters (4 slices). Whisk together your favorite bbq sauce with ¼ cup water, and marinate tempeh in the mixture for 20 minutes in the fridge.
- Toss together shredded cabbage and carrot in a bowl. Add minced garlic, cumin seeds, ground mustard, sea salt, ground black pepper, rice vinegar and hot water and combine until well mixed and the cabbage and carrot are submerged. Refrigerate until ready to assemble sandwiches.
- Lay marinated tempeh slices onto a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes, flipping the slices half way through baking time and using extra marinade to baste them once or twice.
- Prepare the baguette/buns by spreading 1 tablespoon of vegan mayonnaise on the inside of each side of the bun.
- Shake excess liquid off of the pickled cabbage and carrot, and place a small handful on the bottom bun. Place a couple slices of baked tempeh on top and add cucumber, cilantro, and pickled jalapénos.
Bao Tran
I would recommend that you swap out regular carrots for pickled carrots/radishes. It's a staple that makes banh mi different from a sandwich.
Lauren Toyota
I know... that's why they are pickled ;/
Missy
What do you do with the garlic? I see it in the ingredients but not in the directions.
Lauren Toyota
ya sorry just a typo. It goes in with the cabbage/slaw!
Alexa
Just made these and they were absolutely delicious! Thanks so much for the recipe!
Claudia
This was the most amazing sandwich I have eaten in a very long time. Thank you for this absolutely fantastic recipe!!!
Lauren Toyota
awesome! I'm thrilled you loved it 😀
Liz
So fabulous!! Only change to the recipe itself was adding some hoisin and garlic to the marinade because I love the flavors. I planned ahead (for once!) so I steamed the tempeh the night before and then let it marinate in the fridge for a full 24 hours. This will become a regular dinner in my house!
Lauren Toyota
awesome to hear!
Justine
This was a f***in winner! The only thing I changed was I bought pre packaged coleslaw cabbage mix because I'm lazy. The flavours were TDF. Thanks!
Lauren Toyota
YAAAY! Thanks Justine!
Audrey
So easy and delicious. I made it a few times already!
Lauren Toyota
awesome! so glad you like it 😀