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Four pieces of salmon banh mi wrapped in paper in a box.
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5 from 1 vote

Salmon Banh Mi

My recipe for banh mi swaps in flaky salmon for the usual pork and adds a drizzle of garlicky aioli to boot. Unconventional perhaps but I'll think you'll love it just as much.
Prep Time45 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 15 minutes
Total Time2 hours
Course: Mains
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 488

Ingredients

For the pickled vegetables

  • 2 medium carrots
  • 4 ounces (about a 4- to 6-inch [10- to 15-cm] chunk) daikon radish
  • 1/3 English cucumber
  • 1/2 cup distilled white vinegar
  • 1/4 cup natural cane sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

For the aioli

  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1 small clove garlic, finely minced
  • Zest of 1/2 lemon or lime

For the salmon

  • 1/4 cup boiling water
  • 1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 1 tablespoon store-bought or homemade Sriracha sauce
  • 1 teaspoon low-sodium tamari
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
  • One (16-ounce) skinless wild salmon fillet, (preferably thin), pin bones removed, salmon cut into 4 equal pieces

For the sandwiches

  • 1 French, Vietnamese, or gluten-free baguette, sliced crosswise into 4 equal pieces (5 to 6 inches [13 to 15 cm] each)
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed cilantro leaves
  • 1/4 cup loosely packed Thai or regular basil leaves
  • 1 small jalapeño, seeded and very thinly sliced (optional)
US - Metric

Instructions

Make the pickled vegetables

  • Using a julienne slicer or a sharp knife, cut the carrots into long matchsticks. With a mandoline or the same sharp knife, slice the radish as thinly as possible. Cut the cucumber diagonally into slices about 1/8 inch thick.
  • Combine the vinegar, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl, whisking vigorously until the sugar is dissolved or very nearly dissolved. Add the carrots, radish, and cucumber. Stir and toss to evenly coat the vegetables. Set aside at room temperature for 30 to 60 minutes.
  • Drain the vegetables and place them in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you're ready to serve. (You may have pickles left over after making the banh mi. They should keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.)

Make the aioli

  • Combine the mayonnaise, garlic, and lemon or lime zest in a small bowl. Cover and refrigerate for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 day to allow the flavors to meld.

Make the salmon

  • In a bowl, whisk together the boiling water and the brown sugar, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the fish sauce, Sriracha, tamari, and garlic and stir to combine. Set aside about 3 tablespoons marinade to drizzle over the sandwiches later. Transfer the rest of the marinade to a shallow baking dish and let cool to room temperature, 10 to 15 minutes. Place the salmon slices in the marinade, turning to coat both sides. Cover and refrigerate for about 1 hour, flipping the salmon halfway through.
  • Preheat the broiler. Remove the salmon from the marinade and place on a broiler pan or in a shallow metal baking dish. Broil 6 inches from the heat source until the salmon is golden brown on the surface, crisped at the edges, and cooked through to the desired doneness, roughly 6 to 8 minutes, depending on the thickness.

Assemble the banh mi

  • Split 1 baguette portion in half and hollow out some of the bread inside the crust. Brush both sides of the baguette's interior with some aioli. Pile on a generous quantity of the pickled vegetables onto the bottom half of the baguette and top with 1 tablespoon cilantro and 1 tablespoon basil. Top with 1 piece salmon, breaking it into chunks, and top with some jalapeño slices, if using. Drizzle a little reserved marinade over everything and top with the other baguette half. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make a total of 4 sandwiches. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 488kcal | Carbohydrates: 64g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 2113mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 33g