This meatball banh mi with pickled carrot and daikon, Sriracha mayo, cilantro, and jalapeno, is the most surprisingly delicious thing I’ve made in a while. If you’re not already familiar, banh mi are a kind of Vietnamese sandwich, usually made with a soft Vietnamese baguette, raw veggies, and some kind of protein––often grilled pork or a pork cutlet.
This banh mi recipe is made with juicy homemade pork meatballs, seasoned with garlic, herbs, Sriracha, and fish sauce. AMAZING. 
For me, what makes this sandwich great, and banh mi great in general…is the mixture of the bright, crisp textures and flavors of the vegetables, and the richness of the meat (the healthy slathering of spicy mayo doesn’t hurt either). It’s picnic blanket food, for picnic blanket weather. So put these together, grab three other lucky sandwich recipients, and prepare for awesomeness.
It was adapted from this recipe on Epicurious.
If you love spicy, you will also love our Spicy Lamb Buns with Honey sauce or our spicy take on Cacio e Pepe.
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Spicy Banh Mi Stuffed with Pork Meatballs
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 4 sandwiches 1x
Description
Filled with spicy meatballs, pickled carrot-daikon slaw, cilantro, and Sriracha aioli, this take on a Vietnamese sandwich will blow your mind and tastebuds.
Ingredients
Carrot Daikon Salad:
- 2 medium carrots, julienned
- 1 cup (240 ml) julienned daikon radish
- 2 tbsp sugar
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp (10 ml) sesame oil
Meatballs:
- 1 lb (450 g) ground pork
- 2 tbsp chopped cilantro, basil, or parsley
- 1 scallion, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) fish sauce
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) Sriracha
- 2 tsp sugar
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 1 tbsp (8 g) cornstarch
To assemble the sandwiches:
- 1 tbsp (15 ml) oil
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) mayonnaise
- 2 tsp (10 ml) Sriracha
- 1 baguette, cut into 4 equal pieces and lightly toasted
- 1 jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced
- fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Start by preparing the carrot and daikon. Add the julienned carrots and daikon to a large bowl and toss in the sugar, salt, vinegar and sesame oil. Set aside for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
- While that’s going, thoroughly combine all the meatball ingredients in a bowl, and form into meatballs (you should get about 20). Place the meatballs on a parchment lined baking sheet, and transfer to the freezer for 20 minutes. After the meatballs have been chilled, heat a tbsp of oil in a cast iron or nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Fry the meatballs until browned on all sides and cooked through.
- In a separate bowl, combine the mayonnaise and Sriracha. Open up each piece of bread, and spread the Sriracha mayonnaise on each side. Fill with the pickled carrots and daikon, cooked meatballs, jalapeños, and cilantro. Serve!
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Sandwich
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 sandwich
- Calories: 540
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of bread should I use for the banh mi?
You should use a soft Vietnamese baguette, which provides the right texture and flavor to complement the spicy pork meatballs.
How can I adjust the spiciness of the Sriracha mayo?
You can adjust the spiciness by either increasing or decreasing the amount of Sriracha you mix into the mayo, depending on your heat preference.
What vegetables can I use for the pickled carrot and daikon?
You can use julienned carrots and daikon radish, but feel free to add other crunchy vegetables like cucumber or radishes for extra texture.
I made these tonight and plan to make them for a crew dinner. I love these sandwiches. My grandson ate up the meatballs and vegetable with rice.