Banh Mi Salad

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A healthy, gluten-free twist on the traditional Vietnamese street food, Banh Mi Salad with pork meatballs is the ideal combination of tenderness and crunch. The rich flavor of the meat is balanced by the bright taste of fresh greens and the playful bite of jalapeño and pickled radish.

Fresh Vietnamese Salad With Spicy Pork Meatballs

This salad is a healthy, low-carb twist on the original banh mi recipe with pork meatballs. While classic banh mi is a classic for a reason, ditching the bread lets all the subtle and complex flavors really pop. Piled on a bed of fresh greens with quick-pickled veggies, the meatballs are a tender source of protein while the cucumbers and jalapeños add a crunch and a kick.

It’s all brought together by a bright and flavorful sriracha lime dressing. The addition of the Maggi sauce is what really makes this dressing shine. It adds to the flavor profile while highlighting the savory tenderness of the meatballs and the tangy crunch of the pickles.

What Is Banh Mi?

Banh Mi is a popular street food from Vietnam that gets its name from the Vietnamese word for bread. This is because the meatballs that star in this salad are traditionally sold as the filling in a sandwich.

Though banh mi can contain any meat and any style of veggie, the pork sausage and pickled vegetable combination that inspired this salad is one of the most common. At stalls and restaurants all across Vietnam, savory pork belly is served on a short French-style baguette with fresh greens and pickled veggies. This deconstruction of the banh mi sandwich ditches the bread and highlights the complex and varied flavors inside.

Recipe Ingredients

Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need for this fresh and flavorful banh mi salad. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for exact amounts.

For the Meatballs

• Ground Pork
• Cilantro: Chop finely.
• Green Onion: Chopped.
• Garlic: Minced or chopped very finely.
• Fish Sauce
• Sriracha Hot Sauce
• Sugar
• Salt and Pepper
• Ginger: Freshly grated is best, but you can also use ground dry.
• Cornstarch: To hold the meatballs together while cooking them.
• Vegetable Oil: For cooking.

For the Pickled Carrots and Daikon Radish

• Carrots: Julienned (cut into short, thin strips).
• Daikon Radish: Skinned and julienned.
• Sesame Oil
• Rice Wine Vinegar: If you substitute with another vinegar, the daikon will taste bitter.
• Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed.
• Sugar

For the Sriracha Lime Dressing

• Maggi Sauce: If you can’t find this or want a gluten-free substitute, use equal parts soy sauce and Worcestershire sauce, or just use tamari.
• Fish Sauce
• Lime Juice: Freshly squeezed.
• Rice Wine Vinegar
• Vegetable Oil
• Sesame Oil
• Sriracha Hot Sauce
• Sugar

For the Salad

• Spring Mix: Or other mixed greens of your choice.
• Jalapeño: Slice before adding. You can choose to remove the seeds, or keep them for the extra kick.
• Cucumber: Sliced or julienned.

How to Make Banh Mi Salad

This banh mi salad is easy as can be, with quick-pickled veggies and tender pork meatballs that are simple to make. Follow these steps for a healthy, flavorful and stress-free lunch.

Make the Meatballs

Mix: In a bowl, combine the ground pork, cilantro, green onion, garlic, fish sauce, sriracha, sugar, ginger, salt and pepper until they reach a paste-like consistency.

Roll: Form the meat mixture into around 16 balls (each should contain about 1 ounce of meat). Roll the meatballs in cornstarch until they are covered completely. Refrigerate them in a covered bowl for about 20 minutes.

Cook: Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a pan on medium-high heat and fry the meatballs for about 5 minutes each, or until they are cooked through to 160°F according to a food thermometer. Make sure not to place them too close together in the oil. Set the meatballs on a couple of paper towels over a plate to drain.

Pickle the Veggies and Prepare the Dressing

Pickle: Using a jar or other sealable container, combine the julienned carrots and daikon radish with the sesame oil, vinegar, lime juice and sugar.

Chill: Refrigerate the jar for at least 30 minutes.

Combine the Dressing: Mix together the Maggi sauce, fish sauce, lime juice, vinegar, vegetable oil, sesame oil, sriracha and sugar. You can use a bowl and a whisk or put the ingredients in a tightly sealed mason jar and shake it.

Assemble the Salad

Make a Bed of Greens: Fill each bowl or plate with roughly 1/4 of the spring mix.

Add the Meat and Pickles: Top the greens with 1/4 of the banh mi ingredients you’ve made. The pork meatballs and the pickled carrot and radish can be tossed together or kept separate.

Add Some Crunch: Add 1/4 of the sliced cucumber and jalapeños to each plate.

Serve: Drizzle the dressing evenly over everything and serve.

Can I Prep This in Advance?

This salad is really easy to prepare in advance! All of the components can be made ahead of time and combined when you’re ready to eat. This makes it a really good picnic, barbecue or potluck item. Just make sure to use the meatballs within 3-4 days after making them.

Storage Instructions

The pork meatballs in banh mi salad will last for up to 4 days in the fridge when kept in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap. They can also be kept the same way in the freezer for up to 4 months. The veggies will last a bit longer in the fridge, with whole vegetables staying fresh for up to two weeks. Loose lettuce or sliced cucumbers and peppers will last for about a week. The pickles and dressing can be kept refrigerated for much longer, though both should be eaten within a month to be safe.

Tips for Success

This salad is so fresh and simple, but putting just a little extra time into a few of the steps can make it even better. Follow these quick tips to make the pork meatballs, pickles and dressing on your banh mi salad pop.

• Chill the Meatballs: Since the meatballs don’t have any breadcrumbs to bind them, letting them firm up a bit in the fridge before sauteeing helps them hold their shape.
• Let the Pickles Marinate: The pickled daikon and carrots can be ready just 30 minutes after going in the fridge. Still, the longer in advance you make them, the more flavorful they get. For maximum tanginess and zest, keep them in the fridge for at least an hour, or even let them sit overnight.
• Let the Dressing Sit: Making the dressing first can help the flavors really integrate. Set it aside while you follow the other steps, then shake or whisk it again right before using it. You can even make extra dressing and keep it in the fridge for your next quick salad day.

Variation Ideas

Traditional banh me comes in many variations, so it’s easy to tweak this recipe too! Here are some ideas for how to shake things up.

• Mix up the Meat: While banh mi is most famously made with pork, it really can include any kind of meat. Try making it with beef meatballs, turkey meatballs, or even tofu! Just swap out the pork for your favorite protein.
• Pack in the Pickles: While daikon radish and sliced carrot are the classic pickled veggies most often associated with banh mi, there’s no law against adding something else. Try pickling some of your favorite vegetables along with them in similar-sized strips.
• Switch Up the Spice: Add more sriracha or take some away to personalize the amount of spice you get in each bite.
• Go Traditional: If you want the true banh mi experience, try popping these ingredients in the middle of a fresh gluten free baguette! The crispy on the outside, fluffy on the inside texture of the bread is a perfect match for this salad’s tender pork and crunchy vegetables.

Make it a Meal

With a complete protein and plenty of veggies, this salad can be a full lunch on its own. Serve it with one of the appetizers below, or pair it as a side dish with one of the main courses for a filling and flavorful dinner.

• Add an Appetizer: Serve something light like Shrimp Rice Paper Rolls or Coconut Curry Butternut Squash Soup as an appetizer and turn this salad into an entree. You can also look for traditional Vietnamese appetizers to tie into the theme.
• Add an Entree: Turn this salad into a side dish by serving it alongside something richer and more filling like Mini Thai Burgers with Sriracha Lime Cream Sauce or Honey Lime Sriracha Cauliflower Wings. Dishes with a casual flair would pair well with this twist on a street food classic.

5 from 5 votes

Banh Mi Salad

A healthy, gluten-free twist on the traditional Vietnamese street food, Banh Mi Salad with pork meatballs is the ideal combination of tenderness and crunch. The rich flavor of the meat is balanced by the bright taste of fresh greens and the playful bite of jalapeño and pickled radish.

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 10 mins

Chilling time 30 mins

Total: 1 hr

Servings: 4

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Equipment

• Stove

Ingredients

For the Pork Meatballs

• 1 lb ground pork
• 2 Tablespoons chopped cilantro
• 1 green onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 2 Tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 Tablespoon sriracha hot sauce
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 teaspoon pepper
• 1/3 cup cornstarch for dredging
• Vegetable oil for frying

For the Carrot Daikon Pickles

• 1 Tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• 1 Tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons lime juice, about 1/2 lime
• 1/3 cup carrot julienned
• 1/3 cup daikon radish julienned

For the Salad Dressing

• 1/2 teaspoon maggi sauce (can substitute with tamari or equal parts soy sauce and Wrocesterahire sauce)
• 1 teaspoon fish sauce
• 2 teaspoons lime juice, about 1/2 lime
• 1 Tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 Tablespoons vegetable or avocado oil
• 1 Tablespoons sesame oil
• 1 Tablespoons sriracha hot sauce
• 2 teaspoons sugar

For the Salad

• 5 oz salad greens, such as Spring Mix
• 1 Jalapeño, sliced
• 1 Cucumber, sliced or julienned

Instructions

• Combine all the meatball ingredients, except cornstarch, in a bowl.
• Roll into approximately 16 balls (1 ounce each) and roll in cornstarch to completely cover the surface. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
• Heat 2 inches of vegetable oil in a medium saucepan or a large pot over medium-­high heat. Add meatballs into the hot oil and fry for 5 minutes. Don’t crowd them.
• Remove the meatballs to a paper towel-­lined plate to drain.
• Set the meat mixture aside.
• Combine all pickle ingredients in a jar and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
• Combine all salad dressing ingredients, shake, and set aside.
• Add 1/4 of the salad greens to your plate and top with 1/4 each of the jalapeño, cucumber, pickles and meatballs. Drizzle salad dressing evenly over everything.
• Serve.

Notes

To Store

• Meatballs: Store up to 4 days in the fridge and 4 months in the freezer when kept in an airtight container or wrapped well in plastic wrap.
• Vegetables: Stay fresh up to 2 weeks in fridge when whole. Loose lettuce or sliced cucumbers and peppers last 1 week in fridge.
• Pickles and Dressing: Can be kept refrigerated for up to 1 month.

Nutrition Facts

Banh Mi Salad

Amount Per Serving (4 meatballs plus salad)

Calories 491 Calories from Fat 306

% Daily Value*

Fat 34g52%

Saturated Fat 10g50%

Cholesterol 81mg27%

Sodium 1412mg59%

Potassium 579mg17%

Carbohydrates 22g7%

Fiber 1g4%

Sugar 8g9%

Protein 21g42%

Vitamin A 2320IU46%

Vitamin C 26mg32%

Calcium 45mg5%

Iron 1.6mg9%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

Author: Brianne

Course: Lunch

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Keywords: banh mi vietnam, vietnamese dishes, vietnamese salad

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