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–+ servings
curried tofu banh mi wrapped in butcher paper and sliced in half
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5 from 14 votes

Curried Tofu Banh Mi Recipe

This curried tofu banh mi is a delicious, refreshing meal perfect for lunch or dinner. It's an easy vegan banh mi sandwich with coconut curry sauce! (nut-free with easy gluten-free option. 17 grams protein, 3 grams fiber per serving.)
Prep Time35 minutes
Cook Time25 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Main Course, Snack
Cuisine: Vegan Gluten-free, Vietnamese
Keyword: banh mi sandwich, curry tofu sandwich, vegan banh mi
Servings: 3
Author: Vegan Richa

Ingredients

For the Pickled Veggies

  • 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar or apple cider vinegar or white vinegar
  • 1/3 cup hot water
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup
  • 2/3 cup thinly sliced or shredded carrot
  • 1/2 cup sliced cucumber
  • 1/2 cup shredded or thinly sliced daikon or white radish, optional
  • 1 jalapeno thinly sliced, optional

For the Coconut Curry Sauce

  • 3/4 cup coconut milk
  • 1/2 teaspoon flour Use rice flour for gluten-free.
  • 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon sugar

For the Curried Tofu

  • 14 ounces firm or extra firm tofu pressed for atleast 20 mins
  • 1 teaspoon curry powder less or more, to preference
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari, for gluten-free
  • 1 teaspoon maple syrup or sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 tablespoon coconut cream scoop from a can of full fat coconut milk

For the Banh Mi

  • cilantro or mint or both
  • lettuce or crunchy baby greens
  • 3 mini baguettes Use gluten-free, if needed.
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pickle the vegetables.

  • Combine the vinegar, water, salt, and sweetener in a thin, tall or shallow, wide container with a lid. Mix well. Add the veggies and press down to submerge. Close the lid, and chill for at least an hour. If the veggies don't fit, double the pickling mix.

Make the curry sauce.

  • Mix everything under coconut curry sauce in a saucepan. Heat over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Simmer for 2-3 mins to thicken, then take off heat.

Make the curried tofu.

  • Slice the pressed tofu into 1/2" thick slices. Heat a cast iron skillet over medium heat. Add oil and spread it out on the pan.
  • When the skillet is hot, place the tofu slices carefully. Cook for 3-4 mins per side. Mix the rest of the tofu ingredients in the coconut cream, and add to the pan. Mix and cook to thicken the sauce. Flip the tofu slices midway through cooking while the sauce is simmering to coat both sides well. Take off heat.

Assemble the tofu banh mi.

  • Drain the veggies from the pickling mix, and toast the baguette slices (optional). Spread a layer of the coconut curry sauce on the bread, then greens or lettuce, then layer the tofu slices, then pickled veggies, then cilantro/mint and jalapeno, if using. Add some sriracha or sambal oelek for additional heat (optional). Slice and serve!

Video

Notes

To Store: You can make the pickled veggies, pan fry the tofu, chop the veggies/greens and store separately for upto 2 days in the refrigerator. Reheat the tofu before making sandwiches. 
Variations: Add 2 teaspoons minced lemongrass to the coconut cream for the curried tofu. You can also use vegan mayo instead of curry sauce. The crisped tofu is almost like tofu satay, and other dressings such as peanut sauce will go very well, too.
This tofu banh mi is naturally nut-free. For soy-free, use my chickpea tofu. It will need less time to pan fry. And use coconut aminos instead of soy sauce. To make it gluten-free, serve the banh mi over greens or gluten-free bread or in a gluten-free wrap.

Nutrition

Calories: 606kcal | Carbohydrates: 87g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1528mg | Potassium: 368mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 4796IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 329mg | Iron: 7mg