I love Vietnamese food. Lately I can’t stop making dishes with an Asian flare and meatballs happen to be the perfect vessel to infuse with those delicious flavors! One of our favorite Vietnamese dishes is a Banh Mi Sandwich. It can be made with several different proteins, but I happen to love a pork Banh Mi the best, especially when topped with quick pickled veggies, spicy jalapeño, and cilantro! It’s a sandwich loaded with flavor and my family can’t get enough of it! I have even made Banh Mi Tacos in my slow cooker that are so perfect for any weeknight dinner! My new favorite twist on the traditional sandwich, is my Banh Mi Meatball Sandwich that is perfect for meal prepping and dinners that the whole family will love!

Have you ever had a Banh Mi Sandwich? If not, now is the time! I have created a recipe for you that anyone can do right in their own kitchen! I feel like Asian food can sometimes seem intimidating, but when you break it down, most recipes can be quite simple! I love creating recipes like this that you can introduce to your family and make part of your regular dinner rotation to switch it up from the usual family favorites!

I used ground pork for this recipe, but you can also use beef, chicken, or turkey here if you prefer! Traditionally, banh mi has pickled carrots and daikons on it, but I love adding in some cucumber too for some fresh crunch! You can make them as spicy as you want with fresh jalapeños, or you can keep them mild by omitting the chile all together! It’s totally up to you on how you want to dress your banh mi! I love mine with the works—the more veggies and toppings the better!

You can make these meatballs in advance, freeze them after you cook them and then simply reheat in the oven when you are ready to eat them for dinner any night of the week! Simply make your pickled veggies, and reheat your meatballs and dinner is ready! You can also make some jasmine rice here and make a banh mi meatball bowl if you prefer a bowl over a sandwich! You would still top the bowl exactly the same way, you just wouldn’t have a bun! I eat it both ways, and let me tell you they are both equally as delicious, so you really can’t go wrong!

I can’t wait for you all to give these Banh Mi Meatball Sandwiches a try for yourself! You are going to love them!

Ingredients:

• 1 Lb. Ground Pork

• 1/4 Cup Low Sodium Soy Sauce

• 1 Tbsp. Fish Sauce

• 2 Tbsp. Sugar

• 2 Finely Minced Garlic Cloves

• 1/4 Cup Finely Chopped Onion or Shallot

• 2 Tsp. Salt

• 1/2 Tsp. Pepper

• 1/2 Cup Panko Bread Crumbs

• 1 Egg

• 1/2 Cup Julienned Carrots

• 1/2 Cup Julienned Cucumbers

• 1/4 Cup Distilled White Vinegar

• 1/4 Cup Water or Stock

• French Bread Rolls

• 1 Tbsp. Avocado Oil

For Toppings:

• 1 Finely Sliced Jalapeno

• Thinly Sliced Onion

• Cilantro

• Sriracha (optional)

• Mayo (optional but delicious)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

• Make meatballs by combining pork, soy sauce, fish sauce, 1 tbsp. sugar, garlic, onion, bread crumbs, 1 tsp. salt, pepper, and egg and mixing until well combined. Cover and let sit in the refrigerator for 30 minutes (if you have time!)

• While the meatballs marinate, make carrot cucumber salad by combining carrots, cucumber, vinegar, 1 tbsp. sugar, and 1 tsp. salt and stir to combine. Place in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

• Make meatballs by forming 1” balls.

• Preheat an oven safe skillet over medium high heat.

• Add oil and then add meatballs cooking on each side for 2-3 minutes until a nice crust forms. (Alternatively you can simply bake on a parchment lined baking sheet for 20-25 minutes at 375 until meatballs are cooked through.)

• Pour water or stock in the skillet to deglaze pan and provide moisture for baking in the oven.

• Place into the oven and continue to cook for another 15-18 minutes until meatballs are cooked through.

• Add mayo to the bun and then place meatballs inside (about 5 per bun) and then top with carrot cucumber salad and top with jalapeños, cilantro, and onion.

• Serve immediately.

They look a little fancy, but I promise you this recipe couldn’t be any easier! Your kids will love this recipe too, just omit the jalapeño from their sandwich! Enjoy!