Name: Grilled Pork Banh Mi Sandwich Recipe
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 285 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs. pork butt or shoulder, (sliced 1/4" thick); 1/2 cup soy sauce; 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce; 2 teaspoons fish sauce; 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger ((or ginger paste)); 5 cloves garlic, (minced); 1/4 cup brown sugar; 1 lime, (juiced); 1 tablespoon sambal paste ((or sriracha)); 1 1/2 cups shredded carrots; 1 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar; 2 baby or persian cucumbers, (thinly sliced); 1 jalapeño*, (thinly sliced); 1 small bunch cilantro, (with the bottom 3" of stem removed); 1/2 cup mayonnaise; 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger ((or ginger paste)); 1 tablespoon sambal ((or sriracha)); 4 brioche sandwich buns**; 2 tablespoons softened salted butter

Home » Recipes » Meal Type » Sandwiches » Grilled Pork Banh Mi Sandwiches

Grilled Pork Banh Mi Sandwiches

Posted by: Jenny Goycochea-Marker

Last updated on: April 3, 2026

30 Minute Meals, Grilling, Weeknight Meals

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 15

4.88 from 8 votes

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These Grilled Pork Banh Mi are the perfect sandwiches for summer! Marinated grilled pork is topped with quick pickled carrots, sliced cucumber and jalapeño, fresh cilantro, and a generous slather of spicy mayo. Other than marinating the pork, the banh mi come together in just 30 minutes!

What’s a Banh Mi Sandwich?
My Tips for Making the Best Banh Mi EVER
The Banh Mi Pork Marinade I Always Make
Tools Needed
How to Make Grilled Pork Banh Mi Sandwiches
- Make-Ahead Instructions
More Unique Sandwiches You’ll Love

What’s a Banh Mi Sandwich?

If you have never had a banh mi, it’s a Vietnamese sandwich with French influence. Banh mi is actually the Vietnamese word for “bread.” The sandwich is traditionally served on a small baguette with a crisp exterior, and soft interior.

Over time, the banh mi sandwich developed into a really popular street food filled with various meats, cilantro, cucumber, pickled carrots and daikon, chile, mayo, and sometimes even pâté.

My take on the classic Vietnamese pork sandwich involves marinating the meat in a sweet and savory marinade, then grilling it until the outside is crisp and caramelized. I like to load up my sandwiches with a blend of fresh and pickled veggies, plenty of cilantro, and a generous amount of spicy mayo. It’s so, so good!

Love banh mi sandwiches? Try making my Banh Mi Hot Dogs next!

My Tips for Making the Best Banh Mi EVER

Buy the right cut of pork. You’re going to want to use a nice, fatty cut of pork for this sandwich, like pork butt or shoulder. These are considered tougher cuts, so it’s important to make sure the pork is really thinly sliced.

Jenny’s Tip: If your knife skills leave a little something to be desired, I recommend freezing the pork for a little bit before slicing. You can also always ask your butcher to do the slicing for you! You’re aiming for about 1/4″ in thickness.

Choose your favorite bread. If you’re a die hard purist, find your favorite French sandwich roll. I prefer brioche buns for this sandwich (homemade or store-bought), because it’s hard to find the classic soft but crusty french rolls in Texas. Just make sure the bread is hearty enough to hold up to all the meat and fillings.

Don’t skip the toppings! Traditionally the pickled element in the sandwich is daikon radish and carrot, but daikon can be tough to find so I opted for carrots. I like to use Persian or baby cucumbers because they don’t have as many seeds as a garden cucumber. You can also use English hothouse cucumbers.

The Banh Mi Pork Marinade I Always Make

grilled pork banh mi marinade ingredients laid out

As much as I love the toppings on these Vietnamese sandwiches (pickled carrots, spicy mayo, oh my!) it’s really the banh mi marinade that makes or breaks the dish.

To tenderize the pork butt and give it a serious flavor boost, here’s what I like to use in my marinade:

Soy sauce. Here’s my big secret: I use mostly regular (aka light) soy sauce with just 1 tablespoon of dark soy sauce mixed in to amp up the salty, umami flavor of the marinade. Do NOT use all dark soy sauce to make the marinade or else your pork will be way too salty.
Fish sauce. A quality bottle makes a big difference! Red Boat is a great brand, but use your favorite.
Ginger. You can use freshly grated or ginger paste in a tube, but please don’t use ground ginger since it lacks the same “fresh” flavor.
Garlic. You know the drill — fresh garlic cloves will taste a million times better than garlic powder.
Brown sugar. You need a little sweetness to balance out the salty and acidic flavors going on. The sugar also helps the exterior of the pork caramelize on the hot grill grates.
Lime juice. Freshly squeezed is best, but fresh bottled juice works too.
Sambal paste. Swap with sriracha, if that’s what you have on hand.

Tools Needed

How to Make Grilled Pork Banh Mi Sandwiches

Jenny’s tip: While it’s traditional to serve the bbq pork banh mi on a baguette, I really prefer it on a brioche bun. The baguettes that we find in the US are a little too tough for comfortable sandwich eating and the brioche buns are so soft and flavorful.

Marinate the pork. Get your pork marinated ahead of time. It’s best if it marinates for 8 hours, but even 4 hours will work.
Quick pickle the carrots. The pickled carrots can be made even a couple of days in advance and they last for a while in the fridge!
Prep the veggies. All the veggies can be sliced ahead of time! Slice up your cucumbers, jalapeños, and cilantro.
Bbq the pork. Grill your pork until it’s nice and browned and cooked through.
Assemble. Put all your sandwich components together and dig in!

thinly sliced pork on a cutting board with a knife

marinade being poured into a ziplock bag over the pork

Make-Ahead Instructions

You can absolutely slice your topping ingredients, make your spicy mayo, pickle your carrots, and even grill the pork (it reheats really well) ahead of time.

I do NOT recommend assembling the banh mi until you’re ready to serve!

juicy grilled pork vietnamese sandwiches

More Unique Sandwiches You’ll Love

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Sandwiches

Grilled Pork Banh Mi Sandwich Recipe

4.88 from 8 votes

Grilled pork banh mi sandwiches are a French-Vietnamese hybrid and they are so good! Tender pork on a brioche bun topped with crisp veggies and cilantro.

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Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 4 45

Makes: 4 sandwiches

Ingredients

Grilled Pork and Marinade:

2 lbs. pork butt or shoulder, sliced 1/4" thick
1/2 cup soy sauce
1 tablespoon dark soy sauce
2 teaspoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger (or ginger paste)
5 cloves garlic, minced
1/4 cup brown sugar
1 lime, juiced
1 tablespoon sambal paste (or sriracha)

Quick Pickled Carrots:

1 1/2 cups shredded carrots
1 cup seasoned rice wine vinegar

Sandwich Fixings:

2 baby or persian cucumbers, thinly sliced
1 jalapeño*, thinly sliced
1 small bunch cilantro, with the bottom 3″ of stem removed
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger (or ginger paste)
1 tablespoon sambal (or sriracha)
4 brioche sandwich buns**
2 tablespoons softened salted butter

Instructions

Marinate the pork: In a small bowl, whisk together the marinade ingredients (everything but the pork) until well combined. Place the sliced pork into a large ziplock bag, and pour the marinade over the pork. Seal the bag, while removing most of the air, and massage the bag so that all the pork is coated in the marinade. Refrigerate for at least 4 hours, and up to 24 hours.
Grill the pork: Preheat your grill to 400 degrees F. Place the pork slices on the hot grill and cook for 4-5 minutes per side, until the outside is caramelized and the pork is cooked all the way through. Set aside.
Make the spicy mayo: In a small bowl combine the mayo, grated ginger, and sambal or sriracha. Set aside until ready to use.
Make the pickled carrots: Place the vinegar in a microwave safe container, and microwave for 45-60 seconds until warm. Place the carrots in a heat-safe container and pour the warm vinegar over them. Refrigerate until ready to use.
To assemble: Spread the softened butter on the brioche buns, and toast them lightly on the grill or in a skillet. Spread both sides with the spicy mayo, and layer in slices of the pork with the pickled carrots, sliced cucumbers, sliced jalapeño, and cilantro. Serve immediately.

Notes

*Jalapeño: If you aren’t a fan of spice, you can omit the sliced jalapeños, but they really do add a lot to the sandwich.

**Brioche buns: Can be swapped with a traditional french roll, if it’s available in your area. I find that the baguettes sold in the US are too hard for comfortable sandwich-eating so I always use brioche buns!