Grilled Meatball Bánh Mì

I have already shared a few Bánh Mì recipes on my blog but I promised that the list would only grow longer - and here we are. The Vietnamese Bánh Mì is one of the most versatile sandwiches in the world, which explains why it's so well loved everywhere. No wonder the Bánh Mì shop near my office in London always has a long queue at lunchtime, every single day. I feel proud whenever I see how much love people have for our food.

But let me tell you something - this satisfaction doubles when you make this Grilled Meatball Bánh Mì at home, completely from scratch.

The joy of homemade Bánh Mì

Yes, you heard right - from scratch, including the Vietnamese crusty baguette. I made this Grilled Meatball Bánh Mì for dinner tonight on request, and everything disappeared in a blink! My kitchen was filled with the irresistible smell of freshly baked bread combined with the citrusy fragrance of lemongrass from the grilled meatballs.

This recipe is actually a combination of two favourites I've already shared on the blog:

The Vietnamese Crusty Baguette - light and airy inside, crispy and golden outside. You can find my full recipe here, which makes 8 baguettes.

The meatballs from Bún Chả Hà Nội - juicy, fragrant and perfectly grilled. For today's batch, I used 800g of pork mince (12% fat) to make enough filling for 6 baguettes. Don't worry about scaling, I've included the exact recipe for this quantity in the recipe card below.

To bring everything together, I also made some quick pickles from daikon radish, carrot and red pointy pepper, inspired by my Classic Vietnamese Bánh Mì recipe. Again, you'll find all the details in the recipe card at the end of this post.

How to assemble the Grilled Meatball Bánh Mì

Once all your elements are ready, here's what you'll need to build the perfect Grilled Meatball Bánh Mì:

Freshly baked crusty baguettes
Juicy grilled meatballs
Crunchy pickles
Butter, mayonnaise and a squeeze of siracha
Fresh coriander leaves and shredded spring onions

Step-by-step assembly:

Slice the baguette lengthwise and spread butter on both sides.
Add a generous layer of pickles then arrange the meatballs neatly along the baguette.
Garnish with coriander and shredded spring onions.
Finish with a squirt of mayonnaise and siracha for creaminess and heat.

The result

The result is pure satisfaction in every bite: a crusty baguette hugging juicy, fragrant meatballs, balanced with crunchy and tangy pickles, creamy butter and mayo, spicy siracha and fresh herbs.

Honestly, I could happily eat this Grilled Meatball Bánh Mì for breakfast, lunch and dinner... and then repeat the whole cycle again!

Prep Time 45 mins

Cook Time 20 mins

Rest Time 120 mins

Total Time 3 hrs 5 mins

Cooking Method: Airfrying, Baking

Cuisine: Vietnamese

Courses: Breakfast, Dinner, Lunch

Difficulty: Intermediate

Cooking Temp: 200 C

Servings: 6

Estimated Cost: 10

Description

This Grilled Meatball Bánh Mì is the perfect example of how versatile Vietnamese sandwiches can be. With crispy homemade baguettes, juicy pork meatballs grilled to perfection, crunchy pickles, and a balance of creamy mayo and spicy sriracha, every bite is a burst of flavour. It’s a Bánh Mì worth making from scratch at home.

Ingredients

For the baguettes (8)

1 kg strong bread flour (around 12% protein)
14 g instant yeast (2 standard packets)
8 g salt
8 g caster sugar
700 ml water
Olive oil (for kneading and shaping)

For the grilled meatballs

800 g pork mince (12% fat for juicy meatballs)
1 1/2 tablespoons oyster sauce
3 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons honey (or light brown sugar)
1 tablespoons condensed milk
3/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1 stalk lemongrass (finely chopped)
3 cloves garlic (minced)
1 medium onion (finely chopped)
3 tablespoons caramel sauce (made by caramelise a tablespoon of sugar then add water)

For the Pickles

1 large carrot (julienned)
1 kg mooli or daikon radish (julienned)
1 red chilli (sliced)
1 teaspoon salt (or two tablespoons of fish sauce)
2 tablespoons sugar
2 tablespoons white rice vinegar (or any vinegar)

For assembling

Spreadable butter
Mayonnaise
Siracha
Fresh coriander leaves
Spring onions, shredded

Instructions

1
Make the baguettes
- Mix flour, yeast, sugar and salt then add water to form a rough dough.
- Rest 15 minutes.
- Knead with oil until smooth (10 minutes) then proof for 40 minutes at room temperature if warm or at 30°C in the oven.
- Divide into 8, rest 15 minutes, shape into baguettes and proof another 40 minutes.
- Score, spray with water and bake at 200°C with a tray of boiling water at the bottom of the oven for 20 minutes until golden.
2
Cook the meatballs
- Mix the pork mince with all other ingredients and marinade for at least 2 hours.
- Shape into balls.
- Fry in an air fryer at 200°C until golden and cooked through, about 12 minutes, flip at around 8 minute-mark.
3
Make the pickles
- Mix salt (or fish sauce), sugar and vinegar in a bowl.
- Add julienned carrot, mooli and red chillies. Mix well.
- Let it sit for an hour or two before using.
4
Assemble the pickles
- Slice baguettes, spread butter inside.
- Layer with pickles, add meatballs, top with coriander and spring onions.
- Finish with mayo and siracha.
- Serve immediately.

Keywords: Grilled Meatball Banh Mi, Vietnamese Banh Mi, Vietnamese baguette, pork meatball banh mi, homemade banh mi