I’ve said it before and I will say it again, but a sandwich is a superior meal for me, especially during the summer. They are filling and keep the kitchen nice and cool! I mean, there is nothing I dread more than turning on my oven when it’s over 95 degrees outside. It also just so happens that I live in California where most of the summer is 90 degrees and over so I have to get creative with meals. Enter in this Easy 30 Minute Grilled Banh Mi Sandwich that doesn’t heat up the house! As well as it just being downright delicious and easy to make, thanks to a key ingredient!
Before we continue on, I want to say that this is not an authentic banh mi sandwich recipe. Traditionally, banh mi’s are made with pork as the main protein and a liver pate spread which is not included in this recipe. Instead, AdapTable Meals Asian Grill Flank Steak stars as the main protein–perfectly cooked outside on the grill. Quick pickled veggies and fresh produce classic to a traditional banh mi sandwich are stacked high for the ultimate crunch factor! Also, did I mention that everything is prepped, cooked and assembled in 30 minutes?!
Ingredients Needed
1 AdapTable Meals Asian Grill Flank Steak
1 cucumber
2 carrots
1 daikon radish
Bunch of cilantro
1 jalapeno
4 sandwich rolls
Mayo
Pickling Liquid
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
2 tsp sugar
2 pinches salt
How to Make the Grilled Banh Mi Sandwich
Grilled Steak
Start by preheating 2 oven grates over high heat. It doesn’t matter which ones, just as long as they are touching. Once the grill is preheated, lower the flame to medium-high heat. Place the AdapTable Meals Asian Grill Flank Steak directly over the fire. Make sure you hear that amazing sizzle when the steak hits the grates! Close the lid and cook the first side for 5 minutes.
Once the first side is done, flip the steak and close the lid for another 3-4 minutes. This is a quick cook method, so the outside will have nice grill marks while the inside still has some pink. When the steak has reached your desired doneness, transfer it to a plate and let it rest for about 10 minutes. Don’t skip the rest!
Once the flank steak has fully rested, thinly slice against the grain. You may need to cut the piece at an angle, so the first few pieces might be on the smaller side. Consider those your taster pieces! Or the chef’s bonus! After the steak is fully cut, cover it and set aside until ready to assemble the sandwich.
Quick Pickled Veggies
While the grill is preheating, add all of the pickling liquid ingredients to a pan. Give it a stir and then bring the mixture to a simmer over high heat.
At the same time that the mixture is heating up, julienne the carrots and daikon radish. You want strips that are as uniform as possible–2 inches long and about an 1/8 of an inch wide. Once the carrots and radish are cut, throw them into a heat-safe bowl and pour over the simmering pickling liquid. Grab a spoon and mix the veggies to make sure that they all have been in contact with the pickling liquid. Set this bowl aside until sandwich assembly but periodically give this a mix if you can remember! I managed to mix it 2 extra times and it tasted great to me! Bonus points to you if you can remember to do it 4 times!
Also to note! The quick pickled veggies recipe is going to give you more than you need for your sandwiches. Don’t throw them away! Transfer the extra veggies and pickling liquid into a sealed sterilized jar or container and pop it into the fridge for later. This can last up to 4-6 weeks refrigerated if you don’t eat them all by then!
Grilled Banh Mi Sandwich Assembly
Prep the last of the ingredients by thinly slicing jalapeno and cucumber circles. Spice lovers should leave the seeds and membrane intact on the jalapeno! But if you are just looking for a slight kick in your sandwich, make sure to toss the seeds. And as always, DO NOT TOUCH YOUR FACE AFTER CUTTING JALAPENOS! Please wash your hands thoroughly with soapy water before proceeding.
One last thing to talk about before we assemble the sandwich is the bread! The bread choice in a banh mi is actually a very important part of the equation! You want a bread roll that is slightly crusty on the outside and soft on the inside. A French baguette is the perfect choice for this sandwich! I went with a Mexican boillo roll though because that’s what my store had and is very similar to a French baguette!
Now it’s finally time to assemble your grilled banh mi sandwich! One bread roll at a time, slice it horizontally (hot dog style) keeping the two halves connected. Keeping the two halves connected will help keep all those goodies inside the bread! Using your pointer and thumb fingers, pinch out some of the extra bread from each side. I know, I know, I know. I am a carb girl too so this was a hard step to do. But it’s necessary! The extra bits don’t have to go to waste either! I dried mine out for breadcrumbs but you could snack on them, smear jam over them or dip them into some cheese!
Smear mayo to your heart’s content on both sides of the bread. If you are prepping these for a picnic, leave the mayo off until you are ready to enjoy. On the bottom half of the bread, lay cucumber slices evenly across and 1/4 of the sliced AdapTable Meals steak. On the top half, press in 1/4 cup of cilantro into the mayo to keep it stationary. Next, lay as many jalapeno slices as desired. 3 was the magic number for me. Lastly, pile on some of the quick pickled veggies and your sandwich assembly is complete! Just close the two halves together and enjoy!
Easy 30 Minute Grilled Banh Mi Sandwich
Ingredients
- 1 AdapTable Meals Asian Grill Flank Steak
- 1 cucumber
- 2 carrots
- 1 daikon radish
- Bunch of cilantro
- 1 jalapeno
- 4 sandwich rolls
- Mayo
Pickling Liquid
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
- 2 tsp sugar
- 2 pinches salt
Instructions
Grilled Steak
- Preheat 2 oven grates over high heat. Once preheated, lower the flame to medium-high and place the AdapTable Meals Asian Grill Flank Steak directly over the fire. Close the lid and cook for 5 minutes. Flip the steak and close the lid for another 3-4 minutes. Pull when the steak has reached your desired doneness to rest for about 10 minutes.
- Once the flank steak has rested, thinly slice against the grain. Set this aside covered until ready to assemble.
Quick Pickled Veggies
- While the grill is preheating, add all of the pickling liquid ingredients to a pan. Bring this mixture to a simmer over high heat.
- While the mixture is heating up, julienne the carrots and daikon radish. Throw them into a heat-safe bowl and pour over the pickling liquid.
- Periodically give this a mix while prepping the rest of the ingredients.
Sandwich Assembly
- Assemble the last of the ingredients by thinly slicing jalapeno and cucumber circles.
- One bread roll at a time, slice it horizontally keeping the two halves connected. Smear mayo on both sides of the bread. Pinch out some of the extra bread from each side. On the bottom half, lay cucumber slices evenly across and 1/4 of the sliced AdapTable Meals steak. On the top half, press in 1/4 cup of cilantro into the mayo. Next, lay as many jalapeno slices as desired and lastly, pile on some of the quick pickled veggies. Close the two halves together and enjoy!
