Bánh Mì Sauce

In my book, there is no good bánh mì without a tasty sauce. Really, the sauce can make or break a bánh mì.

My recipe for this sauce draws its inspiration from my favorite bánh mì shop in Saigon. I have ordered from the same place hundreds of times, that’s to say how good their bánh mì is. The good thing when you order is that they will usually give you the sauce apart, in a small packet, so you can pour it into the bánh mì right before eating it. That allowed me to taste the sauce on its own and compare it side-by-side as I was trying to replicate it.

After checking some authentic Vietnamese recipes and several tests later, I finally came about 90% close to the one they use at my favorite bánh mì place. It’s not exactly the same as it’s very hard to replicate a sauce without knowing exactly the ingredients, but I have to say that it’s pretty darn close.

⭐️ Why You Should Try It

The sauce that will take your bánh mì game to the next level.

Crafting the best bánh mì is not an easy task and each component of this fantastic sandwich plays a crucial role. One of them is the sauce.

This sauce is based on fresh tomatoes for a tangy flavor and infused with aromatics such as garlic, shallots, and scallions that are sautéed until fragrant. Then, we have chili sauce for a kick of heat, and oyster sauce and soy sauce for a rich savoriness. An aromatic blend of spices adds the final touch by bringing a delicate char siu flavor.

We make bánh mì very regularly at home, and I can assure you that when we don’t add the sauce, it lacks something. This sauce makes the sandwich juicier and infuses it with beautiful flavors – it’s sweet, salty, spicy, and slightly tangy.

I’m confident this sauce is going to be your next secret ingredient to make amazing bánh mì!

Quick, easy, and made in one pot.

There is nothing complicated about this sauce – it’s as easy as making a simple tomato sauce. First, fresh tomatoes are pulsed in a blender until smooth (or chunky – that’s up to you!) and then simmered with aromatics for a few minutes. The final step consists of adding a slurry to thicken the sauce. The whole process will take you just a bit more than 20 minutes!

Versatile.

This sauce doesn’t have to be used only for bánh mì! I personally like to use leftovers in wraps, sandwiches, or burgers. Oh, and one more use for this fantastic sauce: pasta! You can replace your regular tomato sauce with this spicy alternative. Actually, this might be my favorite way to use leftover sauce!

🍅 Ingredient Notes

Here are a few extra tips on some of the ingredients you will be using:

Tomatoes

Although any ripe tomato will work, summer tomatoes yield the best flavor as they tend to be less acidic and sweeter compared to regular tomatoes. I used 3 medium tomatoes, which weighed a total of about 11 ounces (300g).

Note: You can replace the fresh tomatoes with canned tomatoes, either whole and peeled or diced (you should use about 1 cup of puréed tomatoes to replace 3 fresh tomatoes). If you go that route, please use a high-quality brand. Cheap brands of canned tomatoes tend to be more acidic and less tasty.

Garlic, shallot, and scallions

To infuse the sauce with plenty of flavor, I rely on a combination of three aromatics: garlic, shallots, and scallions, also known as green onions (they’re the same thing). All of these add sharpness and a peppery flavor to the sauce.

Oyster sauce

Oyster sauce (or stir-fry sauce) is a thick, sweet, and salty sauce typically made with oyster extract, sugar, salt, and cornstarch. I use it here to add a deep savoriness and a bit of extra sweetness. Although this sauce has Chinese origins, it’s used very often in Vietnamese cooking.

While the original oyster sauce is not plant-based, vegan alternatives exist! You can use store-bought vegan oyster sauce, or learn how to make your own oyster sauce here!

Soy sauce

For more saltiness and umami. Use regular soy sauce, not the light (reduced salt) one.

Substitute: You can easily make this sauce gluten-free by using coconut aminos or tamari in place of the soy sauce.

Sweet chili sauce

Vietnamese love their food spicy! Hence, I added a couple of tablespoons of sweet chili sauce for spiciness and extra sweetness. Most Vietnamese will use the brand Cholimex or Chin Su, but feel free to use what you have on hand. Sriracha works, too, but you might have to use only half of the amount as it tends to be spicier than Vietnamese chili sauce.

Looking for a homemade chili sauce recipe? I have got you covered! Check out my homemade sweet chili sauce recipe.

Note: This sauce is mildly spicy, but you can omit the chili sauce altogether if you are very sensitive to spicy foods.

Five-spice powder

I do not use a lot of five-spice powder, but just enough to add a hint of anise and cinnamon to the sauce. It doesn’t overpower the flavors of the other aromatics but adds a little extra that makes the sauce taste much better, in my opinion. I advise against omitting it.

Where to find it: Five-spice powder can be found in most supermarkets nowadays, or you can order it online. It’s also available in almost every Asian supermarket as it’s a spice used in many Chinese dishes.

Tapioca starch

To make a slurry and thicken the sauce. You can use cornstarch instead of tapioca starch.

Cilantro

I like to finish the sauce with a sprinkle of chopped cilantro for freshness and brightness. Only add the cilantro at the end of the cooking, off the heat to preserve its flavor.

🥣 How to Make It

1. Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a deep saucepan over medium heat. Once hot, add the minced garlic, shallot, and green onions. Sauté for 2-3 minutes or until fragrant.
2. Blend the tomatoes. In the meantime, wash the tomatoes and slice them into quarters. Transfer to a blender and blend until smooth, about 30 seconds.

3. Cook the tomatoes. Pour the tomato purée into the saucepan. Add the sugar, and let simmer for about 5 minutes, or until the tomato purée has darkened and no longer smells like raw tomatoes.
4. Add the sauces and spices. Next, add the sweet chili sauce, vegan oyster sauce, soy sauce, five-spice powder, ground black pepper, and water. Let simmer for another 5-7 minutes, stirring regularly.

5. Thicken the sauce. Dilute the tapioca starch in one tablespoon of water. Add the diluted tapioca to the saucepan and cook for one more minute or until the sauce has slightly thickened.
6. Garnish with herbs. Finally, stir in the chopped cilantro and let cool for a few minutes before using it to make bánh mì!

I hope you are going to love this sauce! If you have ever wondered what makes those Vietnamese sandwiches so tasty, the sauce is definitely one of the key components!

🥫 More Sauce Recipes

Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce

Vegan Fish Sauce

Easy Hoisin Sauce

Vegan Oyster Sauce (Stir Fry Sauce)

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