What do you think?
Rate this book
The Banh Mi Handbook: Recipes for Crazy-Delicious Vietnamese Sandwiches
A cookbook devoted to the beloved Vietnamese sandwich, with 50 recipes ranging from classic fillings to innovative modern combinations.Created by Vietnamese street vendors a century or so ago, banh mi is a twist on the French snack of pâté and bread that is as brilliant as it is addictive to eat. Who can resist the combination of crisp baguette, succulent filling, and toppings like tangy daikon and carrot pickles, thin chile slices, refreshing cucumber strips, and pungent cilantro sprigs? You’ll have ample opportunities to customize your sandwich with filling options such as grilled pork, roast chicken, and “the special”—a delectable combination of garlicky pork, liver pâté, and Vietnamese cold-cuts.Opening a new realm of flavor for anyone tired of standard sandwich fare, The Banh Mi Handbook presents more than fifty recipes and numerous insights for crafting a wide range of sandwiches, from iconic classics to modern innovations, Crispy Drunken ChickenShrimp in Caramel SauceGrilled Lemongrass PorkBeef and Curry SlidersCoconut Curry TofuLettuce Wrap Banh MiRespected food writer Andrea Nguyen’s simple, delicious recipes for flavor-packed fillings, punchy homemade condiments, and crunchy, colorful pickled vegetables bring the very best of Vietnamese street food to your kitchen.
244 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2014
243 people are currently reading
420 people want to read
About the author
Andrea Nguyen
13 books84 followersA bank examiner gone astray, Andrea Nguyen is living out her childhood dream of being a writer, editor, teacher, and consultant. Her impactful books—Into the Vietnamese Kitchen, Asian Dumplings, Asian Tofu, The Banh Mi Handbook, and The Pho Cookbook—have been recognized by the James Beard Foundation, International Association of Culinary Professionals, and National Public Radio for their excellence. She edited Unforgettable, a biography cookbook about culinary icon Paula Wolfert.
Andrea has contributed to many publications, including the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Lucky Peach, Saveur, and Cooking Light, where she is a monthly columnist. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in finance and communication management from the University of Southern California and studied at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Andrea has contributed to many publications, including the Washington Post, Wall Street Journal, Lucky Peach, Saveur, and Cooking Light, where she is a monthly columnist. She earned her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in finance and communication management from the University of Southern California and studied at the Chinese University of Hong Kong.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews
March 7, 2015
Eager to try these out!
February 13, 2015
Book of my wildest dreams, and banh mi ingredients (pronounced bun-me) are now on my shopping list. I'm excited. :)
May 11, 2018
I made the curry coconut banh mi and loved it. I always enjoy expanding my cooking repertoire.
July 24, 2014
I am very thrilled to have received a free review copy of Andrea Nguyen's beautiful new book, The Banh Mi Handbook! It is a feast for the eyes with some of the most gorgeous food photography I have seen.
Nguyen makes what may be a new food experience to some people accessible and inviting. I enjoyed the opening in which she gives readers a bit of background to her country and this particular culinary delight. (This is a part of cook books that I always appreciate!) She lets readers know from the start the types of ingredients which are typical to these Vietnamese sandwiches, and then breaks the chapters up according to the layers you would normally find included in a banh mi experience.
I love that Nguyen helps readers on each step of the journey toward building a perfect replica of the typical street fair. The photographs, which are all well lit and artistically composed, include pictures of some of the less familiar ingredients readers might be looking for at the store.(For instance the lemon grass used in one of the pickle recipes.)
Another small, but appreciated feature is Nguyen's tips on ways to use parts of the ingredients which might otherwise be overlooked. She suggests using the liquid from your homemade pickled vegetables as part of a dressing for salad--something many of us might not think to do. (What other uses for pickle juice have I been squandering all these years?!)
Because banh mi is an everyday, street vendor type food in Vietnam, the ingredients are fairly easy to come by. I was reassured that it will be possible for me to make the sandwiches in my own , and without spending a fortune to do so. (I love that she says the bread need only be what is readily available and least expensive at your local store!)
My only criticism of this book is that it left my mouth watering and my tummy grumbling.
If you like trying new cuisine and haven't had the pleasure of experiencing banh mi, you will love this book! If you have had the pleasure of eating the delectable sandwiches, you will love having this recipe collection so you can make your own!
Nguyen makes what may be a new food experience to some people accessible and inviting. I enjoyed the opening in which she gives readers a bit of background to her country and this particular culinary delight. (This is a part of cook books that I always appreciate!) She lets readers know from the start the types of ingredients which are typical to these Vietnamese sandwiches, and then breaks the chapters up according to the layers you would normally find included in a banh mi experience.
I love that Nguyen helps readers on each step of the journey toward building a perfect replica of the typical street fair. The photographs, which are all well lit and artistically composed, include pictures of some of the less familiar ingredients readers might be looking for at the store.(For instance the lemon grass used in one of the pickle recipes.)
Another small, but appreciated feature is Nguyen's tips on ways to use parts of the ingredients which might otherwise be overlooked. She suggests using the liquid from your homemade pickled vegetables as part of a dressing for salad--something many of us might not think to do. (What other uses for pickle juice have I been squandering all these years?!)
Because banh mi is an everyday, street vendor type food in Vietnam, the ingredients are fairly easy to come by. I was reassured that it will be possible for me to make the sandwiches in my own , and without spending a fortune to do so. (I love that she says the bread need only be what is readily available and least expensive at your local store!)
My only criticism of this book is that it left my mouth watering and my tummy grumbling.
If you like trying new cuisine and haven't had the pleasure of experiencing banh mi, you will love this book! If you have had the pleasure of eating the delectable sandwiches, you will love having this recipe collection so you can make your own!
April 30, 2018
Some of the recipes I tried were for the condiments, and I didn't find they tasted any better than what I could buy already made from the local Asian grocery. The sandwich ideas were different, however, and I can see using those this summer. It's a reasonably good introduction to how to duplicate Vietnamese flavors in the American kitchen. It certainly shows a wide variety of sandwiches, many of which we don't see here unless one lives in an area with a large Vietnamese population.
The section on bread and adding ascorbic acid to mimic dough conditioners puzzled me. Bakers go back and forth about this all the time. Some swear it makes all the difference in their baking; others say it makes none. I'm on the fence. Dough conditioners used commercially were primarily to mimic a sourdough flavor and/or allow the factories to beat the hell out of huge batches of dough with industrial mixers/kneaders without destroying the gluten strands. I've not found they add anything to home baking. That aside, I think the section on breads could have been more clearly written. Regardless of the debate over the ingredient, the explanation of how and why wasn't as well written as other sections.
The section on bread and adding ascorbic acid to mimic dough conditioners puzzled me. Bakers go back and forth about this all the time. Some swear it makes all the difference in their baking; others say it makes none. I'm on the fence. Dough conditioners used commercially were primarily to mimic a sourdough flavor and/or allow the factories to beat the hell out of huge batches of dough with industrial mixers/kneaders without destroying the gluten strands. I've not found they add anything to home baking. That aside, I think the section on breads could have been more clearly written. Regardless of the debate over the ingredient, the explanation of how and why wasn't as well written as other sections.
December 17, 2015
If you haven’t figured it out by now, my wife and I love to try new foods. One of our favorite things to do is build our weekly menu. To pull out the cookbooks, get a theme or idea for the week, to skim recipe’s and say “lets try that one.” When I saw The Banh Mi Handbook I knew I had to get this for my wife. After all, Christmas is coming, and who doesn’t like a new cookbook?
I found the pictures in this cookbook to be AMAZING! I have never seen a cookbook have such authentic and amazing looking food. I got this book with the idea that we would be able to have spectacular sandwiches. While this is true, the reality is that this book is so much more than that.
Andrea Nguyen (the author) shows us how to pick the right ingredients, so that we can make good bread. And she discusses ingredients for the sandwich, and how it is crucial to have good ingredients that fit your budget and taste buds.
I am extremely glad I got this book for my wife. I know that this is a book we will continually grab as a resource for years to come.
I got this book for free from the Blogging for Books Program for my honest review.
I found the pictures in this cookbook to be AMAZING! I have never seen a cookbook have such authentic and amazing looking food. I got this book with the idea that we would be able to have spectacular sandwiches. While this is true, the reality is that this book is so much more than that.
Andrea Nguyen (the author) shows us how to pick the right ingredients, so that we can make good bread. And she discusses ingredients for the sandwich, and how it is crucial to have good ingredients that fit your budget and taste buds.
I am extremely glad I got this book for my wife. I know that this is a book we will continually grab as a resource for years to come.
I got this book for free from the Blogging for Books Program for my honest review.
February 24, 2016
This book packs a lot of info in. It starts with the breadmaking, proceeds to recipes for the sauces, such as Sriracha Aioli, Cilantro Maggi Mayo, and Garlic Yogurt Sauce. It has recipes for the condiments, such as Snow Pea and Lemongrass Pickle. The author includes recipes for the cold cuts: Garlicky Silky Sausage, Edamame Pate. She cruises through all the meats and some Vegetarian alternatives, as well as a few recipes for those of us who cannot eat the wheat, such as lettuce wrapping and a salad. As a wheat free cook, I am finding her recipes easy to adjust for my family's needs, without compromising the integrity of the tastes and intentions of the recipes.
March 23, 2018
AWESOME cookbook.
Definitely delivers on enticing photos, but more importantly, easy to follow instructions and variety. There are traditional recipes as well as options for vegetarians, vegans, and gluten free variations on the traditional dish without compromising on the integrity of the Banh Mi.
Love it!
Definitely delivers on enticing photos, but more importantly, easy to follow instructions and variety. There are traditional recipes as well as options for vegetarians, vegans, and gluten free variations on the traditional dish without compromising on the integrity of the Banh Mi.
Love it!
October 8, 2014
Good tips, I made a practice sandwich. Will need to practice some more :)
December 15, 2014
Really enjoyed reading about all the different approaches to one of my favorite sandwiches. I've tried 3 or 4 of the recipes and they all worked out real well for me.
November 22, 2014
Interesting recipes. I would use some of the chicken and seafood recipes for dinner sans bread.
August 12, 2016
Very thorough, well informed and well organized. Gives a lot of mix-and-match options but also recommendations for great ways to put them together.
March 21, 2015
I love this book. Who knew that pate and jalapenos would be fantastic together?
September 11, 2016
Fun, I love Banh Mi's, and there were some decent veg options in here, too. Checked it out mostly for the curiosity factor.
June 1, 2017
Excellent place to gather some ideas
February 13, 2018
There were only a couple sandwiches that I would try to make and I've seen them in other cookbooks. I'm glad I didn't purchase this one.
November 2, 2019
If you love Banh Mi as much as I do then this is your guide. Lots of creative riffs of the great Vietnames sandwich. I’m still a purist though. 😋
July 3, 2023
The bread recipe didn’t get results anywhere near the type of banh mi bread I can get locally in Orange County, CA (which is where the cookbook author says he is from and inspired by). The grilled lemongrass pork had a nice flavor but the mayonnaise and pickles that we tried were mediocre. Honestly, I’d rather just pop by my local Lee’s Sandwiches or THH Sandwiches to get a variety of banh mi for about $6 per and have them perfect (Lee’s) or near-perfect (THH) every time with zero hassle. Overall, the book’s execution didn’t wow and I wasn’t inspired by the results of the first few recipes.
July 25, 2020
Excellent! I am excited to try out the recipes. Everything from the bread to the various sandwich fillings are outlined!
September 21, 2020
Excellent resource for beginning to understand Banh Mi and make your own at home.
September 11, 2022
Creative but a little simplistic. Good pictures, nothing super inventive.
Displaying 1 - 22 of 22 reviews