· Published: By: Asian Inspired Eats 40 Comments
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This not-so-traditional Vietnamese sandwich is crazy delicious! Made with slow-cooker pulled pork, this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Bánh Mì sandwichactually has Chinese five spice seasoning for the rub, making it not-so-Vietnamese either! 😜
Try serving this Pulled Pork Bánh Mì open-faced for a twist, and to save some calories (I'm all about saving calories!). Or, go for the gusto and eat the whole loaf -- it's that good!
What is Bánh Mì?
Bánh Mì (or banh mi) is the Vietnamese word for bread. In Vietnamese cuisine, it also refers to a type of short baguette with thin, crisp crust and soft, airy texture inside that is often split lengthwise and filled with various savory ingredients as a sandwich and served as a meal.
Originating on the streets of Saigon, the Bánh Mì sandwich is a French-Vietnamese hybrid consisting of sour, pickled vegetables, crisp cilantro, spicy chilis, and a cool sliver of cucumber surrounding any number of protein options, from minced pork to fatty paté to sardines.
Add the cubed pork shoulder to a slow cooker and walk away for four hours! It's just that easy! The pork is rubbed with fragrant Chinese Five Spice, then marinated with soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, sherry, garlic, and fresh ginger.
Fork-tender, slow-cooker pulled pork is the star of this Vietnamese Bánh Mì sandwich. The meat literally falls apart and is slathered with incredible spices from the Chinese Five Spice rub.
Freshly baked Bánh Mì baguettes have a thin, crisp crust and a soft, airy texture inside. Grab a whole bunch at your local Vietnamese bakery and freeze what you don't use for next time!
Pickled veggies are the crunchy topping to this yummy Bánh Mì sandwich! You may also want to try this variety for the topping, my Quick Pickled Vegetables recipe. Use the leftovers on top of salads!
How to assemble a Bánh Mì sandwich:
- Slice the baguette in half and cut into evenly portioned sizes (about 3 inches).
- Spread the Sriracha aioli on the bottom of the baguette.
- Layer the Bánh Mì with pulled pork, pickled veggies, and fresh cilantro leaves.
- Enjoy!
TIPS & TRICKS
- You'll want to trim the thick fat off of the pork shoulder. Otherwise, it will be too oily.
- If you can't find Bánh Mì baguettes, you can always substitute it with bakery baguettes, or French bread.
- You can switch out the proteins in this Bánh Mì for like chicken, beef, tofu, fish, or paté. Or make it vegetarian with just the pickled vegetables.
WANT MORE?
If you like this Pulled Pork Bánh Mì sandwich, you’re going to want these recipes too!
- Lobster Bánh Mì
- Instant Pot Korean-Inspired Pulled Pork
- Chinese Five Spice Pork Tenderloin
- Easy Pickled Red Onions
Update Notes:This post was originally published onMarch 14, 2017, but was republished with slight text changes and additions, like new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips inAugust 2020.
Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Bánh Mì
5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star
4.8 from 19 reviews
Fork-tender pork shoulder is the star of this Slow Cooker Pulled Pork Bánh Mì sandwich! Topped with crunchy pickled vegetables, this Vietnamese sandwich is crazy delicious!
- Total Time: 8 hours 30 mins
- Yield: 6 1x
Ingredients
UnitsScale
- 4 pounds pork shoulder, fat trimmed, cut into large chunks
- 2 tablespoons Chinese Five Spice powder
- 4 tablespoons low sodium soy sauce (or liquid aminos)
- ¼ cup hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 tablespoons dry sherry cooking wine
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- Sriracha aioli (see recipe below)
- 2 loaves Báhn Mì baguettes, or bakery French bread
For the Pickled Vegetables:
- ½ English cucumber, sliced very thin
- 3 carrots, peeled and julienned
- 4 large radishes, sliced very thin
- 1 jalapeno, seeded and sliced very thin
- 2 tablespoons salt (divided)
- 2 tablespoons sugar (divided)
- 1 cup rice vinegar
- 1 cup water
- ¼ cup fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Place the pork in a large bowl and rub in the Chinese Five Spice until pork is completely coated. Let sit for 5 minutes.
- In another bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin sauce, honey, sherry, garlic, and ginger. Place the pork at the bottom of a slow cooker and pour the mixture over the pork, tossing to coat. Cook the pork on high for 4 hours, or low for 8 hours. Stir halfway through. When the pork is finished, shred the pork with two forks, discarding any fat. Keep warm.
- While the pork is cooking, place the sliced veggies in a large bowl. Add 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon sugar to the veggies and stir to coat well. Let sit for 10 minutes to draw out the moisture. Rinse well and drain. In a small bowl, whisk together the rice vinegar, water, and remaining 1 tablespoons salt and 1 tablespoons sugar. Stir until dissolved. Pour over the veggies and set aside for at least 1 hour.
To make the aioli: Combine 3 tablespoons Sriracha sauce with 4 tablespoons low-fat mayonnaise.
To assemble the Bánh Mì sandwich: Slice the baguette in half and cut into evenly portioned sizes (about 3 inches). Spread the aioli on the bottom of the baguette. Layer with pulled pork, pickled veggies, and cilantro leaves.
Notes
- You'll want to trim the thick fat off of the pork shoulder. Otherwise, it will be too oily.
- If you can't find Bánh Mì baguettes, you can always substitute it with bakery baguettes, or French bread.
- You can switch out the proteins in this Bánh Mì for like chicken, beef, tofu, fish, or paté. Or make it vegetarian with just the pickled vegetables.
- Author: Asian Caucasian
- Prep Time: 30 mins
- Cook Time: 8 hours
- Category: Lunch / Dinner
- Method: Slow Cooker
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
Nutrition
- Serving Size: Sandwich
- Calories: 632
- Sugar: 20.9 g
- Sodium: 4328 mg
- Fat: 14.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 35.8 g
- Protein: 85.3 g
- Cholesterol: 248.4 mg
Reader Interactions
Comments
Rachel says
The meat turned out okay but the picked vegetables were so salty they ruined the sandwich. Not the best recipe for this sandwich.
Reply
Asian Caucasian says
So sorry to hear that, Rachel. I adjusted the recipe to reflect your comments. Thanks so much for bringing this to my attention and for the feedback!
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Debbie Kodish says
This is our new favorite sandwich of all time! The pork was full of flavor and the marinated veggies were crisp and delicious. We marinated the jalapeño with the rest of the veggies. The combination with extra cilantro, sriracha and hoisin was outstanding! Can’t wait to try all the recipe posts on this outstanding website!
Reply
Asian Caucasian says
Thank you, Debbie! So happy that you loved this banh mi! I love that it's so versatile and can be made with different proteins. And, the pickled veggies are great to use as leftovers on top of a salad. Keep those comments coming!
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sapana says
I have made the vegan version of banh mi once and totally loved it. Your post is reminding me to make it soon. This is one of the most delicious sandwich I have ever tasted.
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Asian Caucasian says
Vegan banh mi sandwiches are the best! I've used all different kinds of protein in these sandwiches!
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Gail Montero says
You made me miss Vietnam and their yummy sandwiches so I'm glad that with this tasty recipe I can re-create a delicious banh-mi at home!
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Asian Caucasian says
We loved these banh mi sandwiches in Vietnam also! You can get very creative with them.
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Ramona says
Oh my goodness, this really looks like a sandwich I would eat right now for breakfast. So delicious! I love all the flavours in this. Definitely making this ASAP.
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Asian Caucasian says
I never thought about this sandwich for breakfast, but why the heck not? 🙂
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Jacqueline Debono says
I confess I have never had a banh mi sandwich but I'm obviously missing out. I love pulled pork so am going to add some pork shoulder to my shopping list this week and give these a try!
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Asian Caucasian says
You will definitely love this, and have leftover pork too. Perfect for the next meal!
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Kushigalu says
Big fan of slow cooker meals. This sounds so delicious. Love the flavors here. I will soon try this recipe. Thanks for sharing
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Asian Caucasian says
My pleasure! Hope you enjoy this recipe as much as we do!
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Beth says
I love the complex flavors of Vietnamese marinated meats and pickled vegetables. I just taste how savory these must be.
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See Also3-Ingredient Pumpkin FluffAsian Caucasian says
The crunchy pickled veggies really does add great texture to these banh mi sandwiches!
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Julie @ Running in a Skirt says
I never thought about making a Bahn Mi in the slow cooker before. What a great way to get dinner on the table but have something with an ethnic flair! What a wonderful meal.
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Asian Caucasian says
The slow cooker makes the pork so tender and I use the leftover pork for another meal!
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Diana says
Sounds like the most perfect lunch idea! I have always loved these kinds of sandwiches!
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Asian Caucasian says
You can get pretty creative with banh mi sandwiches!
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Sophia says
I love Banh Mi! And making the meat in thee slow cooker is such a great idea for making them even easier. Delicious!
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Asian Caucasian says
Yes! The slow cooker makes the pork fall-apart-tender!
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Amy Liu Dong says
The pork look so tender and delicious, my husband will definitely love this. YUM!
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Asian Caucasian says
It pulls together so easily. I switch out this banh mi with other proteins quite often too!
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Marta says
You've just made my Christmas list with this banh mi recipe. The fact that I can make it with a slow cooker makes even better.
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Asian Caucasian says
I'm all into easy recipes! Use the leftover pulled pork for another time!
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Stine Mari says
The Banh Mi is a spectacular sandwich! Your version of it sounds spectacularly bold, but also spectacularly delicious! The chinese five spice pork sounds amazing for it.
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Asian Caucasian says
Thanks for the "spectacular" review! I do think it's a good sandwich too!
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Maria says
I love slow cooker meals and this one looks so delicious. The meat sounds so flavorful and the pickles veggies adds such a lovely texture to the sandwich. Can't wait to try this recipe!
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Asian Caucasian says
Thanks, Maria! We've made this banh mi several times. The pork has so much flavor and can be used for leftovers!
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Leslie says
I'm loving this creation. Great mix of Vietnamese and Chinese mixed in one! This sandwhich has a lot going for it!
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Asian Caucasian says
Thanks so much, Leslie! This banh mi is one of my favorite sandwiches on the planet!
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Meesha says
This looks really delicious! Always wanted to make my own banh mi so definitely making it this week!
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Asian Caucasian says
Hope you have fun with this banh mi sandwich. I like to switch out the proteins and get creative!
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Taleen | Just As Tasty says
I love banh mi but have never attempted to make some myself. And I love discovering new slow cooker recipes, so I'm extra excited about this!
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Asian Caucasian says
This is just plain simple! The great thing about making a banh mi sandwich is that you can get super creative with different proteins and toppings!
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Chef Dennis says
You've given me another reason to love pulled pork with your recipe! I love the different flavors you use with your slow cooked pork and can'e wait to experience them for myself!!
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Asian Caucasian says
The pork comes out fork-tender and delicious! I've used the leftovers on salads, or other sandwiches. Enjoy!
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Francine Waters says
I cannot wait to make this banh mi! I’m a huge fan of this Vietnamese sandwich and your recipe looks mouthwatering!
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Asian Caucasian says
Yes! This recipe is really easy and delish. The slow-cooker pork is melt-in-your-mouth!
Reply
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