Description
Vietnamese banh mi sandwich made with healthy ground turkey meatballs, pickled carrots, and cilantro.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
For the meatballs
- 1 pound ground turkey
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh basil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 3 green onions, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
For the pickled carrots
- 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons sugar
- Pinch of salt
- 2 medium carrots, coarsely shredded
For the sandwiches
- 4 6-inch baguette rolls
- Handful fresh cilantro, rinsed and dried
Other optional toppings
- Jalapeño, thinly sliced
- Cucumbers, thinly sliced
- Sriracha Mayo (1/4 cup mayo mixed with 1/2 teaspoon Sriracha chili sauce)
Instructions
For the meatballs
- Prep oven. Heat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Prep pan. Lightly spray a rimmed baking sheet with cooking spray.
- Mix. Gently mix all meatball ingredients together in a large bowl until well combined.
- Make meatballs. Roll meat mixture into 1-inch meatballs (about 1 tablespoon each). I use a small measuring scoop to get even sized meatballs. If the meat mixture sticks to your hands too much, moisten hands slightly with water. Arrange meatballs on baking sheet.
- Bake. Bake meatballs in oven until they are cooked through, 15-20 minutes, turning half-way through.
For the pickled carrots
- Mix. Whisk together rice vinegar, sugar, and salt in a small bowl.
- Toss. Add carrots and toss until combined. Let stand at room temperature for 15-30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
For the sandwiches
- Prep bread. Cut each baguette horizontally in half. Lightly toast each half.
- Spread. Spread mayo on each half, if using.
- Stuff. Divide meatballs among baguette halves, top with carrots (leaving excess liquid in the bowl), cilantro, and other vegetables (if using). Press on tops and serve.
Notes
- Uncooked meatballs can be made 1 day ahead, covered and chilled.
- Cooked meatballs can be stored in the freezer for 1-2 months.
- Recipe adapted from Bon Appétit, January 2010.
