Vegetarian Banh Mi Bowl inspired by the Asian banh mi sandwich. It's made with fresh vegetables, pickled vegetables, quinoa, and Asian vinaigrette. It's perfect for meal prep and quenches nutritious cravings, just like my Turmeric Chickpea Buddha Bowl.
Imagine all the flavors and textures of a banh mi sandwich, minus the bread. That's the inspiration for Banh Mi Bowls. I left out the bread, mayo, and fish sauce used in traditional banh mi, and added grilled mushrooms, quinoa, purple cabbage, and pickled red onions.
Banh Mi Bowl Ingredients
For the mushroom marinade:
- garlic
- lime juice
- sugar
- tamari or soy sauce
- mushrooms
For the salad:
- romaine lettuce
- cooked quinoa
- quick pickled carrots and daikon
- cucumber
- cilantro
- jalapeño pepper or Serrano pepper
- purple cabbage
- pickled red onions
For the vinaigrette:
- extra virgin olive oil
- rice vinegar
- sugar
- salt
How to make a Banh Mi Bowl
Step 1. Make Quick Pickled Carrots And Daikon, which is ready in under 30 minutes. I make mine a day or two before, to build up those heavenly sweet and sour flavors!
Step 2. Next, the mushrooms are marinated in garlic, lime juice, sugar, and GF tamari (or soy sauce). Marinate for 30 minutes, up to a day ahead...oh the flavors!
Step 3. Grill the mushrooms, or pan sauté if you prefer, and cool them down.
Step 4. Build the Banh Mi Bowls by piling the juicy mushrooms in with lettuce, cooked quinoa (or rice), pickled carrots and daikon, pickled red onions, and cucumber.
Step 5. Top with shredded cabbage, cilantro, and jalapeño slices.
Step 6. Whisk together the Asian vinaigrette.
Step 7. Pack everything into lunch containers, or sit down and devour!
Meal prep banh mi bowls to enjoy during your busy week. You'll be waiting in anticipation for this lunch break when you have this bowl chillin' in the fridge.
What I love about banh mi bowls
- vegan and gluten-free
- uses everyday ingredients
- budget-friendly
- has ALL the flavors...sweet, savory, salty, sour, and spicy
- packed with nutrients
- SO easy to make
- easy to meal prep
Check out these 50 Buddha Bowls To Reboot Your Plant-Based Routine
Recommended tools
- mixing bowl and whisk (for mushroom marinade)
- outdoor or indoor grill and tongs (if grilling the mushrooms)
- conventional oven or countertop oven (if baking the mushrooms)
- 11" skillet (if sauteing mushrooms)
- mandoline slicer (for the thinnest cucumber slices ever)
- salad bowls
- airtight storage containers
More vegan Asian recipes
- Thai Peanut Zucchini Noodles
- Asian Slaw Quinoa Salad with Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette
- Turmeric Chickpea Buddha Bowl
- Kale Sesame Noodles
Vegetarian Banh Mi Bowl
Ingredients
For the mushroom marinade
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 Lime, zested and juiced
- 1 Tbsp Sugar
- 1 Tbsp Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce, or tamari for GF option
- 1/2 lb Mushrooms, thick sliced
For the salad
- 4-6 leaves Romaine Lettuce
- 1/2 cup cooked Quinoa
- 1/2 cup Pickled Carrots and Daikon
- 1/2 small English Cucumber, thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup Cilantro, chopped
- 1 Jalapeño Pepper, thinly sliced
- 1/2 cup Purple Cabbage, shredded
- 1/2 cup Pickled Red Onions
For the Asian vinaigrette
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp Unseasoned Rice Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1/8 tsp Kosher Salt
Recipe Instructions
- Prepare marinade by whisking together GARLIC, LIME JUICE, SUGAR, and SOY SAUCE; pour over MUSHROOMS; set aside to marinate 30 minutes minimum (or overnight).
To cook the mushrooms
- Saute instructions:Heat OLIVE OIL in an 11" skillet over medium-high heat; add mushrooms and saute until lightly browned and cooked through, tossing as needed. Remove from heat and set aside.Baking instructions:Preheat oven to 400°. Remove mushrooms from the marinade and place them on a baking sheet. Bake, uncovered, 10-12 minutes until browned and cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside.Grilling instructions:Preheat grill to medium-high. Grill MUSHROOMS in a basket over medium-high heat until tender and slightly browned, tossing as needed. Remove from heat and set aside.
For the Asian vinaigrette
- Whisk together OLIVE OIL, RICE VINEGAR, SUGAR, and SALT; set aside.
To assemble the bowls
- Distribute ALL vegetables evenly into salad bowls; drizzle with the Asian vinaigrette; serve chilled.
Nutrition
Nutrition data provided as courtesy estimates using unbranded ingredients from a nutrition database. Please consult preferred resource for precise data.
What a beautiful, healthy looking meal! I love these kinds of bowls, especially for lunch to fuel me for the rest of the day, and the flavors you have sound amazing.
Thanks so much, Marlynn!