Vietnamese Banh Mi Salad Bowl is a vegan banh mi sandwich in a bowl. It’s made with fresh and pickled vegetables, quinoa, and a simple vinaigrette. This plant-based, Asian salad is one of my favorite meal prep bowl meals.
Vietnamese Banh Mi Salad Bowl
Our local Vietnamese sandwich shop makes a mean banh mi with fried tofu, pickled carrots and daikon, fresh cilantro, and sliced jalapenos on a super crusty, French loaf with mayo and sriracha.
You probably have a favorite spot for this where you live. I hope you do!
I have eaten that sandwich many times, but sometimes I want to enjoy it salad-style, so I came up with this banh mi buddha bowl.
It’s ridiculously healthy, easy to make, and crazy delicious!
To convert my favorite sandwich to a buddha bowl salad, 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.
This makes it vegan, and gluten-free, both of which I like to rock sometimes.
How to make a Banh Mi Salad
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 those mushrooms, or pan sauté if you prefer, and cool ‘em down.
Step 4. Build the Banh Mi Bowls by piling the juicy mushrooms in with lettuce, cooked quinoa (or rice), pickled carrots and daikon, 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!
That’s it!
Add these Banh Mi Bowls to your monthly salad rotation and meal prep them for 2 or 3 days of lunch.
You’ll be waiting in anticipation for this lunch break when you have this bowl chillin’ in the fridge.
What I love about the Banh Mi Salad Bowl:
- vegan and gluten-free…boom!
- everyday ingredients get together and create an ethnic experience
- has ALL the flavors…sweet, savory, salty, sour, and spicy
- uses nutrient-packed ingredients
- easy to make…ninja cooking skills not required
- perfect for meal prep
Yeah, you want these in your life!
If you’re not vegan, you need these Chicken Banh Mi Sandwich Sliders in your life!
Banh Mi Salad 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
- purple cabbage
- pickled red onions
For the vinaigrette:
- extra virgin olive oil
- rice vinegar
- sugar
- salt
Tools I use for this recipe:
- mixing bowl and whisk (for mushroom marinade)
- outdoor or indoor grill and tongs (to cook mushrooms)
- mandoline slicer (for the thinnest cucumber slices ever)
- salad bowls
- glass storage containers (to marinate mushrooms and pack lunches)
Looking for more plant-based, meal prep salad recipes?
Asian Slaw Quinoa Salad with Sesame Ginger Vinaigrette
Meal Prep Veggie Quinoa Chopped Salad
Vietnamese Banh Mi Salad 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 vinaigrette:
- 2 Tbsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 2 Tbsp Unseasoned Rice Vinegar
- 1/2 tsp Sugar
- 1/8 tsp Kosher Salt
Instructions
- Preheat grill to medium-high.
- Prepare marinade by whisking together GARLIC, LIME JUICE, SUGAR, and SOY SAUCE; pour over MUSHROOMS; set aside to marinate 30 minutes minimum (or overnight).
- Grill MUSHROOMS in a grill basket over medium-high heat until tender and slightly browned; remove from heat and set aside.
- For dressing, whisk together OLIVE OIL, RICE VINEGAR, SUGAR, and SALT; set aside.
- To assemble salad, distribute ALL ingredients evenly into two bowls drizzled with dressing; serve chilled.
RECIPE NOTES
Nutrition
Traci Antonovich
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