The Best Banh Mi Bowls Recipe
If you have ever had a banh mi sandwich, you know that it is a flavorful Vietnamese sandwich with salty meat and lots of pickled vegetables that makes it irresistible! These banh mi bowls are based on the flavors and components of traditional Vietnamese bánh mí! It starts with savory, flavorful ground chicken. You can use ground pork if you prefer, but ground chicken is a leaner option! Then I build a bowl with piping hot rice, pickled carrots, and fresh veggies and herbs with a homemade spicy mayo to top it all off. These bowls are perfect for an easy lunch or dinner option and I love to prep these ahead of time for meal prep!
Ingredients Needed
For the Chicken
Olive Oil: Since ground chicken is low in fat, use a little olive oil in the pan first! Ground Chicken: You can use ground chicken or ground pork here, whichever you prefer. Ginger & Garlic: Provides flavor and aroma! Sweet Thai Chili Sauce: Just like the name implies, this is a sweet, slightly spicy sauce that will add a lot of flavor to the chicken. Soy Sauce: This will act as the salt here and provide a deep flavor! Basil: Freshly chopped basil. Fish Sauce: For extra umami flavor. Sesame Oil: For a slightly nutty flavor that balances everything out.
Pickled Carrots
Carrots: You can use shredded carrots or cut up the carrots into matchsticks. Rice Wine Vinegar: Rice wine vinegar adds an acidic flavor but isn’t as sharp as white vinegar! Sugar & Salt: Both sugar and salt balance out the flavors of the vinegar.
For the Bowls
Rice: I like to use long grain white rice. You can use whatever rice you prefer here, or even quinoa! Cucumber: Sliced into thin rounds. Cilantro: Fresh cilantro adds a nice herby flavor. Green Onions: Chopped green onions add a bit of crunch! Sesame Seeds: I like to garnish banh mi bowls with sesame seeds! Spicy Mayo: To make your own easy spicy mayo, just whisk together mayonnaise, sesame oil and sriracha!
How to Make Banh Mi Bowls
Tips for success
Don’t skip the quick pickling process! The pickled carrots give these bowls a true banh mi flavor, since banh mi is known for having pickled vegetables. It is super easy to quickly pickle carrots, so don’t skip it! If you like spicy, feel free to add fresh jalapeños on top or add them to the pickling liquid with the carrots! If you don’t have fish sauce on hand, you can omit it. However, it does add a lovely umami flavor! Feel free to substitute the soy sauce for coconut aminos as a low sodium option.
More Healthy Bowls to Try
Spicy Tuna Bowls Greek Chicken Bowls Salmon Sushi Bowls Chicken Burrito Bowls Burger in a Bowl
