A Bánh Mì is easily one of my favorite sandwiches. Maybe even my top sandwich pick ever (a bold statement!). And while I’ll go for an authentic Bánh Mì to-go any time, a hot dog version is a fast and easy way to scratch that itch at home and a super fun way to elevate of the USA’s favorites: the humble hot dog! Because we’re using a hot dog as the protein instead of the super flavorful, marinated meat that usually goes in a Bánh Mì sandwich, we’re going to pump up the flavor in another way. I love using a homemade spicy mayo as a spread on these for this reason. Without further ado, let’s make some Bánh Mì hot dogs, shall we? And if you like these, be sure to check out this other variation – Chicken Bánh Mì tacos!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Hot Dogs – feel free to use any kind you want in these Bánh Mì hot dogs – pork, beef, turkey, or even vegetarian. Hot Dog Buns Carrots – or a combination of carrots and daikon radish, which is more traditional, but harder to get at conventional grocery stores (more on that below). Rice vinegar, sugar, and salt – for quick pickling the carrots Mint, Cilantro, and Basil – these fresh herbs are super important for flavor. Use thai basil if you can get it! Spicy mayo – I’ll go over how to make my homemade spicy mayo for this, but you can use a store-bought version or just plain mayo for a mild version if you want. Cucumber – you can leave this out if you want, but it adds a nice cool crunch to the whole thing!
How to make Bánh Mì Hot Dogs
I love how incredibly easy it is to make these Bánh Mì hot dogs. You only really have to prep two things: the pickled carrots and the hot dogs. For the pickled carrots, just mix up some rice vinegar, sugar, and salt until everything is dissolved. Then, add the carrots (cut julienne or grated) and let them sit in there while you get everything else ready. You can cook the hot dogs any way you prefer – grilled would probably be tastiest, but I usually cook them in butter in a skillet for speed and ease. Then, get all your other ingredients ready for assembly! On each hot dog, add some spicy mayo, as well as a generous helping of fresh herb leaves (again, these are ESSENTIAL), pickled carrots, sliced cucumbers, and of course, the hot dog itself. There you have it! Dinner in record time.
How to make the homemade spicy mayo (and alternatives)
I’m so in love with this homemade mayo that I wrote a whole separate post on how to make spicy mayo – not just for Bánh Mì Hot Dogs, but also as a sandwich spread, topping for sushi, dip for veggies, etc. It’s a mixture of mayo, chili garlic sauce, toasted sesame oil, lime juice and zest, and soy sauce. For a simpler version, you can certainly just mix a bit of mayo and sriracha or chili garlic sauce together! Or you can buy store-bought spicy mayo as well. And if you’re not a fan of spicy, feel free to use plain ol’ mayonnaise for these Bánh Mì Hot Dogs, or even make up your own creamy sauce for it.
More information on the pickled veggies on Bánh Mì
The pickled veggies for a Bánh Mì sandwich are traditionally a combination of carrots and daikon radish. Here’s a great recipe for how to make these Bánh Mì pickled veggies in bulk, with both veggies. I opted for only carrots here, solely because they are more accessible in conventional grocery stories in the USA. Feel free to add the radish if you want, or even other types of radishes, or other veggies like parsnips! Furthermore, the veggies are usually julienne cut. I did this by hand, but you can also use an attachment on a food processor for this. But grating the carrots will work just fine here as well – they will be a bit softer and less crunchy this way, but with more potent pickled flavor.
Other Vietnamese Inspired Recipes
Chicken Bánh Mì Tacos Shrimp Spring Rolls Pork Bún Bowls
Other Sandwich-for-Dinner Recipes
(unless you think a hot dog isn’t a sandwich, which is a conversation for another day) Check out all of my Sandwich Recipes Here! Did you know commenting and rating recipes is one of the best ways you can support your favorite food bloggers? If you made this recipe or have a question, please click the stars below to comment and Rate this Recipe and/or share photos on social media using the hashtag #bowlofdelicious or tagging @bowlofdelicious!
