Bánh Mì Pa-tê Recipe

Lastest Updated June 27, 2024
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Bánh mì pa-tê (or Vietnamese pâté sandwich) is a famous dish consisting of a crusty baguette split lengthwise and spread with savory pâté, mayonnaise, and pickles. This bánh mì is a well-known street food and breakfast item in Vietnam.

The good news is you can also easily make this sandwich at home. Moreover, I’ll tell you briefly about the history of bánh mì and pâté in Vietnam, the required tools and ingredients for preparing the sandwich, what you should do to make it, and some tips. Read on for more useful information!

The Overview of Vietnamese Bánh Mì Pa-tê

Bánh mì pa-tê is a type of Vietnamese sandwich (bánh mì) made with crusty Vietnamese-style baguettes and pork liver pâté. Other ingredients include Vietnamese pickles, fresh vegetables, and mayonnaise. Sometimes, people add cold cuts or grilled pork.

In the mid-19th century, when Vietnam became a French colony, the French introduced pâté and baguettes to the region. Over time, the Vietnamese people embraced these ingredients, creatively transforming them into a convenient sandwich.

Today, bánh mì pa-tê is among the most popular versions of Vietnamese sandwiches that locals normally enjoy as a street food, breakfast item, and midnight snack.

What is Special About Vietnamese Pâté?

Vietnamese pâté differs from its French counterpart in ingredients, primarily using pork liver. Chunks of meat or offal are slow-cooked with spices to create a spreadable texture, but in Vietnam, pork liver is the main ingredient.

Some Vietnamese prefer chicken liver pâté for its milder flavor. Both versions are savory, smooth, and easily spread on crisp baguettes. In Vietnamese, pâté is often written as pate or pa-tê.

Plus, please note that pâté chaud, a French-inspired Vietnamese puff pastry filled with ground meat, is unrelated to pâté.

What Are the Tools for Preparing Bánh Mì Pa-tê?

You only need basic tools to assemble a Vietnamese pate sandwich, such as:

  • Knife: To slice, open a baguette and spread condiments onto it.
  • Spoon: To distribute garlic sauce over the sides of the baguette.
  • A pair of chopsticks: For picking up various ingredients and putting them inside the baguette, such as vegetables and pickles.
Tools for Preparing Banh Mi Pate

What Are Must-have Ingredients in Bánh Mì Pa-tê?

Since most of the ingredients for a pate sandwich are pre-cooked, you just need to put them together. Here is the list of ingredients.

  • Pork liver pâté: It is quite easy to make Vietnamese-style pork liver pâté at home, but the canned version is fine, too. Look for pork liver pâté in the canned aisle of the supermarket. Feel free to substitute the pork liver variety with chicken liver pâté.
  • Vietnamese-style mayonnaise: This local type of mayonnaise has a beautiful golden color, like Hollandaise sauce. Along with pâté, mayonnaise is a common ingredient in many bánh mì recipes. Homemade Vietnamese-style mayonnaise only takes 25 minutes or so to prepare.
  • Garlic sauce: This sauce is also important to add the much-needed umami and savory notes to the sandwiches.
  • Vietnamese pickles: Bánh mì pate isn’t complete without Vietnamese pickled carrots and daikons, which balance the rich and salty flavors of the other ingredients with their sweetness and tanginess.
  • Vietnamese baguettes: They are famous for their thin, crispy crust and light, airy interior. Typically, they are around 8 inches long and 3-3.5 inches wide, though sizes can vary to suit personal preferences.
  • Chili sauce and mayonnaise: To improve the flavor profile of Banh Mi Pate.
  • Fresh vegetables: I use cucumbers, chili peppers, and scallions (both the green and white parts) in this recipe. Though other types of vegetables, like lettuce and tomatoes, are possible add-ins, very few Vietnamese people do so
Ingredients Make Banh Mi Pate

How Do I Make Bánh Mì Pa-tê?

Making this Vietnamese sandwich recipe can’t get any easier because you only have to prepare the vegetables and put the main ingredients in the baguette. That is because many sandwich components are already cooked and don’t require further processing.

Step 1: Prepare the Vegetables

Rinse the vegetables and let them drain.

Cut the cucumber into thin sticks. Cut the scallions into long strips. Cut the chili peppers into little rings.

Cut the Cucumber Into Thin Sticks

Step 2: Assemble the Banh Mi Pate

Use a sharp knife to slice open the baguette along its length. Don’t push the blade too deep, or you will pierce the other side and cut your baguette in half.

Open the Baguette Along its Length

Use the knife to spread a suitable amount of pate onto the sides of the baguette, followed by a layer of Vietnamese-style mayonnaise.

Spread A Suitable Amount of Pate

With a pair of chopsticks, put the cucumber ribbons and pickled vegetables into the baguette.

Add Cucumber
Add Pickled Vegetables Into The Baguette

Pour the garlic sauce over the filling, then add the scallions and chili peppers. Smear some chili sauce and mayonnaise over the filling.

Pour the Garlic Sauce Over the Filling
Add the Scallions and Chili Peppers

Preparing bánh mì pa-tê at home is effortless, but the process will get even smoother with a few simple tips.

Enjoy Banh Mi Pate

What Are Helpful Tips to Improve Your Bánh Mì Pa-tê?

To make your Banh Mi Pate taste better, try the following tricks.

  • Reheat the baguettes: Crisp up your baguettes in a toaster oven, microwave, or air-fryer before using them to make delicious Banh Mi Pate. Don’t forget to moisten their crusts slightly first before reheating them.
  • Serve immediately: A complete Vietnamese pâté sandwich doesn’t have a long shelf life since the sauce and mayonnaise eventually make the crusty baguette go mushy. Therefore, you should consume the sandwich as soon as possible.
  • Enjoy with Vietnamese coffee: While bánh mì is a full meal on its own and doesn’t need side dishes, the sandwich tastes better when accompanied by Vietnamese coffee. A few examples are cà phê sữa đá (iced coffee), cà phê trứng (egg coffee), or cà phê cốt dừa (coconut coffee).
  • Adjust the spice level: Add more chili peppers to the sandwich if you love spicy food and vice versa. It is a trick you can use with many similar Vietnamese dishes.

Bánh Mì Pa-tê: A Must-try Dish for Banh Mi Lovers

Bánh mì pate is a wonderful fusion of Vietnamese and French cuisines. Whenever you crave a quick bite for the early morning meal, this simple Vietnamese sandwich is always ready to please you with its excellent convenience, fantastic contrast of textures, and flavorful taste.

Do you have good experience with preparing this recipe? Do you have great tips to share or questions that need answers? I’m here to help! Let me know what you think in the comment section, and I will get back to you soon! And don’t forget to share my Banh Mi Pate recipe with your friends!

Banh Mi Pa Te

Bánh Mì Pa-tê Recipe (Vietnamese Pâté Sandwich)

Bánh mì pa-tê, aka Vietnamese pâté sandwich is an easy and convenient sandwich for breakfast or a quick snack. Let me show you how to prepare it.
5 from 1 vote
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Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: Banh Mi Pate, Vietnamese Pâté Sandwich
Level of Difficulty: Easy
Dietary Preference: None
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 5 minutes
Servings: 2
Calories: 833kcal

Equipment

  • Spoon
  • Chopsticks
  • Knife

Ingredients

  • 1.76 ounces pate pork liver pâté
  • 1.06 ounces Vietnamese-style mayonnaise
  • 2.5 fluid ounces garlic sauce
  • 3.53 ounces Vietnamese pickles
  • 2 Vietnamese baguettes
  • Chili sauce and mayonnaise to taste
  • Optional vegetables: scallions, cucumbers, chili peppers, etc.

Instructions 

  • Rinse the vegetables and drain them.
    Cut the cucumber into thin sticks. Cut the scallions into long strips. Cut the chili peppers into little rings.
    Cut the Cucumber Into Thin Sticks
  • Use a sharp knife to slice open the baguette lengthwise.
    Open the Baguette Along its Length
  • Use the knife to spread a suitable amount of pâté onto the sides of the baguette. Repeat the process with Vietnamese-style mayonnaise.
    Spread A Suitable Amount of Pate
  • Use a pair or chopsticks to put the cucumber ribbons and pickled vegetables into the baguette.
    Add Pickled Vegetables Into The Baguette
  • Pour the garlic sauce over the filling, then add the scallion strips.
    Pour the Garlic Sauce Over the Filling
  • Smear some chili sauce and mayonnaise over the filling. Garnish with chili pepper rings.
    Banh Mi Pa Te

Video

Notes

  • The estimated time and instructions are for preparing 2 servings.
  • Reheat the baguettes prior to making bánh mì pate.
  • Serve it immediately.
  • Enjoy bánh mì with Vietnamese coffee.
  • Adjust the spice level by adding more or less chili peppers.

Nutrition

Calories: 833kcal | Carbohydrates: 131g | Protein: 29g | Fat: 19g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.03g | Cholesterol: 81mg | Sodium: 3909mg | Potassium: 437mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 5502IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 293mg | Iron: 15mg
Richie

Richie

Content Writer

Expertise

Home Cooking, Meal Planning, Food Styling, Food Photography, Cooking-video Maker, Beverage Evaluation Expert

Education

Saigon Culinary Arts Centre, Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam

  • Program: Diploma in Culinary Arts
  • Focus: Vietnamese and Asian cuisines with intensive training and hands-on approach.

Vietnam Australia Vocational School (VAAC), Hanoi, Vietnam

  • Program: Bartender
  • Focus: Basic knowledge on how to store, preserve and select ingredients, and practice cocktails, mocktails, hot and cold drinks.

Richie, based in Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, is a dynamic Content Writer with a talent for capturing the essence of culinary art.

Richie specializes in creating visually appealing and tasty content, offering a new angle on Vietnamese and other culinary traditions. With a background in graphic design and a love for food styling and photography, he expertly combines beauty with food narratives, encouraging his audience to discover the culinary world through his imaginative perspective.

5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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