Vietnamese Bread Recipe (Banh Mi) - Kickass Baker (2024)

💕 Why you’ll love this recipe

• This recipe produces a crusty baguette with a thin crust and a fluffy and airy inside, unlike French baguette which is heartier with a thicker crust and open crumb
• There is nothing quite like the aroma of freshly baked bread in your home kitchen!
• This is the ideal bread roll perfect for making Vietnamese sandwiches or for eating with butter, the way my kids like them

Just a note about banh mi. The term "banh mi" means "bread" in Vietnamese, but banh mi often refers to the sandwich as well. You may see this term used to refer to both.

🧾 Ingredients & substitutions

No fancy ingredients like rice flour or vital wheat gluten needed for this recipe. Here's what you will need to make this kind of bread:

• Granulated sugar: Vietnamese bread has a bit of sweetness to it. The sugar also helps the yeast to feed and activate in bread recipes
• Instant yeast: Be sure your yeast is fresh, not expired. This will help ensure your dough rises properly. If instant yeast is not available, active dry yeast may be substituted. Please note, the time it takes the dough to rise may be a bit longer with active dry yeast than with instant. Use visual cues such as the volume of the dough as written in the recipe to determine the dough's readiness versus looking at the clock
• Warm water: Your water should be around 95º-105ºF. This temperature provides enough warmth to coax the yeast into activity without killing it. Do not exceed 105ºF or use boiling water as this will kill the yeast and prevent your dough from rising. Cold water can also be used, however, the rise time for your dough may be longer than what's called for in the recipe
• Egg: Use a large egg. Be sure to remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to mixing the dough to allow time for it to reach room temperature. A cold egg will not incorporate easily into the dough
• Bread flour: bread flour is a wheat flour with a higher amount of protein than all purpose flour. This higher protein content is what helps develop the gluten in this bread and give it it's chew. If you do not have bread flour or cannot find it where you live, you can easily substitute in equal amounts for all-purpose flour. The texture may be slightly different, however
• Butter: As with most baking recipes, I recommend using unsalted butter. This will allow you to control the level of saltiness in the dough, as salted butters vary greatly in terms of the salt levels in them. The butter needs to be melted for this recipe
• Salt: For best results, I recommend using fine salt, as this will incorporate easily into the dough

✨How To make Vietnamese Bread Rolls

Step 5: Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap and gather the edges of the dough into the center. This will gently press the air bubbles out. Lightly oil a clean work surface so the dough doesn’t stick and turn the dough out onto it. Divide into 6 equally sized pieces. You can use a scale to weigh each portion or you can eyeball it

Step 6: Shape each piece into a round then cover with plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes. This will make the dough easier to work with and allow you to stretch and shape it

Step 7: Remove one piece of dough at a time, leaving the remaining balls of dough covered. Slap the dough against the counter 3-5 times.

Using a rolling pin that’s lightly brushed with oil, roll the dough out into a long, thin triangle shape with the long edge facing you.

Beginning at the far end (the point), roll the dough dough towards you, pressing it back against itself to create tension, keeping the center larger with tapered ends on both sides.

Stretch the end of the dough up over the dough and pinch the seam closed. With your hands placed at the ends of the baguette, roll the baguette back and forth on the counter, focusing on tapering the ends and smoothing the seam

Step 8: Place the baguette on a parchment lined baguette pan or parchment paper lined baking tray. Repeat with remaining portions of dough. Cover the shaped baguettes with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour

Step 9: While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 475°F. Place a rectangular baking pan on the lowest rack of the oven

Step 10: Once the baguettes have risen, uncover them and use a spray bottle to spray water on the baguettes. Using a lame, razor blade or sharp knife, slash each roll deeply, holding the razor at a 45º angle, not straight up and down. Spray the baguettes again, making sure to cover the slashes lightly with water

Step 11: Open the hot oven door and, working quickly, pour 1 cup water plus a few ice cubes into the empty pan on the lower rack. Place baguettes on the middle rack and close the oven door quickly to capture the steam inside.

Bake for 10 minutes then carefully remove the pan of water, rotate the baguettes, spray with water and bake for another 10-12 minutes.

If the tops are getting very browned, lower the temperature on the oven to 450ºF to ensure they do not burn. Remove from the oven when the baguettes are golden brown. Allow to cool 20 minutes before serving

👩‍🍳 Pro tips

• If your oven has a proof setting, use this to allow the dough to rise. Alternatively, place the dough in a cold oven with just the light on or with a pan of warm water beneath the dough. Another option is to turn the oven to 350ºF for exactly one minute, turn off, then place the dough inside. These all create the perfect proofing environment for bread to rise
• Check out the process photos included in this post for visuals of how to make this recipe. Shaping the dough in the way described helps create that thin, crispy crust. Don't worry if the rolls don't look like those pictured on your first try. Mine certainly did not! Practice, practice, practice!
• These baguettes are best served the day they are made. To store, place in a bread bag and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Slice and toast before serving. The crusty roll may become soft on the outside when stored this way
• Place leftover baguettes in a freezer safe ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Remove as many as you want and toast for 4 minutes then serve
• Once you have mastered bahn mi, you can enjoy learning to prepare an easy garlic pita bread and round challah roll. It's equally impressive when it bakes up and you'll be earning street cred in the baking department!

What bread is used in banh mi?

The ubiquitous Vietnamese sandwich, Banh mi, is typically made from crispy baguettes, pickled vegetables and savory meats.

What is Vietnamese bread made of?

This recipe for Vietnamese bread is made of bread flour, sugar, melted butter, egg, salt, yeast and water.

Is a baguette pan required to make this banh mi recipe?

No, a baguette pan is not required to make banh mi. Instead, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake the rolls that way.

How can I store Vietnamese bread?

To store, place in a bread bag and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Slice and toast before serving. The crusty roll may become soft on the outside when stored this way. Place leftover baguettes in a freezer safe ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Remove as many as you want and toast for 4 minutes then serve.

Can Vietnamese bread rolls be made gluten-free?

I have not tried making this recipe gluten-free. Often gluten-free flours react differently in bread recipes, so I would recommend testing it out with different types of gluten-free baking flours to determine which yields the best result.

➕More recipes

Check out all my Bread recipes here!

Servings: 6

Calories: 359kcal

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 359kcal | Carbohydrates: 63g | Protein: 12g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 42mg | Sodium: 534mg | Potassium: 107mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 172IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg

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