By Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff | Published on October 3, 2026

Pork Meatball Banh Mi

Name: Pork Meatball Banh Mi
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 2 tbsp mayonnaise; 2 green onions, finely chopped; 1 tbsp hot chili sauce (such as sriracha); 1 lb ground pork; ¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped; 4 clove garlic cloves, minced; 3 green onions, finely chopped; 1 tbsp fish sauce; 1 tbsp hot chili sauce; 1 tbsp sugar; 2 tsp cornstarch; 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper; 1 tsp coarse kosher salt; 2 cup carrots, coarsely grated; 2 cup daikon radish, peeled and coarsely grated; ¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar; ¼ cup sugar; 1 tsp coarse kosher salt; 1 tbsp Asian sesame oil; 4 10-inch individual baguettes or baguette pieces; jalapeño chiles, thinly sliced; 16 large fresh cilantro sprigs

Recipe GLPRafce508e110586

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Vietnamese

Appetizer

Oven

Stovetop

SNAP eligible

Crispy Vietnamese banh mi sandwiches filled with juicy pan-seared pork meatballs, topped with a spicy chili mayo, pickled vegetables, fresh cilantro, and jalapeños. A flavorful handheld meal that combines tender meatballs with bright, tangy pickled vegetables and fresh herbs.

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Ingredients

2 tbsp mayonnaise

2 green onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp hot chili sauce (such as sriracha)

1 lb ground pork

¼ cup fresh basil, finely chopped

4 clove garlic cloves, minced

3 green onions, finely chopped

1 tbsp fish sauce

1 tbsp hot chili sauce

1 tbsp sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

1 tsp freshly ground black pepper

1 tsp coarse kosher salt

2 cup carrots, coarsely grated

2 cup daikon radish, peeled and coarsely grated

¼ cup unseasoned rice vinegar

¼ cup sugar

1 tsp coarse kosher salt

1 tbsp Asian sesame oil

4 10-inch individual baguettes or baguette pieces

jalapeño chiles, thinly sliced

16 large fresh cilantro sprigs

Directions

Prepare the chili mayo: In a small bowl, whisk together 2/3 cup mayonnaise, 2 finely chopped green onions, and 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce until well combined. Season with salt to taste. This can be made up to 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
Make the meatballs: In a large bowl, gently combine 1 pound ground pork, 1/4 cup fresh basil, 4 minced garlic cloves, 3 finely chopped green onions, 1 tablespoon fish sauce, 1 tablespoon hot chili sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon black pepper, and 1 teaspoon salt. Using moistened hands, roll the mixture into 1-inch meatballs using about 1 tablespoon of meat per ball. Arrange on a plastic wrap-lined rimmed baking sheet. These can be made 1 day ahead; cover and refrigerate.
Pickle the vegetables: In a medium bowl, toss together 2 cups grated carrots, 2 cups grated daikon, 1/4 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 teaspoon salt. Let stand at room temperature for 1 hour, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables release their liquid and become tender.
Cook the meatballs: Preheat the oven to 300°F. Heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Working in batches, add half the meatballs to the skillet and sauté, turning often and adjusting heat as needed to prevent burning, until the meatballs are browned and cooked through (internal temperature 160°F), about 15 minutes. Transfer cooked meatballs to a rimmed baking sheet and place in the warm oven. Repeat with the remaining meatballs.
Assemble the sandwiches: Cut each baguette horizontally in half. Gently remove enough bread from the inside of each half to create a 1/2-inch-thick shell. Spread a generous amount of chili mayo on each shell. Layer thinly sliced jalapeños and cilantro sprigs in the bottom halves. Divide the cooked meatballs evenly among the four sandwiches, placing them in the bottom halves. Drain the pickled vegetables well and distribute evenly among the sandwiches on top of the meatballs. Press the top halves of the baguettes onto the filled bottoms.

Comments

Grocery List Plus Editorial Staff4.25

Pork Meatball Banh Mi hits on availability and cost, but the prep story and Vietnamese specialties need honesty. All ingredients land easily at Charlotte chains—ground pork, mayo, carrots, daikon, and baguettes are staples at Walmart, Harris Teeter, and Kroger—but fish sauce and fresh basil require a deliberate stop, likely at an Asian market or the specialty section at a larger Harris Teeter. Budget roughly $12 to $14 for four servings, driven mainly by the fresh baguette and pork. The real-world prep time runs closer to 45 minutes than any stated estimate, because quick-pickling the carrot and daikon (the traditional quick-pickled vegetables, or do chua) takes 20 minutes alone, even before you form, cook, and assemble the meatballs. This is a same-night dish—the bread softens overnight, and reheating meatballs in a banh mi feels like defeat. The payoff is genuine: it's a showstopping weeknight dinner for a household that enjoys bold, aromatic food and doesn't mind a little assembly line at the table.