One of the best sandwiches I’ve ever made – make that one of the best sandwiches I’ve ever eaten, the Garlic Steak Bahn Mi. Each bite is a play on savory, sweet, tangy, and fresh. Each bite will have you craving the next.
Garlic Steak Bahn Mi
It all started with Garlic Rib-Eye Bahn Mi from Oh Mai Sandwich Kitchen on Diners Drive-Ins and Dives. Watch the video (go to seven minutes) and see if you don’t have the same reaction! I tossed on my shoes and ran to the store. And so my adventure, and now maybe yours, began.
About Garlic Steak Bahn Mi:
This beauty isn’t just a sandwich; is a full-on sensory experience. It’s bold, it’s beefy, fresh, and satisfying. It will play with your emotions and awaken not just your tastebuds, but all of your senses.
The steak, buttery soft, rich, and savory, bursts with flavor. It’s perfectly complemented by the sweet sauteed onions and kissed with the bold flavors of black pepper and garlic.
The Steak – Onions, Garlic, Soy, Black Pepper & a touch of Sugar
The warm, crusty French roll is spread with fragrant garlic butter and mayo. A single leaf of Romaine is placed atop making a crispy little boat, just waiting for a scoop or two of the tender, juicy steak.
We’re not stopping, folks! Crispy, crunchy pickled carrots and pickled red onion amp up the flavor with their signature bright tanginess. They cut add a little zing to every bite and cut the richness of the beef.
The ribboned cumber and ruby red slices of tomato cool things down while a whisper of jalapeno, thinly sliced, melds throughout with sparks of spice. A sprig or two of cilantro drives the Vietnamese flavors home.
Romaine, Cilantro, Jalapenos, Tomatoes, Cucumber, Garlic Butter, Mayo
The Black Pepper Onion Vinaigrette:
The luscious Black Pepper Onion Vinaigrette is everything! It’s fire! It’s the star and shouldn’t be missed. Luscious, savory with a touch of sweet/sour, and full of umami goodness, it’s irresistible.
The whole Garlic Steak Bahn Mi is better for this rich indulgence. Don’t be tempted to skip it, although it’s admittedly a lot of ingredients! It does come together fast in a blender.
The Black Pepper Onion Vinaigrette is fire! It should go right over the beef – my bad adding it last!
Prepping Garlic Steak Bahn Mi:
I thought a verbal run-down might be helpful! This is mostly about assembly, but being prepared is key!
Step 1: If making the pickled items, do so first. While still fabulous the same day, they’re better if they sit a day or two (and they keep for weeks.)
Step 2: The Black Pepper Onion Vinaigrette can be made ahead; keeps for up to two weeks.
Step 3: Get the butter out to soften; once soft mix with garlic powder. This helps form a barrier over the bread, saving it from any sogginess.
Step 4: Ready the vegetables. A mandolin is helpful (especially for the pickled veggies) but not necessary.
Step 4: Prepare the bread, optional. Very quickly spray with water, shake off, wrap in foil. Place in 350-degree oven for 20 minutes, Remove from foil and crisp in the oven for five. Wrap loosely in foil until ready to use.
Lidl’s shaved steak
Next the Steak:
Shaved steak is an easy option and your focus can be on the other items.
Saute onions and garlic in butter. When soft, add the shaved steak. Season with soy sauce, black pepper, and sugar. (The sugar is essential for caramelization and flavor.)
The shaved steak can be tricky. To prevent clumping:
- Work in batches. Separate slices and lay over the onions. Add a lid and let them steam until firm; it takes only seconds.
- Stir in and repeat until all the steak is in the skillet. It sounds fussy but is easy and quick.
Assembling Garlic Steak Bahn Mi:
Step 1: With everything ready, slice and hollow out the roll, leaving a hinge. Spread with the garlic butter then mayo. Add a piece of romaine.
Step 2: Pile the steak on; sprinkle with a little more black pepper. Drizzle with vinaigrette.
Step 3: Add sliced cucumbers to one side, sliced tomatoes to the other. Pile on pickled red onion, jalapeno, and picked carrots. Cilantro goes on top.
Step 4: Serve immediately!
Pickled Red Onions
The Pickled Items:
At the restaurant, Pickled Carrots and Daikon were used along with the Pickled Red Onion. I used Pickled Carrots; my store didn’t have Daikon. All three recipes are easy (and these items can be bought, instead) and I have all three on my site.
Quick Vietnamese Pickled Carrots
Simple Pickled Daikon Radish & Carrots
The only difficult part of making these recipes is cutting the carrots (and daikon if using.) Don’t buy the precut carrots; it makes a difference.
Saving Money on Garlic Steak Bahn Mi:
Bring to the table on a budget by shopping discount stores like Aldi or Lidl. Barring that, shop grocery store sales. Make the Pickled Onions and Carrots.
Shaved Steak:
- Can be a cost-saving over buying steak, but only if on sale; otherwise it’s spendy.
- Packages are around 14 ounces but there is no waste. Mine was $2.50 on sale at Lidl, $2.86 a pound; if the sale is rock bottom, buy multiple packages and freeze.
Romaine Hearts:
- Never the cheapest choice, make sure to have a use for the remainder! Plan and buy the ingredients for a recipe or two so it doesn’t languish in the fridge.
- In a pinch, consider a head (not precut) of iceberg and use some of the inner leaves.
French Bread:
- Bread has skyrocketed everywhere; if you’ve bought steak at a great price, the bread is the priciest ingredient.
- Notice I used a sliced loaf, which was cheaper than rolls. If shopping the discount stores, go early. Look for it on sale at the grocery and let the price cue you as to when to make Bahn Mi.
Garlic Steak Bahn Mi
Garlic Steak Bahn Mi
- Prep Time: varies
- Cook Time: 15 minutes`
- Total Time: varies
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: sandwiches
- Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients
The key to the recipe is to have all ingredients that need to be made done ahead of time and have all the garnishes as well as the bread ready before starting to cook the steak.
Garnishes:
Prepare ahead:
- buy or make ahead Vietnamese Pickled Carrots or Pickled Daikon Radishes & Carrots
- buy or make ahead Pickled Red Onions
- mix up the Black Pepper Onion Vinaigrette
- 1 cucumber, sliced horizontally into 4 thin strips
- 2 medium tomatoes, 8 to 12 slices depending on size
- 2 jalapenos, thinly sliced
- several sprigs cilantro or parsley
Bread:
- Four French Rolls or an equivalent amount of Baguette
Garlic Butter:
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
Steak:
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 2 large onions, cut pole to pole a little less than 1/2 inch
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 package (14 ounces) shaved steak
- freshly ground black pepper to taste (be generous)
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
To Assemble:
- prepared French rolls or baguettes
- garlic butter
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- prepared steak
- Black Pepper Onion Vinaigrette
- freshly ground black pepper
- The above garnishes
Note: remove butter from the fridge to soften before starting recipe
Instructions
Most of the ingredients are used as is. Here are the ones that need to be assembled and/or cooked.
Garlic Butter:
Mix two tablespoons of softened butter with 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder. Set aside.
The Bread:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Sprinkle rolls (or cut baguette) with water; run quickly under the faucet then shake off excess water.
Place in a sheet of foil, wrap tightly, and place in oven. After 20 minutes, remove the bread, unwrap, and add to the oven shelf. Allow to crisp for about five minutes.
When finished, remove from oven and loosely wrap in the foil to keep warm.
The Steak:
In a skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add onion and allow to cook until softened, stirring now and then. Add the garlic and cook until fragrant.
After the steak is added, cook quickly. This should take just a couple of minutes. Add the shaved steak, bit by bit, stirring as it is added. (see notes in body of post, above, for detailed hints.) Add soy sauce, sugar, and freshly ground black pepper. Continue to cook until most of the soy sauce is absorbed and the steak is browned. Do not overcook.
Assembly:
Obviously, assemble with your heart!
Slice the bread, but not all the way through; leave a hinge. Hollow out by removing a little bit of the bread in the center of each side. Do leave a good amount. Spread with garlic butter, about half a tablespoon per sandwich. Spread with mayo, about a tablespoon per sandwich.
Add a leaf of romaine to each sandwich. Pile 1/4 of the steak mixture on top of each sandwich. Grind a little black pepper over each. Add a tablespoon or two of the Black Pepper Onion Vinaigrette over each sandwich.
On one side of each sandwich, tuck the tomatoes, on one side, and tuck the cumber slices on the other. Sprinkle with Pickled Red Onions, then a few jalapeno slices. Top with the Vietnamese Pickled Carrots (or Pickled Daikon Radishes & Carrots), and place a few sprigs of cilantro (or parsley on the top for a final touch.
Serve immediately.
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