Grilled Shiitake and Tofu Banh Mi

  4.8 – 5 reviews  • Mushroom
A banh mi, the popular Vietnamese hero sandwich, is generally piled high with meat or fish. We’ve subbed in meaty shiitakes and tofu, slathered with a hoisin marinade, to make our banh-meatless. Pressing the liquid out of the tofu firms it up and keeps it from sticking to the grill.
Level: Easy
Total: 35 min
Prep: 5 min
Inactive: 20 min
Cook: 10 min
Yield: 4 servings

Ingredients

  1. 15 ounces extra-firm tofu
  2. 1/2 cup plus 3 tablespoons distilled white vinegar
  3. 1 tablespoon sugar
  4. Kosher salt
  5. 1 large carrot (about 6 ounces), shaved with a vegetable peeler
  6. 1 medium cucumber (about 8 ounces), thinly sliced on the bias, slices halved
  7. 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  8. 1/2 to 1 teaspoon Sriracha
  9. 3 large cloves garlic
  10. 1 cup hoisin sauce
  11. 2 tablespoons vegetable oil, plus more for oiling the grill grates
  12. 1 pound large-capped shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
  13. Freshly ground black pepper
  14. 4 soft hero rolls, sliced almost all the way through lengthwise
  15. 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves

Instructions

  1. Prepare a grill for medium-high heat. Put the tofu between 2 plates, and weight the top plate down with about 4 pounds (3 large cans or a large, heavy skillet) for about 20 minutes to remove excess moisture.
  2. Meanwhile, whisk together 1/2 cup of the vinegar, 1/2 cup water, the sugar and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl until the sugar and salt dissolve. Add the carrots and cucumbers, toss to coat and chill until ready to serve.
  3. Whisk together the mayonnaise and Sriracha in a small bowl; set aside.
  4. Pat the tofu dry, and cut it into 8 1/2-inch-thick slices. Grate the garlic into a large bowl, and stir in the hoisin, the remaining 3 tablespoons vinegar and the oil. Add the mushroom caps, and stir to coat. Lightly oil the grill grates.
  5. Shaking off any excess marinade, put the mushroom caps on the grill. Grill them for about 1 minute, rotating them once to char more of the cap, then flip and cook until almost tender, 30 seconds to 1 minute more. Transfer the mushrooms to a platter, and sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper.
  6. Toss the tofu in the marinade, then grill, marinade-side down, for 2 minutes. Flip, and grill the second side for 2 more minutes. Transfer the tofu to the platter.
  7. Open the rolls, and grill, cut-side down, until just toasty, about 2 minutes.
  8. Smear each half of a roll with 1 heaping tablespoon of the mayonnaise mixture. Put 2 pieces of tofu on each roll, then shingle the mushrooms, overlapping slightly, on top. Top with some of the carrot-cucumber salad, drained, and a shower of cilantro leaves. Close the rolls, pressing gently. Halve them on the diagonal, and serve.

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size 1 of 4 servings
Calories 689
Total Fat 38 g
Saturated Fat 6 g
Carbohydrates 70 g
Dietary Fiber 9 g
Sugar 25 g
Protein 19 g
Cholesterol 13 mg
Sodium 1489 mg

Reviews

Donald White
Tasty but difficult to eat – most of the mushrooms slid out
Jeremy Young
Love this sandwich! Delicious and different. I decided to bake the tofu and mushrooms @400° for about 20 minutes.
Allison Wong
Very good in the summer: only heats up the grill. Made homemade hoisin:

https://www.food.com/recipe/homemade-hoisin-sauce-312992
Debbie Barrera
This is a great recipe for vegetarians. Loved the taste and I will make it again very soon!

 

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