This recipe for Homemade Banh Mi Baguette yields a soft and fluffy bread with a crusty exterior, perfect for banh mi sandwiches. With a few ingredients, you can easily make this Vietnamese staple at home.
Banh mi sandwiches are one of my ultimate favourite foods to eat.
I recently got myself a baguette pan, and I've been experimenting with making homemade banh mi baguettes.
What is banh mi?
In Vietnamese, "banh mi" means "bread."
It also refers to a savoury Vietnamese sandwich made with a crusty yet soft and airy baguette.
History of banh mi
The first baguettes were brought over to Vietnam by French colonists sometime in the early 1800s.
The French baguettes were eaten as a breakfast with some butter and sugar, jambon-beurre (ham & butter) with mayonnaise, or liver pate spread.
In the 1950's, the banh mi (that we associate with today) was created in Saigon, and thus named "banh mi Sai gon."
It became a popular and cheap street food, which has gained prevalence in North America.
What's the difference between banh mi vs. French baguette?
The baguette used in a banh mi sandwich has a very crusty exterior, with a soft and light crumb.
It differs from the French baguette in that the French baguette has a more dense and chewier texture.
Ingredients you'll need
- bread flour: has a higher protein content which produces gluten strands, which is needed for a soft and elastic dough. If you don't have bread flour, you can use all-purpose flour, but be sure to knead the dough for the recommended time.
- active dry yeast: activate the yeast in lukewarm water, unless using instant yeast
- water: lukewarm water helps to activate the yeast
- salt: I used fine sea salt
- whole egg: I found I liked the texture of the interior crumb with the addition of the egg
- sugar: provides food for the yeast and promotes browning of the crust
- oil: helps with browning and adds moisture
What about adding rice flour?
It's been long purported that rice flour is used in banh mi baguettes to give a lighter crumb. This is not necessarily true.
I tried this in the past and ended up with a pretty dense baguette -- almost rock hard.
Perhaps in tropical climates, adding rice flour may help with excess moisture in the dough. But I wouldn't recommend it.
Adding egg?
Traditionally, banh mi bread consists of only flour, yeast, water and salt.
However, I personally found through lots experimentation that I liked the texture of adding egg to the dough.
As with a brioche or enriched dough, egg adds a light and soft texture to the interior crumb.
Special equipment
- baguette pan
- dough scraper
- water spray bottle
- sharp serrated knife or bread lame
Baguette pan:
For this recipe, you'll need a baguette pan.
It's a pan with perforated wells that helps to shape the baguette while it is proofing.
You can do without, but it's much easier with the baguette pan.
If you don't have a baguette pan, shape the dough onto a rice flour covered-towel, and create a "couche" /well for each baguette for proofing.
Note: You'll need to be careful when you transfer the shaped baguettes to the baking sheet for baking.
Dough scraper:
A silicone or metal dough scraper will help to divide the dough easily.
If you don't have one, you can easily use a knife.
Water spray bottle:
A clean kitchen spray bottle is handy for baking bread and crusty loaves.
Misting the loaves in the hot oven creates additional steam, creating that crust that we're looking for.
Note: I just dedicate a clean spray bottle with clean, boiled water for this purpose.
Sharp serrated knife:
Or bread/baking lame is required to make sharp slashes on the tops of the loaves, which prevent the bread from exploding or being mis-shapened.
How to create steam
The key to a baguette's crisp and crusty exterior is steam, and lots of it.
To create steam in the oven, you'll need a kitchen spray bottle (filled with clean water).
Once the baguettes are placed in the hot oven, quickly spray the baguettes with water.
The water instantly vaporizes into steam in the hot oven and creates that crusty texture for the banh mi.
That is in addition to a large pan filled with hot water that will sit on the bottom of the oven floor.
How to make it
Make the dough:
Measure out the warm water into a large measuring cup.
Add in the sugar and yeast. Give it a mix to activate the yeast.
Once the yeast is bubbly, add all the ingredients into a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook.
Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, at least 10 minutes on a stand mixer at speed 3 or 4 (depending on your mixer's horsepower).
The dough is ready when you can stretch a little bit of the dough between your fingers and it creates a thin "windowpane."
Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover.
Let it rest in a warm location, until doubled in size.
Shape the dough:
Shape the dough:Once risen, divide the dough into 6 equal triangular portions (Step 1 above).
Slap the dough to release any air bubbles and shape into a triangle.
Start from the "pointy" end of the triangle and roll and pinch the sides, while working your way down (Step 2).
Seal the ends and place onto a perforated baguette pan (Step 3).
Repeat with the remainder.
Cover lightly with a damp cloth and leave to rise in a warm location, until puffy and almost doubled in size.
Preparing the oven:
Towards the end of the proofing time, preheat oven to 425F.
Adjust the oven rack to the 3rd from the bottom.
Carefully add a large roasting pan filled with hot boiling water to the bottom rack of the oven.
Baking the baguettes:
Spray the baguettes with water using a clean kitchen spray bottle.
Make a swift yet controlled slash at a 45 degree angle on each baguette with a sharp knife or baking lame (Step 4).
Spray the tops of the baguettes with water again.
Place the baguettes into the oven and quickly spray the baguettes with water (to create steam) before shutting the oven door.
Bake for a total of 22 minutes. Every 2 minutes, open the oven door and spray the baguettes with water, until 6 minutes have elapsed (do this 3 times, every 2 minutes).
When there is 10 minutes left in the baking time, carefully remove the roasting pan with hot water and let the baguettes continue to bake.
Cool the baguettes completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Watch how to make it
How to serve
Serve the homemade banh mi baguettes in a Cold Cut Banh Mi sandwich, or with a hearty stew such as bo kho.
The banh mi baguette is best enjoyed on the same day it's baked.
How to store and reheat
Store the leftover baguettes in a paper bag for up to 1 day.
Otherwise, transfer to a freezer-safe bag store in the fridge for up to 1 week or freezer for up to 1 month.
To reheat, simply place the baguettes in a 350F oven for 10-12 minutes, until warm and crisped up.
Some notes to consider
Each oven will vary in temperature and heat intensity.
You may need to play around with your oven's temperature, as well as the positioning of your oven rack.
I found that this combination worked the best for my own oven, but it may be different for you.
Other recipes you may like
Be sure to try these other recipes:
Cold Cut Banh Mi Vietnamese Sandwich
Do Chua (Vietnamese Pickled Daikon & Carrot)
Vietnamese Salad Rolls (Goi Cuon)
Grilled Lemongrass Turkey Banh Mi
Let me know if you try out this recipe for banh mi baguette. Tag me on Instagram @siftandsimmer or leave me a comment below!
Homemade Banh Mi Baguette
Equipment
- baguette pan
- spray bottle
- dough scraper
- sharp knife/bread lame
For accuracy and precision in baking recipes, use weight (metric) measurements when available.
Ingredients
- 270 ml warm water
- 2 g granulated sugar
- 7 g active dry yeast
- 500 g bread flour or all-purpose
- 5 g sea salt
- 30 g avocado oil or any light vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
Instructions
Make the dough:
- Measure out the warm water into a large measuring cup.
- Stir in the sugar and yeast. Give it a mix to activate the yeast.
- Add the flour, salt, oil, and egg into a stand mixer bowl fitted with a dough hook.
- Once the yeast is bubbly, pour it into the flour mixture.
- Knead the dough until it is smooth and elastic, at least 10 minutes on a stand mixer at speed 3 or 4 (depending on your mixer's horsepower).
- The dough is ready when you can stretch a little bit of the dough between your fingers and it creates a thin "windowpane."
- Transfer the dough to a lightly oiled bowl and cover.
- Let it rest in a warm location, until doubled in size.
Shape the dough:
- Once risen, divide the dough into 6 equal triangular portions.
- Slap the dough to release any air bubbles and shape into a triangle.
- Start from the "pointy" end of the triangle and roll and pinch the sides, while working your way down.
- Seal the ends and place onto a perforated baguette pan. (I placed 2 pieces of dough on each "well").
- Repeat with the remainder.
- Cover lightly with a damp cloth and leave to rise in a warm location, until puffy and almost doubled in size.
Preparing the oven:
- Towards the end of the proofing time, preheat oven to 425°F/218°C.
- Adjust the oven rack to the 3rd from the bottom.
- Carefully add a large roasting pan filled with hot boiling water to the bottom rack of the oven.
Baking the baguettes:
- Spray the baguettes with water using a clean kitchen spray bottle.
- Make a swift yet controlled slash at a 45° angle on each baguette with a sharp knife or baking lame.
- Spray the tops of the baguettes with water again.
- Place the baguettes into the oven and quickly spray the baguettes with water (to create steam) before shutting the oven door.
- Bake for a total of 22 minutes. Every 2 minutes, open the oven door and spray the baguettes with water, until 6 minutes have elapsed (do this 3 times, every 2 minutes).
- When there is 10 minutes left in the baking time, carefully remove the roasting pan with hot water and let the baguettes continue to bake.
- Cool the baguettes completely on a wire rack before slicing.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided should be considered as approximate and is not guaranteed. Please use your best judgment to ensure food is safely prepared and/or a good fit for your diet.
Recipe adapted from Aimee's Cooking.
Ellen
Excellent recipe that I will love to do this over and over again! Your video helps tremendously! There is always room for improvement rolling out and shaping the dough! Yours look absolutely fantastic using the baguette pan. But I can’t ask for more when my bread all came out crispy and soft! Thank you for sharing this recipe! 🥖
Michelle
Glad the recipe worked out for you, Ellen! A baguette ban will definitely help hold the shape more easily. Thanks for sharing your creation with me on Instagram! 🙂
Jessica Formicola
You just can't beat homemade bread, and these banh mi baguettes are no exception! They turned out perfectly!
Michelle
Glad you enjoyed the recipe Jessica! Thanks for stopping by!
Natalie
Yum, perfect texture and crust. Looks delicious! Have to make this asap. Thanks for this recipe!
Toni
This has been one of our favorites for sandwiches! Thanks for the recipe!
Michelle
They sure are versatile for sandwiches, thanks for your comment, Toni!
Kris
So soft and delicious! Can't wait to make again! 🙂
Michelle
Glad you enjoyed the recipe, Kris!
Kirstine Chrautwald Sort
Great recipe! ❤️
Michelle
Thanks for trying the recipe and sharing your creation with me on Instagram, Kirstine 🙂
Steve
The apparent conversion button (US Customary) is not functioning and I have to do a lot of converting to get to cups and tablespoons. Any way you could post it in a format that doesn't require a kitchen scale?
Steve
Recipe is trial and error as the water content is not enough to create "thin windowpane" stretch. I guess it doesn't need to be, but maybe it does? Increase liquid and keep working on it to get it right. Not a 5/3 ratio of normal bread, but the 4/1 ratio is a bit light. Maybe 1.75 cups of water instead of 1.25 cups?
Tayler Ross
We've made these several times and they turn out perfect every time! Thanks for sharing!
Linsey
I love eating banh mi! They are so crisp on the outside and cottony soft on the inside. Way better than French baguettes. So yummy to enjoy the sandwich with some pork and pickled daikon and carrot.
Lynn
Hi Michelle, thank you for providing the recipe! I can only find European baguettes here so I thought I’d have a go at making them myself.
I tried the recipe yesterday and unfortunately they came out really dense and not very crispy, with a thick crust. I tried to follow the recipe as closely as possible but here are a few changes I had to make: I only have a hand mixer with kneading attachment, I did knead it for 10 minutes but a proper stand mixer would have probably done a better job; couldn’t find bread flour because the entire flour aisle was empty so used all purpose I still had in the pantry; and I put my baguette pan on a rack not a roasting pan in the oven. I noticed the dough seemed much sticker than yours but it rose really nicely. Which one do you think was the culprit? I’ve never made bread before so I’m sure I messed up somewhere 🙈
Also another question, should the recipe still work if I halve the ingredients to make 3 baguettes? Should I then leave out the egg or use one egg anyway?
Thank you so much!
Michelle
Hi Lynn -- thanks for your comment.
For this recipe, using a high-powered stand mixer will produce better results as the time required to knead the dough is quite long. It is in kneading the dough for that extended period of time which produces the light and cottony texture. For your next attempt, you may want to gauge whether the dough has formed a thin "windowpane" membrane rather than basing it on the 10 minutes, as it can take much longer if using a hand mixer or kneading by hand.
As long as you're kneading the dough for enough time, it will work with either all-purpose or bread flour.
Did you spray the dough with water at the stated intervals while it was baking? The steam creates the crispy exterior crust.
Also, the roasting pan should be filled with hot water and it should sit on the bottom rack of the oven, not directly on the baguette pan.
You could divide the recipe in half, but you'll also have to use half an egg, which is about 27g, if you have a digital scale. Hope that helps.
John Chludzenski
Can't wait to give this a shot. Love making Bahn Mi using thin slice Char Sui Pork, pickled veggies and dipping it in homemade Pho broth. Sorta like an Asian french dip.
Michelle
Sounds like an amazing combination, John!
Ange
This recipe is a keeper! Made it twice and each time, we get thin, shattering crust with creamy crumb. They freeze well too. They are great as a base for pizza too!
Ben
In "Equipment" you should put "stand mixer" 😉
JB
I thought these were fantastic. I’ve never tried any other banh mi bread recipe but this is exactly what I look for in a banh mi; soft and fluffy but crispy on the outside, where the sandwich will squish nicely and not get soggy from any wet ingredients. My crust didn’t look nearly as crispy and blistered as your pictures but I think that was a steam issue. Anyway, this would also be a great bread for meatball subs, French dip, etc! Really anything that you want to hold together while also being a bit wet.
Michelle
Hi JB, thank you very much for your feedback. Glad that you enjoyed the recipe! And you're right, this bread would be fantastic for other applications too. 🙂
helen
great recipe!! made this a couple times now and turns out better each time :))
Michelle
Hi Helen, thanks so much for your comment, and for sharing your tasty creation with me on Instagram!
Healthy World Cuisine
Loving how crispy your banh mi baguette is and all of your helpful hints for that perfect texture. Perfect picnic weather food!
Jules
Thanks for a great recipe! I was thrilled these turned out even though I used APF!
Michelle
Thanks for leaving your feedback and sharing your lovely creation with me on Instagram, Jules!
Wendy
I love this! I've tried other banh mi baguette recipes and this is the best! Really enjoyed the fluffy bread! However, it's not as crispy as the ones I've had in Vietnam! How can i make it even crispier? Help! 😀
Michelle
Hi Wendy, thanks for your feedback. It may depend on your oven -- to make it crispier, you may need to start your initial bake at an even higher temperature and continue intermittently spraying the baguettes for a longer period of time. Hope that helps.
Kim
Hiii! Quick question — are you spraying for a total of 3 times? Or are you saying to spray the baguettes every 2 minutes for a total of 18 minutes? Instructions are a little confusing!
Michelle
Hi Kim, spray the baguettes a TOTAL of 3 times (once every 2 minutes for the FIRST 6 minutes of the bake).