Bánh mì is the Vietnamese sandwich made with a baguette.
A typical bánh mì combines a crisp, airy bread roll with savory fillings such as pâté, cold cuts, grilled pork, chicken, or tofu. Pickled carrot and daikon, cucumber, cilantro, chili, and mayonnaise or another spread provide contrasting freshness, acidity, heat, and richness.
The baguette arrived in Vietnam during the French colonial period. Vietnamese cooks adapted it by using local rice flour in some bread formulas and adding distinctly Vietnamese fillings and pickles. The result became a portable street food rather than simply a French-style loaf with imported ingredients.
“Bánh mì” can mean bread in Vietnamese as well as the filled sandwich. Recipes vary widely by region and vendor, so a bánh mì is not limited to one meat filling. It should also not be confused with bánh bao, a steamed filled bun.