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These colorful Vietnamese-inspired 25 Minute Ginger Sesame Banh Mi Rice Bowls are full of fresh flavors and made so simply. The ground chicken, or pork, is cooked in a sweet soy chili sauce until caramelized around the edges. It’s then added to bowls of lemongrass rice. A fresh, bright, cucumber herb salad with chunks of avocado is spooned overtop along with quickly pickled carrots. There’s spicy mayo and extra sauce too. It’s a very yummy balance of spicy, sweet, and savory flavors. Altogether, these bowls are so delicious, plus quick to make.
If you’re not familiar with a Banh Mi sandwich, it’s a Vietnamese sandwich. It’s usually made with a baguette-style sub roll that’s layered with cripy pork or chicken. Then a spicy mayo is spread on top with pickled veggies, cucumbers, spicy chilies, and fresh herbs. It’s also traditional to add liver pate, but you’ll notice I left that out of these bowls. It’s not something I can easily find.
The flavors combined are fresh, with just the right amount of spiciness, and great umami flavors all around.
It’s such a yummy sandwich!
I’ve never made a traditional banh mi, they can sometimes be time intensive depending on the method used. But these bowls are the next best thing!
And so quick to make too, which we just love! These bowls aren’t traditional, but a nice, quick way to enjoy similar flavors.
The details on these bowls
To start, I do make my own lemongrass rice. It’s super simple but totally optional.
Lemongrass is such a star ingredient that’s so underused. When cooked, it has a subtle citrusy, lemony flavor with a bit of mintiness in there too.
It’s a very light refreshing flavor and I love cooking it into the rice. The lemongrass really compliments these bowls.
I cook the rice in coconut milk for a creamy, coconut flavor along with lemongrass paste and Thai jasmine rice. Simply let the rice steam while you prepare the bowls.
While that’s cooking away, I make the cucumber salad.
Lots of fresh herbs, I use a mix of cilantro and Thai basil. If you enjoy mint, add that too! Then, refreshing cucumber, avocado, toasted sesame seeds, roasted peanuts, a little spice from a serrano pepper, and a simple lime dressing.
Just toss everything together in a bowl, no fancy steps.
And now the meat. You can use chicken or pork, I usually do a mix of the two. Then a couple of shallots and garlic. Then add chili paste, tamari or soy, fish sauce, and maple syrup. Oh, plus some black pepper.
Now the KEY, pickled ginger. I added this at the last minute and it ended up being the most delicious addition. The picked ginger quickly caramelizes and becomes sweet and just addicting. You will love it.
Finish it up
Layer each bowl with lots of rice, then the meat, and any extra sauce. Top each bowl with the cucumber salad and spicy mayo.
Enjoy immediately…and that’s it! This takes less than 30 minutes to make and it’s delicious and fun! All those fresh herbs really make the difference.
Looking for other quick weeknight dinners? Here are some favorites:
Sheet Pan Poblano Chicken Fajita Bowls.
Cauliflower Tzatziki Bowls with Sweet Potato Fries
30 Minute Garlic Butter Chicken Pad Thai
Coconut Popcorn Chicken with Sweet Thai Chili Lime Sauce
30 Minute Sticky Thai Meatballs with Sesame Noodles
Better Than Takeout Sweet Thai Basil Chicken
Lastly, if you make these 25 Minute Banh Mi Rice Bowls, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
25 Minute Banh Mi Rice Bowls
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 530 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
Cucumber Herb Salad
- 2 Persian cucumbers, chopped
- 1 Serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and sliced
- 1 cup mixed fresh herbs, chopped
- 3 tablespoons mixed sesame seeds and peanuts
- 2 tablespoons toasted sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 avocado, cubed
Banh Mi Meat
- 2 tablespoons sesame or olive oil
- 1 1/2 pounds ground chicken or ground pork
- 2 shallots, chopped
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped
- 1/2 cup tamari
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce
- 1-3 tablespoons chili paste
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 cup shredded or pickled carrots
- 1/3 cup pickled ginger
- 3-4 cups cooked rice, for serving
- spicy mayo, for serving
Instructions
- 1. To make the salad. Combine everything in a bowl and gently toss. Season with salt 2. To Make the meat. In a bowl, mix the tamari, fish sauce, chili paste, and maple syrup. Add 1/3 cup water. Set a few tablespoons of the sauce aside for serving, if desired. 3. Heat the oil, meat, shallots, and garlic in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Cook, breaking up the meat as it cooks, until browned, 5 minutes. Add the sauce. Cook another 5 minutes, until the meat is crispy. Add the pickled ginger, and let cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat. 3. Spoon the meat over bowls of rice. Top with the herb salad, pickled carrots, and spicy mayo. Drizzle over the extra sauce. Enjoy!
Notes
Pickled Carrots: In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon salt. Microwave 1 minute, then whisk. Add 2 cups julienned carrots and toss well. Let sit 15 minutes to 1 hour. You can also add thinly sliced ginger and or jalapeños.
LEMONGRASS RICE: Add 1 can coconut milk and 1/3 water to a medium-sized pot. Bring to a low boil. Add in 1 1/2 cups jasmine rice and 1 tablespoon lemongrass paste. Stir to combine. Place the lid on the pot and turn the heat down to the lowest setting possible. Allow the rice to cook 10 minutes on low and then turn the heat off completely. Let the rice sit on the stove, covered, for another 15-20 minutes (don’t take any peeks inside!).
2. After 15-20 minutes remove the lid and fluff the rice with a fork. Note that rice can cook differently for everyone, this is just what works for me.
This post was originally published on March 1, 2023
Hi there!
Just wondered, as someone who doesn’t love mayo is there another option you could suggest for the spicy mayo? Maybe a bit of gochujang mixed with yogurt?
Also we never use fish sauce in our meals- I have found that Mirin can work in it’s place- would you suggest anything else?
Thanks so much! I love everything I make from here, many of your recipes go into our regular rotation so can’t wait to try this out.
Hey Sonya,
Sure, you could totally use yogurt in place of the mayo! I’ve never skipped the fish sauce here, but if mirin is what you normally like to use I would give that a try! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
This could be pretty good. Meat turned out to be too salty ( I only used 1 lb of ground chicken, not all of the sauce, but ended up using regular soy sauce, not tamari. ). next time i’ll try low sodium tamari and add more water. paired it with the lemongrass rice, that complimented the saltiness of the meat. Added pickled red onions instead of the carrots. yumm!!! will definitely try it again.
Hey Debbie,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback! Sorry you found the sauce to be salty, next time I would use the tamari or low sodium soy sauce! Glad to hear you enjoyed the rest! xx
Absolutely delicious. Different flavours from what we typically eat on a weekly basis, but easy to put together and I can’t wait for leftovers tomorrow. Yum! Adding this one to my list to serve friends
Hey Carla,
Happy Tuesday! I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xx
Made this over the weekend and it was a hit. I had to scale back the chili paste and jalapenos for my husband, but I kept my bowl packed with the heat. Did not do the pickled carrot but did add some shreds for presentation. The lemongrass rice was a perfect paring.
Hey Leigh,
Perfect!! Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing what worked well for you:) So glad to hear it was enjoyed! xT
Worked wonderfully using rehydrated TVP instead of ground meat. Fantastic recipe!
Hey Sam,
Awesome!! Thanks so much for giving this dish a try and your comment, I love to hear it was a hit! 😊
Hoping someone can help…. I’d like to use pickled carrots when I make these bowls and remember seeing that as part of the video Tieghan posted, but I can’t find the video and don’t see the instructions for pickling in the recipe. Thanks to anyone who has a tip!!
the pickled carrots instructions are in the notes at the end of the recipe
The recipe for pickling the carrots is in the notes section at the end of the recipe.
Hey Jen,
Here you go:
Pickled Carrots: In a bowl, mix 1/2 cup rice vinegar, 1/4 cup maple syrup or honey, 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, and 1 teaspoon salt. Microwave 1 minute, then whisk. Add 2 cups julienned carrots and toss well. Let sit 15 minutes to 1 hour. You can also add thinly sliced ginger and or jalapeños.
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Thank you so much, Tieghan, for the info! I made this last night and had some leftovers for lunch today – delicious!! I think I’ll try one of your salmon bowls next. Thanks, again!
Amazing!! So glad to hear you enjoyed, Jen!!
Any suggestions on making the lemongrass rice in an instant pot?
Hey Christine,
So sorry, I’ve never tested making rice in the instant pot before, so I don’t have the directions for that:) Let me know if you give this recipe a try! xx
Another great recipe! As a pescatarian I couldn’t eat the chicken but my husband loved his! He cooked me up some shrimp in the same sauce mix and it was delicious. Overall a great mix of fresh, saucy rice and yummy flavors. This will be made again – and I’ve already got a few ideas of some alterations to change it up.
Thanks for another inspiring recipe!
Hey Kristen,
Happy Monday!!🌞 Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your review, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xx
This is wonderful. I had to go to three stores to get all the ingredients but it was worth it. It’s company worthy and healthy!
Hi Beth,
Wow, well I appreciate you putting in the effort to make this recipe, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
What kind of chili paste do you use? I have never used it before and don’t know what to look for. Is it like Gochujang paste?
Thanks
Hey Erica,
Gochujang is great to use here, I also like Sambal Olek. Here is the link for the brand that I like to use:
https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Laws-Kimchi-Fermented-Chile/dp/B00P2QI8E2/ref=asc_df_B00P2QI8E2/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=343705175886&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5803272065135046402&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028879&hvtargid=pla-721102079685&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=70295121318&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=343705175886&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5803272065135046402&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028879&hvtargid=pla-721102079685
Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
I can’t imagine changing a thing…it was perfection. As I do with all your recipe’s I made exactly as you said. I did then marinate the extra cucumber in the carrot dressing and it will now be my go-to “quick pickling” technique! Outstanding!
Your recipes are always a combination of all our favorite flavors. My adult daughters and I get so excited when one of us shares a HBH meal photo and recipe on our family text. Such inspiration to keep trying new things…you never lead us astray!🤩 The Bahn Mi Rice Bowl is a favorite!
Thank you for sharing the love!
Hi Julie,
Happy Sunday!!🍀 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and sharing your comment! Thanks so much for your kind message! xT
I loaded this recipe into my recipe box as it was immensely enjoyed by my husband and children. This is the second recipe I have made from you and each has resulted in a wonderful meal. Thank you for helping me to mix up our repetitive meal plan.
Hey Heather,
Happy Sunday!!🍀 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and sharing your comment! xT
Epic fail twice on the rice,I used two different types and they both came out bad,way longer than thirty minutes to prepare this meal.Still love your tacos!!!!!
Hi Cheryl,
Thanks for giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, so sorry you are having issues. What kind of rice are you using? Let me know how I can help! xx
Do you have an instant pot? I put the coconut milk, 1/3 cup water and lemongrass in the instant pot and then added 1 cup of jasmine rice (basically you want 1:1 ratios with slightly more liquid, hence the 1/3 cup water) and made sure it was covered in liquid. Cook on High pressure for 3 minutes, let it natural release for 10 minutes, and then quick release any remaining pressure. Remove lid, fluff the rice with a fork, and serve. Came out perfect!
This was one of my favorite recipes – such great flavors!
Thanks for sharing what worked well for you, Shelly!!
Several times when I’ve made your recipes, my family has raved about them saying “this is better than any restaurant”. This is my first time leaving a comment, but I should have before. Your recipes are amazing! Bursting the flavor, texture and all things yummy. This one is no exception. I followed the recipe exactly and it was fantastic. I’ll definitely make it again. You’ve really helped me improve my game in the kitchen. Thanks to you I’m getting a lot of credit for being an amazing cook! Thanks so much for sharing!
Hey Gayla,
Happy Sunday!!🍀 I am thrilled to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and sharing your comment! Thanks so much for your kind message and making so many recipes! xT
What kind of chili paste do you mean? Thanks! 🙂
Hi Michelle,
Something like Sambal Olek is great to use here! Here is the link for the brand I like to use:
https://www.amazon.com/Mother-Laws-Kimchi-Fermented-Chile/dp/B00P2QI8E2/ref=asc_df_B00P2QI8E2/?tag=hyprod-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=343705175886&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5803272065135046402&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028879&hvtargid=pla-721102079685&psc=1&tag=&ref=&adgrpid=70295121318&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvadid=343705175886&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=5803272065135046402&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9028879&hvtargid=pla-721102079685
Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love this recipe! xx
Husband and I loved this recipe – made the pickled carrots too which added a great deal of flavor as does the cucumber salad. I did scale back on the oil as I typically find it’s unnecessary. Thanks for the wide range of tasty recipes.
Hey Nancy,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks for making it!! Have a great weekend! xx