Paleo menu plan

BÁNH MÌ TACOS

There’s a great burger place in Roanoke, Virginia, called Beamer’s 25 (named after Virginia Tech football coach Frank Beamer), and I almost always order their Bánh Mì burger, a pork burger topped with pickled veggies and served with a side of ginger. I thought about that burger when I came up with this recipe for Bánh Mì Tacos, which are just a lightened-up version—stir-fried pork bites are seasoned with sesame oil, honey, and red pepper flakes for that delightful spicy-sweet combination, and then we serve them on lettuce leaves topped with quick-pickled veggies. It’s a perfect appetizer or light dinner. SERVES 4

PREP TIME: 10 minutes, plus 1 hour and 10 minutes to marinate

COOK TIME: 10 minutes

FOR THE QUICK-PICKLED VEGETABLES

¼ cup white vinegar

1 tablespoon (15 ml) coconut aminos

½ cup carrots, julienned

½ cup cucumber, julienned

3 or 4 radishes, thinly sliced

FOR THE TACOS

2 tablespoons (30 ml) honey

1 tablespoon (15 ml) sesame oil

1 teaspoon (5 ml) white vinegar

¼ teaspoon red pepper flakes

1 pound (454 g) pork cutlets, cut thinly into bite-size pieces

4 to 6 lettuce leaves, either romaine or butter lettuce

2 or 3 tablespoons (45 ml) chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

TO MAKE THE QUICK-PICKLED VEGETABLES

In a small bowl, stir to combine the vinegar with the coconut aminos. Add the carrots, cucumber, and radishes. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour.

TO MAKE THE TACOS

1. In a medium bowl, stir to combine the honey, sesame oil, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. Add the pork, and stir. Marinate for 10 minutes.
2. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the pork in the marinade for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the pork strips are cooked through.
3. Set up your tacos by laying out the lettuce boats and filling them with cooked pork. Top with a generous serving of the quick-pickled vegetables, and garnish with the cilantro.

VARIATION 1 BÁNH MÌ TACOS WITH SHRIMP: For a meatless variation, marinate 1 pound (454 g) peeled and deveined shrimp with the tails removed instead of the pork strips. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until pink. Prepare the tacos as written in step 3.

VARIATION 2 ASIAN PORK BELLY TACOS: Swap out pork cutlets for pork belly, which has a deliciously rich, fatty taste. Sauté as written in the recipe, and then pour the marinade over it. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, and assemble the tacos as written in step 3.

PREP TIP: Make the pickled vegetables ahead of time so you don’t end up waiting an hour for them.

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These banh mi tacos swap the baguette for lettuce boats and fill them with honey-sesame pork bites topped with quick-pickled carrots, cucumber, and radish. Spicy-sweet pork, crunchy pickles, fresh cilantro - the banh mi burger's lighter cousin. Perfect as an appetizer or a light dinner.

Pro Tips

• Pickle the vegetables first - they need an hour in the fridge, so make them ahead rather than waiting around.
• Cut the pork cutlets thinly into bite-size pieces so they cook through in just 5-7 minutes of sauteing.
• Marinate the pork only 10 minutes in the honey, sesame oil, vinegar, and red pepper flakes. That short soak is the spicy-sweet glaze.
• Cook the pork right in its marinade so the sauce reduces onto the meat as it sautes.
• Variations: shrimp instead of pork (3-4 minutes until pink), or pork belly for a richer, fattier taco.

Frequently Asked Questions

Are banh mi tacos paleo?

They are - lettuce leaves instead of baguette, filled with pork, honey, sesame oil, quick-pickled vegetables, and cilantro.

Can I make the pickled vegetables ahead of time?

Yes, and you should - they need at least an hour to marinate and they keep for several days in the fridge.

Can I use shrimp instead of pork?

Yes - marinate a pound of peeled shrimp the same way and cook 3-4 minutes until pink.

What makes these tacos 'banh mi'?

It is the classic banh mi flavor profile - savory meat with quick-pickled vegetables, cilantro, and spicy-sweet seasoning - without the bread.

Recipe Card

Stav Kogan

BÁNH MÌ TACOS

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 4 servings

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x?

• ¼ cup white vinegar
• 1 tbsp coconut aminos
• ½ cup carrots, julienned
• ½ cup cucumber, julienned
• 3 or 4 radishes, thinly sliced
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1 tbsp sesame oil
• 1 tsp white vinegar
• ¼ tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 lb pork cutlets, cut thinly into bite-size pieces
• 4 to 6 lettuce leaves, either romaine or butter lettuce
• 2 or 3 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro, for garnish

Method

 

1. In a small bowl, stir to combine the vinegar with the coconut aminos.
2. Add the carrots, cucumber, and radishes.
3. Cover and marinate in the refrigerator for 1 hour. TO MAKE THE TACOS
4. In a medium bowl, stir to combine the honey, sesame oil, vinegar, and red pepper flakes.
5. Add the pork, and stir.
6. Marinate for 10 minutes.
7. In a large skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the pork in the marinade for 5 to 7 minutes, or until the pork strips are cooked through.
8. Set up your tacos by laying out the lettuce boats and filling them with cooked pork.
9. Top with a generous serving of the quick-pickled vegetables, and garnish with the cilantro. VARIATION 1 BÁNH MÌ TACOS WITH SHRIMP: For a meatless variation, marinate 1 pound peeled and deveined shrimp with the tails removed instead of the pork strips.
10. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes or until pink. Prepare the tacos as written in step 3. VARIATION 2 ASIAN PORK BELLY TACOS: Swap out pork cutlets for pork belly, which has a deliciously rich, fatty taste.
11. Sauté as written in the recipe, and then pour the marinade over it.
12. Continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes more, and assemble the tacos as written in step 3. PREP TIP: Make the pickled vegetables ahead of time so you don’t end up waiting an hour for them.

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