Vietnamese cuisine is always highly appreciated by international tourists for its diversity and richness. Among them, Vietnamese baguette (bánh mì Việt Nam) is a famous street food. Vietnamese baguette originated from France but has been modified and created by Vietnamese people to create a unique flavor. Vietnamese bread loaves often have a crispy crust, inside are filled with meat, pate, pork sausage, cucumbers and herbs. All combine to create a delicious, rich flavor.
The story of Vietnamese baguette?
Banh mi is the most popular street food in Vietnam, loved by many people not only in the country but also around the world. Bread has a long history, originating from the French baguette. However, under the talented hands of Vietnamese people, bread has been transformed into a dish imbued with national identity.
According to researchers, bread was present in Vietnam around the 19th century, when the French began to invade Vietnam. At first, bread was only sold in French bakeries, for the upper class. However, after a while, bread has gradually become more popular, loved and accepted by Vietnamese people.
Vietnamese people have created and transformed bread in many different ways, suitable to Vietnamese taste and culture. Vietnamese bread is usually rectangular, about 30 cm long, made from flour, water, yeast, sugar and salt. The bread is toasted until golden brown and crispy, with just the right amount of chewiness and softness.
Inside the bread there are often many different types of fillings, such as roasted pork, pork rolls, pate, eggs, cucumbers, herbs, etc. Each type of filling brings a unique flavor to the bread. For example, roasted pork banh mi has the fatty taste of pork, pork roll banh mi has the delicious taste of pork roll, pate banh mi has the rich taste of pate,…
What makes Vietnamese baguette different from French baguette?
| Characteristic | Vietnamese baguette | French baguette |
|---|---|---|
| Origin | Derived from France, but has been modified to suit the local taste | Is a traditional type of French cuisine |
| Size | Usually smaller, shorter, and thicker than a baguette | Usually longer, narrower and thinner than Vietnamese bread |
| Shape | Usually rectangular or circular | Usually have a long and narrow rectangular shape |
| Crust | The crust is crispy, golden brown in color, and has a slightly sour taste | The crust is crispy, dark golden brown in color, and has a rich sour taste |
| Bread inside | The inside of the cake is soft, moist, and has the rich taste of butter and pate | The inside of the cake is chewy and has a rich taste of flour and yeast |
| Fillings | Usually sandwiched with pork, pate, sausage, rolls, grilled meat, raw vegetables,… | Usually sandwiched with cheese, cold meat, sausage, raw vegetables,… |
| Price | Cheaper than French bread | More expensive than Vietnamese bread |
Some most favored toppings in Vietnamese baguette
One of the factors that create the unique flavor of Vietnamese bread is the filling. There are many types of toppings used in Vietnamese sandwiches, but some of the most popular include:
- Pate
- Pork bologna
- Beef patties
- Grilled meat
- Roasted pork
- Vietnanese meatball
- Omelet
- Cucumber
>>> Omelet baguette – best choice of Vietnamese breakfast sandwiches
The variations of Vietnamese baguette across the country
Hanoi baguette
Hanoi bread is one of the most popular types of bread in Vietnam. Hanoi banh mi is smaller, shorter and thicker than baguette. The crust is crispy, golden brown in color, and has a slightly sour taste. The inside of the cake is soft, moist, and has the rich taste of butter and pate. The filling usually includes roasted pork, pate, pork sausage, pork sausage, cucumber, laksa leaves and soy sauce.
>>> Grilled Pork Baguette – the most popular among Vietnamese youth
Saigon baguette
Saigon banh mi is a variation of Vietnamese banh mi with rich and diverse flavors. Saigon bread is usually larger, longer and thinner than Hanoi bread. The crust is crispy, dark golden brown in color, and has a rich sour taste. The inside of the cake is chewy and has a rich taste of flour and yeast. The fillings usually include grilled meat, pate, pork sausage, fried eggs, cucumber, Vietnamese coriander and soy sauce.
Haiphong baguette
Hai Phong bread has a delicious, rich and distinctive flavor. Hai Phong so-called pate breadsticks is usually smaller, shorter and thicker than Saigon bread. The crust is crispy, golden brown in color, and has a slightly sour taste. The inside of the cake is soft, moist, and has the rich taste of butter and pate. The filling usually includes grilled meat, pork sausage, fried eggs, cucumber, Vietnamese coriander and fish sauce.
Danang baguette
Da Nang bread has a cool, gentle and unique flavor. Da Nang bread is usually larger, longer and thinner than Hanoi bread. The crust is crispy, golden brown in color, and has a slightly sour taste. The inside of the cake is chewy and has a rich taste of flour and yeast. The filling usually includes roasted pork, pate, pork sausage, fried egg, cucumber, onion and soy sauce.
Hoi An baguette
Hoi An bread is usually smaller, shorter and thicker than Saigon bread. The crust is crispy, golden brown in color, and has a slightly sour taste. The inside of the cake is soft, moist, and has the rich taste of butter and pate. The filling usually includes roasted pork, pate, pork sausage, fried egg, cucumber, onion and soy sauce.
Da Lat baguette
Da Lat bread has a delicious, rich flavor and is imbued with the culture of Da Lat. Da Lat bread is usually larger, longer and thinner than Hanoi bread. The crust is crispy, golden brown in color, and has a slightly sour taste. The inside of the cake is chewy and has a rich taste of flour and yeast. The filling usually includes roasted pork, pate, pork sausage, fried egg, cucumber, laksa leaves and soy sauce.
How to make a basic Vietnamese baguette?
Making Vietnamese bread is quite simple, you can make it right at home with easy-to-find ingredients. Below are instructions on how to make simple Vietnamese bread that you can refer to:
Ingredient
- 500g bread flour
- 20g yeast
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 100ml warm water
- 50ml unsweetened fresh milk
- 10ml cooking oil
Making
- Put flour, water, yeast, salt and cooking oil in a large bowl. Use your hands to knead the dough until smooth and not sticky. Put the dough in a bowl, cover and let rise for 1 hour until it doubles in size.
- After the dough has risen, take it out of the bowl and divide it into small portions, each about 100g.
- Roll each portion of dough into a ball and let it rise for another 30 minutes. After the dough has finished rising, use a rolling pin to roll each piece of dough into a rectangle.
- Place the filling in the middle of the rolled out dough. Fold the dough in half and use your hands to press the edges tightly.
- Cut the cake into bite-sized pieces. Heat a pan with a little cooking oil. Put the bread in and fry until golden brown on both sides.
- When the bread is golden brown, take it out and drain the oil. Bread can be eaten immediately or served with chili sauce, ketchup, soy sauce,…
Try our best seller Vietnamese BBQ pork baguette in Singapore
Grilled meat sandwiches are a famous street food of Vietnam, extremely loved by international tourists. In Singapore, grilled meat sandwiches are also a popular dish. One of the places that sells the best grilled meat sandwiches in Singapore is . This is a Singaporean coffee and bakery chain. The brand is famous for its delicious sandwiches, made from fresh and quality ingredients.
Baguette & Coffee’s Grilled Pork Baguette are one of the store’s best-selling dishes. The sandwich is made from crispy baguette bread, stuffed with rich, delicious grilled meat. The grilled meat is thoroughly marinated, grilled evenly, with the natural sweetness of the meat and the aroma of the spices. In addition, the bread is also sandwiched with vegetables such as cucumber, Vietnamese coriander,… to create a balanced and refreshing flavor.
A grilled meat sandwich from Baguette Coffee costs about S$4.50. This is a quite reasonable price for a delicious and quality dish.
If you are looking for a place to enjoy delicious grilled meat sandwiches in Singapore, Baguette Coffee is a great suggestion. Please have a look at our menu right here.
