banh mi

American  

[bahn mee] / ˈbɑn mi /

Or bánh mì

noun

1. a Vietnamese sandwich on a crisp baguette spread with mayonnaise, typically containing pork or chicken and pâté, with pickled vegetables, cucumber, and cilantro.

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Etymology

Origin of banh mi

First recorded in 1985–90; from Vietnamese bánh mì “bread, baguette,” equivalent to bánh “any food made from flour; bread; cake” + mì “wheat, noodles”

Example Sentences

“My absolute favorite is Ca Com, the banh mi shop from the Anchovy team. They break down whole pigs in their hatted kitchen next door to make the jungle sausage in my favorite order.”

From Salon • Apr. 24, 2025

In your book, I love the "architecture of the banh mi" section, as well as some of the other super-detailed step-by-step visual breakdown pages.

From Salon • Oct. 28, 2024

Vietnamese food is so much more than just pho and banh mi.

From Seattle Times • Apr. 28, 2024

Inside, grime music blasts as a pop-up vendor doles out vegan banh mi to shoppers who clutch bamboo toilet paper and vegan lox.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 16, 2024

It is only a slight exaggeration to say that Australia runs on banh mi — the Vietnamese sandwich of a baguette with tangy pickled vegetables, a slick of mayonnaise and your protein of choice.

From New York Times • Apr. 5, 2024