If Vietnamese people invented smash burgers, it would probably taste something like this! This is my pork banh mi burger, which has all the flavors of traditional Vietnamese bun cha Hanoi except in the form of the viral smash burger.
Years ago, I made a beef banh mi burger that you all loved and recently, I wanted to see if I could make an even more Vietnamese style burger. This banh mi pork burger is essentially a smashed bun cha burger, so if you love bun cha Hanoi, you're gonna love this one. And no, you don't have to smash it if you don't want to!
What's special about this pork banh mi burger?
This pork banh mi burger has all the components of bun cha Hanoi in a handheld sandwich. You'll find bits of lemongrass, fish sauce, brown sugar, garlic, shallot, cilantro, cucumber and even a sriracha mayonnaise to bring it all together. It's incredibly flavorful and is savory, sweet, salty, acidic and has a kick of heat all in one.
Why you'll love this pork banh mi burger
- Easy and flavorful lunch.
- Customizable.
- Comes together quickly!
- Patties can be made ahead of time and frozen for easy meal prep.
Jump to:
Ingredients
Burger patties:
- Ground pork: The base to a classic bun cha.
- Fish sauce: For that iconic Vietnamese flavor.
- Brown sugar: Balances out the fish sauce and helps with caramelization.
- Garlic: Fresh garlic is highly recommended here!
- Shallot: Adds a little garlicky onion flavor without being overpowering.
- Lemongrass: An essential to traditional bun cha.
- Scallions: For color and freshness.
- Oyster sauce: To add more umami flavor.
- Salt and pepper: To taste.
Sriracha Mayonnaise:
- Sriracha: The OG sriracha with the green cap is my go-to!
- Mayonnaise: I use Kewpie mayonnaise but regular mayonnaise works too!
For assembling:
- Cucumber: Adds crunch and freshness.
- Cilantro: To mimic fresh herbs in a traditional banh mi.
- Sriracha mayonnaise: To mimic the mayonnaise in banh mi but with a kick. This will really tie the burger together.
- Vietnamese pickles: For acidity you'd traditionally find in banh mi.
- Burger buns: Potato rolls or brioche work great!
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make a pork banh mi burger
To make the burger patties:
- In a bowl, combine scallions, garlic, shallot, lemongrass, oyster sauce, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and fish sauce. Give it a mix before adding ground pork. Mix until it is just combined. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Divide the pork mixture into 8 equal parts and roll them into balls.
- To a hot pan or skillet over medium high heat, add a light drizzle of oil and a burger ball. Use a burger press to smash the burger patty until it is ¼ inch thin. Leave the press on the burger and allow it to cook for 2-3 minutes or until the bottom is caramelized. Give it a flip and cook for another minute and remove from heat. Repeat with remaining burger mixture.
To make the sriracha mayonnaise:
- Mix together sriracha and mayonnaise. Adjust according to desired heat level.
To assemble:
- To a toasted bun, add sriracha mayonnaise, followed by a burger patty. Add Vietnamese pickles on top of the burger patty followed by another burger patty, cucumbers, and cilantro. Top with more sriracha mayonnaise and the burger bun and enjoy.
Other recipes to try:
Pork Banh Mi Burger (Bun Cha Burger)
This Vietnamese pork banh mi burger brings all the delicious flavors of bun cha Hanoi into a hand held meal! It combines caramelized burger patties with classic sweet and tangy Vietnamese pickles, fresh cilantro and cucumber, all tied together with a creamy sriracha mayo. It's not your traditional banh mi but it's definitely a sandwich you'll end up loving just as much as the OG!
Servings: 4
Calories: 457kcal
Equipment
- Burger press
Ingredients
Burger patties
- 1 lb ground pork
- 2 scallions minced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 small shallot minced
- 1 lemongrass stalk white part only, minced
- 2 tablespoon fish sauce
- 1 tablespoon oyster sauce
- 2 tablespoon brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Sriracha Mayonnaise
- 4 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1-2 tablespoon sriracha
For serving
- Vietnamese pickles
- Sriracha mayonnaise
- 4 burger buns
- Cilantro
- Cucumber
Instructions
To make the burger patties:
- In a bowl, combine scallions, garlic, shallot, lemongrass, oyster sauce, brown sugar, salt, black pepper, and fish sauce. Give it a mix before adding ground pork. Mix until it is just combined. Cover and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Divide the pork mixture into 8 equal parts and roll them into balls.
- To a hot pan or skillet over medium high heat, add a light drizzle of oil and a burger ball. Use a burger press to smash the burger patty until it is ¼ inch thin. Leave the press on the burger and allow it to cook for 2-3 minutes or until the bottom is caramelized. Give it a flip and cook for another minute and remove from heat. Repeat with remaining burger mixture.
To make the sriracha mayonnaise:
- Mix together sriracha and mayonnaise. Adjust according to desired heat level.
To assemble:
- To a toasted bun, add sriracha mayonnaise, followed by a burger patty. Add Vietnamese pickles on top of the burger patty followed by another burger patty, cucumbers, and cilantro. Top with more sriracha mayonnaise and the burger bun and enjoy.
Notes
For storage: Store the cooked patties in an air tight container separately from the herbs and and pickled vegetables. When ready to eat, heat up the patties before assembling.
Nutrition
Calories: 457kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 24g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Cholesterol: 82mg | Sodium: 1400mg | Potassium: 468mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 70IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 99mg | Iron: 3mg
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