There is nothing quite like the crispy crust and fluffy, soft texture of the inside of a Vietnamese baguette. Often used to make banh mi sandwiches stuffed full of meat and pickled veggies, this banh mi baguette recipe will help bring a taste of Vietnamese food to your home kitchen.
My husband's family is Vietnamese and we eat Vietnamese cuisine, including banh mi, often. Over the course of our relationship, I have learned to make some traditional Vietnamese recipes.
I am pleased with how this banh mi bread recipe turned out, just like those from the bakeries our family frequents!
Love baking homemade bread? Try my popular 3 Ingredient Bread, Condensed Milk Bread, and Italian Herb Cheese Bread recipes.
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Why you’ll love this recipe
- This recipe produces a crusty baguette with a thin crust and a fluffy and airy inside, unlike French baguette which is heartier with a thicker crust and open crumb
- There is nothing quite like the aroma of freshly baked bread in your home kitchen!
- This is the ideal bread roll perfect for making Vietnamese sandwiches or for eating with butter, the way my kids like them
Just a note about banh mi. The term "banh mi" means "bread" in Vietnamese, but banh mi often refers to the sandwich as well. You may see this term used to refer to both.
Ingredients & substitutions
No fancy ingredients like rice flour or vital wheat gluten needed for this recipe. Here's what you will need to make this kind of bread:
- Granulated sugar: Vietnamese bread has a bit of sweetness to it. The sugar also helps the yeast to feed and activate in bread recipes
- Instant yeast: Be sure your yeast is fresh, not expired. This will help ensure your dough rises properly. If instant yeast is not available, active dry yeast may be substituted. Please note, the time it takes the dough to rise may be a bit longer with active dry yeast than with instant. Use visual cues such as the volume of the dough as written in the recipe to determine the dough's readiness versus looking at the clock
- Warm water: Your water should be around 95º-105ºF. This temperature provides enough warmth to coax the yeast into activity without killing it. Do not exceed 105ºF or use boiling water as this will kill the yeast and prevent your dough from rising. Cold water can also be used, however, the rise time for your dough may be longer than what's called for in the recipe
- Egg: Use a large egg. Be sure to remove it from the fridge at least 30 minutes prior to mixing the dough to allow time for it to reach room temperature. A cold egg will not incorporate easily into the dough
- Bread flour: bread flour is a wheat flour with a higher amount of protein than all purpose flour. This higher protein content is what helps develop the gluten in this bread and give it it's chew. If you do not have bread flour or cannot find it where you live, you can easily substitute in equal amounts for all-purpose flour. The texture may be slightly different, however
- Butter: As with most baking recipes, I recommend using unsalted butter. This will allow you to control the level of saltiness in the dough, as salted butters vary greatly in terms of the salt levels in them. The butter needs to be melted for this recipe
- Salt: For best results, I recommend using fine salt, as this will incorporate easily into the dough
How To make Vietnamese Bread Rolls
Like most bread recipes, this one takes time to knead and time to rise. It can all be done within a few hours with the mixer doing most of the difficult work of kneading. Here's how to make this great recipe:
Step 1
To the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm water then sprinkle yeast on top. Add the sugar and whisk by hand to combine. Add the egg to the bowl and whisk until well combined. Add the bread flour and stir using the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms
Step 2
In a separate small mixing bowl, combine the melted butter and salt and whisk. Add the melted butter and salt mixture to the dough
Step 3
Knead the dough on low just until the dough comes together. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes
Step 4
Remove the plastic wrap and knead the dough on medium speed for 5-6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test*. Shape the dough into a tight ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat lightly in oil, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm place for 1 hour** (see recipe card below for more details on the *)
Step 5
Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap and gather the edges of the dough into the center. This will gently press the air bubbles out. Lightly oil a clean work surface so the dough doesn’t stick and turn the dough out onto it. Divide into 6 equally sized pieces. You can use a scale to weigh each portion or you can eyeball it
Step 6
Shape each piece into a round then cover with plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes. This will make the dough easier to work with and allow you to stretch and shape it
Step 7
Remove one piece of dough at a time, leaving the remaining balls of dough covered. Slap the dough against the counter 3-5 times.
Using a rolling pin that’s lightly brushed with oil, roll the dough out into a long, thin triangle shape with the long edge facing you.
Beginning at the far end (the point), roll the dough dough towards you, pressing it back against itself to create tension, keeping the center larger with tapered ends on both sides.
Stretch the end of the dough up over the dough and pinch the seam closed. With your hands placed at the ends of the baguette, roll the baguette back and forth on the counter, focusing on tapering the ends and smoothing the seam
Step 8
Place the baguette on a parchment lined baguette pan or parchment paper lined baking tray. Repeat with remaining portions of dough. Cover the shaped baguettes with a kitchen towel and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour
Step 9
While the dough rises, preheat the oven to 475°F. Place a rectangular baking pan on the lowest rack of the oven
Step 10
Once the baguettes have risen, uncover them and use a spray bottle to spray water on the baguettes. Using a lame, razor blade or sharp knife, slash each roll deeply, holding the razor at a 45º angle, not straight up and down. Spray the baguettes again, making sure to cover the slashes lightly with water
Step 11
Open the hot oven door and, working quickly, pour 1 cup water plus a few ice cubes into the empty pan on the lower rack. Place baguettes on the middle rack and close the oven door quickly to capture the steam inside.
Bake for 10 minutes then carefully remove the pan of water, rotate the baguettes, spray with water and bake for another 10-12 minutes.
If the tops are getting very browned, lower the temperature on the oven to 450ºF to ensure they do not burn. Remove from the oven when the baguettes are golden brown. Allow to cool 20 minutes before serving
Pro tips
- If your oven has a proof setting, use this to allow the dough to rise. Alternatively, place the dough in a cold oven with just the light on or with a pan of warm water beneath the dough. Another option is to turn the oven to 350ºF for exactly one minute, turn off, then place the dough inside. These all create the perfect proofing environment for bread to rise
- Check out the process photos included in this post for visuals of how to make this recipe. Shaping the dough in the way described helps create that thin, crispy crust. Don't worry if the rolls don't look like those pictured on your first try. Mine certainly did not! Practice, practice, practice!
- These baguettes are best served the day they are made. To store, place in a bread bag and store at room temperature for up to 3 days. Slice and toast before serving. The crusty roll may become soft on the outside when stored this way
- Place leftover baguettes in a freezer safe ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Remove as many as you want and toast for 4 minutes then serve
- Once you have mastered bahn mi, you can enjoy learning to prepare an easy garlic pita bread and round challah roll. It's equally impressive when it bakes up and you'll be earning street cred in the baking department!
Like this recipe? Follow me on Pinterest for lots more recipes just like this one! And don’t forget to pin this recipe for later by clicking on one of the images below the recipe. Or, click on any of the images in this post to save to Pinterest.
FAQs
Is a baguette pan required to make this banh mi recipe?
No, a baguette pan is not required to make banh mi. Instead, line a baking sheet with parchment paper and bake the rolls that way.
How can I store Vietnamese bread?
Slice and toast before serving. The crusty roll may become soft on the outside when stored this way. Place leftover baguettes in a freezer safe ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Remove as many as you want and toast for 4 minutes then serve.
Can Vietnamese bread rolls be made gluten-free?
I have not tried making this recipe gluten-free. Often gluten-free flours react differently in bread recipes, so I would recommend testing it out with different types of gluten-free baking flours to determine which yields the best result.
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Equipment
Ingredients
- 255 grams warm water 95º-105ºF, about 1 cup
- 7 grams instant yeast 1 packet
- 10 grams granulated sugar about 1 teaspoon
- 1 large egg room temperature
- 500 grams bread flour 4 cups
- 30 grams unsalted butter melted (about 2 tablespoons)
- 8 grams fine salt
Instructions
- To the bowl of a stand mixer, add warm water then sprinkle yeast on top. Add the sugar and whisk by hand to combine. Add the egg to the bowl and whisk until well combined. Add the bread flour and stir using the dough hook until a shaggy dough forms.255 grams warm water, 7 grams instant yeast, 10 grams granulated sugar, 1 large egg, 500 grams bread flour
- In a separate small bowl, combine the melted butter and salt and whisk. Add the melted butter and salt mixture to dough30 grams unsalted butter, 8 grams fine salt
- Knead the dough on low just until the dough comes together. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and let rest for 15 minutes
- Remove the plastic wrap and knead the dough on medium speed for 5-6 minutes, until the dough is smooth and passes the windowpane test*. Shape the dough into a tight ball, place in a lightly oiled bowl, turning the dough to coat lightly in oil, cover with plastic wrap and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour**
- Once the dough has doubled in size, remove the plastic wrap and gather the edges of the dough into the center. This will gently press the air out
- Lightly oil a clean work surface so the dough doesn’t stick and turn the dough out onto it. Divide into 6 equally sized pieces. You can use a scale to weigh each portion or you can eyeball it
- Shape each piece into a round then cover with plastic wrap and let rest 10 minutes. This will make the dough easier to work with and allow you to stretch and shape it
- Remove one piece of dough at a time, leaving the remaining balls of dough covered. Slap the dough against the counter 3-5 times. Using a rolling pin that’s lightly brushed with oil, roll the dough out into a long, thin triangle shape with the long edge facing you. Beginning at the far end (the point), roll the dough dough towards you, pressing it back against itself to create tension, keeping the center larger with tapered ends on both sides. Stretch the end of the dough up over the dough and pinch the seam closed. With your hands placed at the ends of the baguette, roll the baguette back and forth on the counter, focusing on tapering the ends and smoothing the seam
- Place the baguette on a parchment lined baguette tray or parchment lined baking sheet. Repeat with remaining portions of dough. Cover the shaped baguettes with a towel and let rise in a warm spot for 1 hour
- Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 475°F. Place a rectangular baking pan on the lowest rack of the oven
- Once the baguettes have risen, uncover them and spray the baguettes with water. Slash each one deeply, holding the razor at a 45º angle, not straight up and down. Spray the baguettes again, making sure to cover the slashes lightly with water
- Open the oven and working quickly, pour 1 cup water plus a few ice cubes into the empty pan on the lower rack. Place baguettes on the middle rack and close the oven door quickly. Bake for 10 minutes then carefully remove the pan of water, rotate the baguettes, spray with water and bake for another 10-12 minutes. If the tops are getting very browned, lower the temperature on the oven to 450ºF to ensure they do not burn
- Remove from the oven when the baguettes are golden brown. Allow to cool 20 minutes before serving
Notes
- *The windowpane test is a simple method for checking that the dough has been kneaded properly and the gluten in it has been properly developed. To perform the windowpane test, pinch of a golf-ball sized piece of dough. I use my bench scraper to cut off a piece. Then, gently stretch the dough out, turning it slightly in your hands as you do, so you’re stretching it into a circle. The dough should remain intact and become translucent, allowing light to shine through it (hence the term, windowpane test) without breaking. If the dough breaks, knead it for a couple of more minutes and perform the test again
- **If your oven has a proof setting, use this to allow the dough to rise. Alternatively, place the dough in a cold oven with just the light on or with a pan of warm water beneath the dough
- Another option is to turn the oven to 350ºF for exactly one minute, turn off, then place the dough inside or place a pan of hot water on the rack underneath the dough and close the oven door. These all create the perfect environment
- Baguettes are best served the day they are made
- Place leftover baguettes in a freezer safe ziploc bag for up to 3 months. Remove as many as you want and toast for 4 minutes then serve
Nutrition
Comments
Elisa H
These look amazing…would miyoko’s vegan butter work as well?
Kimberlee Ho
They are amazing!! I haven't tried this recipe with anything other than cow's milk butter, so I cannot say for sure whether it would work. If you've used Miyoko's vegan butter successfully in other bread recipes, it should work here as well. If you try it, let me know!
Gary Gleim
First time baking these just delicious perfect crunch and fluffy interiors.
Thanks
Kimberlee Ho
So happy to hear this, Gary! My family looks these, too.
Bike Walk Bake Barb
So, so good! I'm putting this into regular rotation. It's going to take some practice to perfect the tapered shaping but that's a great excuse to eat good bread.
One note: On my scale, 10 grams of sugar is closer to 2 teaspoons. May depend on how fine your sugar is. This is why I bake using weight rather than volume so I'm glad you gave measurements that way.
Kimberlee Ho
Thank you for sharing this! Super helpful for other home bakers.