Instant Pot Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi with Homemade Hibachi Sauce. This banh mi may just be the world’s perfect sandwich. It is a delectable medley of sweet, salty, and acidic notes and this amazing Instant Pot update makes having this perfect sandwich so simple!

What is a Bahn Mi?

Banh Mi is a traditional Vietnamese sandwich. It is a satisfying combination of pork, french bread, and fresh herbs. These sandwiches are one of the most internationally-known Vietnamese dishes and they are loved for their ease and sauce pork flavor.

Putting a modern spin on this dish by cooking it in the Instant Pot is pure genius. This allows you to cook the pork in no time plus it doesn’t heat up the whole kitchen!

Why You Will Love Instant Pot Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi

Magnificent Marinade-The pork for this beguiling banh mi is so succulent and delicious and it’s all thanks to my awesome lemongrass pork marinade. The marinating process allows flavors to penetrate deep into the pork and make this humble meat into something really spectacular. The flavor is rich with soy sauce, citrusy lemongrass, garlic, and green onion, just the smell of it will make you hungry!
Special Sauce-The homemade hibachi sauce for this pork is just the thing to bring all the elements of a banh mi together. It has just enough heat and creaminess to compliment the decadent marinated pork. Be as generous as you like with this dressing but one bite of the Homemade Hibachi Sauce and you will want to use it on everything!
Easy Instant Pot Cooking-The Instant Pot turns recipes that could take hours into virtually no time at all. For this Lemongrass Banh Mi, the Instant Pot works wonders on the pork infusing flavors while keeping it moist and juicy. Don’t worry if you don’t yet have an Instant Pot, this recipe includes directions for cooking the pork on the stovetop as an alternate method.
Easy Assembly-Putting together this beautiful banh mi is so easy and customizable. Add as much or as little of each topping as you like to make this tasty sandwich come together.

Ingredients for Instant Pot Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi and Homemade Hibachi Sauce

Lemongrass Pork

Soy Sauce- The base of any great Asian marinade is soy sauce. It has the salt that meat like pork needs but if you need a little less salt, choose the low-sodium option.
Fish Sauce-Fish sauce is the unsung hero of Asian cuisine. It has salt, umami, and sweetness that works perfectly in marinade, soups, sauces, and more! Look for fish sauce in the Asian section of major grocery stores or at your local Asian market.
Honey-Honey is awesome in this marinade because it adds both sweetness and floral flavor. Different varieties of honey have different flavor notes from the flowers that the bees visit. Orange blossom honey is a great choice for this recipe because it has excellent notes of citrusy blossoms. Any honey will do, though choose the one you love for this luscious marinade.
Dark Brown Sugar-Brings both sweetness and sticky molasses flavor to the marinade. If you cannot find dark brown sugar, light brown is an excellent substitute.
Red Onion-Red onions give the marinade a sweet oniony bite.
Lemongrass-This is the secret of these Banh Mis’ signature flavors. The herbal and citrus note of the lemongrass is exactly what this pork needs. Breaking and/or rolling the stalks of lemongrass is the trick to extracting their full flavor.
Garlic-This botanical adds a sweet and savory richness. Fresh is best but refrigerated and frozen varieties are great substitutes.
Green Onions-Green onions have the perfect almost peppery onion flavor for this marinade.
Pork Shoulder-This is the centerpiece of the whole sandwich! Pork shoulder is the perfect choice for this recipe, it absorbs the marinade well and stays nice and tender as it cooks. Be sure to slice the pork into ¼ inch strips.

Homemade Hibachi Sauce:

Chili Sauce-Chili sauce is an awesome combination of tomato, vinegar, and sugar. It brings brightness and tang to the Hibachi Sauce.
Sriracha-This hot sauce brings a wonderful heat to the hibachi sauce that really wakes up the flavor.
Low Fat Mayo-Mayonnaise gives so much creaminess and tangs to this sauce. If you do not have low-fat, full-fat will work in a pinch.
Salt- A little salt helps to round out the sauce. Adjust this ingredient as needed.
Black Ground Pepper-Pepper is the perfect basic spice to tie everything together.

Ingredients for Assembly

Lemongrass Pork-Made earlier in the recipe.
Homemade Hibachi Sauce-Made earlier in the recipe.
French Steak Rolls or Banh Mi Bread-A baguette is a traditional choice for Banh Mi. Get French rolls at any major grocer or you can find Banh Mi bread at your local Asian market.
Pate- The traditional choice for pate on banh mi is a pate made of chicken livers. This Vietnamese staple can be found at your local Asian market or substituted for another rich liver pate.
Vietnamese Pickles-Vietnamese pickled vegetables are usually pickled daikon radishes and carrots. This is the perfect topping for the savory pork, but if you cannot find these veggies you can opt for a traditional pickled cucumber.
Garnishes: Cilantro, Basil, Mint, Onion, Cucumber –These fresh herbs, and onions help dress the Banh Mi up into a really show-stopping sandwich.

Step-by-Step Instructions

Make the Lemongrass Pork Marinade:

Slice the pork into one-fourth-inch pieces and place in a medium-sized bowl. Add in the marinade ingredients and mix to coat the pork meat, Cover and marinate overnight.

Cook the Lemongrass Pork:

In the Instant Pot

Place the air fryer tray in the Instant Pot base. Spray with nonstick oil. Place the marinated lemongrass pork and spray with nonstick oil. Cover using the Instant Pot lid. Set the temperature to 390 F and set the time to four to eight minutes. Turn the meat as required.

On the Stovetop

When ready, heat a small amount of cooking oil and fry the pork until cooked through. Drain excess oil in the paper towel and set aside.

Make the Hibachi Sauce

In a medium-sized bowl, mix all of the ingredients until completely incorporated. Store in the fridge for up to one week.

Assemble the Banh Mi:

Place the bread on a flat surface and slice in the middle using a bread knife.
Spread pate on one side of the bread. Spread the Hibachi sauce on the other side.
Add in the Lemongrass pork. Top with the Vietnamese Pickles
Garnish with cilantro, onion, basil, and mint.
Repeat this process for as many servings as needed.

Expert Tips and Tricks

Make sure you plan ahead for the marinade time in this recipe. The pork should rest in the marinade overnight at a minimum.
To save time, prepare your Hibachi Sauce and Bahn Mi garnishes while the pork is cooking.

What to Serve with Instant Pot Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi?

This rich and delicious sandwich tastes great with just about everything! It can be served with plain rice or french fries for a laid-back vibe or dress things up with delightfully crisp and showy lumpia, like my Zucchini Chicken Lumpia.

When to Enjoy Instant Pot Lemongrass Banh Mi?

This is such a welcoming and tempting dish that I love to serve this as a pig-out food when having friends over. It is great for gatherings or for making a mid-week cheer-up. When work is getting you down, let yummy pork pick you up! It is easy enough for a weeknight but delicious enough to impress anyone you serve this awesome Banh Mi too.

Can I Store Leftover Instant Pot Lemongrass Banh Mi?

Yes, you can store the leftover elements of this Banh Mi. Allow the pork to cool completely then store it in an air-tight container. Pork will keep in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The sauce can be stored separately in a refrigerated air-tight container for up to 1 week. Store bread and any garnishes separately.

To reheat the pork in the microwave, place it on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for up to 90 seconds.
Alternately reheat the pork on the stovetop by heating some oil in a pan and heating over medium heat then adding the pork and cooking just until warm. Optionally, place a lid over the pan to help the pork retain its juices.

More Recipes You’ll Love

If you’ve enjoyed this delicious bite of traditional Vietnamese cooking you will love my other Asian-inspired recipes. Try cooking one of these delicious dishes this week!

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Instant Pot Lemongrass Pork Banh Mi with Homemade Hibachi Sauce

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Author: Shobee

Equipment

1 instant pot duo crisp plus air fryer 8 qt

Ingredients

1 lb Pork shoulder sliced thinly
4 cloves Garlic
1 stalk Lemongrass crushed and minced
2 stalks green onion finely chopped
1/4 cup red onion finely chopped
1 tbsp Brown Sugar
2 tbsp Soy Sauce
1 tbsp Fish Sauce
1 tbsp Honey
2 tbsp canola oil if cooking stove top
nonstick oil

Hibachi Sauce Ingredients

3 tbsp sweet chili sauce
2 tbsp Sriracha
1 cup mayo (low fat)
1 tsp salt
1 tsp black ground pepper

Assembling the Banh Mi

Vietnamese Lemon Grass Pork
Vietnamese Pickles (please see notes for the recipe)
2-3 pieces of French Steak Rolls or Banh Mibread which you can get from the Asian Store
Pate ( you can get this in the Asian store
Hibachi Sauce
Cilantro, Basil, Mint, Onion

Instructions

Homemade Hibachi Sauce

In a medium-sized bowl, mix all of the ingredients until completely incorporated. Set aside until ready to use. Store in the fridge for up to one week.

Pork marinade

Slice the pork into one-fourth-inch pieces and place in a medium-sized bowl. Add in the marinade ingredients and mix to coat the pork meat, Cover and marinate overnight.

How to Cook in the Instant Pot

Place the air fryer tray in the Instant Pot base. Set the dehydrating tray on top. Spray the tray with nonstick oil. Place the marinated lemongrass pork and spray with nonstick oil. Cover using the Instant Pot lid. Set the temperature to 390 F and set the time to four to eight minutes. Turn the meat as required. You can check the doneness at four minutes, add more cooking time if meat is still raw.

How to Cook stove top

When ready, heat a small amount of cooking oil and fry the pork until cooked through. Drain excess oil in the paper towel and set aside.

How to Assemble Instant Pot Pork Banh Mi with Homemade Hibachi Sauce

Place the bread on a flat surface and slice in the middle using a bread knife.
Spread pate on one side of the bread.
Spread the Hibachi sauce on the other side.
Add in the Lemongrass pork.
Top with the Vietnamese Pickles
Garnish with mint, basil cilantro, and onion.

Tried this recipe?Mention @theskinnypot or tag #theskinnypot!

Welcome!

Hi, my name is Shobee. Welcome to The Skinny Pot, where we cook Easy Recipes from the available ingredients from our pantry and fridge! We’re your go-to source for simple and delicious recipes that make the most of what you already have at home. Talk about the pantry challenge. Read more...