Cranberry Glazed Tofu Banh Mi

Cranberry Glazed Tofu Banh Mi

This one came about when we were trying to nail a plant-based banh mi that actually hits the way a proper banh mi should, and honestly, we're a bit obsessed with it. The cranberry glaze on the tofu is the bit that surprised us most, it's sticky and sharp and a little bit festive without being weird about it. You've got that crispy glazed tofu, those sharp pickled veg cutting right through the richness, fresh herbs, and a proper crusty baguette holding it all together. Every bite has got crunch, tang, heat, and sweetness all going on at once. Make this for lunch on a weekend when you've got a bit of time and you want something that genuinely feels like a treat.

Cook: 90 min
Serves 2

Before You Start

  • Pickled vegetables need at least 1 hour to pickle
  • Small saucepan
  • Large frying pan
  • Small bowl
  • Colander or sieve
  • Mandoline or julienne peeler

Ingredients

  • 280g block of firm tofu
  • 1 tbsp vegetable oil
  • 80g cranberry sauce
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
  • 2 spring onions
  • 1 clove of garlic
  • 200ml rice vinegar
  • 2 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 carrot
  • 1 daikon
  • 1 cucumber
  • 2 crusty baguettes
  • plant-based mayonnaise
  • fresh coriander
  • sliced green chilli

Method

1

Prepare the pickled vegetables

  • In a small saucepan, add the rice vinegar, 200ml water, salt and sugar. Bring to the boil and allow the the salt and sugar to dissolve, then switch off the heat
  • Julienne the carrot, cucumber and daikon
  • Transfer the prepped vegetables to a bowl, pour over the pickled liquid and leave to pickle for at least 1 hour
2

For the tofu

  • Cut the tofu into into bite sized pieces
  • Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium high heat. Once hot, fry the tofu for 8-10 minutes, turning them so that each side is golden brown and crispy
3

Whilst the tofu is cooking, make the cranberry glaze

  • Finely chop the spring onions and crush the garlic
  • In a small bowl, stir together the cranberry sauce, soy sauce, water, rice wine vinegar, spring onions and garlic to combine
4

Return to the tofu

  • Reduce the heat of the frying pan to low
  • Pour the cranberry glaze over the tofu and allow it to bubble for 5 minutes, basting the tofu once or twice so that it is coated in the glaze
5

Make the sandwich

  • Cut the baguette in half and slather each side with vegan mayo. Fill with the glazed tofu, pickled vegetables and finish with chopped coriander and sliced chillis

Tips & Variations

  • Start the pickles first: The pickled veg needs at least an hour so get that going before you do anything else. You can even make them the night before and they'll be even better.
  • Press your tofu well: We always press ours for at least 20 minutes before cooking. The drier it is, the crispier it gets and the better it soaks up the glaze.
  • Swap the bread: If you can't get a proper baguette, a ciabatta roll works really well here. You want something with a good crust that can hold up to the fillings without going soggy.

Why This Works

The trick is giving the veg a proper hour to pickle, don't rush it. That acidity is what balances the sticky sweetness of the cranberry glaze and stops the whole thing feeling heavy. The other thing is getting the tofu properly crispy before you add the glaze, if it's soft when the glaze goes on, it won't caramelise the same way and you'll lose that amazing sticky-crispy texture that makes this so good.