Vietnamese Bánh Mì Lasagna
Lemongrass-and-hoisin pork layers with herby ricotta and mozzarella, baked under a buttery baguette-style crumb, then finished with tangy pickled carrot and daikon, fresh cilantro and a drizzle of sriracha mayo. All the flavors of a bánh mì sandwich in a sliceable, crowd-pleasing lasagna.
- Prep
- 35 min
- Cook
- 1 hr 20 min
- Wait
- 15 min
- Total
- 2 hr 10 min
- Makes
- 1 lasagna in a 9×13-inch dish (8 generous squares)
Steps
Before you start
- Pickle the carrot and daikon first. They need at least 30 minutes, which fits neatly while you cook the pork.
- Shred the mozzarella yourself from a block if you can. It melts more smoothly than pre-shredded cheese.
- Cut the carrot and daikon into thin matchsticks (about 2 inches / 5 cm long) so they stay crisp and sit nicely on top.
- Position an oven rack in the center. The oven is preheated in step 7, just before you assemble.
- Use whole-milk ricotta. Low-fat ricotta turns watery and grainy when baked.
Make quick pickles
- Combine the rice vinegar, warm water, sugar and 1 tsp salt in a heatproof jar or bowl.
- Stir for about 1 minute until the sugar and salt fully dissolve.
- Add the carrot and daikon matchsticks and press them down so they are submerged.
- Leave at room temperature while you make the rest of the recipe, at least 30 minutes.
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Ready when: Vegetables taste tangy-sweet and bend slightly without snapping; the brine tastes balanced, not harsh.
Tip: Daikon smells strongly sulfurous when raw. That fades as it pickles, so don't worry.
Mix the cheese filling
- In a medium bowl, stir together the drained ricotta, beaten egg, chopped cilantro, sliced scallions and ½ tsp salt until evenly combined.
- Cover and refrigerate until assembly.
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Ready when: Mixture is uniform, creamy and speckled with green, with no streaks of egg.
Tip: Press the ricotta in a sieve for a few minutes first if it looks wet, so the layers stay sliceable.
Boil the noodles
- Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil over high heat and add 1 tbsp coarse salt.
- Cook the 9 lasagna noodles for about 8 minutes, stirring in the first minute so they don't stick.
- Drain, rinse briefly with cool water, and lay the noodles flat in a single layer on a lightly oiled sheet pan or clean counter so they don't fuse.
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Ready when: Noodles are flexible but still slightly firm in the center (a bit underdone). They finish cooking in the oven.
Tip: Cook all 9 sheets even if a couple tear; torn pieces can patch gaps.
Brown the pork
- Heat the oil in a large deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Add the ground pork and break it into small crumbles with a wooden spoon.
- Cook, stirring occasionally, for 7–8 minutes until no pink remains and the edges are golden brown.
- Add the onion and cook 3 minutes until soft and translucent.
- Stir in the garlic and lemongrass and cook 1 minute until fragrant.
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Ready when: Pork is in small, lightly browned crumbles with no pink; onion is soft; the kitchen smells of lemongrass and garlic.
Tip: Don't crowd or stir constantly early on; leaving the pork alone for a minute at a time gives better browning.
Simmer the sauce
- Stir in the fish sauce, soy sauce, hoisin, brown sugar, black pepper, tomato sauce and chicken broth.
- Bring to a gentle bubble, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring now and then, for 10 minutes.
- Taste and adjust: it should be savory, slightly sweet and rich.
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Ready when: Sauce is thick and spoonable; a spoon dragged through leaves a trail that closes slowly. You should have about 4½ cups.
Tip: If the sauce is runny, the lasagna will be soupy. Keep simmering until thick.
Whisk sriracha mayo
- In a small bowl, whisk the mayonnaise, sriracha and lime juice until smooth and uniformly pink-orange.
- Transfer to a squeeze bottle or small zip bag and refrigerate until serving.
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Ready when: Smooth, evenly colored and pourable in thick ribbons.
Tip: Add more sriracha, 1 tsp at a time, for extra heat.
Assemble the layersOven 375°F / 190°C
- Heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Spread ⅓ of the pork sauce (about 1½ cups) over the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish.
- Top with 3 noodles side by side, half the ricotta mixture (dollops, spread gently), and ¼ of the mozzarella.
- Add 3 more noodles, ⅓ of the pork sauce, the remaining ricotta, and another ¼ of the mozzarella.
- Finish with the last 3 noodles, the last ⅓ of the pork sauce, and the remaining mozzarella (half of the total).
- Set the dish on a rimmed baking sheet.
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Ready when: Three noodle layers are fully covered with sauce, and the top is evenly blanketed with cheese.
Tip: Make sure the noodles are covered by sauce on top, or the exposed edges will dry out and turn hard.
Bake coveredOven 375°F / 190°C
- Cover the dish tightly with foil (lightly greased on the underside so the cheese doesn't stick).
- Bake on the center rack at 375°F (190°C) for 30 minutes.
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Ready when: Edges are bubbling around the sides and steam escapes when you lift a corner of the foil.
Tip: Lift the foil away from you to avoid a steam burn.
Crisp the crumb toppingOven 375°F / 190°C
- While the lasagna bakes, toss the panko with the melted butter in a small bowl until evenly moistened.
- After 30 minutes, remove the foil and scatter the buttered panko over the top.
- Return to the oven, uncovered, for 15 minutes more at 375°F (190°C).
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Ready when: Crumbs are deep golden brown, sauce bubbles at the edges, and the center registers 165°F (74°C) on an instant-read thermometer.
Tip: If the crumbs brown too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last few minutes.
Rest before cutting
- Transfer the dish to a wire rack and let the lasagna rest, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
- This lets the layers set so the squares hold their shape when cut.
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Ready when: Bubbling stops and the surface no longer jiggles when the dish is nudged.
Tip: Skipping the rest makes it slide apart when served.
Top and serve
- Drain the pickled carrot and daikon well.
- Cut the lasagna into 8 squares.
- Pile a small mound of pickles on each portion, add cilantro sprigs and jalapeño rings if using, then zigzag with sriracha mayo.
- Serve immediately while hot.
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Ready when: Each square is hot throughout with crisp, cool, tangy topping on top.
Tip: Add the pickles and herbs only at serving time so they stay crisp and fresh.
Good to know
Tips
- Pat the ricotta dry and simmer the sauce until thick; a wet lasagna won't slice cleanly.
- Mince the lemongrass as finely as you can, since coarse bits stay woody even after baking.
- Cut with a sharp knife in a sawing motion to slice through the crisp crumb topping without squashing the layers.
- For a more authentic sandwich feel, add a few thin cucumber slices and extra cilantro on top just before serving.
Make ahead
"Make the pork sauce and pickles up to 2 days ahead and refrigerate separately. Assemble the lasagna (without the crumb topping) up to 1 day ahead, cover and refrigerate; add 10 extra minutes to the covered baking time. Sriracha mayo keeps for 5 days in the fridge."
Storage & reheating
Room temperature: up to 2 hours after baking. Fridge: store leftover squares (without pickles and mayo) in an airtight container for up to 4 days; keep pickles in their brine for up to 2 weeks. Freezer: wrap individual squares well and freeze up to 2 months; thaw overnight in the fridge. Reheat covered at 350°F (175°C) for 20–25 minutes (or microwave a portion for 2–3 minutes) until steaming and 165°F (74°C) in the center, then add fresh toppings.
Substitutions
- ground pork → ground chicken or turkey. Use dark-meat ground poultry for flavor and add 1 extra tbsp oil; cook to 165°F (74°C).
- lemongrass → 1 tbsp lemongrass paste, or 1 tsp finely grated lime zest plus 1 tsp grated ginger. Lemongrass paste is the closest match; the zest option gives a similar citrusy brightness.
- daikon radish → extra carrot or thinly sliced kohlrabi. Use the same weight; flavor will be a bit sweeter.
- sriracha → chili garlic sauce or sambal oelek. Use about 1 tbsp since they can be hotter and chunkier.