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Banh Mi Hot Dogs

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
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Banh Mi Hot Dogs

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These Vietnamese fusion Banh Mi Hot Dogs are loaded with crisp veggies, spicy mayo, and fresh herbs. It’s the perfect hot dog recipe for grilling season!

If you’re looking for a way to dress up your boring hot dogs, these Banh Mi Hot Dogs are absolutely packed with flavor. The grilled meat pairs so perfectly with pickled carrots and onions, cucumbers, spicy mayo, and fresh herbs.

Banh Mi Hot Dogs

A banh mi sandwich is hands-down one of my favorite sandwiches of all time! Another thing about me? I absolutely love hot dogs. It’s my mission in life to try every regional-style hot dog out there. What can I say? I love a composed hot dog.

These Banh Mi Hot Dogs check all the boxes for me! They’ve got bold flavor, texture, contrasting temperatures, and a bit of acidity to balance out the beef. In a word, they are absolutely perfect.

If you haven’t had a banh mi, there are some components that make them extra special.

  • Pickled carrots and daikon radish add crunch and a balancing acidic flavor. In this instance I’m using onion instead of daikon radish because it can be difficult to source and I love the onion flavor.
  • Spicy sriracha mayo is a must! It adds a creamy element to the hot dog and pairs so well with everything.
  • Thinly sliced baby cucumbers add some freshness and crunch and are a staple in the classic sandwich.
  • Sliced fresh jalapeño adds the perfect amount of spice!
  • Fresh cilantro and Thai basil adds the final flourish of fresh flavor.

You’re going to be absolutely blown away by how flavorful these Banh Mi hot dogs are!

banh mi hot dogs

What is a Banh Mi?

If you have never had a banh mi, it’s a Vietnamese sandwich with French influence. Banh mi is actually the Vietnamese word for “bread.”

The sandwich is traditionally served on a small baguette with a crisp exterior, and soft interior. Over time, the banh mi sandwich developed into a really popular street food filled with various meats, cilantro, cucumber, pickled carrots and daikon, chile, mayo, and sometimes even pâté.

This is not an authentic Vietnamese recipe but pays homage to the classic sandwich in a fun, fusion take. For an authentic Banh Mi recipe, check out this recipe from Hungry Huy!

How to Make Banh Mi Hot Dogs

Now that grilling season is almost here, these banh mi hot dogs are the perfect recipe! You can grill these outdoors or inside with a grill pan.

Tools Needed

Ingredients and Substitutions

  • Hot dogs. I always opt for 1/4 lb all-beef hot dogs. You could also swap in meatless hot dogs to make this recipe vegetarian.
  • Buns. I love a split top brioche hot dog bun, but feel free to use your favorite.
  • Carrots & onion. Shredded carrots and white onion are my favorite and I usually use store bought shredded carrots.
  • Rice wine vinegar. Rice wine vinegar is the perfect mild vinegar for pickling the carrots and onions. You could also use white wine or champagne vinegar.
  • Cucumbers. Baby or persian cucumbers are the best here.
  • Jalapeños. Fresh sliced jalapeños add a bit of spice and flavor.
  • Spicy mayo. My spicy mayo recipe is a mix of Japanese mayo, sriracha, soy, ginger, and a bit of toasted sesame oil.
  • Fresh herbs. I love using fresh cilantro and Thai basil for banh mi hot dogs.

The Process

  1. Pickle carrots and onions. Place the shredded carrots and thinly sliced onions in a heat-safe jar or bowl. In a small saucepan, warm the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt and stir until dissolved. Cool to room temperature and then pour over the carrots and onions. Transfer to the fridge for at least 2 hours.
  2. Mix the spicy mayo. Combine the spicy mayo ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  3. Grill the hot dogs and buns. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. If you’re outdoor grilling, make sure to clean the grates before grilling. Grill the hot dogs for 3-4 minutes per side, until they have grill marks and are warmed through. Grill the buns for 1-2 minutes until warm.
  4. Assemble. Layer the pickled carrots and onions, shredded cucumber, sliced jalapeño, herbs, and spicy mayo onto the hot dogs and serve immediately.

Tips for Banh Mi Hot Dogs

Invest in quality hot dogs. The hot dogs are kind of a big part of these banh mi hot dogs, so make sure they’re excellent! I go for the jumbo 1/4 lb all-beef hot dogs from either Nathan’s or Hebrew National. All beef and no filler, baby!

Pickle the carrots and onions in advance. To really get the flavor to permeate, I like to pickle the carrots and onions for banh mi hot dogs several hours in advance. The pickled carrots and onions will last in the fridge in a pickling jar for up to 1 month.

Get the good buns. When there are so few ingredients, spring for the good stuff! Don’t get your average bargain buns, go for the nice brioche hot dog buns because they do make a difference.

Preheat the grill. This seems obvious, but make sure to really preheat your grill or grill pan. We want those grill marks on the hot dogs and buns because that’s flavor.

Storage Instructions

You can store the individual ingredients separately in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

To re-heat the hot dogs, you can either place them in the microwave or heat them up in the oven. The pickled carrot and onions will last in a pickling jar for up to 1 month in the refrigerator.

Banh Mi Hot Dogs

Once it’s officially warm enough to fire up the grill, give these Banh Mi Hot Dogs a try! They’re perfect for your next backyard bbq or even just a quick and easy weeknight dinner. If you do give it a try, be sure to let me know! Leave a comment with a star rating below. Be sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter and never miss a new recipe! You can also snap a photo & tag @JENNYGOYCOCHEA on Instagram. I LOVE hearing about & seeing your SMF creations!

More Grilling Season Recipes to Try

Ultimate Steakhouse Burgers
Grilled Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches
Grilled Chicken Gyros
Beef Kofta Kebabs

This post may contain affiliate links from which I receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. Affiliate links allow me to keep providing great recipes for free and I never recommend products that I don’t love and personally own.

Banh Mi Hot Dogs
Main Dishes

Banh Mi Hot Dogs

These Vietnamese fusion Banh Mi Hot Dogs are loaded with crisp veggies, spicy mayo, and fresh herbs. It's the perfect hot dog recipe for grilling season!
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Makes: 4 hot dogs

Ingredients

Hot Dogs

  • 1 lb all-beef hot dogs (4 total)
  • 4 brioche hot dog buns
  • 2 baby or Persian cucumbers, julienned
  • 1 jalapeño, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh Thai basil leaves
  • 1/2 cup cilantro leaves and stems

Spicy Mayo

  • 1/2 cup Japanese mayo (kewpie)
  • 3 tablespoons sriracha
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 2 teaspoons freshly grated ginger
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Pickled Carrots and Onions

  • 1 cup shredded carrots
  • 1/4 white onion, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup rice wine vinegar
  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt

Instructions

  • Pickle carrots and onions. Place the shredded carrots and thinly sliced onions in a heat-safe jar or bowl. In a small saucepan, warm the vinegar, water, sugar, and salt and stir until dissolved. Cool to room temperature and then pour over the carrots and onions. Transfer to the fridge for at least 2 hours.
  • Mix the spicy mayo. Combine the spicy mayo ingredients in a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Refrigerate until ready to use.
  • Grill the hot dogs and buns. Preheat a grill or grill pan over medium heat. If you're outdoor grilling, make sure to clean the grates before grilling. Grill the hot dogs for 3-4 minutes per side, until they have grill marks and are warmed through. Grill the buns for 1-2 minutes until warm.
  • Assemble. Layer the pickled carrots and onions, shredded cucumber, sliced jalapeño, herbs, and spicy mayo onto the hot dogs and serve immediately.

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