The flavors of the classic Vietnamese sandwich – juicy pork, tangy pickles and a touch of heat – are turned into crispy, caramelized smash patties. Bold, bright and layered with crunch and spice.
Ingredients
- ¼ cup rice vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. sugar
- 1 tsp. kosher salt, plus more for seasoning
- ½ cup thinly sliced radishes
- ½ cup thinly sliced cucumbers
- ½ cup matchstick carrots
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp. sriracha
- 1 lb. ground pork
- ¼ cup chopped green onions
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
- Cooking spray
- 4 brioche hamburger buns
- Optional toppings: Fresh cilantro and sliced jalapeños
Steps
- In a medium bowl, combine vinegar, sugar and salt. Whisk until dissolved. Add radishes, cucumbers and carrots and toss to coat. Let sit at room temperature at least 15 minutes.
- In a small bowl, combine mayonnaise and sriracha. Season with salt and pepper. Cover and chill until ready to serve.
- Meanwhile, in a large bowl, combine pork, green onions, garlic and soy sauce. Season with pepper. Mix gently until just combined. Divide into 8 equal-size balls.
- Set grill to medium-high. Place a 12-inch cast-iron skillet on the grill and coat with cooking spray. Working in batches, add pork balls to skillet. Lightly coat a metal spatula (or the bottom of another skillet) with cooking spray, then firmly smash each ball into a patty about 4 inches wide and ¼ inch thick, pressing down for 10 seconds.
- Continue to cook until juices start to bubble, 2–3 minutes. Using greased metal spatula, flip burgers, scraping up any caramelization on bottom of pan. Cook until browned and cooked through, another 1–2 minutes. Repeat with remaining pork balls.
- During final batch, place buns cut-side down directly on grill grates and toast until golden, 30–60 seconds. To assemble, spread 1–2 teaspoons sriracha mayo onto each toasted bun. Add 2 smash patties per bun. Top evenly with pickled vegetables along with cilantro and jalapeños, if desired.
This recipe is
- Nut-free
- Dairy-free
- Lactose-free
Tags
- banh mi
- Vietnamese flavors
- pork burgers
- Fresh Magazine July August 2026
- smash burgers
- sriracha mayo
- quick pickles
- Guiding Stars
- grilled burgers
- 15 min
- weeknight dinner