These vegan summer rolls, stuffed with crunchy veggies and fresh herbs, are the perfect meal for a hot day. Warmer days are here to stay and that only means one thing for me- spending as little time as possible in the kitchen. While I love summer and spring because of the fresh seasonal produce, sweating and slaving over a stove are two things I abhor. And these rolls are my summer saviors.
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Our first taste of these rolls were in Thailand. Even though this dish has its origins in Vietnam, its fame has spread far and wide in south east Asia. So, it is not uncommon for you to find these rolls on the menu in Thai eateries.
All that trivia apart, here are my top reasons to make these on repeat during summer.
- This is a no-cook recipe.
- You can make this in a moment’s notice. The only time taking process is chopping the veggies which means
- It is a fantastic way to involve the family. This is a typical “get everyone involved” recipe and even the little ones can help.
- There are umpteen ways to stuff these rolls. Read the variations for more ideas to jazz these rolls up.
- And these are naturally vegan and gluten-free.
- Finally, if you are intimidated by the rolling process, then make the deconstructed spring roll salad jar and enjoy this.
Jump to:
Ingredients for vegan rice paper rolls
The building blocks of these rolls are rice wrappers, fresh veggies, softened rice noodles and fresh herbs.
- Rice paper wrappers– Often referred to as rice paper sheets, these are super thin and made with glutinous rice flour. These are readily available in most Asian stores. If you like your rolls stuffed to the brim, then buy larger sized wrappers. For this recipe, I have used wrappers that are 22 cm in diameter.
- Fresh veggies– Our favorite veggies for this recipe include red bell pepper, shredded or thinly sliced purple cabbage, thin strips of carrots and cucumbers.
- Rice noodles- You will need thin rice noodles for this recipe. These noodles do not need any cooking. All you need to do is soak them in hot water and drain them. For a healthier version, you can use brown rice noodles or red rice noodles. The only requirement is that they should be thin. Rice noodles are available in Target.
- Herbs- We will be using fresh mint, cilantro and green onions. In my opinion, these are what make these rolls superior. The freshness and flavor from the herbs make these rolls sublime in every sense.
Variations
Now for the fun part. While I make this version the most often, I have tried various variations of stuffing for these rolls. Roasted tofu, grilled corn, grilled zucchini, grilled pineapple, fresh mango, drained canned chickpeas or black beans, fresh sugar snap peas, bean sprouts, roasted mushrooms and stir-fried tempeh are fantastic filling options.
If you are using chickpeas or any other kind of beans, I recommend warming them up in a splash of Asian sesame oil and adding them to the filling.
Other carbs that work well as a filling include glass noodles, brown rice noodles or red rice noodles. Glass noodles are made from mung beans and very nutritious. However, they have a very different chewy texture than rice noodles.
Alternatively, you can just fill these with fruits and some nut butter and serve it as a dessert. Berries, watermelon, bananas, sliced apples and mangoes are all fantastic options. You can even drizzle them with chocolate sauce if you fancy.
Dietary Specifications
Vegetarian and vegan friendly
These rolls are vegetarian and vegan friendly. We are not using any dairy products in this recipe. If you are not particular about this dish being vegan, you can also add pan-fried paneer to the filling.
Naturally gluten free
Most rice wrappers and rice noodles are gluten-free. But if you are allergic to gluten or are looking for celiac friendly options, please make sure to check the ingredients label before buying the rice noodles and rice wrappers.
Soy and nut-free
Since this recipe does not call for tofu and other soy derivatives like tempeh, this happens to be free from soy. It is not common for summer rolls to use roasted peanuts generously. But this one is an exception.
Serving suggestions
On its own, this is quite a bland recipe. What makes these rolls complete is the accompaniment. We love these rolls with a spicy peanut dipping sauce. You can find the recipe for the peanut sauce in our spring roll salad jar recipe.
Shelf life and leftovers
These rolls are best enjoyed fresh. Leftover rice paper rolls tend to become dry and brittle after a while. Keep them covered with a moist kitchen towel and in the fridge to prevent them from drying out. It is not recommended to make these rolls ahead in time.
Recipe Notes
The success of this recipe lies in the prep and how fast you work with the wrappers. Here are some pointers to make the best fresh spring rolls.
- Chop your veggies into thin matchsticks or strips. The wrapper is very delicate and tears easily. They are more likely to tear when your veggies are chopped in big chunks.
- You have to be very quick in assembling these rolls. So, prep everything before you start rolling them. Have all the veggies chopped, herbs picked, a wet chopping board and a shallow plate of water handy near you before you begin work.
- Do not soak the rice noodles for a long time in the hot water. Most rice noodles do not need more than 3 minutes of soaking time. I use a kitchen timer for this specifically. They will become mushy.
- To roll the summer rolls easily, place the wet rice wrapper over a wet chopping board or slightly wet kitchen towel. This will prevent it from sticking to the board and help in easy rolling.
- Do not stack the rolls in a pile once you finish rolling. They stick to each other after rolling.
- If your rice paper tears while rolling, cover the roll with another wrapper.
- Whatever you place at the bottom of the roll will be visible on top. So, depending on this, you can choose to assemble ingredients artfully and make these rolls look visually appealing.
- You can also toss your softened rice noodles in Hoisin sauce or creamy peanut butter dipping sauce before adding them to the rolls.
- The number of rolls that you get from this recipe may slightly vary. This is because the quantity of fillings may differ from person to person. Similarly, if your sheets are smaller, you will need lesser filling for each roll. In that case, you may get more rolls than mentioned here.
Method
Prep work
To begin with, wash and pat dry all veggies and herbs. Peel the carrots and chop them into matchsticks. Do the same for cucumbers. Shred the purple cabbage and chop the bell peppers into very thin strips. Pick the leaves from the mint and cilantro. Set aside.
Prep the noodles
Place the rice noodles in a mixing bowl. Pour boiling water over it and set the timer to 3 minutes.
After 3 minutes, immediately drain the softened noodles in a colander. Set aside.
Let’s roll!
Wash a chopping board or wet a kitchen towel and place it over a clean surface. Fill a wide and shallow plate with room temperature water. Now, place the rice wrapper in the water for just 2 to 3 seconds. Immediately remove the wrapper, shake off the excess water and place it over the wet cloth/board.
You will notice that the rice wrapper has lost its stiffness and is now flexible. Place a few carrots, cucumbers and bell peppers about 1/3 of the way up in the wrapper.
Top this with a some shredded cabbage. On this, place a tiny portion of the softened rice noodles. Lastly, add some cilantro, mint and finely chopped green onions.
To finish assembling them, first fold the bottom over the filling. Now, fold in both sides and continue to roll them snugly till all the way upwards. Finish with the remaining wrappers and filling.
Place each roll at least 1 inch apart since they stick to each other when you stack them.
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Vegan summer rolls
Equipment
- 1 kitchen towel
- 1 peeler
- 1 Sharp paring knife
- 1 chopping board
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Colander
Ingredients
For the noodles
- 60 grams thin rice noodles
- 2 cups freshly boiled hot water
For the rolls
- 8 rice paper wrappers
- 50 grams carrots chopped into matchsticks
- 50 grams shredded purple cabbage
- 50 grams cucumbers chopped into thin matchsticks
- 75 grams bell pepper chopped into thin strips
- 1/4 cup mint leaves loosely packed
- 20 grams fresh cilantro chopped roughly. Use only the tender stems.
- 1/4 cup finely chopped green onions
Other ingredients
- 2 cups water for softening the rice paper sheets
Instructions
Prep work
- To begin with, wash and pat dry all veggies and herbs.
- Peel the carrots and chop them into matchsticks.
- Do the same for cucumbers.
- Shred the purple cabbage and chop the bell peppers into very thin strips.
- Pick the leaves from the mint and cilantro. Set aside.
Prep the noodles
- Place the rice noodles in a mixing bowl.
- Pour boiling water over it and set the timer to 3 minutes.
- After 3 minutes, immediately drain the softened noodles in a colander. Set aside.
Let’s roll!
- Wash a chopping board or wet a kitchen towel and place it over a clean surface.
- Fill a wide and shallow plate with room temperature water.
- Now, place the rice wrapper in the water for just 2 to 3 seconds.
- Immediately remove the wrapper, shake off the excess water and place it over the wet cloth/board.
- You will notice that the rice wrapper has lost its stiffness and is now flexible.
- Place a few carrots, cucumbers and bell peppers about ⅓ of the way up in the wrapper.
- Top this with a some shredded cabbage.
- On this, place a tiny portion of the softened rice noodles.
- Lastly, add some cilantro, mint and finely chopped green onions.
- To finish assembling them, first fold the bottom over the filling.
- Now, fold in both sides and continue to roll them snugly till all the way upwards.
- Finish with the remaining wrappers and filling.
- Place each roll at least 1 inch apart since they stick to each other when you stack them.
Notes
- Chop your veggies into thin matchsticks or strips. The wrapper is very delicate and tears easily. They are more likely to tear when your veggies are chopped in big chunks.
- You have to be very quick in assembling these rolls. So, prep everything before you start rolling them. Have all the veggies chopped, herbs picked, a wet chopping board and a shallow plate of water handy near you before you begin work.
- Do not soak the rice noodles for a long time in the hot water. Most rice noodles do not need more than 3 minutes of soaking time. I use a kitchen timer for this specifically. They will become mushy.
- To roll the summer rolls easily, place the wet rice wrapper over a wet chopping board or slightly wet kitchen towel. This will prevent it from sticking to the board and help in easy rolling.
- Do not stack the rolls in a pile once you finish rolling. They stick to each other after rolling.
- If your rice paper tears while rolling, cover the roll with another wrapper.
- Whatever you place at the bottom of the roll will be visible on top. So, depending on this, you can choose to assemble ingredients artfully and make these rolls look visually appealing. You can also add edible flowers to pretty them up.
- You can also toss your softened rice noodles in Hoisin sauce or creamy peanut butter dipping sauce before adding them to the rolls.
- The number of rolls that you get from this recipe may slightly vary. This is because the quantity of fillings may differ from person to person. Similarly, if your sheets are smaller, you will need lesser filling for each roll. In that case, you may get more rolls than mentioned here.
- Nutrition values are provided as a courtesy. Please consult a healthcare provider if you have any health concerns.
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Disclaimer
Nutrition values are provided here as a courtesy and are only a rough guide. Please consult a health care provider if you have any concerns.
Nutrition
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How do you store the wrappers so they don’t stick together
If you are referring to the wrappers that are dry, the dry ones do not stick together. After assembling the rolls, I space them apart and place it in a single layer. Then, I cover it with a damp cloth and let it sit in the fridge until ready to serve.
A perfect recipe for a summer picnic. Love the vibrant veggies in there.
Such a colorful roll. So light yet filling and a perfect summer recipe for sure.
Lovely recipe! Summer rolls are our go to no cook meal choice! Your pictures look amazing!
Wow the pictures look so wonderful. I am yet to try with rice papers..must be so good to make with kids..
I love how easy, delish and customisable these rice paper rolls are, and the colours on ur plate and popping off the screen, Anu !
Oh – we used to love these rolls once upon a time ! Over the years have simply forgotten about them.
Thanks for reminding , will try these again , perfect summer meal .