Recipes in this article:
Rainbow Spring Rolls ⋅ Basil Rolls With Crispy Tofu ⋅ Spring Roll in a Bowl
Many cuisines throughout East and Southeast Asia have a version of a spring roll: some variety of vegetable or meat fillings rolled up in a flour or rice wrapper.
In China, fried cylindrical pastries filled with spring vegetables are a popular dim sum option often associated with Chinese New Year. In the Philippines, spring rolls are called lumpia and typically filled with mixed vegetables and shrimp or pork.
The fresh versions here most closely resemble Vietnamese spring rolls, which are typically made with rice-paper wrappers and rolled around vermicelli rice noodles, vegetables, fresh herbs, and protein, such as tofu, pork, or shrimp. They go by many different names, including salad rolls, summer rolls, rice-paper rolls, or fresh spring rolls.
Whatever you call them, they’re healthy, colorful, and packed with veggies. Try one of these recipes to get rolling.
Rainbow Spring Rolls
Makes 6 servings • Prep time 30 minutes active, plus one hour inactive for pickling
Rolls
- ⅓ cup each cold water, white vinegar, and honey
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- 5 small radishes, thinly sliced
- 6 rice-paper wrappers
- 12 large leaves butter lettuce
- 2 ripe avocados, sliced
- 1½ cups shredded red cabbage
- 1 large carrot, julienned
- 1 large yellow pepper, julienned
Peanut Sauce
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- Juice from ½ lime
- ¼ cup water
- ¼ cup smooth peanut butter
- 2 tbs. honey
- 1 tbs. sriracha
- 1 tbs. soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
- 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
- 1/2 tsp. minced fresh ginger
Garnishes (Optional)
- Black sesame seeds
- Fresh cilantro
- Sliced Fresno pepper
- Prepare pickled radishes. Add the water, vinegar, honey, and salt to a small bowl and whisk to combine. Add the radishes and stir to submerge. Set aside for at least one hour (or up to one day in the fridge) before assembling your spring rolls.
- Prepare peanut sauce. In a small bowl, combine the sauce ingredients and whisk until smooth. Add garnishes if desired.
- Prepare your assembly line. Fill a shallow bowl with hot water and place it by your veggies. Dampen a large cutting board.
- Assemble rolls. Submerge a rice-paper wrapper in water for two or three seconds, then place the wrapper on the cutting board, taking care not to fold it. Lay two lettuce leaves in the center. Add several pickled radish slices, a few slices of avocado, ¼ cup of shredded cabbage, and several carrot and bell-pepper sticks. Fold the sides of the wrapper over the filling and roll tightly from the bottom, pressing down gently as you go.
- Place the roll seam side down on a serving dish. Repeat with the remaining rolls. Enjoy immediately with the peanut sauce.
Basil Rolls With Crispy Tofu
Makes 6 servings • Prep time 40 minutes
Black Vinegar Dipping Sauce
- 1 tbs. soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
- 1 tbs. Chinese black vinegar (or rice vinegar)
- 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
- Sesame seeds to garnish (optional)
Crispy Tofu
- 1 block firm tofu, drained
- ½ tsp. sea salt
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- 1 tsp. avocado oil
- 2 tbs. soy sauce
- 2 tbs. honey
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
Rolls
- 6 rice-paper wrappers
- ⅓ cup each basil, cilantro, and mint leaves
- 2 red bell peppers, julienned
- 2 cups shredded green cabbage
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Prepare dipping sauce. In a small bowl, whisk the soy sauce, Chinese black vinegar, and sesame oil until combined. Garnish with sesame seeds if desired.
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Prepare tofu. Slice the tofu into small slabs and sprinkle the cut sides with the sea salt. Set aside for five minutes. Pat dry.
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Meanwhile, preheat a large skillet to medium-high heat and add the oils. Sear each side of the tofu slabs for three to four minutes, until lightly crispy. While the tofu cooks, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, and garlic. Once the tofu is crispy, add the soy sauce mixture to the pan and simmer for one to two minutes. Remove tofu and set aside.
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Prepare your assembly line. Fill a shallow bowl with hot water and place it by your veggies. Dampen a large cutting board.
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Assemble rolls. Submerge a rice-paper wrapper in water for two or three seconds, then place the wrapper on the cutting board, taking care not to fold it. Add several leaves of each herb to the center. Add some sticks of bell pepper, ⅓ cup of cabbage, and one or two slabs of tofu. Fold the sides of the wrapper over the filling and roll tightly from the bottom, pressing down gently as you go.
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Place the roll seam side down on a serving dish. Repeat with the remaining rolls. Enjoy immediately with the dipping sauce.
Spring Roll in a Bowl
Makes 4 servings • Prep time 40 minutes active, plus one hour inactive for pickling
Sweet Pickled Cucumbers
- 2 tsp. sesame oil
- 2 tsp. rice vinegar
- ½ tbs. honey or raw cane sugar
- 1 tsp. soy sauce, tamari, or coconut aminos
- 3 mini cucumbers, thinly sliced
Noodles
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tbs. rice vinegar
- 2 tbs. honey
- 2 tbs. lime juice
- 1 tbs. toasted sesame oil
- 1 tsp. fish sauce
- 1 8.8-oz. package vermicelli noodles
Toppings
- 1 tsp. each avocado and sesame oil
- 1 lb. boneless, skinless chicken thighs
- Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 2 tbs. sriracha
- 4 scallions, sliced
- 1 bunch mint
- 1 cup shelled edamame
- 1 cup sliced radishes
- ¾ cup shredded carrots
- ½ cup peanuts
- Prepare pickled cucumbers. In a bowl, whisk together the sesame oil, rice vinegar, honey, and soy sauce. Add the cucumbers and toss to coat. Set aside for at least one hour (or up to one day in the fridge) before assembling.
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. While the water is heating, make a dressing: Whisk together the garlic, rice vinegar, honey, lime juice, sesame oil, and fish sauce. Once the water is boiling, add the vermicelli noodles and cook according to package directions. Strain and rinse the noodles with cold water. Toss with the dressing and set aside.
- Preheat a skillet over medium-high heat. Pat the chicken thighs dry with paper towels and generously season with salt and pepper. Add the oils to the hot pan and sear the chicken thighs for five to seven minutes per side, or until golden brown and cooked through to 165 degrees F internally. Remove from heat and set aside to rest for 10 minutes before chopping into bite-sized pieces.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise and sriracha.
- Divide the noodles into four bowls. Let people assemble their own bowls with their preferred combination of chicken, pickled cucumbers, scallions, mint, edamame, radishes, and carrots. Top with peanuts and spicy mayo. Enjoy immediately or chill and eat within four days.
This article originally appeared as “Fresh Spring Rolls, 3 Ways” in the May 2023 issue of Experience Life.
This Post Has One Comment
These spring roll recipes look delicious, I’m going to try at least one today! Thank you!