Homemade rice paper rolls, also called summer rolls, make such an awesome light dinner on hot summer days. Or of course you could also serve them the whole year round.
And they’re super easy to make! Plus, they’re also a wonderful appetizer for parties. I mean just look at that color!
We first tried rice paper rolls, or summer rolls, on a trip to Australia. When I came back home, I just had to make my own homemade version of rice paper rolls. And they were sooo delicious!
A lot of people think that rice paper rolls are hard to make, but it’s actually super easy! All you do is cut up the veggies, dip the rice paper into a bowl of water, and then roll everything up kind of like a burrito.
These Rice Paper Rolls are:
- vegan
- gluten-free
- easy to make
- low in calories
- light
- healthy
- packed with nutrients
- fun to make
- super colorful
- a great appetizer
What You Need For These Vegan Summer Rolls:
- Vietnamese rice paper
- avocado
- cucumber
- carrots
- mango
- green onions
- purple cabbage
- radishes
- mint
- lettuce
- glass noodles
- peanut butter
- soy sauce
- garlic
As always, you can find the full ingredient list and the recipe instructions in a separate, printable recipe box at the end of this post.
How to Make Rice Paper Rolls
Making these rice paper rolls is much easier than it looks! I included a detailed step-by-step guide for you!
CUT THE VEGETABLES
FIRST STEP: Start by cutting up your veggies into thin strips. I used a cucumber, carrots, a mango, radishes, purple cabbage, lettuce, green onions, and mint. I also put in some glass noodles, which are really easy to prepare. Just let them soften in hot water for a couple of minutes.
We usually also put in some fried tofu with soy sauce and sesame seeds. It’s optional but really yummy. Cut the tofu into thin stripes and heat the sesame oil in a medium-sized pan. Add the tofu and the soy sauce and cook for about 4 minutes until the tofu is brown and crispy. Then add the sesame seeds and cook for another minute.
SOAK THE RICE PAPER IN WATER
SECOND STEP:
When you take the rice papers out of the package, they’re crisp, so you have to hydrate them in warm water so they become soft enough to roll.
When you’re done cutting the veggies, fill a shallow bowl with water and dip the rice papers in the water so they get moderately wet on both sides. Don’t let them soak too long, so they don’t get get clumpy.
They should be soft, but still firm enough so you can roll them.
FILL THE RICE PAPER ROLLS
THIRD STEP:
After soaking the rice papers, fill them with the vegetables, the glass noodles, and the tofu. Make sure not to overfill them.
ROLL THE RICE PAPER ROLLS
Then wrap the rice paper rolls like a burrito. I think it’s best to center the filling and then roll it up and fold in the two side flaps.
How to Make Peanut Butter Sauce for Dipping
The peanut butter dipping sauce is just as easy as making the rice paper rolls or actually even much easier.
You need:
- chunky peanut butter (unsweetened)
- soy sauce (or tamari for a gluten-free version)
- one clove of garlic
- warm water
- sriracha sauce
Just combine everything in a small bowl.
Rice Paper Rolls – Recipe Notes:
- If you want the rice paper rolls to be soy-free, just leave out the tofu. The summer rolls will still be awesome without the tofu.
- The rice paper rolls are naturally gluten-free. However, I used soy sauce for the peanut butter dipping sauce. If you need the whole meal to be 100 % gluten-free, just use tamari instead of soy sauce for the peanut sauce and for frying the tofu.
- Make sure to cut up all of the vegetables first, so you have everything ready when you start dipping the rice paper into water.
- Don’t dip the rice paper for too long or they will become too soft, delicate, and hard to roll.
Other Asian-Inspired Vegan Recipes You Might Like:
I LOVE TO HEAR FROM YOU GUYS!
I hope you like these rice paper rolls as much as we do around here.
If you give them a try, I’d love to know what you think about them. Just leave me a comment and a star rating below. Your comments really make my day!
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Sina
Rice Paper Rolls with Mango
Ingredients
For the rice paper rolls:
- 6 sheets Vietnamese rice paper
- 1 avocado
- 1 cucumber
- 3 small carrots
- 1 mango
- 3 green onions, cut into rings
- 1 cup purple cabbage, cut into thin stripes
- about 6 radishes, cut into thin slices
- 1 cup fresh mint
- 2-3 cups lettuce, cut into thin stripes
- 1 - 1 1/2 cups cooked glass noodles
For the fried sesame tofu (optional):
- 7 oz block firm tofu
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame seeds
For the peanut dipping sauce:
- 1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons soy sauce
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 3-4 tablespoons warm water
- 1/2 teaspoons sriracha sauce (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the avocado, the carrots, the mango, the lettuce, and the purple cabbage into thing stripes.
- When you're done cutting the veggies, fill a shallow bowl with water and dip the rice papers in water so they get moderately wet on both sides. Don't let them soak too long, so they don't get too soft.
- First make the tofu (it's optional but really yummy): Cut the tofu into thin stripes (about 0.10 inches thick) and heat the sesame oil in a medium-sized pan. Add the tofu and the soy sauce and cook for about 4 minutes until the tofu is brown and crispy. Then add the sesame seeds and cook for another minute.
- When you soaked the rice papers, fill them with the veggies and the tofu (if using) and wrap them like a burrito. I think it's best to center the filling and then roll it up and fold in the two side flaps.
- Then make the peanut dipping sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter with the soy sauce, the garlic, the warm water, and the sriracha sauce.
- Serve the rice paper rolls with the peanut dipping sauce.
Notes
- If you want the rice paper rolls to be soy-free, just leave out the tofu. The summer rolls will still be awesome without the tofu.
- The rice paper rolls are naturally gluten-free. However, I used soy sauce for the peanut butter dipping sauce. If you need the whole meal to be 100 % gluten-free, just use tamari instead of soy sauce for the peanut sauce and for frying the tofu.
- Make sure to cut up all of the vegetables first, so you have everything ready when you start dipping the rice paper into water.
- Don’t dip the rice paper for too long or they will become too soft, delicate, and hard to roll.
AnneJo
Really fresh and tasty on a hot summer day!
I put some chicken slices for my boys. Everybody loved it!!!
AWhite
We are not a vegan / vegetarian family but my husband and 3 young boys all really enjoyed these. They didn’t miss the meat and liked making the rolls themselves.
Cat Manganella
These look amazing. Does anyone know how long leftovers will stay fresh as still taste good?
Colette
Amazing recipe!
My mother who usually turns her nose up at vegan food even loved them! Definitely going to keep these in my favourites!
Ness
These are awesome! I made these the other night and they were so good, I had to make them again the very next day! The mango is the best part, it gives these wraps the perfect sweetness to compliment all the savory. The peanut sauce is delicious. I love these! Thanks for the recipe! Will definitely make again.
samantha steven
I made this tonight for dinner and it exceeded my expectations! Hubby loved it too. :) This will become a regular dish in our low carb life. Easy and delicious! Thank you!
Elizabeth
Are the calories for one roll? It seemed high but with the sauce I guess maybe..
Anne
These turned out absolutely DELICIOUS!! Definitely a keeper!
Valerie
In Vietnam, at the temple, we make Vietnamese sushi. We do exactly as you have done here, except we place a nori sheet on the rice paper after it has been wetted down. (I cut the nori to fit the rice paper. Then add the filling. We also put some wasabi and ginger on the nori sheet before adding the veggies.
Laura
I have never made rice paper rolls before and i wan’t to make them for a work lunch.
Am i best constructing on the day or do they keep fine overnight?
Will the mango make the rice paper too soggy – will it disintegrate?
Thanks!
Ella
They keep overnight and won’t disintegrate if the components aren’t too wet. However, they will stick to one another and tear if you don’t seperate them well (with baking paper or cling film).
sheetal
wonderful recipe Sina, thanks for sharing this with us. cheers!