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.
Suzanne
Yum! I made something like this last night but we didn’t have any sauces for dipping. I bet the sauce makes it so much better! Thanks!
Shannon
can I make these an hour or so ahead for dinner parties and how do I keep them from drying out?
Sina
Hi Shannon, Yes, this should be absolutely no problem. Just cover them with plastic wrap and store them in the fridge until your guests arrive. Let me know how you liked them. :-)
Sarah
These are so beautiful! I love making spring rolls—I agree, they’re not as hard to make as you would think! Once you get started it moves pretty quickly!
Evelyn Coville Bradley
Visually stunning is right!! That’s half the presentation! I asked the gal at the Vietnamese store exactly how to prepare the rice paper, and she was disgusted and angry with me!! As if I should know as an American!! Anyway, thanks to your tutorial, I made these lovelies and my guests were enthralled. Thanks so much for explaining in detail exactly how these wonderful rolls are prepared!
Shennae Davies
I’m not very good at soaking the rice paper according to the instructions, I try to get it out of the water as best as I can but it usually falls apart or sticks together! What i it that I am doing wrong?
Yasi
These look beautiful! And so nice that you had a great time in Australia, that’s where I live – we have so much wonderful, colorful fruits and vegetables here, can see where you inspiration came from :) Love your blog!
Jeanne
I have made these several times and they are totally delicious. I think I could eat them every day for the rest of my life. Thank you so much for the wonderful recipe.
Sina
Haha! So great to hear that you like them, Jeanne! I love how healthy and light they are. :-)
Sophia | Veggies Don't Bite
I could eat rice paper rolls for days!!! These looks so good, and dipping sauce is a MUST!
The Vegan 8
These are so pretty and colorful Sina! I recently tried mango for the first time in my life and am making a dessert with it and was so surprised at how good it was! Reminded me of apples. I love that you added mint, so refreshing!
Alisa Fleming
Just look at all of the seasonal goodness you packed in those babies! I’ve never tried avocado and mango together and am intrigued.
Linda @ Veganosity
So pretty! I love using rice paper, they really do make dinner fun. I’m loving all of the colors in this, and that sauce looks amazing.
Rebecca @ Strength and Sunshine
Love rice paper wraps! These are so fresh and the mango and mint….flavor explosion!
Aimee | Wallflower Kitchen
These not only look visually stunning but sound SO flavourful and delicious!
Jenn
So gorgeous! The perfect light summer meal and would make a great appetizer too. Love it!
Becky Striepe
These look so good! I love any chance to eat more mango.
Amy
I enjoy these rice wraps…I also like to add sesame oil to the glass noodles or rice vermicelli noodle for that Asian flavor.