Summer rolls, or rice paper rolls, filled with fresh vegetables, tofu and rice noodles, are a delicious, healthy vegan meal or appetiser. Served with a peanut dipping sauce, this is a great recipe to make for a crowd, whether you're feeding family or friends. Why not get the kids involved too?
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I love summer rolls because not only do they taste incredible but they’re extremely adaptable and easy to make.
Here are some more reasons why we love them:
- use your favourite veggies
- get the kids to make their own - I've even taught groups of toddlers how to make them before!
- experiment with different dipping sauces
- a great way to try new ingredients
- easy for babies and toddlers to grip - good for baby led weaning (grate or mash the veggies for little babies).
What are summer rolls?
Summer rolls, or rice paper rolls, are based a Vietnamese dish called gỏi cuốn.
If you've never had them before then you're in for a treat.
They are made from rice paper wrappers* (Bánh tráng), filled with ingredients such as rice vermicelli (thin rice noodles), vegetables, tofu or for a non-vegan version shrimp or pork.
Summer rolls are served cold - apart from preparing the tofu and noodles there's no actual cooking involved.
My summer rolls recipe uses tofu and fresh vegetables and is suitable for vegans and vegetarians as well as those following a gluten free diet (use tamari rather than soy sauce to make this gluten free).
What is the difference between spring rolls and summer rolls?
At first glance spring rolls and summer rolls seem similar.
Spring rolls however are made of a wheat flour dough, which is then deep fried.
Summer rolls, or rice paper rolls, however are made in a translucent rice paper wrapper, which is served cold.
Can you make summer rolls in advance?
For best results make your summer rolls just before you want to eat them. If stored for more than a couple of hours they can dry out or stick together.
If you do want to make them in advance or you have leftovers to store then you can wrap them in a damp cloth to help them retain the moisture. If you find they’ve dried out try lightly spraying them with a little cold water to refresh them.
Leave a little space between them if transferring to a storage box - this will further help stop them from sticking together.
Additions/substitutions
Once you've got the hang of rolling your rice paper rolls you can start to get creative.
There are many different variations that you can make to the basic summer rolls recipe below.
Here are some ideas to get you started:
- Chilli - add some chopped fresh chilli to spice things up
- Fresh herbs - try mint, coriander or Thai basil
- Sesame seeds - sprinkle a few over your veggies
- Make a tahini dipping sauce instead of peanut
- Use tempeh instead of tofu
- Add a handful of crunchy peanuts
- Vary the vegetables - try adding some fresh sweetcorn, coriander and black beans for example for a Mexican-themed summer roll
Ingredients
To make these summer rolls you will need:
- Firm tofu
- Sesame oil
- Soy sauce (or tamari for gluten free version)
- Cornflour
- Avocado
- Pepper
- Carrot
- Cucumber
- Spring onions
- Rice vermicelli (thin rice noodles)
- Rice paper wrappers*
- Fresh herbs eg mint (not pictured)
For the peanut dipping sauce you'll need:
- peanut butter
- soy sauce
- lime
Equipment
To make these summer rolls you will need:
- Chopping board*
- Sharp knife*
- Measuring spoons*
- Roasting dish*
- Shallow bowl* (for soaking the rice paper wrappers)
How to make summer rolls
- First prepare your tofu. Cut into batons and place in a roasting tin with a tablespoon each of sesame oil, soy sauce and cornflour. Mix well and roast for around 20 minutes, stirring halfway.
2. Remove the tofu from the oven and set aside to cool.
3. Now make your dipping sauce. Mix together the peanut butter, the soy sauce and the lime juice and set aside.
4. Soak the rice paper wrapper in warm water for 10-15 seconds. Take care doing this - it needs to be soft enough to roll but if you soak it for too long it may tear. If your first one tears don't worry - you'll soon get the hang of it. Different chefs recommend soaking for different amounts of time - and some use cold or boiling water. However, I find that warm water works best for me.
5. Place on a chopping board. Spread over a little mashed avocado then add a small amount of cooked and cooled tofu, cooked rice noodles and chopped veggies. Add a little fresh mint if using. Don't be tempted to overfill - you need less fillings than you think. If you overfill your roll they will tear as you roll them up.
How to roll summer rolls
7. Roll up your summer roll like an envelope. First fold over the two sides of the rice paper - one at a time.
8. Next fold over the bottom of the rice paper.
9. Now use your fingers to hold the filling in place and carefully roll up the rest of the summer roll. This can feel fiddly at first but keep going - you will soon get the hang of it.
10. If your summer roll doesn't stick together use your fingertips to add a little extra water to the end to help it stick together.
11. Repeat with the remaining ingredients and serve with the dipping sauce. Enjoy!
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Please do not reproduce this recipe without permission.
Summer rolls
Ingredients
For the tofu
- 400 g firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce use tamari for gluten free version
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
For the dipping sauce
- 1 lime juiced
- 2 tablespoon peanut butter you can also use tahini
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
For the summer rolls (makes 12)
- 12 rice paper wrappers
- 1 small carrot cut into batons (grate for young babies)
- 1 red pepper cut into batons
- ½ cucumber cut into batons
- spring onion thinly chopped
- 1 ripe avocado mashed
- 200 g rice noodles vermicelli, pre-cooked*
- Small handful mint leaves* chopped or torn into small pieces
Instructions
For the tofu
- 400g firm tofu
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6.
- Press the tofu* then cut into thin batons.
- Place in a roasting tin and add a tablespoon soy sauce, a tablespoon of sesame oil and a tablespoon of cornflour*. Mix well.
- Roast in the oven for 20 minutes, turning halfway, until just starting to turn crispy. Set aside and allow too cool.
For the dipping sauce
- While the tofu is baking make the dipping sauce.
- Place the juice of a lime, 2 tablespoons of peanut butter and a tablespoon of soy sauce into a small bowl or pot. Use a fork to mix well. Set aside.
For the summer rolls
- Cook the rice
- Put some warm water in a shallow bowl or dish.
- Dip one rice paper wrapper into the dish until it is soft and then lay it on your chopping board.
- Spread a little mashed avocado over the middle of the rice paper.
- Add a few cooked rice noodles, a few vegetable and tofu batons and a little fresh mint.
- Don’t overfill the wrap or it will be hard to roll.
- Fold over the two end sides first, then fold the sides that are closest to you over so it covers the ingredients - the aim is to tuck in under the vegetables. Roll it up, rolling away from you.
- If it isn’t sticking closed add a little water with your fingertip to close it.
- Repeat with the remaining rice paper rolls until you’ve used up all the fillings.
- Serve with the dipping sauce.
Notes
- To press the tofu either use a tofu press or place a few layers of kitchen towel or a clean tea towel underneath and on top of the tofu on a chopping board. Place a heavy weight eg a large cookbook on top and leave for 10-15 minutes until most of the water has been pressed out of the tofu.
- If you have time you could leave the tofu to rest in the marinade in the fridge for several hours.
- If you can’t find pre-cooked rice noodles buy dried ones and prepare following the packet instructions.
- Coriander or Thai basil also work well if you don't want to use mint.
- Nutritional information is approximate and is intended as a guide.
Nutrition
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