Fresh Vegan Rainbow Spring Rolls

A Fresh Vegan Rainbow Spring Rolls Recipe that is simple to make, filled with vegetables, tasty tofu, and a killer peanut dipping sauce.

We are venturing to the far and exotic East Asia in our culinary journey today! These Fresh Vegan Rainbow Spring Rolls are super simple to make, filled with fresh vegetables and tofu as a protein source. Omnivores may replace the tofu with grilled chicken or shrimps, but we promise you, that you will not miss the meat in this tasty recipe.

These Fresh Vegan Rainbow Spring Rolls are a Summer staple in our house, as they are:

• quick & easy to make
• tasty
• filling & nutritious 
• healthy
• fun to make
• pretty to look at! (we eat with our eyes, too)

Spring Rolls Ingredients

To make these Vegan Rainbow Spring Rolls you will need:

• tofu, choose an extra-firm type that can stand getting pan-fried
• teriyaki sauce, I usually just have a small bottle in the fridge – you can buy it in major stores, in your Asian market, or online
• rice paper wraps, also readily available, you can buy them in major stores, in your Asian market, or online
• lettuce, any kind you have at hand will do! In this recipe, I used some baby leaf, but iceberg or romaine will also work, you can even leave it unsliced
• carrots
• cabbage, shred it thinly. Can be swapped for purple cabbage which will add more color and nutrition
• cucumber
• avocado
• mango, I like to replace it with peaches or nectarines, when they are in season
• red pepper, yellow or green pepper will also work, or use a combination to make it even more colorful

Peanut Dipping Sauce ingredients:

• peanut butter
• water
• soy sauce, I like to use low-sodium to keep the recipe less salty. Also, use a gluten-free variety if you’re gluten-sensitive.
• coconut sugar, can be replaced with granulated sugar or brown sugar or even maple syrup
• lime juice
• garlic, I like to mince it finely, and then let soak in the lime juice for a couple of minutes – I find the taste less sharp this way
• sesame oil

 

How to make these Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls

Start by making the peanut dipping sauce. Just add all the ingredients to a food processor and blend until smooth and creamy.

If you’ll be whisking the sauce it may take a while to emulsify. If you don’t have a food processor, you can use a stick blender, or just simply add the ingredients to a jar, close the lid tightly, and give it a good shake.

If you feel like it, you can sprinkle some chopped unsalted peanuts on top, too!

It should look like this:

Next, to the main dish.

Press the tofu for 10 minutes to remove extra water, then slice it up into thin slices. Pour it over with teriyaki sauce and let marinate for about 15 minutes. Then, cook the tofu in a pan with a drizzle of oil on all sides, until golden brown. Set it aside to cool.

Wash and dry the vegetables, and slice them up as needed into even-sized slices. I like to just julienne them thinly, but you could also use a spiralizer.

Prepare your mise en place (prepping station) and a large bowl with water for dipping.

How to roll the spring rolls

Dip a single piece of rice paper into the water for about 5 seconds until softened, but still firm, and place it on a smooth working station or on a plate.

To the lower third of the rice paper add the lettuce, vegetables, and cooked tofu.

Next, fold the sides of the rice paper over the toppings, then fold the bottom over and roll it into a tight spring roll.

Now you could slice the roll in half, or leave them whole if you’re serving it later. Place the spring rolls on a serving plate.

Continue until you use up all the ingredients.

Serving

Serve the fresh spring rolls immediately along with the peanut dipping sauce. I like to drizzle a bit of the sauce over the spring rolls, but you could also just dip them in the sauce.

The rice paper will dry up the longer you leave it and become harder to chew, so serving immediately is best. 

You could also make a DIY “spring roll bar” and everyone gets to fill and roll their own fresh spring rolls!

Storage

These spring rolls are best served immediately, and we do not recommend storing them for a long stretch of time, but an hour or two in advance should be fine. Add a wet paper towel on top to keep them moist and keep them in an air-tight container refrigerated.

More similar recipes

• Vegan Spring Roll Noodle Bowl
• Vegan Fresh Sushi Spring Rolls
• Vegan Tofu Spring Rolls
• Crispy Pan-Fried Tofu Spring Rolls

This recipe is brought to you in collaboration with Hofer Slovenia.