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Fresh Vegan Spring Roll is a 30-minute recipe with crispy tofu, fresh vegetables, and a sweet and spicy dipping sauce. Delectable, crispy, and flavorful.
Fresh spring rolls are one of the easiest Vietnamese types of food to recreate at home. It is healthy, loaded with vegetables, all wrapped into a rice paper wrapper.
Spring rolls can be made with any ingredients combination that you prefer. But for this recipe, I decided to go with a vegan version and use tofu as the protein source. The tofu will be flavored with a simple marinade before it is fried to give it a crispy texture. I will also use baby spinach, red cabbage, carrot, and cucumber.
How do you make Fresh Vegan Spring Rolls?
The recipe begins by preparing the tofu. For this recipe, you want to use firm or extra-firm tofu. Wrap the block of tofu in a clean kitchen towel and press to squeeze out the excess water. Next cut the tofu in half from side to side lengthwise. Follow this by making even downward cuts to form tofu strips.
In a container with a lid, make the tofu marinade by whisking together the soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper. Add the tofu strips and allow them to sit and absorb the marinade for 5 minutes.
Heat a skillet on medium-high heat, spray with cooking spray and add in the tofu. Cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until crispy.
Remove and prepare to assemble the spring rolls and make the dipping sauce.
How to Assemble Spring Rolls:
Dip one rice paper wrapper into a large dish of warm water for 15 to 20 seconds. The wrap will magically turn from rigid to flexible. Lay on a clean flat surface, like a cutting board and top with the ingredients.
Start wrapping the spring rolls quickly before the wrappers get sticky. If this happens while rolling, just dip your fingers in water and continue the process. Roll like a burrito by pulling the right and left side toward the middle and then roll from the bottom to the top. The wrap will stick onto itself sealing the roll.
Tips for Making the Best Spring Rolls?
- Prepare vegetables by cleaning and cutting before beginning the recipe to speed up the process.
- Spring roll/rice paper wrappers can be found in most grocery stores, Asian markets, and Amazon.
- Dip one rice paper wrapper at a time in the water for 15 to 20 seconds, followed by filling with ingredients and rolling immediately.
- Try not to overfill the rice paper wrapper with ingredients to prevent tearing.
- Cut spring rolls in half using a sharp wet knife for easy cutting.
More Vegan Recipes You’ll Love:
Fresh Vegan Spring Roll
Ingredients
- 1 package tofu (firm or extra firm)
- ¼ cup soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 rice paper/spring roll wraps
- 1 ½ cup spinach
- ½ cup shredded carrots
- 1 cucumber, cut into small sticks
- 1 cup red cabbage, shredded
- 4 tablespoons Hoisin sauce
- ½ tablespoon Sriracha
- ½ juice of a lemon
Instructions
- Prepare the tofu by wrapping in a towel and gently press out the excess liquid. Cut the block of tofu in half, lengthwise, and then into strips.
- In a medium-size container with a lid, prepare the marinade by whisking together the soy sauce, sugar, and black pepper. Add the tofu, cover with the lid, and shake to cover. Allow the tofu to sit for 5 minutes.
- Using a large non-stick skillet, spray with cooking spray, and add the tofu strips. Allow the tofu to cook on medium-high heat for 4 minutes on one side and then flip and cook an addition 2 minutes on the other side.
- Prepare the rice paper wraps according to package instructions.
- Add the cooked tofu, spinach, cabbage, cucumber, and carrots to the rice paper wrap, careful not to overfill or the rice paper wraps will tear. Wrap like a burrito while still damp.
- Prepare the dipping sauce in a small bowl by stirring together the hoisin sauce, sriracha, and lemon juice. Serve immediately and store any leftovers in the refrigerator up to 3 days.
Notes
- Prepare vegetables by cleaning and cutting before beginning the recipe to speed up the process.
- Spring roll/rice paper wrappers can be found in most grocery stores, Asian markets, and Amazon.
- Dip one rice paper wrapper at a time in the water for 15 to 20 seconds, followed by filling with ingredients and rolling immediately.
- Try not to overfill the rice paper wrapper with ingredients to prevent tearing.
- Cut spring rolls in half using a sharp wet knife for easy cutting.
Nutrition
*All nutritional information is based on third party calculations and is only an estimate. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods and portion sizes per household.
Got any comments, questions, or other ideas for this Fresh Vegan Spring Roll? Share them in the comments below!
Angela Gilmore
Yum! These look fantastic! I've actually never used rice paper before, definitely going to try these.
admin
They were really good...and the homemade sauce really made the flavor more intense. The rice paper was very easy to use and they also sell brown rice paper wraps as well. I am curious to try those next time.