Vegan Rice Paper Rolls (Vietnamese Spring Rolls)
These vegan rice paper rolls make for a healthy and delicious appetiser or finger food. Roll up a batch of these beauties and dip into your favourite sauce.
Ingredients
Rice paper rolls
- 3.5 oz (100 g) vermicelli rice noodles
- 2 tablespoons sesame oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 red pepper, diced
- 1 yellow pepper, diced
- 6 garlic cloves, finely chopped
- 2 inch piece of ginger, finely chopped
- 2 chillies, finely chopped
- 7 oz (200 g) mushrooms, sliced and finely chopped
- 1 cup (150 g) sweetcorn (tinned, frozen, or fresh – approx. one cob/ear)
- 9 oz (250 g) plant-based mince or tofu (see notes)
- 1 tablespoon tamari or soy sauce
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
- Large handful of fresh coriander, coarsely chopped (save half of the leaves intact for the rolling process)
- Approx. 32 rice paper discs (depending on size – see notes)
Dipping sauce (optional)
- 6 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- 2 tablespoons tamari or soy sauce
- Juice of 1 lime
- 1 large garlic clove, grated or minced
- Small piece of ginger (similar size to the garlic clove), grated or minced
Instructions
Rice paper rolls
- In a bowl or pan, soak the vermicelli rice noodles in boiling water for 3 minutes or according to package instructions. Don't heat over a flame – simply soak in the water. After 3 minutes, or once they are soft, drain well and set aside (I mix through a dash of sesame oil to prevent sticking).
- Meanwhile, heat one tablespoon of sesame oil in a large pan and add the finely chopped onion. Soften for 3-4 minutes, before adding the diced peppers, garlic, ginger, and chilli. Soften these for a further 2-3 minutes, then add the finely chopped mushrooms and sweetcorn. Cook for 3-4 minutes or until the mushrooms have started to soften.
- Next, stir in the plant-based mince and cook for 5 minutes. If using frozen, it may need a few minutes longer to heat through.
- Once the mince has cooked through, add the tamari/soy sauce, spring onions, lime zest, lime juice, chopped coriander, and the other tablespoon of sesame oil. If you want the rolls to look more decorative, save most of the coriander leaves and just add the chopped stems to the pan. Cook everything for a further two minutes, then turn off the heat and allow the mix to cool (approx. 10 minutes).
- While the mix is cooling, stir in the vermicelli noodles. Top tip: Cut the noodles into the pan using a pair of scissors, grabbing a small handful of noodles at a time. Chop them as short as you like – the shorter they are, the easier it will be to roll the filling in the rice paper.
- At this point, you can adjust the seasoning to taste. You may want to add a pinch of salt, extra tamari/soy sauce, sesame oil, lime juice, or lime zest. While the mix is cooling, you can get ready to roll. You'll want a clean chopping board or surface and a bowl filled with warm water (not boiling).
- Once the filling is cool enough to work with, take a sheet of rice paper and submerge it in the water for 5 seconds or until it starts to soften. If you can't fit the entire sheet in the bowl, just do one side and then rotate. The rice paper should be slightly soft but still holding its shape. Place it on the board or surface with the smooth side down.
- Place two coriander leaves in the centre of the rice paper, followed by a heaped tablespoon of the filling. Make sure this is positioned neatly in the middle, with a clear gap to the edges of the rice paper (see photos).
- Fold the bottom of the rice paper up and over the mix, then press it down to seal. Next, fold the left and right sides of the rice paper in towards the middle.
- Finally, roll the whole lot over towards the top edge, keeping the sides tucked in as you do so. Press down slightly to make it stick, although the rice paper should do a good job of sealing itself.
- Repeat this process until you have used up all of the mixture. If it's getting difficult to make your rice paper rolls stick together, it's probably time to change the water. It can take some practice to get into the swing of things, but keep at it and you'll soon be a rice paper pro.
- Serve the rice paper rolls cold with peanut dipping sauce.
Peanut dipping sauce
- Whisk all the dipping sauce ingredients together in a jug or bowl.
- Add water, one tablespoon at a time, until you have the consistency you want. Two tablespoons is usually enough for me.
Notes
Rice paper: I used 16 cm (6 inch) rice paper discs, which made around 32 small-ish rice paper rolls. Rice paper is available in a variety of sizes, so the larger your discs, the fewer you will need (and the quicker it will be to make your rolls).
Rice paper filling: This recipe is not an exact science, so feel free to throw in whatever you want or have lying around. Traditional Vietnamese rice paper rolls are more about the fresh, crunchy veg. Great vegan fillings include slices of crispy tofu, king oyster mushrooms, avocado, or julienned peppers, carrot, or cucumber.
Time: The total time it takes to make these will depend on how quickly you get into the swing of soaking and rolling the rice paper, and if you have a helper on hand. I've stated a total time of just over an hour as I think this is realistic, but it may take slightly longer!
Rice paper too sticky? If the rice paper is sticking to the surface and difficult to peel off, it may be over-soaked. It might help to roll on top of a damp towel instead of a solid surface. The mix might also be too hot, in which case you should leave it to cool for a little while longer.
Rice paper not sticky enough? If the rolls are falling apart or not sticking together, you may be overfilling them. It's also a good idea to change the water when you notice that they're not sticking together as well.
Tamari/soy sauce: Tamari is a variant of soy sauce that's usually gluten-free. If this recipe needs to be 100% gluten-free, make sure you use a GF soy sauce or tamari and a GF plant-based mince.
Plant-based mince/tofu: I go with plant-based (soya) mince as I like the texture, but you could replace this with crumbled tofu pieces, fried tofu strips, or simply double the amount of finely chopped mushrooms. You can buy plant-based mince frozen, fresh, or in a dried form that’s easy to re-hydrate.
Mushrooms: To turn these into 'mince', take a few minutes to chop through them until they become little pieces. Don’t worry if it looks like a lot – they’ll reduce in size in the pan. If you don't want to use mushrooms, you could simply double the amount of plant-based mince.
Sweetcorn: If using fresh, you'll need to remove the kernels from the cob/ear. The recipe amount is a guideline only, so if 150g means you have some leftover corn sitting at the bottom of a tin that you don't know what to do with, just throw it all in.
Storage: Rice paper rolls are best consumed within a few hours of preparation. Storing them in the fridge will dry them out slightly, but they'll still taste great. Refrigerate within an hour of rolling and eat within a couple of days. I wouldn't recommend freezing the rice paper rolls.
If you liked this recipe, you might also enjoy:
- Vegan Rice Noodle Salad
- Singapore Noodles with Tofu
- Chickpea Rice Noodle Stir-Fry
- Grilled Teriyaki Tofu Steaks
- King Oyster Mushroom Steaks
- Teriyaki Grilled Aubergine
- Crispy Baked Falafel
- Teriyaki Tempeh Stir-Fry
Nutrition
Calories: 56kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.5gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 99mgPotassium: 94mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 234IUVitamin C: 17mgCalcium: 7mgIron: 1mg
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Rice Paper Rolls (Vietnamese Spring Rolls)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 56
Calories from Fat 9
% Daily Value*
Fat 1g2%
Saturated Fat 0.5g3%
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 99mg4%
Potassium 94mg3%
Carbohydrates 9g3%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 234IU5%
Vitamin C 17mg21%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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