Vegan Summer Rolls Recipe (2024)

Last modified: October 5, 2022. Originally posted: May 30, 2019 By Sophia DeSantis

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If you're looking for a fun tasty way to up those veggies, this vegan summer rolls recipe is the one! Customizable and with a droolworthy dipping sauce.

This recipe was originally published on 7/24/14

Kids plus veggies equals the necessity of being creative because one day they love them and the next they scream like you're pulling off their nails. So any time I can find new ways to get them into their bellies, I call that a win.

Healthy Vegan Summer Rolls

We love anything that you can dip. Sauce is the star of most of our meals (I'm not called the sauce queen for nothing, I mean have you even tried my spicy cilantro cream sauce?!), so when I can get some veggies into a new dipping vehicle I grab that idea and run.

Summer rolls are the perfect way to get kids involved with their food. You set up a make your own bar, let them pick what they want, help them roll it up and watch them get all that goodness into their bellies!

What are summer rolls made of?

The greatest thing about this summer rolls recipe is that they are super customizable. You can literally add almost anything inside! And when you give the kids the power to choose what they want, they are more invested and more likely to eat it happily.

Here are some of our favorite fillings:

• mushrooms
• cucumbers
• green onions
• tofu- especially when baked
• noodles
• bell peppers
• cilantro
• carrots
• cabbage
• radishes
• rice
• avocado

Can you make summer rolls ahead of time?

Rice paper is the casing that holds summer rolls together. It comes dry, and once you get it wet you can easily wrap them up much like a burrito.

Making summer rolls ahead of time and having them ready for whenever you are ready to eat them is a great way to prep ahead, however you need to be careful how long you let them sit.

Reason being, the rice paper can get dry and hard. While you can still eat them, they won't be as good texture wise. They key is that you need to keep them moist.

Here are some ideas on keeping summer rolls tasting fresh:

1. Cover them with a damp dish towel to hold the moisture.
2. Wrap them individually with plastic wrap and store in an airtight container.
3. Rub each one with a tiny bit of sesame oil then wrap in plastic.
4. Wrap each one in a lettuce leaf then store in an airtight container.

What is the difference between summer and spring rolls?

Summer rolls are a Vietnamese dish using rice paper and served cold. They are typically filled with fresh ingredients and use a variety of veggies.

Spring rolls are associated with many different Asian cultures and are served hot. They are usually fried and often use a wheat based wrap.

Both are very customizable and delicious!

Making Vegan Summer Rolls

The first thing you need to decide is what you want inside. You also need some quality rice paper. The trickiest part of making a summer roll is getting the right amount of wetness on your rice paper. Too much will make it tough to work with.

1. Assemble your ingredients so that they are ready to grab quickly.
2. Dip the rice paper into a bowl of water, or run it under the faucet, for just about 5 seconds or so, immediately put down and add ingredients in the center.
3. Fold one side over the ingredients.
4. Fold the sides in.
5. Tightly roll up like a burrito.

I love to serve them with a delish dipping sauce, my favorite is peanut based but there are many options! These are a great appetizer but also perfect for a light lunch.

More Healthy Lunch Recipes You Might Like:

• Smoky tempeh apple and arugula sandwich
• Roasted carrot white bean hummus
• Low fat creamy mashed chickpea and veggie sandwich
• Easy plant based vegan school lunch ideas