• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Lettuce Veg Out
  • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegan and Gluten Free
    • Breakfast
    • Dinner
    • Snacks
    • Desserts
    • Appetizers
    • Side Dishes
  • Vegan Nutrition
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Recipes
  • Nutrition
  • About
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Recipes
  • Nutrition
  • About
×

Home > Vegan Recipes

Vegan Rice Paper Rolls (Fresh Spring Roll)

6/26/22 by Nicole | Leave a Comment

Jump to Recipe Video Print
5 from 2 votes. Leave a review!

These vegan rice paper rolls are a perfectly fresh and nourishing meal! They’re completely customizable and best when served with creamy, flavor-packed peanut sauce.

While you can make these rolls in advance, they’re better if made right before eating. I like to lay out all the filling options on the table and let everyone assemble their own rolls. This way, everyone gets what they want in each bite!

Platter of whole and halved rice paper rolls filled with red cabbage, carrot, tofu, lettuce and cucumber.

Get the Veg Out newsletter for vegan recipes + nutrition content!

This post contains affiliate links (including Amazon Associates) and I earn from qualifying purchases.

What are Fresh Spring Rolls?

Sometimes called rice paper rolls or summer rolls, fresh spring rolls are uncooked rolls wrapped with rice paper.

Rice paper is a thin sheet of rice that becomes soft when dipped into water. Since you don’t need to cook it, it’s perfect for summer when you want a cool and refreshing meal. They’re typically cheap to buy and can be found at most grocery stores (or online).

Fill fresh spring rolls with whatever you like! Fresh vegetables, herbs, rice noodles and a source of protein are common fillings.

If eating out, many fresh rolls are not vegan (they often contain shrimp or chicken). I like to use cooked tofu in this recipe for plant-based protein.

Close up of a few fresh rolls that are cut in half, filled with carrot, tofu, red cabbage, cucumber and lettuce.

Rice Paper Roll Ingredients

If you have rice paper, you can make rolls! I also highly recommend making peanut sauce to serve with them; the peanut sauce is really the best part.

You can fill your rolls with whatever you like; the filling options in this recipe are simply suggestions. My favorite ingredients for rice paper rolls are:

  • Rice paper: As mentioned above, all you really need to make rice paper rolls is rice paper!
  • Marinated baked tofu: I add tofu for a tasty and hearty spring roll. If I have the time and forethought, marinated baked tofu is my favorite. Any type of cooked tofu can work for this recipe but use other plant-based proteins if you’d prefer.
  • Lettuce: I always add some type of lettuce or leafy green vegetable to my rice paper rolls. Store-bought coleslaw mixes are great to use for minimal prep work.
  • Carrot, cucumber, red cabbage: All veggies are fair game in spring rolls, but I love the flavor and color combination of these three. Cooked sweet potato, bell pepper and avocado are my other favorites and highly recommended.
  • Cilantro: This is completely optional, but fresh cilantro adds tons of flavor to summer rolls! Other fresh herbs like bail, parsley or even mint also offer irresistibly fresh flavor.
  • Peanut sauce: This is essential for serving with fresh spring rolls, in my opinion. Peanut sauce is ultra creamy and loaded with flavor. You could use other sauces to dip your rolls in, sweet chili sauce is also quite tasty.

Rice noodles are another common ingredient used in fresh spring rolls. You can certainly include those if you like!

Ingredients for rice paper rolls (peanut sauce, rice paper, carrots, lettuce, baked tofu, red cabbage, cucumber, cilantro).

How to Make Vegan Rice Paper Rolls

This recipe is simple enough to make; you’ll need to prepare the filling ingredients, make a dipping sauce then assemble the rolls.

If you’ll eat them right away, simply lay out all the ingredients on a table and make each spring roll as you go. Wrapping them all at once is not ideal for me but do whatever works for you!

Step 1: Prepare Marinated Baked Tofu

If you want flavorful plant-based protein in your rolls, start with a batch of marinated baked tofu. This is one of my favorite tofu recipes and is best if marinated fully overnight.

If you don’t have marinated tofu around, any other cooked tofu should work fine.

Top view of a baking tray that is covered with dark golden brown cubes of baked tofu.

Step 2: Prepare Peanut Sauce

This peanut sauce is one of the main reasons I love fresh rolls!

You can make my recipe or any peanut sauce you like. If you can find a store-bought option, that’s fine to use as well.

Stirring creamy, finished peanut sauce.

Step 3: Prepare Other Ingredients

Next, prepare whatever other filling ingredients you want. I like to use lettuce, carrot, cucumber, red cabbage and cilantro.

Step 4: Make Rice Paper Rolls

Wrapping the rice paper rolls can be tricky and takes some practice.

Start by filling a large plate or shallow bowl with cool water. Take a rice paper sheet and dip it into the water so the water touches the entire rice paper surface, on both sides.

Hands dipping a sheet of rice paper into water on a plate.

Place the damp rice paper onto a cutting board, countertop or plate. Then, add the fillings!

Hands placing lettuce onto sheet of rice paper.

Put fillings into the center of your rice paper, creating a rectangle. Once all the fillings are layered in, it’s time to roll.

Fold the right and left sides of your rice paper over the filling, pulling carefully but tightly.

Folding the right and left edges of rice paper over the filling, to roll a fresh spring roll.

Then, grab the bottom edge of the rice paper (closest to you) and fold this up and over the filling (away from you).

Two images showing hands rolling a rice paper roll.

Try to pull the right and left edges in while you fold the roll away from you, until you’ve reached the far side of the rice paper. While doing this, it’s helpful to also try and press the filling tightly together.

Rolling a rice paper roll.

Press the rice paper into itself – it’s very good at sticking and should easily form a seal that holds together.

Hands rolling a rice paper roll.

You’re now ready to eat your rice paper roll, dipped in peanut sauce of course!

Platter of fresh spring rolls, made with rice paper and a small bowl of peanut dipping sauce.

Tips for Vegan Rice Paper Rolls

Some of my top tips for making vegan fresh spring rolls include:

  • Try to not over-fill rice paper rolls. Additional filling makes it harder to roll.
  • Dip the entire surface (both sides) of the rice paper in water. Dry areas won’t soften enough to roll.
  • Rice paper continues to soften while you add the fillings. If the rice paper still feels hard when you go to roll it, let it sit for another 10-30 seconds to soften further.
  • If you’ll eat the roll right away, add peanut sauce directly into the roll. Dipping the rolls into sauce can be tricky, so save yourself the effort!
  • Rice paper easily sticks to itself; keep multiple rolls apart from each other. Rice paper also sticks to wooden cutting boards so don’t leave your rolls sitting on one for too long. Ceramic plates and plastic cutting boards seem to prevent most sticking, and glass would also likely be okay.
Rice paper rolls cut in half and leaning up against a large bowl of peanut dipping sauce.

How to Create a Balanced Vegan Meal

I consider a balanced meal one that contains a good source of plant-based protein, carbohydrates, fats and lots of vegetables or fruits.

This recipe has all the above! Tofu provides plant-based protein and healthy fats while rice paper offers some carbohydrates. If you’re looking for extra carbohydrates, consider adding rice noodles or cooked sweet potato to the filling.

There’s plenty of colorful, nutritious veggies in each roll as well.

The peanut sauce offers additional satiating healthy fats that make this a truly delicious and satisfying recipe that should keep you feeling full!

Bowl of creamy peanut sauce with half a rice paper roll dipped into it.

Fresh Rolls Variations

There are endless variations you can create with this recipe’s filling options! Get creative and try out some of these delicious rice paper roll filling ideas:

  • Bell pepper
  • Red or green cabbage
  • Cucumber
  • Carrot
  • Lettuce (or store-bought coleslaw mix)
  • Rice noodles
  • Cooked quinoa
  • Fresh herbs (cilantro, parsley, basil, mint)
  • Avocado
  • Cooked/ steamed sweet potato
  • Tofu
  • Tempeh
  • Sesame seeds (white and/or black)
  • Peanuts
  • Cashews
  • Fresh or pickled ginger
  • Sriracha or another hot sauce
  • Vegan seafood alternatives (crab, shrimp)
  • Bean sprouts or other sprouts
  • Green onion
  • Baby corn
  • Bok choy (steamed or pan-fried)
  • Eggplant (steamed, grilled or pan-fried)
  • Zucchini (raw or cooked)
  • Radish
  • Red onion or pickled red onion
  • Pineapple or other fruit
  • Sauteed mushrooms
  • Shredded beets
  • Kale or spinach

Let me know what filling options you like in the comments below!

Whole and halved rice paper rolls on a platter.

Vegan Rice Paper Roll Sauces

While I love peanut sauce, you can also use different sauces for dipping you spring rolls for even more variety. You could try:

  • Hoisin sauce
  • Sweet chili sauce
  • Almond butter sauce (instead of peanut sauce, make it with almond butter)
  • Miso sauce
  • Tahini sauce
  • Avocado sauce
  • Plum sauce
  • Teriyaki sauce
  • Chili lime sauce
Close up of a bowl of peanut sauce topped with peanuts and chili flakes on a platter of spring rolls.

How to Store Leftover Rice Paper Rolls

Rice paper rolls are best eaten fresh, but you can store leftovers for later.

If you plan to store extra rice paper rolls, keep any moist ingredients in the center of the rolls so they don’t touch rice paper. The rice paper can become soggy and break easily if it’s too wet.

Store rice paper rolls in a plastic container with airtight lid and try to prevent the rolls from touching each other as they’ll stick together. Use plastic wrap or another barrier between rolls (or a large container where they don’t need to touch).

Rice paper can become a little gummy/ chewy after a day or two, but this shouldn’t prevent you from enjoying the roll.

These are great to make one night for lunch the next day (just keep any sauce separate on the side)!

Your leftover rice paper rolls should be okay in a fridge for up to 3 days; I wouldn’t recommend keeping them any longer as the rice paper won’t hold up well.

If you make this recipe, please rate and comment below to help others benefit from your experience!

Close up of rice paper rolls that are cut in half, filled with carrot, tofu, red cabbage, cucumber and lettuce.

Vegan Rice Paper Rolls (Fresh Spring Rolls)

These vegan rice paper rolls are a fresh and nourishing summer meal! They’re completely customizable served with a deliciously creamy and flavorful peanut sauce.
5 from 2 votes. Leave a review!
Prevent your screen from going dark
Prep Time 30 mins
Cook Time 15 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Servings 12 Rolls
Calories 93 kcal
Cuisine Vegan

Equipment

  • Cutting board
  • Knife
  • Large plate

Ingredients
  

  • 1 batch marinated baked tofu *
  • 12 sheets rice paper
  • 3 cups lettuce (45 g) **
  • 1 cup carrot , thinly sliced or shredded (120 g)
  • 1 cup cucumber , thinly sliced or shredded (120 g)
  • 1 cup red cabbage , thinly sliced or shredded (120 g)
  • ¼ - ½ cup cilantro (8 – 16 g)
  • peanut sauce (to serve) ***
  • water (to soften rice paper rolls)
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Step 1: Prepare Marinated Baked Tofu

  • Prepare a block of extra firm tofu however you like. I like to use my recipe for marinated baked tofu.
    1 batch marinated baked tofu
  • Cook the tofu first so it has time to cool before assembling the rice paper rolls.

Step 2: Prepare Peanut Sauce

  • After the tofu is cooked (or while it’s cooking) prepare a batch of peanut sauce.
    peanut sauce

Step 3: Prepare Other Ingredients

  • Next, prepare the other ingredients you’ll include in your rice paper rolls. I use lettuce, carrot, cucumber, red cabbage and cilantro. Use any vegetables you like.
    3 cups lettuce, 1 cup carrot, 1 cup cucumber, 1 cup red cabbage, ¼ - ½ cup cilantro

Step 4: Make Rice Paper Rolls

  • To assemble rice paper rolls, add water to a large plate or wide bowl.
    water
  • Dip the rice paper into your water, so water touches all parts of the rice paper. Place the damp rice paper onto a cutting board or other surface.
    12 sheets rice paper
  • Add filling ingredients to the center of your rice paper; leave room on all edges for rolling and try to create a rectangle shape with the ingredients.
  • To roll, fold in the right and left edges of the roll, over the short end of the rectangle of ingredients. Then, pick up the back edge of the rice paper (closest to you) and fold it up and over the filling. Hold the folded in edges while you do this to keep the wrap tight.
  • Roll the rice paper forward, over all the filling, towards the top edge. Secure the rice paper by making sure it’s pressing into itself. (Watch the short video below for a visual on how to roll rice paper.)
  • Repeat for all 12 rolls.

Video

Notes

*Or any cooked tofu you like.
**Can use salad mix, coleslaw mix or any leafy greens you like/ have on hand.
***Nutrient analysis is conducted for the spring rolls only and you should consider additional information related to your sauce of choice. If you make a batch of my peanut sauce, it makes more than enough for 12 rolls.
The cook time assumes the tofu is already marinated/ ready to cook.
Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Nutrition

Serving: 1 Roll (1/12 of recipe)Calories: 93 kcalCarbohydrates: 10 gProtein: 5 gFat: 4 gSaturated Fat: 1 gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2 gMonounsaturated Fat: 1 gSodium: 236 mgPotassium: 158 mgFiber: 1 gSugar: 2 gVitamin A: 2348 IUVitamin C: 7 mgCalcium: 125 mgIron: 1 mg
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

More Vegan Main Meal Recipes

Like this recipe? You should also try:

  • Vegan Orange Chicken Recipe
  • Green Curry with Tofu
  • Vegan Chili Recipe (Three Bean, Gluten Free)
  • Vegan Soba Noodle Stir Fry (with Peanut Sauce)

About Nicole Stevens

Nicole is a vegan Registered Dietitian (RD) and founder of Lettuce Veg Out.

She helps people thrive on a vegan diet with balanced recipes and easy-to-understand nutrition science.


Reader Interactions

Reply to comment Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Hi, I'm Nicole! As a vegan Registered Dietitian, I empower vegans to live a balanced life and gain confidence in the kitchen.

More about me →

Latest Vegan Recipes

  • Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe
  • Vegan Chipotle Mayo (Aioli) Recipe
  • Cashew Mayonnaise Recipe (Vegan)
  • Apple Pie Baked Oats Recipe

Footer


About

  • About Lettuce Veg Out
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms of Service
  • Contact Nicole

Email Updates

© 2016–2023 Lettuce Veg Out

Manage your privacy
To provide a quality experience, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Consenting to these technologies allows us to process data such as browsing activity or unique IDs on this site. Not consenting, or withdrawing consent, may affect site features and functions.
Functional Always active
Necessary to enable a specific service explicitly requested by the subscriber or user, or for the sole purpose of carrying out the transmission of a communication over an electronic communications network.
Preferences
The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user.
Statistics
The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you.
Marketing
Required to create user profiles to send advertising, or to track the user on a website or across several websites for similar marketing purposes.
Manage options Manage services Manage vendors Read more about these purposes
Manage options
{title} {title} {title}