Tofu Spring Rolls (Fresh Vegan Summer Rolls)
Tofu spring rolls are the perfect appetizer or light meal for summer. Also known as summer rolls, these healthy Vietnamese-style spring rolls are made with tofu, fresh veggies, rice noodles, and fresh herbs all wrapped up in a rice paper wrapper.
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Serve these fresh spring rolls cold dipped in peanut sauce, sweet Thai chili sauce, garlic cilantro sauce, or any other dipping sauce for a flavor-packed snack.
These tofu spring rolls are fun to make and can be filled with whatever fresh veggies and herbs you have on hand. I like to set up the ingredients in an assembly line and my family has fun making their own to suit their own taste. Add fried tofu and rice noodles, and then let everyone choose their favorite veggies and fresh herbs.
These summer rolls are
- the perfect meal for a hot day.
- packed with protein, fresh veggies, and herbs.
- bursting with flavor.
Ingredients and substitutions
- Tofu – extra firm tofu or high-protein tofu works best. You want tofu that is firm enough that it won’t fall apart when you cook it.
- Cooking oil – to fry the tofu in.
- Salt- to sprinkle on the tofu.
- Rice Noodles – skinny rice noodles work best. I like the rice vermicelli that you just soak in hot water to rehydrate. They have the best texture in spring rolls.
- Rice Paper – to wrap up the spring rolls. This comes in dry sheets, usually sold near the rice noodles in Asian sections of large grocery stores. You must use rice paper. You don’t want the wheat-based spring roll wrappers that need to be cooked.
- Fresh Veggies and Herbs – Choose anything from the following list.
- Carrots
- Bell Peppers
- Bean Sprouts
- Cucumber
- Avacado
- Cabbage
- Spinach
- Bibb Lettuce
- Basil
- Cilantro
- Mint
- Green Onions
You can also use my vegan shrimp recipe to make vegan shrimp spring rolls!
Helpful tools
- A large shallow plate or bowl to soak the rice paper wrappers in.
- A large skillet for frying the tofu.
- A tofu press for getting the excess liquid out of the tofu.
How to make tofu spring rolls
Cook the tofu
Step 1 – Drain and press a block of tofu, then cut the tofu into long strips about 1/4 inch wide about the size and shape of a French fry, then pat the strips with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. (You are basically making my tofu fries recipe; see this recipe for instructions to bake the tofu instead.)
Step 2 – Add enough oil to coat the bottom of a frying pan (A non-stick or cast iron frying pan works best.)
Step 3 – Turn the heat to medium-high and add the tofu strips. Then sprinkle them with salt.
Step 4 – Cook for about 3 minutes on each side before turning them with tongs.
Step 5 – Once they are cooked evenly on all sides, move to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
Preparing and assembling the spring rolls
Step 6 – Prepare the rice vermicelli noodles according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
Step 7 – Wash and cut all of the veggies that you want into long, thin slices. Wash the fresh herbs and break off any long stems.
Step 8 – Prepare a large shallow bowl or plate with warm water to rehydrate the rice paper wrappers.
How to wrap spring rolls
- Lay out the prepared ingredients near where you are going to assemble the summer rolls.
- Place a sheet of rice paper in the warm water and let it sit for about 45-60 seconds. As soon as it becomes soft, take it out of the water and lay it out flat on a clean surface.
- Place about 1/4 cup of rice noodles in a long strip in the center of the paper. Add about 3-4 strips of tofu and a variety of fresh veggies and herbs that you have chosen.
- Fold the right and left sides of the wrapper, then pick up the bottom of the paper and fold it up and over the middle ingredients, and continue rolling upwards until it is tight.
- Set aside and repeat until all are assembled. Serve your summer rolls on a plate with a small dish of dipping sauce.
Dipping sauces for vegan spring rolls
Serve with spicy peanut butter sauce, sweet Thai chili sauce, orange sauce, garlic cilantro sauce, sweet and sour sauce, soy sauce, or any other dipping sauce.
What to serve with tofu spring rolls
Tofu spring rolls go great with soups like Vegan Pho Soup, Vegan Tom Yum Soup, Vegan Egg Drop Soup, Coconut Curry Soup, or Vegan Tom Kha Soup. Served with a bowl of soup on the side these summer rolls are a complete meal!
These spring rolls also go great on the side of Vegan Fried Rice, Vegetable Chop Suey, Sticky Tofu, Sweet and Sour Tofu, Orange Cauliflower, or Vegan Red Thai Curry
Pro Tips
- Don’t let the rice paper wrapper sit too long in the water, or it will become too soft and break more easily.
- The rice paper will stick to itself, especially when it starts to dry a little. If it gets tangled up before you can lay it flat, just dip it back into the water.
- It takes a little practice learning how to roll up these summer rolls. If you mess up, just rip off the rice paper and throw it away, and start with a new sheet of rice paper.
If you want a super quick and easy meal, omit the rice paper wrapper and toss everything in a bowl for a summer roll salad and drizzle it with spicy peanut sauce.
Are summer rolls gluten-free?
Summer rolls are easy to make gluten-free, but you have to watch out for a few hidden ingredients. Some brands of rice paper do contain wheat, so be sure to check the label. Also, be sure to use a gluten-free dipping sauce, like my spicy peanut sauce made with Tamari.
Storage
Vegan summer rolls are best served fresh or within a few hours of making them. If you are not going to eat them right away, you can place a wet paper towel over them, followed by a layer of plastic wrap to keep them moist.
You can also wrap each individual spring roll in plastic wrap, making sure that no air is touching it. They will keep wrapped up like this in the fridge for about 2 days.
Tofu spring rolls recipe
Tofu Spring Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 (14 oz. block) tofu
- 1 tablespoon cooking oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 8 rice paper wrappers
- 2 cups rice noodles, cooked
- 3 cup vegetables, (Your choice like carrots bell peppers, bean sprouts, cucumber, avacado, cabbage, spinach, bibb lettuce.)
- 1/2 cup fresh herbs, (Your choice like basil, cilantro, mint, green onions.)
Instructions
cook the tofu
- Drain and press a block of tofu, then cut the tofu into long strips about 1/4 inch wide, about the size and shape of a French fry, then pat the strips with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. (You are basically making my tofu fries recipe; see this recipe for instructions to bake the tofu instead.)
- Add enough oil to coat the bottom of a frying pan (A non-stick or cast-iron frying pan works best).
- Turn the heat to medium-high and add the tofu strips, and sprinkle them with salt.
- Cook for about 3 minutes on each side before turning them with tongs.
- Once they are cooked evenly on all sides, move them to a plate lined with a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
Preparing and assembling the spring rolls
- Prepare the rice vermicelli noodles according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
- Wash and cut all of the veggies that you want into long, thin strips. Wash the fresh herbs and break off any long stems.
- Prepare a large shallow bowl or plate with warm water to rehydrate the rice paper wrappers.
Wrapping the spring rolls
- Lay out the prepared ingredients near where you are going to assemble the summer rolls.
- Place a sheet of rice paper in the warm water and let it sit for about 45-60 seconds. As soon as it becomes soft, take it out of the water and lay it out flat on a clean surface.
- Place about 1/4 cup of rice noodles in a long strip in the center of the paper. Add about 3-4 strips of tofu and a variety of fresh veggies and herbs that you have chosen.
- Fold the right and left sides of the wrapper, then pick up the bottom of the paper and fold it up and over the middle ingredients, and continue rolling upwards until it is tight.
- Set aside and repeat until all are assembled, and serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Don’t let the rice paper wrapper sit too long in the water, or it will become too soft and break more easily.
- The rice paper will stick to itself, especially when it starts to dry a little. If it gets tangled up before you can lay it flat, just dip it back into the water.
- It takes a little practice learning how to roll up these summer rolls. If you mess up, just rip off the rice paper and throw it away, and start with a new sheet of rice paper.
- If you want a super quick and easy meal, omit the rice paper wrapper and toss everything in a bowl for a summer roll salad and drizzle it with peanut dipping sauce.
Did you make this recipe?Please leave a star rating and review below!📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
These were so good! I always order them when I go out for Vietnamese, but I never realized how easy they were to make. I dipped them in your peanut sauce, which was really good too! Thanks for the recipe.