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Home » Recipes » Easy Vegan Side Dishes

Published: Nov 3, 2023 by Jim Mee Sha · This post may contain affiliate links · Leave a Comment

Rice Paper Egg Rolls

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These crispy rice paper egg rolls are filled with a savory vegetable and tofu filling that will leave you craving more! A quick and easy appetizer that goes well with many Asian mains. You can either pan-fry, bake, or air-fry them! 

Dipping a rice paper egg roll in ketchup.

Here is a ‘lighten-up’ version of the classic Chinese egg rolls! Instead of traditional egg roll wrappers, we will use rice paper wrappers, making them naturally gluten-free and vegan. 

Check out my Thai fresh rolls or tofu rice paper rolls if you prefer fresh rolls. 

💚Why you will love this recipe 

  • An elevated version of  rice paper rolls that have a crispy exterior
  • Naturally gluten-free and is lighter than the classic egg rolls 
  • Highly versatile - can be enjoyed as an appetizer, side dish, or light lunch 
  • Nutritious and packed with veggies and protein 

🧄What you will need 

Ingredients needed like rice paper, tofu, carrot, green onion, cabbage, garlic, ginger, and seasonings.

📃Ingredients notes and substitutions 

  • Rice paper wrappers - I recommend using a larger wrapper around 22cm/8.5 inches in diameter. 
  • Tofu - Make sure to use extra-firm or firm tofu that has been drained and pressed beforehand, either using a tofu press or stacking something heavy on top. I recommend checking out this post, ‘How to press tofu,’ for more detailed instructions. 
  • Soy sauce - Can be substituted with tamari or shoyu. Use a certified gluten-free one to make this recipe gluten-free. 

🔪How to make 

Making the filling 

Using your hands or a fork, crumble your tofu into small pieces that resemble ground meat. 

Heat some oil in a non-stick wok or skillet. Add garlic and ginger. Saute for 1 minute or until fragrant. 

Add cabbage and carrot to the wok and fry until tender, around 3-4 minutes. 

Cooked garlic and ginger in a wok with a bowl of carrot beside.
Adding carrot and cabbage to a wok.

Next, add minced tofu, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Fry until the ingredients are hot. Remove from heat, then stir in green onion. Allow filling to cool down to room temperature before wrapping. 

Adding crumbled tofu and seasonings to a wok of cooked cabbage and carrot.
Filling for egg rolls in a wok.

Wrapping the rolls 

Fill a shallow plate with 1-2 inches of water. Dip a piece of rice paper in water for a few seconds on both sides or until they are pliable (but not too soft). 

Transfer rice paper to a damp, smooth surface (like a porcelain plate or plastic board). Add ¼-⅓ cup of filling around the lower third of the wrapper. 

Adding filling to a soaked rice paper on a white plate with bowl of filling beside.

Fold the left and right sides towards the middle. Then, gently peel off the bottom edge and wrap it over the filling.

Folding in 2 edge of a rice paper over the filling on a plate.
Partially wrapped rice paper roll on a plate with a bowl of filling beside.

Continue to roll up tightly until the roll is sealed, like rolling a mini burrito. Repeat until the fillings are used up. 

Wrapped rice paper roll on a plate with a bowl of filling beside.

Now, you can either pan-fry, bake, or air-fry your rice paper egg rolls! 

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Cooking rice paper rolls 

Pan-fry - Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan. Add a few rolls into the pan, ensuring they do not touch each other. Cook for 2-4 minutes on both sides or until crispy. 

Uncooked rice paper rolls in a non-stick pan.
Cooked rice paper rolls in a non-stick pan.

Baking - Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Arrange rice paper rolls in a baking tray lined with parchment paper and spray on some cooking oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping them halfway through. 

Air fryer - Arrange rolls in the air fryer container, and spray on a bit of oil. Cook them at 200C/400F for 8-12 minutes or until crispy. 

*Note:  Rice paper rolls will not brown much, so do not wait for them to turn golden brown. They are ready once the outsides are crispy. 

🍳Tips for handling rice paper 

Rice paper wrappers can be tricky to work with as they are sticky and tend to tear easily. Here are some tips that you might find helpful when rolling your rice paper rolls: 

  • Do not oversoak wrappers - Rice paper sheets will still be stiff after dipping in water. Place it on the wrapping surface, and allow it to sit for a few seconds. It will gradually turn soft enough to be wrapped! 
  • Ideal surfaces to wrap the rolls - I highly recommend wrapping your rolls on a smooth and damp surface like a porcelain plate or plastic chopping board. Avoid porous wooden chopping boards or rough surfaces. I also recommend greasing a plate to hold the rolls. 
  • Keep rice paper rolls apart before cooking - Or not, they will stick to each other, and you will risk tearing the wrapper when separating them. Do also avoid overcrowding the pan and cook them in batches instead. 

✅Helpful tips 

  • Adjusting the amount of filling - The amount of filling used will depend on the size of your rice paper sheets. As a general rule of thumb, the filling should occupy ⅓ the wrapper. 
  • Serve fresh - These rice paper egg rolls are best consumed right after cooking. They might turn soft and soggy after sitting for a while. 
  • Storing leftovers - Leftover rolls can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 days. Reheat them in the oven, air-fryer, or in a pan on the stove to regain their crispiness. 
  • Making filling ahead of time - Although the rolls do not keep well, you can batch-make the tofu vegetable filling so you can enjoy egg rolls whenever you like! The filling is also great paired with rice. 

✨Variations and add-ins 

Veggies - You can substitute the veg used in this recipe with other vegetables like mushrooms, peas, onion, and bell pepper. 

Tofu - If you do not like tofu, use rehydrated TVP, cooked veggie mince, or crumbled tempeh instead. 

Make it spicy - Add a generous sprinkle of chili flakes or a drizzle of sriracha to the filling to spice up your rice paper egg rolls! 

Rice paper wrappers - Instead of rice paper sheets, you can use spring roll or egg roll wrappers. However, I highly recommend baking or air-frying them instead of pan-frying. They are ready once they turn golden brown. 

A plate of rice paper egg rolls served with soy sauce and ketchup beside.

🍚How to serve 

Pair your rice paper egg rolls with dipping sauce like soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, or sriracha mayo! Stir-fry sauces like sweet and sour sauce, and my vegan Chinese stir-fry sauce works well too. 

As mentioned above, these egg rolls are great as an appetizer or side dish to accompany Asian mains. I love serving my Vietnamese tofu in tomato sauce and tofu adobo with these rolls. 

❔Commonly asked questions

Do I use hot or cold water to soften rice paper wrappers?

Cold or room temperature water is commonly used to soften rice paper wrappers. Hot water softens the wrappers too quickly, making them sticky and hard to work with.

Can I freeze rice paper rolls?

These rice paper egg rolls do not freeze well. Rice paper sheets are delicate and will likely tear and break apart upon freezing and thawing. The filling will also release more liquid upon defrosting, yielding soggy rolls.

How can I prevent rice paper rolls from sticking to each other?

The best way to prevent rice paper rolls from sticking is to space them out and prevent them from coming into contact with each other. Another trick is to spray a bit of oil on each roll. They can be separated much easier if they accidentally adhere to each other.

Can I substitute rice paper wrappers with another kind of wrapper?

In this recipe, you can substitute rice paper sheets with spring roll wrappers or egg roll wrappers. However, I highly recommend baking or air-frying instead of pan-frying them. They are ready once they turn golden brown.

A rice paper egg rolls sliced in half served with soy sauce with more egg rolls in the background.

🍽️More Asian appetizers

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    Indonesian Sambal Goreng
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  • A plate of cucumber salad served with chopsticks with sesame seeds and chili flakes beside.
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  • A plate of avocado maki slices served with soy sauce with a pair of chopsticks and 2 cups of tea beside.
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📖 Recipe

Dipping a piece of rice paper egg rolls in ketchup.

Rice Paper Egg Rolls

Meesha
These crispy rice paper egg rolls are filled with a savory vegetable and tofu filling that will leave you craving more! A quick and easy appetizer that goes well with many Asian mains. You can either pan-fry, bake, or air-fry them!
5 from 1 vote
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 20 minutes mins
Cook Time 10 minutes mins
Total Time 29 minutes mins
Course Appetizer, Side Dish
Cuisine American, Chinese
Servings 10 rolls
Calories 60 kcal

Ingredients
  

For filling

  • 2 cloves garlic minced
  • 1 teaspoon minced ginger
  • 2 cups shredded cabbage 120g
  • 1 small carrot shredded
  • ½ block extra firm tofu drained
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari/shoyu (use gluten-free if needed)
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 stalk green onion chopped
  • salt and pepper to taste

Other ingredients

  • 10 sheet rice paper
Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions
 

Making the filling

  • Using your hands or a fork, crumble your tofu into small pieces that resemble ground meat.
  • Heat ½ tablespoon of oil in a non-stick wok or skillet. Add garlic and ginger. Saute for 1 minute or until fragrant.
  • Add cabbage and carrot to the wok and fry until tender, around 3-4 minutes.
  • Next, add minced tofu, soy sauce, sesame oil, salt, and pepper. Fry until the ingredients are hot. Remove from heat, then stir in green onion. Allow filling to cool down to room temperature before wrapping.

Wrapping the rolls

  • Fill a shallow plate with 1-2 inches of water. Dip a piece of rice paper in water for a few seconds on both sides or until they are pliable but not too soft.
  • Transfer rice paper to a damp, smooth surface (like a porcelain plate or plastic board). Add ¼-⅓ cup of filling around the lower third of the wrapper.
  • Fold the left and right sides towards the middle. Then, gently peel off the bottom edge and wrap it over the filling.
  • Continue to roll up tightly until the roll is sealed, like rolling a mini burrito. Repeat until the fillings are used up.
  • Now, you can either pan-fry, bake, or air-fry your rice paper egg rolls!

Cooking rice paper rolls

  • Pan-fry - Heat a tablespoon of oil in a non-stick pan. Add a few rolls into the pan, ensuring they are not touching each other. Cook for 2-4 minutes on both sides or until crispy. They do not brown much, so don’t wait for them to change color!
  • Baking - Preheat oven to 200C/400F. Arrange rice paper rolls in a baking tray lined with parchment paper and spray on some cooking oil. Bake for 10-15 minutes, flipping them halfway through.
  • Air fryer - Arrange rolls in the air fryer container, and spray on a bit of oil. Cook them at 200C/400F for 8-12 minutes or until crispy.

Notes

Helpful tips
  • Adjusting the amount of filling - The amount of filling used will depend on the size of your rice paper sheets. As a general rule of thumb, the filling should occupy ⅓ the wrapper. 
  • Serve fresh - These rice paper egg rolls are best consumed right after cooking. They might turn soft and soggy after sitting for a while. 
  • Storing leftovers - Leftover rolls can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 2 days. Reheat them in the oven, air-fryer, or in a pan on the stove to regain their crispiness. 
  • Making filling ahead of time - Although the rolls do not keep well, you can batch-make the tofu vegetable filling so you can enjoy egg rolls whenever you like! The filling is also great paired with rice. 

Save this recipe!

Email yourself a link to this page and come back later.

Also get a FREE high-protein vegan recipe eBook + weekly new recipes! Unsubscribe anytime.

Nutrition

Calories: 60kcalCarbohydrates: 10gProtein: 3gFat: 1gSaturated Fat: 0.2gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.5gMonounsaturated Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 252mgPotassium: 91mgFiber: 1gSugar: 1gVitamin A: 863IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 22mgIron: 1mg

Nutrition info calculated is just a rough estimate and is provided as a courtesy. Bear in mind that value will vary based on variables like specific brand or type of product used. To obtain the most accurate representation, it is highly recommended that you calculate it on your own with the actual amount and type of ingredient used.

Did you make this recipe ?Tag @myplantifulcooking on Instagram !

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5 from 1 vote (1 rating without comment)

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Hi, nice to meet you! I am Mee Sha, a final-year dietetic student passionate about nutrition, cooking, and food. This blog was created to share my favorite plant-powered recipe!

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