These vegan tofu rice paper rolls are vibrant, fresh, and delicious. Paired with a creamy hoisin peanut sauce, they are great as an appetizer, snack, or light lunch. Easily customizable, you can stuff them with any fillings you like!
As the weather gets warmer, I gravitate towards lighter lunches, especially salads (like my Japanese tofu salad or protein salads) and rice paper rolls. This version of tofu rolls hits the spot every time!
Also known as goi cuon, rice paper rolls are a traditional Vietnamese appetizer commonly stuffed with raw vegetables, vermicelli, and protein like shrimp or pork. They are then usually served with a flavorful peanut sauce. In this meatless version, we will use pan-fried tofu as our protein sauce.
💚Why you will love this recipe
- Light and refreshing yet filling
- Highly versatile and can be served as an appetizer, snack, or light lunch
- Paired with a flavorful and addictive peanut sauce
- Fairly simple to prepare, especially once you get into the hang of wrapping!
🥗What you will need
To make the filling
For the hoisin peanut sauce
📃Ingredients notes and substitutions
- Tofu - Make sure to use tofu that has been drained and pressed beforehand, either using a tofu press or stacking something heavy on top.
- Rice paper - This comes in stiff and dry sheets that will soften after soaking. I highly recommend getting the 9-inch rice papers, as they can hold more filling. You can find them in Asian markets, groceries (in the international food aisle), or online.
- Rice vermicelli - Also known as rice sticks, they are thin strands of rice noodles
- Vegetables - I am using lettuce, carrots, and bean sprouts, but feel free to switch them up! Bell peppers, cucumbers, and shredded cabbage are some great alternatives.
- Peanut sauce - You can also use other dips such as Thai sweet chili or sweet and sour sauce.
🔪How to make
Start by marinating tofu for 30 minutes to an hour. Then, pan-fry until golden on both sides.
Make the hoisin peanut sauce by combining all the ingredients needed.
Add about an inch of water to a deep dish or pie pan. Dip the rice paper in the water for a few seconds on both sides.
Place rice paper on a damp and smooth surface, like a plastic chopping board or ceramic countertop, with the smooth side facing down. Layer on the vegetables, noodles, and tofu, and top it off with a few mint leaves.
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.
Gently pull off the edge of the wrapper nearest the filling and wrap it over the filling while tucking it in.
Fold the left and right edges in, and continue rolling up tightly until the roll is sealed. Repeat this for the remaining ingredients, and your tofu rice paper rolls will be ready to be served!
✔Helpful tips
- Wrap rolls on a hard and smooth surface - I highly recommend going with plastic or ceramic. Wooden surfaces are not recommended, as they are highly porous and will cause rice papers to stick.
- Do not oversoak rice papers - Rice papers will be sticky and hard to work with. Hence, it is recommended to soak them for only a few seconds on both sides. They will still be stiff after dipping but will soften over time.
- Avoid overstuffing - Be careful not to overstuff your rolls, as this might cause the wrapper to tear.
- Leave spaces between rolls - Leave some space between wrapped rice paper rolls as they stick together easily.
- Serve fresh - Tofu rice paper rolls are best served fresh. If you plan to serve it in a few hours, cover them with a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.
✨Variations and add-ins
As mentioned above, this recipe is highly customizable, so feel free to add whatever fillings that sound good! Here are some ideas to get you started:
Fruits - Mango or green papaya slices are some great options.
Vegetables - You can use almost any vegetables that can be eaten raw! My favorites include bell peppers, cucumber, shredded cabbage, or sliced mushrooms.
Protein - Other than pan-fried tofu, you can add strips of seitan chicken, pan-fried or baked tempeh, edamame, or shredded tofu.
Herbs - I am using mint, but feel free to substitute it with your favorite herbs, such as Thai basil, sweet basil, cilantro, parsley, or chopped green onion.
Dipping sauce - You could also pair vegan rice paper rolls with sweet chili sauce, sriracha, sriracha mayo, or sweet and sour sauce.
❄️Storing suggestions
Room temperature -Tofu rice paper rolls are best served fresh, but they can be kept fresh for up to 2 hours by covering them with a damp kitchen towel.
Refrigerating - Rice paper rolls can be refrigerated for 1-2 days. Wrap them in a moist kitchen towel, and store them in airtight containers to prevent the wrappers from drying out.
Freezer - These summer rolls are delicate and DO NOT freeze well.
❔Commonly asked questions
If you prefer your rolls to have a crispy exterior, you could bake them in an oven preheated to 200C/400F for 10-15 minutes or in the air fryer at the same temperature for 8-10 minutes. Do spray some cooking spray or oil on the rolls to allow them to crisp up further.
Alternatively, you could also deep fry your rolls until golden.
To prevent rice paper rolls from sticking together, leave gaps between them and ensure they don’t come into contact with each other. Additionally, you will want to place the wrapped rolls on a non-porous plate or container, such as plastic or ceramic.
Rice paper sheets are typically gluten-free and made from rice flour and a small amount of tapioca starch. However, the fillings used might not be gluten-free. Hence, it is recommended to clarify with the restaurant before ordering.
You can easily make this recipe gluten-free by substituting regular soy sauce for gluten-free ones to season the tofu and make the peanut sauce.
Oversoaked rice paper sheets tend to be too soft and fragile. The wrappers should only be soaked for 2-3 seconds on both sides. Although they will still be fairly stiff, the wrappers will soften over time.
Ensure that rice papers are wrapped on a damp, non-porous surface, such as ceramic or plastic, to prevent them from sticking and breaking.
If you overfill your rice paper rolls, the wrapper will stretch too much and tear easily. Hence, it is recommended that you fill only around ⅓ of the wrapper.
These rice paper rolls are best served straight after wrapping to ensure maximal freshness. However, if you plan to serve within 2 hours, you could cover them with a damp kitchen towel to maintain the moistness of the rice paper rolls.
If you plan to store them for longer, you can store them in an airtight container and cover them with a damp kitchen towel. Consume them within 1-2 days.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Tofu Rice Paper Rolls
Ingredients
For tofu
- 1 block extra firm tofu drained, pressed, and sliced (about 7oz/200g)*
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari/shoyu
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
For hoisin peanut sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce *
- 2 tablespoons peanut butter smooth or crunchy
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the rolls
- 8 9-inch rice paper ( more if needed )
- 6 leaves butterhead lettuce or iceberg lettuce
- 1 medium shredded carrot
- 1 cup mint leaves
- 2 oz rice vermicelli
Instructions
Preparing fillings
- Start by marinating tofu in soy sauce and sesame oil for 30 minutes to an hour.
- In the meantime, prepare vegetables, and make peanut sauce by combining all ingredients needed. Give it a taste, adding more seasonings, if needed.
- For rice vermicelli, soak it in boiling water for 2-3 minutes, or until they are cooked. Drain and set it aside.
- Heat up a tablespoon or so of oil in a non-stick pan over medium-high. Pan-fry tofu or 2-3 minutes on each side, or until both sides are golden.
Wrapping rolls
- Add about an inch depth of water to a deep dish or pie pan. Dip rice paper for a few seconds on both sides. It is normal for the sheet to still be stiff as it will soften over time.
- Place rice paper on a damp and smooth surface, like a plastic chopping board or a ceramic countertop, with the smooth side facing down. Layer on the vegetables, noodles, and tofu, and top it off with a few mint leaves.
- Gently pull off the edge of the wrapper nearest to the filling, and wrap it over the filling while simultaneously tucking it in.
- Fold left and right edges in, and continue rolling up tightly until the roll is sealed.
- Repeat for the remaining ingredients, and your tofu rice paper rolls are ready to be served!
Notes
- Do not oversoak rice papers - They will be sticky and hard to work with. Hence, it is recommended to soak them for only a few seconds on both sides. They will still be stiff after dipping but will soften over time.
- Avoid overstuffing - Be careful not to overstuff your rolls, as this might cause the wrapper to tear.
- Leave spaces between rolls - Leave some space between wrapped rice paper rolls as they stick together easily.
- Serve fresh - Tofu rice paper rolls are best served fresh. If you plan to serve it in a few hours, cover them with a damp kitchen towel to prevent them from drying out.
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
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.
Amy says
Hi Meesha,
Thank you for sharing this recipe - Will be making it one day soon! Thought you'd like to know that the print button feature doesn't work. When clicking on either button at the top of the page as well as within the recipe itself, the link leads back to the home page.
Jim Mee Sha says
Hi Amy, thanks for the heads up! I think it was a temporary glitch, and the button should be working fine now. 😁