Vegan rice paper rolls are stuffed with colorful veggies, bouncy noodles, and perfectly pan-fried tofu. A refreshing and vibrant dish that is great for potlucks and picnics. These tofu rice paper rolls are paired with a creamy hoisin peanut sauce that will have you hooked!
Along with my Thai spring rolls, these vegan rice paper rolls are my favorite things to make when the weather turns warm. They are incredibly fresh and light yet filling and tasty at the same time.
It is also a delicious way to get in your daily serving of vegetables, which is another win for me!
💚Why you will love this recipe
- The perfect refreshing and vibrant dish to make, especially in summer
- Paired with an amazingly yum hoisin peanut sauce that is bursting with flavors
- Relatively easy to prepare and ready in an hour
- Healthy, nutritious, and a good source of plant-based protein
🥗What you will need
📃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.
- Soy sauce - Can be substituted with tamari or shoyu. Use certified gluten-free ones if needed.
- Rice paper - A wrapper of Vietnamese origin that is made from rice flour and tapioca starch.
- I recommend getting larger-sized wrappers (ideally 8.5 inches/22cm) as they are easier to work with.
- You can find it in most groceries in the international aisle or at your local Asian market. I usually get my rice paper online.
- Lettuce - Although I am using butterhead lettuce here, you can also use other varieties like iceberg.
🔪How to make
Here is a brief rundown of the steps involved in making vegan rice paper rolls. The full recipe will be in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
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 ingredients needed.
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.
Place rice paper on a damp and smooth surface, like a plastic chopping board or your 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!
✔Helpful tips
- Layering 2 sheets of rice paper will make the wrapping process much more manageable. Your rolls might turn out to be a little chewy but is usually unnoticeable.
- It is highly recommended that you roll your vegan rice paper rolls on a hard and smooth surface, like plastic, porcelain, or ceramic. Keep the working surface damp to further prevent wrappers from adhering.
- Avoid overstuffing your rolls. The filling should only cover about ⅓ of the wrapper’s surface.
- Make sure summer rolls do not come into contact to prevent them from sticking together. Or, you can spray some cooking oil over the surface of the rolls to prevent them from adhering.
- These tofu rice paper rolls are best eaten fresh. However, leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Cover rolls with a barely damp towel to preserve their moisture.
✨Variations and add-ins
- Vegetables - Feel free to use other kinds of veggies like shredded cabbage, cucumber, edamame, or avocado slices.
- Tofu - If you are not a fan of tofu, you could pan-fry some tempeh, seitan chicken, or even slices of vegan bologna.
- Lighter - For a lighter version, omit rice vermicelli and substitute with more veg instead.
- Fresh herbs - Although I am only using mint leaves here, you could add in other herbs you fancy like parsley, cilantro, or green onions.
- Dipping - Other than this hoisin peanut sauce, you can also pair tofu rice paper rolls with other dippings like sriracha mayo, vegan teriyaki sauce, or soy sauce.
❔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 on some cooking spray or oil on the rolls to allow them to crisp up further.
As rice paper is delicate by nature, it is not recommended to freeze them. They will most likely break apart upon freezing and thawing!
These rice paper rolls are naturally gluten-free as long as certified gluten-free soy sauce is used to marinate the tofu. As the hoisin sauce in the peanut sauce is not gluten-free, it is recommended that you opt for another kind of dipping, like teriyaki sauce or just regular soy sauce.
🍽More delicious vegan appetizers
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Rice Paper Rolls with Tofu
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
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
For the rolls
- 8 8 ½ 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.
- Place rice paper on a damp and smooth surface, like a plastic chopping board or your 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
- Layering 2 sheets of rice paper will make the wrapping process much more manageable. Your rolls might turn out to be a little chewy but is usually unnoticeable.
- It is highly recommended that you roll your vegan rice paper rolls on a hard and smooth surface, like plastic, porcelain, or ceramic. Keep the working surface damp to further prevent wrappers from adhering.
- Avoid overstuffing your rolls. The filling should only cover about ⅓ of the wrapper’s surface.
- Make sure summer rolls do not come into contact to prevent them from sticking together. Or, you can spray some cooking oil over the surface of the rolls to prevent them from adhering.
- These tofu rice paper rolls are best eaten fresh. However, leftovers can be refrigerated for up to 5 days in an airtight container. Cover rolls with a barely damp towel to preserve their moisture.
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.
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