These vegan summer rice paper rolls, aka goi cuon chay, are paired with a flavorful peanut sauce, making them the perfect light & refreshing meal to have !
Looking for more ways to sneak in raw veggies ? Try out this recipe !
Also known as goi cuon choy, these vegan rice paper rolls are stuffed with colorful veggies and crispy tofu to make them more filling. Oh, and it is a must to pair them with a side of creamy peanut sauce to complete this dish. 😉
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🍚What are rice paper rolls ?
Originated from Vietnam, rice paper rolls are traditionally made from raw vegetables, bun ( noodles ) and either pork or prawns wrapped in rice papers.
They are also known as goi cuon. The vegetarian ones are called goi cuon chay, which directly translated into ' vegetarian spring rolls ' .
Where to buy rice paper wrappers
You can find them at most well stocked groceries or health food stores, usually in the international aisle. Or, your best bet will be at an Asian food market. Alternatively, you can find them online either through Amazon or something similar.
I recommend getting wrappers that are about 8 ½ inches in size, as I find that they are the easiest to work with. You will want to get wrappers that are made from both rice and tapioca flour, as the ones made from only tapioca flour are oftentimes really delicate and rip easily.
The three ladies brand ones are my favorite and I find that they are one of the most sturdy ones out there.
🥕What you will need :
🌿Substitutions / Add-ins
- Feel free to swap any of the vegetables with other ones you have on hand. Some veggies that goes well with this recipe are cabbage, bell peppers, lettuce and bean sprouts.
- To make this a hearty meal, cook up some rice vermicelli and roll then in.
- If you like yours to be herby, add some herbs like cilantro or mint into your summer rolls !
🔪How to make
Cook the tofu
Start by pressing your tofu using a tofu press. Or, you can press them by first wrapping them with paper towels. Then, stack something heavy on top ( like pots and ceramic plates ) on top for 15-20 minutes. Check out this blog post from Food With Feeling that goes into more details about pressing tofu.
Slice your tofu into strips, then place them in a large bowl. Pour in the soy sauce and mix well. Let it marinate for 10-20 minutes.
Heat up a medium non-stick pan or cast iron skillet on medium heat. Pour in the sesame oil. In the meantime, drain off the excess marinate and add in the corn starch. Toss to coat.
Add the tofu into the pan in a single layer. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes until browned. Then, flip them and do the same on the other side. Set them aside for later use.
Make the peanut dipping sauce
Simply combine all ingredients needed for the sauce in a bowl and mix well. Give it a taste and add more seasonings, if needed.
Making the rolls
Add about an inch of water into a large deep dish or pie pan. Soak the wrappers for 5-10 seconds. Don't worry if it is still firm, as it will continue to soften up afterwards.
Place it on a damp, smooth surface, like a large plate or plastic chopping board. Place a small amount of veggies prepared together with 2 slices of tofu on the lower ⅓ part of the wrappers.
Gently pull both edges of of the wrapper and fold it over the filling ones, while tucking them in to ensure the fillings are tightly wrapped in.
Next, fold in both sides of the wrapper and continue to roll it until the roll is tightly sealed.
Repeat until the fillings are all used up. Serve immediately with the peanut dipping sauce.
✔Notes & other helpful tips
- To make this peanut-free , swap the peanut butter in the peanut sauce with almond butter instead.
- To make them oil-free, cook your tofu without oil. Alternatively, bake them for 20 minutes at 400f / 200c .
- Do not over soak your rice papers. They should still be relatively stiff and tough after dipping, and will continue to soften up afterwards. Over-soaked rice papers are really hard and messy to work with.
- Keep all work surface wet. This helps prevent the wrappers from sticking onto them.
- Avoid overstuffing them. You might risk tearing the wrappers if you do so.
- Wrap them in a smooth surface , like a ceramic plate or plastic chopping board. I do not recommend placing them on wooden surfaces as they are porous and will cause the wrappers to stick.
❔Commonly asked questions
If you are going to serve the rolls in a hour or two, just place them on a large plate or baking pan in a single layer. Be sure to keep them away from one another to prevent them from sticking together.
However, if you plan to refrigerate them for a couple of hours, I recommend wrapping each of them up individually plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. For a more eco friendly version, you can also brush on a layer of neutral tasting oil on them and it will do the trick.
However, I do not recommend letting them sit in the fridge for more than 8 hours, as the rice paper will dry out.
It is not recommended to make these rolls too far in advance. What you can do is to prep the fillings ahead of time so all you have to do is wrap them up when it is time to serve.
Chop up veggies will stay fresh in the fridge for 3-4 days in a sealed container. The tofu also will keep well in the fridge for up to 4 days.
As for the peanut sauce, you definitely can prep them a few days before, but it will dry out in the fridge. To fix this, simply add a splash of water to thin the sauce out and it is ready to be served !
Unfortunately, these summer rolls cannot be frozen. They are too delicate to go through the process of freezing and reheating.
📖 Recipe
Vegan Rice Paper Summer Rolls ( Goi Cuon Chay )
Ingredients
For the rolls
- 8 8 ½ inch rice paper ( more if needed )
- 1 medium carrot julienned
- ½ cucumber julienned
- 2 cup shredded red cabbage
For the tofu
- ½ block extra firm tofu pressed ( about 7 oz )
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
Peanut Sauce
- 2 tablespoons smooth peanut butter
- ½ tablespoon soy sauce or tamari
- ½ tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ tablespoon rice vinegar
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼-1/2 teaspoon chili powder ( optional )
Instructions
Making the tofu
- Slice your tofu into strips, then place them in a large bowl. Pour in the soy sauce and mix well. Let it marinate for 10-20 minutes,
- Heat up a medium non-stick pan or cast iron skillet on medium heat. Pour in the sesame oil. In the meantime, drain off the excess marinate and add in the corn starch. Toss to coat.
- Add the tofu into the pan in a single layer. Let it cook for 3-4 minutes until browned. Then, flip them and do the same on the other side. Set them aside for later use.
Making the peanut sauce
- Simply combine all ingredients needed for the sauce in a bowl and mix well. Give it a taste and add more seasonings, if needed.
Making the rolls
- Add about an inch of water into a large deep dish or pie pan. Soak the wrappers for 5-10 seconds. Don't worry if it is still firm, as it will continue to soften up afterwards.
- Place it on a damp, smooth surface, like a large plate or plastic chopping board. Place a small amount of veggies prepared together with 2 slices of tofu on the lower ⅓ part of the wrappers.
- Gently pull both edges of of the wrapper and fold it over the filling ones, while tucking them in to ensure the fillings are tightly wrapped in.
- Next, fold in both sides of the wrapper and continue to roll it until the roll is tightly sealed.
- Repeat until the fillings are all used up. Serve immediately with the peanut dipping sauce.
Notes
- Feel free to swap any of the veggies with veggies that you have on hand. Bell peppers, lettuce and bean sprout all works well.
- To make this peanut-free , swap the peanut butter in the peanut sauce with almond butter instead.
- To make them oil-free, cook your tofu without oil. Alternatively, bake them for 20 minutes at 400f / 200c .
- Do not over soak your rice papers. They should still be relatively stiff and tough after dipping, and will continue to soften up afterwards. Over-soaked rice papers are really hard and messy to work with.
- Wrap them in a smooth surface , like a ceramic plate or plastic chopping board. I do not recommend placing them on wooden surfaces as they are porous and will cause the wrappers to stick.
- If you are going to serve the rolls in a hour or two, just place them on a large plate or baking pan in a single layer. Be sure to keep them away from one another to prevent them from sticking together.
- However, if you plan to refrigerate them for a couple of hours, I recommend wrapping each of them up individually plastic wrap to prevent them from drying out. For a more eco friendly version, you can also brush on a layer of neutral tasting oil on them and it will do the trick.
- I do not recommend letting them sit in the fridge for more than 8 hours, as the rice paper will dry out.
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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