These ultra-crispy homemade egg rolls are filled with a savory tofu filling. Baked instead of fried, this version is healthier and lighter than takeout. They are also surprisingly simple and easy to make!
Skip the Chinese takeout, and make these amazing tofu egg rolls instead! They not only taste better and fresher but are also healthier too. Plus, you get to customize them to suit your taste buds!
💚Why you will love this recipe
- Simple and easy to make - Don't be intimidated, it is actually pretty easy to make these vegan egg rolls! Although the wrapping part can be a bit tricky, you will get the hang of it in no time.
- Irrisistably tasty and crisp - This vegan version might even taste better than traditional ones! They are crispy on the outside and are jam-packed with flavors.
- Versatile - You can serve them as an appetizer, sides or even for snack! These tofu egg rolls are also a great party finger food.
- Healthier and wholesome - These tofu egg rolls only make use of simple ingredients, and are baked instead of fried. But not to worry though, they are still super crispy and yum!
🧄What you will need
📃Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Tofu - Use extra firm tofu that had been drained and pressed, either by using a tofu press, or by stacking something heavy on top. For a more detailed instructions, check out this post by Foods With Feelings on how to press tofu.
- Wrappers - I recommend using spring roll wrappers to make this recipe. They are usually sold frozen, and you can find them in most groceries and Asian markets. To make this recipe gluten-free, you can try using rice papers. I personally have yet to try this.
- Soy sauce - Can be substituted with tamari, shoyu or coconut aminos.
- Oil-free - Omit sesame oil, and skip greasing your egg rolls.
🔪How to make
Here is a quick rundown of the processes involved in making vegan egg rolls. The full detailed instructions will be in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Using your hand or a fork, crumble tofu up the tofu into tiny pieces. Set aside.
Heat a tablespoon or so of neutral-tasting oil in a pan. Add in garlic and ginger, and fry until fragrant.
Next, add cabbage and carrot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until veggies have softened.
Stir in tofu next along with the soy sauce. Fry until tofu is hot, about a minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in sesame oil and green onion.
Let your filling cool down, then wrap your egg rolls. Brush on some oil.
From here, you can either bake, air-fry or even deep fry them!
🤔How to roll egg rolls
Place spring roll wrappers on a flat surface, like a chopping board, with one of its edges facing you.
Depending on the size of your wrappers, spoon in 3-4 tablespoons of filling onto the wrapper, about 2-3 inches from the edge closest to you.
Fold the edge facing you to the center, then fold in the edges. Roll it up tightly, about ¾ of the way. Wet the remaining wrapper using your fingers, then continue rolling it up to seal it securely.
✔Helpful tips
- If you are using frozen wrappers, let them thaw overnight in the fridge, or on countertop for 30 minutes before using.
- Cover unused wrappers with a damp tea towel during the wrapping process. This avoids wrappers from drying out and turning brittle.
- Spread tofu filling on a large plate or baking sheet after cooking and let it cool down completely before using. This is to ensure that the filling is as dry as possible, which will prevent wrappers from breaking.
- If you can't seal your vegan egg rolls with just water, use a cornstarch slurry instead by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water.
✨Variations
Tofu - If you are not a fan of tofu, or can't have soy, simply use equal amounts of veggie mince of choice to make vegan egg rolls.
Veggies - You can replace vegetables in this recipe with others like bean sprouts, red cabbage, shiitake mushrooms or napa cabbage.
Spicy - Add in a large pinch of chili flakes to the filling if you love spices!
Egg roll bowl - You can also skip the wrapper and simply enjoy the fillings as it is. I love serving it on a bed of rice or cooked noodles.
Low sodium - Use low sodium soy sauce or coconut aminos to replace regular soy sauce.
🍜How to serve
You can serve these tofu egg rolls as an appetizer, side dish, or even for snacks or tea! They are also a great finger food for parties or potlucks, too.
Dippings - Serve them with a side of soy sauce, ketchup, chili sauce, teriyaki sauce, or coconut aminos.
Rice dishes - They pair really well with freshly steamed rice, but you could go all out and make some Chinese fried rice. For a lower-carb option, cauliflower or broccoli rice are good alternatives.
Noodles - Cook up some Asian noodles like soba, rice vermicelli, or rice noodles to serve with these vegan egg rolls. I personally love serving them with this chow mei fun or this teriyaki soba noodles.
Chinese mains - Tofu chop suey, orange tofu, and Chinese vegetables soup are some of my favorite main dishes to pair with egg rolls.
❄Storing and freezing suggestions
Fridge - You can refrigerate tofu egg rolls either cooked or uncooked. Place them in an airtight container before storing them. and they will last for 2-3 days in the fridge.
Freezer - For cooked vegan egg rolls, transfer them to a sealed container or zip-top bag before freezing.
As for uncooked ones, you will need to first place them in one layer on a lined baking sheet, then pop them into the freezer for an hour or so, or until they are frozen. Now, you can transfer them to a container or zip-top bag of choice before freezing.
For both cooked and uncooked rolls, they will last in the freezer for 3 months.
Reheating - You can reheat tofu egg rolls straight from the freezer without thawing.
For cooked ones, you can heat them up in the oven preheated to 200C/400F for 10-15 minutes, or in the air-fryer for 6-8 minutes, until they are thoroughly warmed. As for uncooked rolls, cook them according to recipe instructions, but increase cooking time by 5 minutes or so.
❔Commonly asked questions
Classic egg rolls are not gluten-free, as the wrapper is made from wheat flour. However, in this recipe, you can try using rice papers in place of spring roll wrappers to make them gluten-free.
Do take note that rice papers are extra sticky, so do make sure that your rolls do not come into contact with each other!
Traditionally, they are wrapped in egg roll wrappers that contain eggs and will blister up upon frying. However, to keep this dish vegan, we will be using spring roll wrappers instead.
🍽More vegan Asian side dishes
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📖 Recipe
Vegan Tofu Egg Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 14 oz block extra firm tofu drained and pressed
- 3 cloves garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- 2 cups shredded cabbage
- 1 medium carrot shredded
- 2-3 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari/shoyu
- ¼ cup chopped green onion
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 12 spring roll wrappers *
Instructions
- Using your hand or a fork, crumble tofu up tofu into tiny pieces. Set aside.1 14 oz block extra firm tofu
- Heat a tablespoon or so of neutral-tasting oil in a pan. Add in garlic and ginger, and fry for a minute, or until fragrant.3 cloves garlic, 1 teaspoon minced ginger
- Next, add cabbage and carrot. Cook for 4-5 minutes, or until veggies have softened.2 cups shredded cabbage, 1 medium carrot
- Stir in tofu next along with the soy sauce. Fry until tofu is hot, about a minute. Remove pan from heat and stir in sesame oil along with green onion. Give it a taste and add some salt, if needed.2-3 tablespoon soy sauce, ¼ cup chopped green onion, 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- Transfer filling to a large plate or baking sheet and spread it out. Let it cool down completely.
- If you have decided on baking them, preheat oven to 200C/400F before rolling egg rolls.
Wrapping
- I recommend checking out the process shots in the post above to get a better idea on how to roll them.
- Place spring roll wrappers on a flat surface, like a chopping board, with one of its edges facing you.12 spring roll wrappers
- Depending on the size of your wrappers, spoon in 3-4 tablespoons of filling onto the wrapper, about 2-3 inches from the edge closest to you.
- Fold the edge facing you to the center, then fold in the edges. Roll it up tightly, about ¾ of the way. Wet the remaining wrapper using your fingers, then continue rolling it up to seal it securely. Repeat until all filling is used up.
- Using a pastry brush, brush some oil onto them. You can proceed on with cooking them.
Cooking
- Oven - Place them in a lined baking sheet and bake for 15 minutes in an oven preheated to 200C/400F. Turn them over and bake for another10-15 minutes, or until they are lightly browned. Air fryer – Cook for 10-12 minutes at 200C/400F, or until they are brown and crispy.Frying – Heat up 2-3 inches of oil in a deep pan. Once oil is heated (about 177C/350F), place rolls in by batches and fry for 3-6 minutes, or until they are golden brown.
Notes
- If you are using frozen wrappers, let them thaw overnight in the fridge, or on the countertop for 30 minutes before using.
- Cover unused wrappers with a damp tea towel during the wrapping process. This avoids wrappers from drying out and turning brittle.
- If you can't seal your egg rolls with just water, use a cornstarch slurry instead by mixing 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 1 tablespoon water.
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.
Carol
printed this out... sounds yummy... however, do you think you could condense recipes so it doesn't take 2 pages to print out?
Carol
sounds yummy.... printed it out... and even though I printed on both sides, it took 2 pieces of paper.