RICE PAPER ROLLS WITH MANGO AND MINT

Wow! It’s hot here, reeeeeally hot. So I decided to give the oven a break and made these vegan rice paper rolls with mango, mint, and avocado with an easy peanut dipping sauce last night. Boy, were they good!! Homemade rice paper rolls make such an awesome light dinner on hot summer days. They’re healthy, low in calories, and super easy to make! Plus, they’re also a wonderful appetizer for parties. I mean just look at that color!

We actually first tried rice paper rolls (or rice paper wraps, however you wanna call them) on a trip to Australia almost four years ago. We spent three whole months traveling the country and this was seriously the best time of our lives!! The Australia’s nature is just gorgeous and I could have stayed sooo much longer. I can’t wait to be back one day!

But back to the vegan summer rolls! So we had lots of sushi and summer rolls while we were in Australia and as soon as I got home I just had to try make them myself. I think you could even refer to rice paper rolls as some kind of fast food, just soooo much healthier and more delicious than traditional fast food!

HOW TO MAKE RICE PAPER ROLLS

Okay, so you start by cutting up your veggies into thin stripes. I used a cucumber, carrots, a mango, radishes, purple cabbage, lettuce, green onions, and mint. I also put in some glass noodles, which are really easy to prepare. Just let them soften in hot water for a couple of minutes. We usually also put in some fried tofu with soy sauce and sesame seeds. As soon as we ate the rice paper rolls last night, I realized that I forgot to put in the tofu, so it’s not in the picture. Sorry about that! I guess the heat doesn’t help with my memory. Haha! I included the tofu in the recipe though. If you want a soy-free version, the rice paper rolls are, however, also great without the tofu!

When you’re done cutting the veggies, fill a shallow bowl with water and dip the rice papers in the water so they get moderately wet on both sides. Don’t let them soak too long, so they don’t get get clumpy. Andrea from Viet World Kitchen posted a very detailed guide on how to roll summer rolls, so you might wanna check that out if you’re unsure how to wrap the rice paper rolls the right way. But it really isn’t that hard! I suck at stuff like this (I think I’m the worst sushi maker in the world. Haha!), but I managed to make these rice paper wraps, so I’m sure you’ll do just fine!

When you soaked the rice papers, fill them with the veggies and wrap them like a burrito. I think it’s best to center the filling and then roll it up and fold in the two side flaps.

The peanut butter dipping sauce is just as easy as making the rice paper rolls or actually even much easier. Just combine 1/4 cup of peanut butter with soy sauce, garlic, a bit warm water, and some sriracha sauce. That’s it! You’re good to go. ;-)

I hope you like these colorful, veggie-packed rice paper rolls as much as we do around here! Let me know if you give them a try. As always, I love hearing from you guys!

Ingredients

For the rice paper rolls:

6 sheets Vietnamese rice paper
1 avocado
1 cucumber
3 small carrots
1 mango
3 green onions, cut into rings
1 cup purple cabbage, cut into thin stripes
about 6 radishes, cut into thin slices
1 cup fresh mint
2-3 cups lettuce, cut into thin stripes
1 - 1 1/2 cups cooked glass noodles

For the fried sesame tofu (optional):

7 oz block firm tofu
1 teaspoon sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon sesame seeds

For the peanut dipping sauce:

1/4 cup chunky peanut butter
2 teaspoons soy sauce
1 clove of garlic, minced
3-4 tablespoons warm water
1/2 teaspoons sriracha sauce (optional)

Instructions

Cut the avocado, the carrots, the mango, the lettuce, and the purple cabbage into thing stripes.
When you're done cutting the veggies, fill a shallow bowl with water and dip the rice papers in water so they get moderately wet on both sides. Don't let them soak too long, so they don't get too soft.
First make the tofu (it's optional but really yummy): Cut the tofu into thin stripes (about 0.10 inches thick) and heat the sesame oil in a medium-sized pan. Add the tofu and the soy sauce and cook for about 4 minutes until the tofu is brown and crispy. Then add the sesame seeds and cook for another minute.
When you soaked the rice papers, fill them with the veggies and the tofu (if using) and wrap them like a burrito. I think it's best to center the filling and then roll it up and fold in the two side flaps.
Then make the peanut dipping sauce: In a medium bowl, combine the peanut butter with the soy sauce, the garlic, the warm water, and the sriracha sauce.
Serve the rice paper rolls with the peanut dipping sauce.