Last Updated December 16th, 2020 at 12:40 pm by Lisa
For a light colorful lunch, Rainbow Vegan Rice Paper Rolls with Sesame Ginger Sauce are the way to up your veggie game, plus rolling them is easy!
Why You Will Love Vegan Rice Paper Rolls
There are so many reasons to love these rice paper rolls! To give you just a few...
- They are both vegetarian and vegan. Thanks to the use of rice paper wrappers and not egg roll wrappers, these vegetable rolls are perfect for vegetarians and vegans alike!
- The use of rice paper rolls makes them so pretty. Egg rolls hide all of the veggie goodness inside... rice paper rolls are transparent, putting all of the beautiful contents on full display!
- The Sesame Ginger sauce is so flavorful. You (and anyone you serve these to) will love the flavorful dipping sauce! In my opinion, the dipping sauce makes the dish.
- They're ideal for a snack, lunch, or light dinner. These vegan rolls are perfect for any time you want a healthy, nutritious, vegetable-heavy meal.
- They are SO GOOD for you! With a rainbow of vegetables, how can they not be?
Ingredients for Vegan Rice Paper Rolls
These are just the ingredients for the vegan rolls... I'll share with you the ingredients for the Sesame Ginger Sauce next!
- 1 package spring roll rice paper wrappers (you'll want about 4 wrappers per person). Rice paper wrappers are clear, and not egg roll wrappers.
- purple cabbage shreds
- shredded carrots
- yellow & orange bell pepper 4" thin sticks
- jicama 4" thin sticks
- cucumber 4" thin sticks
- fresh basil leaves whole
- avocados thin slices
- broccoli sprouts
- sesame seeds
TIP: Clean and cut all the veggies (bell pepper, jicama, avocado, cucumber) into 4" sticks or slices. Cut the cabbage and carrots into thin long strips or shreds.
Ingredients for Sesame Ginger Sauce (Dipping Sauce)
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger or ginger paste
- 3 tablespoons tahini or almond butter or peanut butter (I love switching these up depending on my mood! Each gives the dipping sauce a slightly different flavor.)
- 4 teaspoons red chili paste
TIP: If you want to make a gluten-free dipping sauce, use a gluten-free soy sauce.
How to Easily Make Vegan Rice Paper Rolls!
Are you ready? Here's how to make this easy vegan recipe:
Step 1: Have all the cut veggie filling items ready near a cutting board.
Step 2: Fill a large bowl with water, dip the rice paper wrapper in the water and turn in around several times for about 15-20 seconds. It will soften more on the board, and become very pliable.
Step 3: Remove the wrapper, and hang the edge off the end of the cutting board.
Step 4: Place the fresh basil leaf down pretty side down first to show through the wrapper.
Step 5: Next, add one of each veggie in the middle of the wrapper, but try not to overfill.
Step 6: Fold up the bottom first, then the sides, then roll wrapper tight against the filling all the way to the end.
To serve: Serve on a plate with a small bowl of dipping sauce. Garnish with sesame seeds.
Are These Vegan Rice Paper Rolls "Spring Rolls"?
Yes, they are! The term "spring roll" is used to describe a variety of different rolls with different types of wrappers and fillings.
Fun fact: Not surprisingly, spring rolls got their name (most likely in China) from being a food eaten primarily in the spring.
Are Rice Paper Rolls Healthy?
Rice paper rolls are a nice alternative to fried egg rolls. Rice paper wrappers, in contrast to egg rolls wrappers, typically contain only a few ingredients:
- Rice flour
- Tapioca
- Filtered water
- Salt
Rice paper wrappers are also gluten-free, making the rolls gluten-free too if you use gluten-free ingredients!
Can You Make Rice Paper Rolls in Advance?
This is a great question. I found the answer on this article, an interview with Miss Chu, "the queen of rice paper rolls"!
She says the key to making the best rice paper rolls is to make them as close to serving time as possible. However, if you need to make them up to an hour or two in advance, the key is to keep them at room temperature and not place them in the fridge (which will dry them out). She cautions to never eat rice paper rolls the next day!
Something this beautiful for lunch has to be good, and these veggie rolls are that good. Healthy is beautiful. Enjoy!
More Light Healthy Recipes:
- Another bright colorful lunch idea is this Light Healthy Broccoli Grape Salad.
- Skinny Italian Tuna Salad: Bell Pepper Bowl or Tortilla Wraps make a light and healthy lunch!
- You can't go wrong with Avocado Toast for a snack, lunch, or light dinner.
- For a drink on the lighter side, try my Hibiscus Cocktails (Low Sugar/Carb/Keto)!
All The Best Dishes,
Lisa
XO
Rainbow Vegan Rice Paper Rolls with Sesame Ginger Dipping Sauce
Ingredients
For the filling:
- 1 package spring roll rice paper wrappers you'll want about 4 wrappers per person. Rice paper wrappers are clear, and not egg roll wrappers.
- purple cabbage shreds
- shredded carrots
- yellow & orange bell pepper 4" thin sticks
- jicama 4" thin sticks
- cucumber 4" thin sticks
- fresh basil leaves whole
- avocados thin slices
- broccoli sprouts
- sesame seeds
For the sesame ginger dipping sauce:
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- ¼ cup water
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger or ginger paste
- 3 tablespoons tahini or almond butter or peanut butter
- 4 teaspoons red chili paste
Instructions
For the filling:
- Clean and cut all the veggies (bell pepper, jicama, avocado, cucumber) into 4" sticks or slices
- Cut the cabbage and carrots into thin long strips or shreds.
For the Sesame Ginger dipping sauce:
- Whisk in a small bowl all ingredients, serve in small low bowls.
To wrap the veggie rice paper rolls:
- Have all the cut veggie filling items ready near a cutting board.
- Fill a large bowl with water, dip the rice paper wrapper in the water and turn in around several times for about 15-20 seconds. It will soften more on the board, and become very pliable.
- Remove the wrapper, and hang the edge off the end of the cutting board.
- Place the fresh basil leaf down pretty side down first to show through the wrapper.
- Next, add one of each veggie in the middle of the wrapper, but try not to over fill.
- Fold up the bottom first, then the sides, then roll wrapper tight against the filling all the way to the end.
- Serve on a plate with a small bowl of dipping sauce.
- Garnish with sesame seeds.
These are so beautiful I wanted to make and take them for lunch. They were really simple to make (bonus) and so fresh and satisfying. I could easily see making these with shrimp or tofu for extra protein too. Perfect for spring!