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These Summer Roll Bowls pack all the flavor, color, and freshness of rice paper rolls—without the fiddly rolling! They’re the perfect quick and easy dinner for busy families who want something fresh and delicious without the hassle.

Summer roll bowl on benchtop, grated carrot, shredded cabbage, chopped lettuce, vermicelli, sliced cucumber, avocado, shrimp, chicken slices and satay sauce drizzled down the centre garnished with peanuts.

Ingredients you will need

Ingredients for Summer roll bowl on bench top with text overlay.

Ingredient Notes, Substitutes, & Alternatives

Here's what you will need along with some simple swaps.

Table of Contents

PEANUT SAUCE

Onion and garlic:
Chilli flakes: This is optional—use as much or as little as your family prefers! You can also try fresh chili, cayenne pepper, or a dash of Tabasco for some heat.
Peanut butter: Smooth or crunchy works, whichever you have on hand!
Coconut cream: You can swap this for coconut milk, though it’ll make the sauce a little thinner.
Water: This helps adjust the sauce consistency to your liking.
Brown sugar: Sweetness is key to a great peanut sauce! Use coconut sugar, honey, or maple syrup if you prefer.
Soy sauce: Tamari, gluten-free soy sauce, or coconut amines can be used.

SUMMER ROLL BOWL

Protein: My summer roll bowls usually feature poached chicken or cooked prawns, but tofu or marinated steak can be just as delicious.
Vermicelli: Are thin rice or mung bean noodles, they can also be known as glass noodles.
Vegetables: Use your family's favorite in-season vegetables, in this recipe I have used avocado, carrot, lettuce, red cabbage, and cucumber. Shredded green beans, edamame, guacamole, thinly sliced capsicum/bell peppers, spinach, or kale also work well.

GARNISH

Garnishes make these bowls delicious. I like the combination of fresh mint leaves and roast peanuts with a little chili. You can tailor the garnishes to your favorites. Cilantro/coriander, Thai basil, crispy shallots, and chopped cashews are all lovely too.

Summer Roll Bowls Step-By-Step

Below are illustrated step-by-step instructions to make my Easy Steak Marinade recipe, if you prefer just the written instructions then head straight to the printable recipe card below.

PEANUT SAUCE

Step one: In a small pot, heat a little oil over medium heat. Sauté the onion and garlic until softened and fragrant, about 2-3 minutes. If you'd like a little heat, you can add chili flakes at this stage for extra flavor. (I usually add them later to keep a milder version for my non-chili-loving child.)

Onions sautéing in the bottom of a saucepan, being stirred with a wooden spoon.

Step two: Add the peanut butter, coconut cream, and water, stir until melted, combined, and smooth. Once the peanut butter, coconut cream, and water are combined and smooth, you can adjust the sauce's thickness by adding more water a tablespoon at a time.

Step three: Add the soy sauce, and lime or lemon juice, stir through. Taste, if you haven't added chilli and you wish to, you can add it now.

half a lime being held up above a sauce pan of smooth peanut sauce.

Step four: Set the sauce aside to cool—note that it will thicken a bit as it cools, so you can add a splash of water if you’d like it to be a bit thinner for drizzling or dipping

Wooden spoon scooped into Peanut Sauce held up to camera, sauce in a pot sitting on cork chopping board on bench top.

SUMMER ROLL BOWL

Step one: If you have not already, poach your chicken breast or cook your prawns.

2 chicken breasts in a Dutch oven full of water.

Step two: Place the vermicelli noodles in a bowl and cover with boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and rinse with cold water.

Step three: Thinly slice, grate or shred your vegetables: avocado, carrot, cucumber, lettuce.

Topping ingredients for summer roll bowls on bench top.

Step four: Assemble your summer roll bowls, arrange noodles and vegetables in the bowls, top with chicken or prawns, dress with the peanut sauce then garish with sliced chilli, chopped peanuts and mint leaves.

Enjoy!

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Tips & Tricks

Here is how you can make this Summer Roll Bowl Recipe perfectly every time!

The beauty of these bowls is that the ingredients don’t need to be hot! Swap poached chicken for leftover roast chicken or a store-bought rotisserie chicken for a dinner ready in 15 minutes.
Make it a fun, DIY family-style meal! Put all the ingredients in the center of the table and let everyone build their own bowls just the way they like it

If you tried this Summer Roll Bowl recipe please leave a star rating and let me know how you go in the comments below. I love hearing from you!

Summer Roll Bowls

Ingredients you will need