Rice Paper Rolls

My rice paper rolls with marinated tofu and colourful veggie filling are a lovely plant-based meal or lunchbox idea.

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Course: Lunch, Lunch box, Main Course

Cuisine: New Zealand

Keyword: fresh spring rolls, rice paper rolls, rice paper rolls nz, vegan rice paper rolls, rice paper rolls with tofu

Diet: Dairy Free, Egg Free, Gluten free, Vegan

Servings: rolls

Calories: 97kcal

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4.50 from 2 votes

Ingredients

Tofu/Tempeh

250 g firm tofu or tempeh
3 Tablespoon soy sauce
1 Tablespoon sesame oil
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Rice Paper Rolls

2 zucchini or zucchini noodles 300 grams
1 carrot
1 cucumber
¼ head red cabbage
1 handful fresh herbs
vermicelli (optional)
12 rice paper 12 if going single layer or 24 if doubling up (see notes)

Instructions

Tofu/Tempeh

In a large flat-bottomed dish (one large enough to fit all your tofu slices) whisk together the soy sauce, brown sugar, and sesame oil.
Slice your firm tofu into slices. Lie the tofu slices in the marinade.
Flip the tofu over so that both sides are coated, and leave to rest for a minimum of 30mins (this can be longer if you want to meal prep earlier in the day or the day before).
Preheat your oven to 200 degrees Celsius (400 degrees Fahrenheit).
Bake in the hot oven for 30 minutes turning once (at the halfway mark) during cooking.
Remove from the oven and allow to cool.

Rice Paper Rolls

Prepare the vegetables by slicing them into long thin batons or using the noodle-making blade on your food processor. Make sure you have the vegetables and tofu laid out in a way that makes them easy to reach. Essentially you want to make a little rice paper roll-making station.
Fill a large bowl or casserole dish with room temperature water.
You will be making the rice papers one at a time, but it's quite fast once you get in the zone and if you have all the filling ingredients prepped.
Feel your rice paper, it will have a textured side and a smooth side (take note of which is which). Soak the rice paper in the water until you feel it soften. (around 30 seconds, but this will depend on the rice paper brand and the warmth of your water). I double up on rice paper using, two for each roll I make (see the tips section for more info)
Left the softened rice paper out of the water and lay it smooth side down on your work surface. (I do it straight on a clean kitchen bench).
Lay the vegetables, then tofu, and then herbs on the softened rice paper so that they sit In the first third of the paper with a clear margin on either side.
Fold the two sides of the rice paper towards the centre (to close off the ends), and then roll your rice paper roll strethcing the rice papwr gently so that the roll is nice and tight.
Set the roll aside, I like to cover the rolls with a damp piece of paper kithchen towel or a clean damp cloth to stop them from drying out. And move on to making the next roll.
If I am serving these to a crowd of people I like to cut them in half so the vegetable filling looks colourful and inviting and serve them with a satay dipping sauce.
If I am sending them in a lunch box I don't always slice them in half.

Notes

Double up on the rice paper: This is a tip that I learnt from Nagi of Recipe Tin Eats. Rice paper rolls can be fiddly to make and the rice paper can split. Rice paper is o thin, but if you double up i.e. soak, soften and roll two pieces of rice paper together, your rolls will be sturdier and no less tasty!
Serve with a satay sauce: You will find a very simple recipe for a peanut dipping sauce on recipe for satay tofu.
Serve with hoisin sauce
Add roasted nuts or seeds to the filling, chopped peanuts, cashews or roasted pepitas are all delicious.
Prep in advance: If you prep the fillings in advance and store them in an airtight container in the fridge, you can quickly make rice paper rolls on demand.. almost quicker than a sandwich and perfect for lunchboxes.
Try other proteins: Shrimp, prawns, chicken, omelettes, prawn, beef lamb or pork can all be fillings in rice paper rolls (depending on your preference).
Add avocado: Strips of avocado are delicious in fresh spring rolls and provide a creamy element.
Soy sauce: This recipe can easily be made gluten free by choosing to use Tamari or gluten free soy sauce.
Tofu: Choose firm tofu or use tempeh (like I have in these photos)
Zucchini noodles: One of my favourite ingredients for making rice paper rolls are zucchini noodles, you can either make your own 'zoodles' or buy them pre-cut
What no Vermicelli? Many rice paper rolls use vermicelli noodles (thin rice noodles) as a filling, which you can absolutely do, I find the zucchini noodles I use provide the soft filling that the vermicelli usually does.
Vegetables: You can absolutely use seasonal vegetables, lettuce, mung bean sprouts, capsicum, or fill with your favourite salads or coleslaw.
Herbs: I love mint and coriander/cilantro leaves in my rice paper rolls, but basil or Thai basil are also lovely.

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