Depending on your diet, you can adjust the ingredients for this healthy Vietnamese spring rolls. Vegan or low-carb, this recipe will surely satisfy your cravings for Asian dishes.
What I love about this Vietnamese spring rolls recipe is that you can customize the taste. Since I love spicy food, I add extra chili garlic sauce to it. Or, if I have guests, I just prepare a separate spicy dipping sauce. Instead of tofu, you can also use other proteins such as shrimp or chicken.
Making Vietnamese Spring Rolls for Our Summer Outing
Last weekend, we decided to spend Fourth of July outdoors. We went to Yellowstone Park with close friends to enjoy some fresh scenery. I wanted to bring something fresh and not fried so I decided to make these Vietnamese spring rolls. To keep them fresh, I wrapped them individually in plastic wrap and kept them in a cooler with the dipping sauces. I think I made about 30 pieces for our group.
I initially planned to make Crispy Vietnamese Spring Rolls but I wanted something refreshing this time. Also, it may not stay crispy if we brought it to our picnic. Thus, I just opted for the fresh Vietnamese spring rolls.
Off We Go!
So, we headed out to the great outdoors and had a lot of fun! Since we had been walking and goofing around for a couple of hours, we were famished! The spring rolls were gone in just a few minutes! Good thing I made a lot! They were requesting for the recipe so I just told them to check out this blog, hehe.
I hope you’ll enjoy this recipe as much as we did. Don’t forget to share this recipe with others. Leave us a comment, too, and let us know how you like this recipe.
Stay safe and healthy!
Healthy Summer Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Tofu
Ingredients
For the spring rolls:
- 1 1/2 cups of each julienned vegetables carrots, cucumber, bell pepper
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 bunch fresh mint
- 4 oz thin vermicelli noodles
- 8-10 pieces spring roll rice paper
For the dipping sauce:
- 1/3 cup creamy salted almond butter or peanut butter
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1-2 tbso brown sugar, agave, or honey
- 1 tbsp fresh lime juice
- 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
- hot water
For the crispy tofu:
- 8 oz extra-firm tofu drained and pressed
- 4 tbsp sesame oil divided
- 3 tbsp cornstarch
- 2 1/2 tbsp prepared dipping sauce
- 1 tbsp low sodium soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp brown sugar or agave nectar
Instructions
- Prepare the dipping sauce by combining all ingredients except the hot water. Mix well and add hot water to thin the sauce as needed. You can also adjust the spiciness and sweetness by adding more chili garlic sauce and sweetener. Set aside.
- Boil the rice noodles for about 10 minutes or depending on package instructions. Drain and set aside.
- Cut the tofu into 2-inch rectangles strips, a little thicker than the julienned vegetables. Toss in cornstarch and make sure to coat well.
- In a large skillet, heat sesame oil over medium heat. Fry tofu 5 minutes on each side until crispy. Drain and set aside.
- Remove oil from skillet. Return tofu to the skillet and heat over medium heat. Add 2 1/2 tbsp of the dipping sauce and toss well to combine. Cook until the sauce is well absorbed by the tofu and looks glazed.
To Assemble the Spring Rolls:
- Pour hot water in a large, shallow dish. Gently immerse each rice paper for about 10 seconds until softened. Place on a damp towel and spread out the edges.
- Layer the vermicelli, carrots, bell peppers, cilantro, mint and tofu. Roll over to wrap, tuck the edges, and seal. Place seam-side down on a plate and cover with a damp towel until ready to serve.
- To store, wrap each spring roll in plastic wrap, place in an air tight container, and refrigerate.
- Serve with prepared dipping sauce, sriracha, or sweet chili sauce.
1 thought on “Healthy Options for Summer: Vietnamese-inspired Spring Rolls with Tofu”
Excellent recipe! Thank you for sharing. The peanut sauce is great too.