Happy Monday everyone! I feel like I start every blog post whining about how little time I’ve had to blog and how it’s been forever since I posted a recipe… But truly my life has been completely consumed by school, the new house, and the fact that it’s FINALLY warm enough to go outside! *raises hands to the heavens* So here’s a quick post about a surprisingly quick recipe for Veggie Spring Rolls that you’re going to absolutely love.
Spring rolls are so elegant. They’re thin and somewhat see-through and delicate and beautiful. They’re carefully rolled and crafted with care. They must be hard to make….. right? Wrong!! These Veggie Spring Rolls are shockingly easy and SO delicious!
Want to know the secret to making this dish even easier?? Ok, ok fine I’ll tell you. I used a vegetable julienne peeler. It’s like a regular peeled except that it cuts the peels into thin strips (check out the one I use in the picture above). Because, let’s be honest, ain’t NOBODY got time for julienning carrots…. You just peel the veggies, set them in the rice paper wraps, and roll that s*&! up! They won’t be perfect (at least mine weren’t…) but they will be beautiful and you will want to stuff them all in your face hole.
Quick note on rice paper sheets: These were shockingly easy to find! I found them in the Asian section at our local Giant Eagle but if you don’t have any success at your regular grocery store, international supermarkets are all over the place these days and will surely have them on the shelves.
Now GO! Get outside! Sit in the sun and enjoy these crisp, delicate beauties- you won’t regret it!
Cool, refreshing veggies rolled up in thin sheets of rice paper make the perfect spring or summer appetizer, lunch, or dinner! Don't be intimated- they're a cinch to master and totally worth the effort!
Ingredients
- 8 rice paper sheets
- 1 zucchini or cucumber
- 2 carrots
- 1 bunch of green onions (scallions)
- 1/2 cup alfafa sprouts
- 1 cup button mushrooms
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
- 1 package extra firm tofu, drained and pressed
- Soy sauce or peanut sauce, for dipping
Instructions
- Prepare vegetables: using the green parts only, slice the green onions into strips; julienne (by hand, with a peeler, or on a mandolin) the carrots and zucchini; thinly slice the mushrooms; and cut the tofu into 1/4 inch strips.
- Prepare workstation: on the counter, spread a slightly damp towel out, this is where the rolls will be made; assemble all filling ingredients for easy access; and fill a plate or large bowel with warm water.
- One at a time, dip the rice paper sheets in the warm water and lay on the damp towel
- Fill the sheet with 2-3 pieces of tofu, a portion of each of the vegetables, and a few pieces of cilantro.
- Carefully fold the left and right sides of the roll in toward the middle, then roll the paper around the veggies, moving away from your body. (It is helpful to use your pinky fingers here to keep the sides tucked in as you roll.) Repeat with remaining sheets.
- Be sure all edges are sealed, dipping your finger in water and smoothing them out if necessary.
- Serve immediately with soy sauce or this peanut dipping sauce. Keeps in the fridge for 1-2 days.
