Vegetable Spring Rolls {Vegan Appetizers}

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If you’re looking for something fun to make this summer that doesn’t involve cooking, you have to try these vegetable spring rolls. The rice paper may look intimidating at first but a little practice and you’ll be rolling in no time. They’re fresh, colorful, naturally vegan and easily customizable.

Platter of Vietnamese vegetable spring rolls with peanut dipping sauce

Ingredients and Substitutions

Rice paper: Rice paper is gluten free, When quickly soaked in water they become soft and pliable so you can easily wrap the ingredients.
Cilantro: Cilantro adds a wonderful fresh flavor to each bite. If you don’t like cilantro, you can use parsley or thai basil works well too.
Cabbage: Shred the cabbage finely, it adds a great crunch and texture.
Peppers: I like to use a mix of red, yellow and green peppers for color.
Carrots: Cut into strips like the other veggies for easy rolling.
Avocado: Some slices of ripe avocado add a really nice creaminess.
Rice Noodles: Rice noodles bulk up these vegan rolls to make them easier to roll and stay put; they usually just need to be soaked in warm water; so there’s no cooking involved.
Beets: These are optional but I really wanted to add a fun pop of color and use up some beets I had. If you have some fresh beets on hand they are super easy to cook! They add great texture and taste, but feel free to skip them.
Other Ideas: Try boiled shrimp, scallions, mango, red cabbage or sautéed beef.

How to make vegetable spring rolls

Place the rice wrapper in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 seconds until it softens up a bit.
Quickly place the rice paper on a flat surface and start adding the ingredients in the top center.
Fold the edge closest to you over the toppings. You can add an extra item here you want to highlight like I did with the beets. It’s common to add shrimp here as well.

Process shots to show how to add the vegetables to the spring roll

Tuck the sides in and over the portion you just rolled.
Now roll forward making sure to keep the spring roll tight. Since the rice paper is pretty sticky, it will quickly adhere as you’re rolling.

Process shots to show how to roll the spring rolls after they are stuffed

How to make the peanut sauce

I like to pair the Vietnamese style spring rolls with a simple peanut sauce that’s made with only six ingredients and easily mixed together in a bowl. It will start out looking very separated and the peanut butter will be very stiff. But keep mixing and it will soon be homogenous and smooth.

You can add the sauce in the filling lightly before rolling it up to give them more flavor. However, I prefer just serving the peanut sauce on the side of the spring rolls so everyone can add as much sauce to their liking.

Process shots to show how to make the peanut sauce

Tips for making This Recipe

Do not serve these on paper plates: I learned this tip from Healthy Nibbles & Bits who mentioned that the rolls actually stuck to the paper plates and a chunk of the paper came off with the rolls. She recommends to line your plate with parchment or wax paper for easy lifting.
Submerge the rice paper only for 10 seconds at most. If you submerge for any longer, the rice paper can become very fragile to work with and end up tearing.
Get all the ingredients organized before starting. You’ll have to work fast as the rice paper can get sticky, so make sure you have everything close by and already chopped . Don’t forget to have an empty large serving platter ready for adding the finished rolls.
Mix up your dips. I love serving these vegetable spring rolls with my peanut sauce, but they are great with sweet chili sauce if you like a bit of heat.

Frequently asked questions

Can you make these spring rolls ahead of time?

It’s best to make these right before serving them. However, you can prep all your vegetables (wash, slice, chop and dice and store) ahead of time. That way, all you need to do is assemble quickly before enjoying.

How do you keep the spring rolls from drying?

I recommend serving these immediately after rolling. However, you can chill them in the fridge before serving for up to 4-5 hours. If you do, it’s a good idea to line the bottom of a container with a lightly damp paper towel and then place a second lightly damp paper towels over them. That will really help keep from drying out.

How long do the vegetable rolls and peanut sauce last?

These are best eaten the same day you make them. However, you can store any leftovers covered in the fridge for up to a couple days. You can refrigerate any leftover peanut sauce for up to a week.

Close up shot of the vegetable spring rolls on plate with cilantro

I love how versatile these vegetable spring rolls are so you can fill them with any vegetables, any herbs and add protein like steam shrimp. They make such a fun appetizer that is truly fresh, crispy and so delightful!

More appetizer ideas

If you’ve tried this healthy-ish feel good Vegetable Spring Rolls recipe or any other recipe on FeelGoodFoodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave me a comment below! I would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots of it, share it with me on Instagram so I can repost on my stories!

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