Hey everyone! Happy 2022!
It’s been awhile. We spent the summer on the road, getting out in nature and exploring the country we call home, hitting up plenty of vegan spots along the way. We documented our favorite eating experiences on Instagram. (Shout out to San Diego’s Bar Kindred, Atlanta’s Revolution Doughnuts, and Denver’s Somebody People, to name a few!) And now we’re kicking off the New Year in a brand new city, after making a move from Philadelphia to Asheville.
While we’re excited to be living in a new location, we’re just as excited to have a kitchen again. After months of scraping together meals on a camp stove, or with no stove at all, it feels good to be cooking again, on multiple gas burners, right next to a sink, with running water(!!). And we’re more than excited to get back to bringing y’all new recipes.
This month kicks off Veganuary, and we hope you’ll join us in 31 days of plant-based eating. To help keep you inspired, we’ll be sharing at least one meal idea per day on Instagram, either through our stories or posts. Plus, we’ll have some new recipes on the blog to guide you in the kitchen, starting with this nourishing lunch, snack, or appetizer idea.
Yes, we know. It’s winter. And many of our followers are from the chilly East Coast. But we’re always dreaming of summer, and we’re always ready for summer rolls. The classic Vietnamese dish always comes stuffed to the brim with fresh and flavorful ingredients, which is what we love about it. And while traditionally the rolls contain shrimp or pork, you can get as creative as you want with the fillings.
We’ve chosen to do a tofu version, paired with tons of fresh veggies. Feel free to change up the ingredients based on what you have at home. (Red bell peppers, baby lettuce, and stir-fried shiitakes are also excellent fillings!) Plus, we’ve got a creamy peanut sauce to go with them – and you may just want to double that recipe. The flavorful sauce also pairs well with everything from grain bowls to steamed broccoli.
Summer Rolls with Crispy Tofu and Peanut Sauce
- July 20, 2022
- Yields 8-10 rolls
- Print this
Ingredients
- For the rolls:
- 1 Tbsp. olive oil
- ½ package extra firm tofu, drained, pressed, and cut into ¼-inch logs
- 2 tsp. soy sauce
- 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil, optional
- 1 cucumber, thinly sliced
- 2 medium-large carrots, grated
- ¼ red cabbage, thinly sliced
- 1 avocado, sliced and sprinkled with salt
- Basil, mint, and/or cilantro, large handful
- 10 sheets spring roll wrappers
- Sriracha, optional
- For the peanut sauce:
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1.5 tsp. minced fresh garlic
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar
- 1.5 tsp honey
- 1 tsp. lime juice
- 1 Tbsp. hot water
- Squeeze of lime
- Dash of cayenne, optional
Directions
- Step 1
- Make the peanut sauce first: Whisk all of sauce ingredients together until smooth. Set aside.
- Step 2
- Next, fry the tofu: Place a medium-large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add olive oil. When oil is hot, scatter tofu across the pan in a single layer. Cook 4-5 minutes, until bottom is browned and crispy. Flip, and cook another 1-2 minutes. Drizzle soy sauce across the tofu. Cook another 3-5 minutes, until all sides are crispy. Transfer tofu to a plate. Drizzle with sesame oil, if desired.
- Step 3
- Make the rolls: Fill a large bowl with warm water. On a large cutting board or section of your counter, spread out a clean kitchen towel. Dip a rice paper wrapper into the water, and let it sit for a few seconds until softened. Transfer the rice paper wrapper to your kitchen towel, trying to keep the circle flat.
- Step 4
- In the center of the rice paper, arrange a row of cucumbers, followed by carrots, tofu, cabbage, avocado, and a sprinkle of herbs.
- Step 5
- Fold the horizontal sides of rice paper in towards the filling. Then fold the edge closest to you over the top of the filling, and start rolling away from you to form a roll. Repeat this process with the remaining ingredients and rice paper wrappers. Serve with peanut sauce, to dip, and Sriracha, if desired. (If you want to cut the rolls, lightly wet a sharp knife before cutting each roll in half.)
