Vegan spring roll recipe Archives

We got a little taste of Mexico last week with my vegan taco and bean salad recipe. This week, I thought it would be fun to savor Vietnam! Here is a vegan spring roll recipe I made up, which is really colorful and delicious.

One of the ways I make spring rolls is by using my versatile Josephine dressing as a sauce. For your convenience, I added the recipe below, in sufficient quantity to allow you to make about 20 rolls.

With rice paper and Asian rice noodles, this recipe is naturally gluten-free. You are free to chop up whatever veggies you like. I like daikon, carrots, celery, and red pepper. I also like to add sprouts, and sometimes, I omit the noodles and only use sprouts.

Keep in mind that rolling these beauties takes some practice so don’t give up if your first one rips or doesn’t look too appetizing! Just keep rolling! Usually, a glass working surface is the least sticky so you can use a plate to roll them on, or a damp clean dishcloth. Make your rolls as tight as possible so the stuffing doesn’t fall out when you bite into them.

Maria’s Vegan Spring Rolls

Ingredients:

Makes approximately 20 rolls

1 package rice paper

1 package rice or buckwheat Asian noodles

4 carrots, peeled and sliced into long, thin strips

3 celery stalks, sliced into long, thin strips

1 red bell pepper, sliced into long, thin strips

1 daikon, peeled and sliced into long, thin strips

4 cups sprouts

2 cups arugula

2 cups fresh parsley or basil

2 tablespoons sesame seeds

2 tablespoons black sesame seeds

Sea salt

Method:

Prepare your Josephine sauce (see recipe below).
Cook noodles according to package instructions. Drain and pour about half the amount of sauce onto noodles and stir. Sprinkle sesame seeds over noodles and allow time to cool.
Once all the vegetables have been sliced, and the noodles have cooled, you are ready to start rolling the spring rolls. You will need to use a work surface that does not stick too much to the rice paper. A glass surface is a better option than wood. You may also want to place a moist paper towel or clean, moist dishcloth on the surface and assemble the rolls on that.
Prepare a large bowl of warm water and dip a rice paper very briefly in the bowl. Lay the rice paper on your work surface.
Lay fresh parsley or basil as your first layer in the center of the rice paper. Once you form the rolls, the parsley or basil leaves will show through the thin rice paper and it will be aesthetically pleasing. Next, lay a handful of noodles, leaving a space about 2 fingers in width at the top and bottom of the roll.
Add the sprouts and a few slices each of the carrot, daikon, celery and pepper.
Add about a teaspoon of sauce over the vegetables. Add a few leaves of arugula.
Roll the rice paper by picking the left side of the rice paper and bringing it over the vegetables. Next, bring the top part over. Then the right side over to the left, as tightly as you can and as carefully as possible, not to pierce the paper with any of the vegetables. Lastly, bring the bottom part over. Turn roll over until you see the parsley or basil. Your roll is complete. Place it on a serving dish. Serve immediately. If you wish to store your rolls, cover them with a moist paper towel and refrigerate them in an airtight container.

The Josephine Sauce

Ingredients:

1/3 cup tahini

1/3 cup olive oil

1/3 cup balsamic vinegar

3 tablespoons wheat-free tamari

1 teaspoon sea salt

2 tablespoons oregano

2 cloves of garlic, finely minced

1 small piece ginger, finely minced

Method:

1. In a small bowl, whisk all these ingredients together.