For more great plant-based recipes, check out the American College of Lifestyle Medicine Culinary Medicine Workshop post that highlights these tasty fresh rolls.
PrintVietnamese Fresh Rolls with Tofu & Peanut Sauce
- Yield: 10 (1 roll + 1 Tablespoon dipping sauce) 1x
Scale
Ingredients
Fresh Rolls
- 1 pound firm tofu (not silken)
- 1–2 tablespoons canola (or other) oil
- 1/2 pound dry Vietnamese rice vermicelli, cooked and cooled
- 10 12-inch (25 cm) round sheets rice paper
- 10 leaves red leaf lettuce, leaves washed, dried, separated and trimmed to fit within the diameter of the rice
- paper
- 1 small bunch mint
- 1 large red bell pepper, julienned
- 2 medium carrots, julienned
- 1 English or 2 Persian cucumbers, julienned
- 1 cup shredded red cabbage
Peanut Dipping Sauce
- 4 tablespoons creamy natural peanut butter (only ingredient should be peanuts)
- 2 limes, juiced
- 2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons sugar
- 2–4 tablespoons water, to thin out the sauce, if necessary
- 2 medium cloves garlic, minced
- 1–3 teaspoons of chili garlic sauce, or red pepper flakes, to taste
Instructions
- Drain tofu, wrap in paper towels, and press for 30 minutes by sandwiching between 2 cutting boards topped with a heavy object, like a pan. Cut pressed tofu into 1⁄4-inch thick, 1”x 1/2” rectangles.
- Stir together all peanut sauce ingredients until well combined; set aside.
- Once tofu has been pressed, dry well with a paper towel. Warm oil in a (preferably nonstick) skillet over medium heat. Add tofu rectangles in a single layer. Fry until golden brown, about 3 minutes each side. Remove from pan and set aside. (If you prefer no oil, you can use pressed tofu as is, without cooking, or bake tofu for 20-30 minutes at 400 degree Fahrenheit to firm and brown slightly.)
- Set up your mise-en-place for making the rolls:- Set out all of the chopped, prepared vegetables; cooked and cooled noodles; and prepared tofu.
– Fill a large bowl, skillet or dish with hot water. - To assemble each roll, dip one sheet of rice paper into the water and quickly rotate to moisten the entire sheet, just a few seconds. It will become pliable (but appear hard; this is soft enough—it will continue to absorb the water as it lays flat). Lay the wet rice paper on a flat work surface such as a cutting board or large plate. If it sticks, you can place a slightly damp towel on your work surface, underneath the wet rice paper.
- Arrange one lettuce leaf over the bottom third of the rice paper, running your finger along the rib to crack and flatten it. Top with three mint leaves and a thin layer (about 1/4 cup) of rice noodles. Add a few slices of tofu and a handful of assorted julienned vegetables. Avoid the temptation to overstuff! (Note: you can omit the noodles and use more vegetables, but the rolls will be more difficult to roll.)
- Fold in the left and right sides of the rice paper, then fold the bottom edge up and over the filling tightly and roll toward the top end, enclosing the filling completely and as tightly as you can without the ingredients poking through the rice paper. Repeat with the remaining ingredients.
- To serve, cut each roll crosswise into halves or thirds, and serve with the dipping sauce.
Notes
- Best served immediately. To prevent browning of any leftover, keep the pits and place them on top of the guacamole then press a piece of plastic wrap or wax paper directly onto the top of the guacamole, trying not to leave much room for air
- Leave the ingredients chunky if you prefer an avocado salsa
- To make this spicier, add more seeds and/or more chili
Nutritional Info (1 roll + 1 Tablespoon of sauce): Calories 260, Total Fat 8.9g, Saturated Fat 1.4g, Cholesterol 0mg, Sodium 179.1mg, Total Carbohydrate 36.1g, Dietary Fiber 3g, Sugars 3.9g, Protein 10.9g, Vitamin A 16%, Vitamin C 49%, Calcium 34%, Iron 11%.
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