How to Make Healthy and Delicious Summer Rolls *VIDEO*
I love summer rolls — crunchy, fresh, and flavorful all wrapped in a delicate rice paper wrapper. Summer rolls are one of those things I never thought I could make at home. The wrappers, the rolling, the sauce! Not only are they way easier than I imagined, but they can be quite the nutritious dish to boot. Filled with loads of raw veggies and herbs, a summer roll is like a salad all wrapped up in a neat little package. In the video above, I go a pretty traditional route with avocado, cabbage, carrots and herbs, but also I use less traditional roasted sweet potato sticks and shredded Brussels sprouts. Rice paper is so neutral. Who says you couldn’t put a cobb salad in there or poached chicken, corn, cabbage and barbecue sauce? I say the sky’s the limit and can we talk about perfect these would be for school lunches?! Per-fect!
If you want to make these in advance, cover them with a damp paper towel and refrigerate for ideally up to one day, but I’ve even kept them 2 or 3 days.
Healthy and Delicious Summer Rolls
Ingredients
- For the sauce:
- 2 Tablespoons creamy peanut butter preferably organic (or cashew or almond butter)
- 1 Tablespoon unrefined cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
- 1 Tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar
- ½ Tablespoon raw honey choose a mild flavor
- ½ Tablespoon water
- ½ Tablespoon shoyu or gluten-free tamari
- pinch sea salt
- pinch cayenne pepper
- For the summer rolls:
- 8 8-inch rice paper rounds, plus additional in case some tear
- 1 large sweet potato (peeled if desired) and cut into ¼” matchsticks
- unrefined coconut oil or extra virgin olive oil for drizzling
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 medium brussels sprouts thinly sliced or shredded
- ¼ head of small red cabbage thinly sliced or shredded
- 2 medium carrots shredded, grated, or julienned
- 1 large avocado cut into thin slices
- handful each of fresh mint leaves basil leaves and cilantro leaves
- Other possibilities: cooked shrimp chicken, tempeh or tofu, cooked rice noodles
Instructions
- To make the sauce: whisk together all of the ingredients in a bowl or a glass jar and set aside. *
- To make the summer rolls: Drizzle the sweet potatoes with oil and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Roast in a 400 degree oven for 18-20 minutes until tender.
- Fill a shallow baking dish or a skillet with warm water. Soak 1 rice paper round (make sure there are no holes) in warm water until pliable, 30 seconds to 1 minute. Remove from the water and transfer to a plate or cutting board.
- Spread 2 teaspoons of peanut sauce on the rice paper (or omit and use as a dip once rolls are assembled) and top with 2-3 large mint leaves, 1-2 large basil leaves, a pinch of cilantro leaves, a
- pinch each of the Brussels sprouts, cabbage, and carrot, a few sticks of sweet potato, and a couple of avocado slices, taking care not to overstuff. Roll up rice paper tightly around filling, folding in sides and continue rolling.
- Transfer summer roll to a plate and cover with dampened paper towels.
- Make the remaining rolls in the same manner. Serve rolls halved on the diagonal.
- Store in the fridge covered with a damp paper towel 2-3 days.
Notes
You are going to have so much fun making these summer rolls!
By the way, I have a YouTube channel! I would love it if you subscribed over here. Thank you!