What are summer rolls? You might know these rice paper rolls as fresh spring rolls, Vietnamese spring rolls or rice rolls. They are noodles and fresh vegetables (usually raw) rolled in rice paper. You might have eaten them once as an appetiser at a Vietnamese restaurant, because in Vietnam you eat summerrolls nicely as an appetiser or side dish. We also eat them fine as lunch or even dinner in summer. Super tasty!
Recipes for summer rolls (fresh Vietnamese springrolls)
How to make an authentic summer roll?
What ingredients belong in an authentic summerroll?
- A Vietnamese summerroll actually always contains a lot of vegetables. Fresh, raw vegetables. Think thin strips of carrot, cucumber, cabbage or lettuce leaves.
- Besides your chosen vegetable palette, you choose your favourite noodles. These can be white rice noodles, glass noodles or vermicelli noodles. The thinner, the better.
- If you opt for a vegan summer roll, you’ll probably choose tofu as your protein source pretty soon. But you can also omit the protein just fine, which is also quite common in Vietnam.
- You can complete the summerrolls by adding fresh herbs. These could be mint, parsley or coriander leaves.
Scroll some more to see 6 summerrolls recipes. All very different, and very tasty!
What is the difference between summerrolls and springrolls?
Summerrolls and springrolls are actually not at all similar.
Summerrolls are rolls made of rice paper, filled with raw vegetables. They are fresh and not deep-fried. A light and refreshing starter or side dish, they are also healthy and nutritious enough for lunch or dinner.
Spring rolls are deep-fried rolls filled with a mixture of vegetables and/or meat. The outside is crispy and fried golden brown.
Did you know that you can also fry summer rolls (i.e. those rolls wrapped in rice paper)? Not by deep-frying them, but by frying them briefly in a thin layer of oil in a pan. This way, you get a crispy summerroll!
6 summer roll recipes
5 tips to make the perfect summer roll
- Use smoked tofu as a protein source. Smoked tofu can be eaten without frying. Extra convenience, then!
- Add avocado. Avocado in your summer roll is highly recommended anyway. Its soft, creamy texture balances the raw vegetables.
- Vary with colours and textures. Make sure your summerroll looks colourful. Red cabbage, yellow and red peppers, mango: they all do well in your vegan summerroll.
- Add fresh herbs. These provide that extra bit of flavour. Mint, coriander and basil are all tasty and common in a summerroll.
- Don’t forget to make your vegan dipping sauce top-of-the-bill! Read on quickly…
Dipping! Tips for a good summer roll dip
A good sauce to dip your summerroll in is an absolute must. The sauce makes your roll. Here are our tips for a tasty summerroll sauce:
- Choose a nut spread or peanut butter as a base. Our favourite is peanut butter anyway, or tahini. But sunflower seed paste, pumpkin seed paste or (white) almond paste are also a good base for your dipping sauce.
- Make sure you include as many different flavours in your dip sauce as possible. Say you take peanut butter as a base, then complement the other flavours with, for example, a dash of tamari (salty/umami), sesame oil (mild/aromatic), lemon juice (sour), maple syrup (sweet). A little garlic and chilli and you have a full-blown summer roll dip.
- Hoisin is one of the key words for a good dipping sauce. You can make your own hoisin sauce (using coconut blossom sugar and tamari as main ingredients) or buy hoisin sauce from the shop. Hoisin is also often used as part of a sauce.
- Use garlic powder, ginger powder, a pinch of cayenne or some sriracha to give your sauce even more ‘oomph’.
- Go for quick & easy and dip your summerroll in this hugely delicious umami sauce. A ready-made dipping sauce that especially highlights the umami flavour. You can also mix the umami sauce with a dash of tamari for a slightly saltier dip.
