Friends! How is the New Year treating you so far? Good I hope. Have you made any resolutions yet? Any luck at keeping them? I love this post by Zen Habits for inspiration on goal setting. Do share your ambitions in the comments – we’d love to know!
We’ve been enjoying our new digs in Portland, have met a few new friends, tried new restaurants, and have been enjoying a few chilly, winter walks. 2015 has been treating us well thus far.
As far as cooking, we’ve been reaching for lighter things lately. After all that holiday goodness we’ve been craving all things light and fresh. For instance, these 30-minute, nutrient-packed rainbow spring rolls. Care to join?
Origins of Fresh Spring Rolls
Fresh spring rolls (also known as gỏi cuốn or summer rolls) are a common Vietnamese dish, but the concept is believed to have originated in China. It’s thought that they may be a modification from Chinese egg rolls, but with Vietnamese flavors.
They are typically made with fresh vegetables, herbs, and protein that are wrapped in rehydrated rice paper and served with a dipping sauce.
How to Make Rainbow Spring Rolls
It all starts with a rainbow of fruits and veggies for a full spectrum of colors and health benefits, such as:
Mint – antioxidants + calms stomach
Cilantro – Vitamin C, A + antioxidants
Bell Pepper – vitamin C, carotenoids + fiber
Mango – vitamin C, A, fiber + antioxidants
Carrot – beta carotene + vitamin A
Beets – fiber + antioxidants
So much goodness in one wrap. And we haven’t even gotten to the dipping sauce yet.
The filling is cool and all, but can we talk about my love for peanut sauce?
Spring rolls are great, but peanut sauce* elevates them to AMAZING! For some extra kick, I added some fresh grated ginger – a throw back to my Veggie & Rice Noodle Bowl days- and the result is a perfectly salty-sweet sauce with some zing. I’m in love.
*Note: you can learn more about the origins of peanut sauce here.
Need more reason to love these rolls? Good. They’re:
Light
Fresh
Healthy
Crunchy
Loaded with veggies and fresh herbs
Perfect with peanut sauce
Simple – no cooking
& quick – just 30 minutes
These make a delicious light lunch or dinner and leftovers save well for the next day – just see my note about the mango!
I hope you guys love these. If you do give them a try, let us know! Leave a comment or tag an Instagram #minimalistbaker so we can see. Cheers!
Rainbow Spring Rolls with Ginger Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
SPRING ROLLS
- 7-8 rice spring roll papers
- 1 medium beet (skin removed and finely grated)
- 1/2 yellow and red pepper (seeded // thinly sliced)
- 1 cup carrots (thinly sliced)
- 1 ripe mango (cubed*)
- 1 large bunch mint leaves
- 1 large bunch cilantro (cut from stems)
- 8 ounces extra-firm tofu or cooked vermicelli noodles (optional // or use 1 cup cooked quinoa in place of 8 ounces tofu or rice noodles)
GINGER PEANUT SAUCE
- 1/2 cup salted natural peanut or almond butter
- 1 1/2 Tbsp soy sauce (tamari for gluten-free eaters)
- 2-3 Tbsp brown sugar or maple syrup (add to taste)
- 1/2 medium lime, juiced
- 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
- 1/2 tsp fresh grated ginger (optional)
- Hot water (to thin)
Instructions
- Prep veggies and set aside for easy assembly. For the beet, I used this mandolin. You can find all of our Simple Kitchen Essentials here.
- Bring 3 cups water to a boil in a saucepan or kettle and set aside to cool slightly for cooking rice papers.
- Prepare peanut sauce by adding all ingredients except water to a mixing bowl and whisking. Add hot water 1 Tbsp at a time and whisk until desired consistency is achieved (should be pourable but thick). Set aside.
- Add hot water to a large shallow dish (I used a skillet) and submerge a rice paper to soften for about 10-20 seconds. If you let it go too long or if your water is too hot, they will get too fragile to work with.
- Once soft, transfer to a clean, slightly damp surface (I prefer a wooden cutting board), and gently smooth out into a circle.
- Add carrots, peppers, mango, beets, and a healthy handful each cilantro and mint (and any other desired fillings). Fold bottom over the fillings, then gently roll over once and fold in the side to seal, then roll until completely sealed. Place on a serving plate and top with a room temperature damp towel to keep fresh.
- Repeat process until all toppings are used – about 7 or 8 (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size). Serve with dipping sauce and sriracha, if desired.
- Store leftovers covered in the fridge for up to a couple days, though best when fresh.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with dipping sauce and NO added protein sources (tofu, quinoa, or otherwise).
Grace says
These were so good! I made the recipe as is and found that the beets were very wet, causing the rice paper to tear after sitting for a few hours (made in advance for dinner that night). I think draining the beets or wiping excess moisture with a rag would solve this problem.
Sorry that happened, Grace! Did you shred them on a mandolin or use a box grater?
Julie Stauffer says
This is one of our family favorites. We replaced the beets and carrot with avocado, purple cabbage, jicama and snap peas, and we add a few more tablespoons of garlic chili sauce and more lime juice to the peanut sauce. The cilantro and mint are essential! The next day we mix up all of the leftovers with rice noodles and toss in the extra peanut sauce. We love it!
Yum! Those substitutions sound so delish! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Julie!
Mike says
A great way to work with the rice paper is to use a damp dish towel. Wet a clean dish towel, wring out as much water as you can. Lay it flat and after submerbing the rice pape in the hot water, put it on the damp towel. Do not let ths rice paper get too soft in the pan. Only 10 seconds….it will still be slightly firm….dont worry….it will soften more while you put the vegetables or other fillings on. It is so easy to wrap after because it doesnt stick to the towel. Hope this helps.
Thanks for sharing your tips, Mike!