Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Crispy Tofu

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Cutting board with a batch of Vegan Vietnamese Spring Rolls with almond butter dipping sauce

This is my kind of soul food.

The kind that’s fresh, filling, and loaded with flavor. And that doesn’t make you feel like crap afterwards. Now that’s (healthy) livin’.

Freshly chopped vegetables for making Vietnamese Vegan Spring Rolls

I’ve made spring rolls before but never with such an abundance of flavorful components and herbs.

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 These Spring Rolls

Typically I leave my tofu raw, but not this time. I gave it a crispy edge by dredging it in cornstarch and sautéing it sesame oil. Then, I tossed it in my savory almond butter dipping sauce and gave it another flash “fry” in the pan.

The result was a tender, slightly crispy, perfectly seasoned tofu that’s way batter than raw without being too complicated.

Pan of Crispy Stir-Fried Tofu for adding to homemade spring rolls
Softened spring roll wrapper topped with rice noodles, vegetables, and tofu for delicious Vegan Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Another new component is the dipping sauce.

I love a good peanut sauce for spring rolls, but because peanuts can be a little difficult to digest I went with almond butter as the base. Still so good and perfectly savory and sweet. What’s not to love?

Freshly rolled Vietnamese Vegan Spring Rolls with a bowl of Almond Butter Dipping Sauce
Batch of our homemade Vegan Spring Rolls on a cutting board with fresh limes and dipping sauce

These rolls are simple, fresh and filling. Inside you’ll find:

Super thin rice noodles
Mint
Cilantro
Red pepper
Carrot
Cucumber
& Crispy almond butter tofu

And to take them from tasty to awesome, serve them with a fat serving of almond butter sauce. Who can resist?

Sliced Vegan Vietnamese Spring Roll showing the fresh vegetables and tofu inside
Cutting board with fresh Vegan Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Crispy Tofu
Dipping a healthy Vietnamese Vegan Spring Roll into Almond Butter Dipping Sauce

You’re going to love these rolls. They’re

Perfect for warmer weather
Fresh
Filling
Customizable by season
Satisfying
Flavorful
Healthy
Vegan / GF
Savory-sweet
Minty
Herby
& Wonderful

Make these rolls, OK? And share them with friends. If you don’t have friends, go make some by sharing these treats with them. They pack up nicely and store in the fridge super well for several days so pack them in your lunch and make all your coworkers jelly. Huzzah!

En-joy.

Wood cutting board filled with Vietnamese Spring Rolls and dipping sauce for a delicious vegan snack

Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Crispy Tofu

30-minute Vietnamese-inspired spring rolls with fast crispy tofu and a savory-sweet almond butter dipping sauce. Flavorful, crisp, delectable, and so fresh and perfect for spring and summer.
Author Minimalist Baker
Print
Sliced open Tofu Vietnamese Spring Roll on a cutting board with limes and more rolls
4.88 from 87 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Servings 8 (spring rolls)
Course Appetizer, Entrée
Cuisine Gluten-Free, Vegan, Vietnamese-Inspired
Freezer Friendly No
Does it keep? Best when fresh

Ingredients

SPRING ROLLS

  • 1 1/2 cups julienned vegetables (such as carrots, red pepper, and cucumber)
  • 1 bunch fresh cilantro
  • 1 bunch fresh mint
  • 4 ounces vermicelli or rice noodles (the thinner the better)
  • 8-10 whole spring roll rice papers

ALMOND BUTTER DIPPING SAUCE

  • 1/3 cup salted creamy almond butter
  • 1 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce (tamari if gluten-free)
  • 1-2 Tbsp brown sugar, agave, or honey if not vegan (depending on preferred sweetness)
  • 1 Tbsp fresh lime juice
  • 1/2 tsp chili garlic sauce
  • Hot water (to thin)

CRISPY TOFU

  • 8 ounces extra-firm tofu (drained and thoroughly dried/pressed)
  • 4 Tbsp sesame oil (divided)
  • 3 Tbsp cornstarch
  • 2 1/2 Tbsp almond butter dipping sauce
  • 1 Tbsp reduced sodium soy sauce (tamari if gluten-free)
  • 1 Tbsp brown sugar or agave nectar

Instructions

  • Start by preparing rice noodles in boiling hot water for about 10 minutes (read instructions on package), then drain and set aside.
  • Meanwhile, heat a large skillet over medium heat and cut pressed tofu into small rectangles. Toss in 3 Tbsp cornstarch and flash fry in ~3 Tbsp sesame oil (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size), flipping on all sides to ensure even browning – about 5 minutes. Remove from skillet and set aside.
  • Prep veggies and prepare almond butter sauce by adding all sauce ingredients except water to a small mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add enough hot water to thin until a pourable sauce is achieved. Adjust flavors as needed (I often add a little more chili garlic sauce and brown sugar).
  • To add more flavor to the tofu, transfer ~2.5 Tbsp of the sauce to a small bowl and add an additional Tablespoon each of soy sauce, sesame oil and brown sugar or agave (amounts as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) and whisk to combine.
  • Add tofu back to the skillet over medium heat and add “sauce/glaze,” stirring to coat. Cook for several minutes or until all of the sauce is absorbed and the tofu looks glazed, stirring frequently (see photos). Set aside with prepared veggies and vermicelli noodles.
  • To assemble spring rolls, pour very hot water into a shallow dish or skillet and immerse rice paper to soften for about 10-15 seconds.
  • Transfer to a damp cutting board or damp towel and gently spread out edges into a circle. It may take a little practice, so don’t feel bad if your first few attempts are a fail!
  • To the bottom third of the wrapper add a small handful of vermicelli noodles and layer carrots, bell peppers, cucumber, fresh herbs and 2-3 pieces of tofu on top (see photo). Gently fold over once, tuck in edges, and continue rolling until seam is sealed.
  • Place seam-side down on a serving platter and cover with damp warm towel to keep fresh. Repeat until all fillings are used up – about 8-10 spring rolls total (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size).
  • Serve with almond butter sauce and sriracha or hot sauce of choice. I like to mix mine and go dip happy.
  • Leftovers store well individually wrapped in plastic wrap, though best when fresh.

Video

Notes

*Inspired by the lovely Heidi at Foodie Crush
*Recipe makes 8 spring rolls.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 1/2 cup each carrots, red bell pepper, and cucumber per 8 rolls, with the lesser amount of sugar, and with all of the dipping sauce.

Nutrition (1 of 8 servings)

Serving: 1 spring roll Calories: 283 Carbohydrates: 32.1 g Protein: 7.8 g Fat: 14.6 g Saturated Fat: 1.8 g Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g Monounsaturated Fat: 6.5 g Trans Fat: 0 g Cholesterol: 0 mg Sodium: 268 mg Potassium: 259 mg Fiber: 3 g Sugar: 4.1 g Vitamin A: 2200 IU Vitamin C: 14.9 mg Calcium: 130 mg Iron: 1.4 mg

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My Rating:




  1. Emma L Gardner says

    THESE ARE SOOOO GOOD!! I didn’t have mint but did have some extra fennel fronds, so I threw those in thinking about a star anise-vibe. They were good but the real star was the crunchy tofu. I added extra lime juice, wanting the extra zing. SO delish!

  2. Donna says

    OMG. This is so good! I’ve followed the recipe and ingredients with a few subs because that’s what I had on hand: yellow bell pepper, tamari sauce, and Vietnamese Perilla instead of mint. For the dipping sauce, I’ve also added 1-2 tbsp hoisin sauce. I’ve added more chili garlic sauce because I like it spicy. For the tofu, I’ve cut in half lengthwise and then 4 equal slices to make 8 long pieces.

    This recipe is a keeper. :)

  3. Donna Featherston says

    These are so good! They were not difficult (other than my clumsy wrapping), but they took me much longer than 30 minutes–worth it though!

  4. Sar says

    This was delicious. Better than most rolls I’ve had at restaurants. I did add garlic powder and pureed ginger to the dip, which I thought improved it

  5. Samantha P says

    Soooo delicious, just made them tonight for dinner and I am looking forward to having them for lunch! I made them with the crispy tofu and now I can’t imagine with raw.

  6. Claire says

    I made this with peanut butter instead of almond and it was incredible! The rolls were good but the tofu was insane, will be making again.

  7. Giulia says

    OMG this was sooooo good! I tried the almond sauce (plain almond) and it was so nice! I could not be bothered making the noodles, but the tofu was so great, it was not an issue (will try next time)! Thank you so much, this recipe was so simple and so delicious will do it again for sure, thanks for posting!

  8. Sanjay says

    Very nice recipe… added some sesame seeds and soya sauce to the carrots, cucumber and capsicum for a tangy taste. The rice paper needs a couple of dips in the hot water on both sides to avoid curling and then can be set to soak… learnt that by trial and error a couple of time. Overall very satisfactory results. Will experiment with some other fillings next time.

  9. Lex says

    The spring rolls are amazing but the almond butter tofu really steals the show. I’ve been looking for the best crispy tofu recipe and this has to be it. I’ll definitely make it on it’s own as well. The fresh veggies in the spring roll pair perfectly with the almond butter dip.

  10. Tarra says

    We have made these 3 times already! My kids now request them! We really love the crunchiness and flavor. I usually make a few extra for lunches the next day. The only thing we have learned is sometimes the next day the wrapping tears. So if we are saving some for the next day, we wrap them each once and then wrap them in a second rice paper wrap to secure them. I put them in a glass dish with a bit of water drizzled on top and sides and pack a separate container with dipping sauce. Yum!!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Love the troubleshooting, Tarra! And we’re so glad you enjoy them. Thanks so much for sharing! xo

  11. babs lev says

    I LOVE this recipe. It is a bit of work but totally worth it. I have found Vietnamese Brown Rice Spring Roll Wrappers…from the makers of Happy Pho, great flavor and a little sturdier than white rice wrappers. Will be making them on Saturday, March 20, 2021, to celebrate the first day of spring!YUM!!!

  12. Dan says

    Sooooo good!!!! Loved them! Tofu really added to the flavor, would be ok with out the tofu, but the tofu made them amazing. Really good sauce too.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      So sorry to hear that, Nadine! It takes a little fancy footwork to do these in 30 minutes but it’s possible. I’d say if your rice papers tasted like glue you bought a brand that wasn’t so great or fresh? Have you used them before?

  13. Karyn Quackenbush says

    Once again, a fantastic recipe!!!
    Wish I were better at rolling the spring roll wrappers!! Mine were not attractive 😂😬but they tasted sooooo good!!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Karyn! It can take a little practice to master the spring roll wrappers. One suggestion is to make sure the water isn’t too hot and they don’t soak too long- that can make them more prone to breaking. Hope that helps!

    • nick says

      The key is to dip the wrapper in warm/hot water for the right amount of time. I would imagine the brand and freshness might be a factor as well.

  14. Keely says

    I’ve made summer rolls a lot but never with tofu – my daughter is recently vegetarian and I’m still figuring out how to cook it properly. This was the best tofu I’ve made so far! It turned out wonderful. The recipe took us a little longer because we always like to make Vietnamese pickled carrots and I had to chop the carrots (note to self, buy shredded carrots!) We noticed something was missing, which I realized was fish sauce. I would recommend a little bit in the sauce for anyone that’s not a strict vegetarian. Loved the addition of the chili bean paste though!

  15. Marie says

    I have never cooked tofu before. I just finished making this recipe and HOLY SH*T, these are amazing! Honestly, I’m not sure I’m ever going to need another tofu recipe again. The spring roll wrapper was a little fussy and I lost 2 to tears & sticking, but they were worthy sacrifices for this dish.

    My boyfriend and I are experimenting with veggie dishes while not being vegetarian ourselves. He was very skeptical the minute I said “tofu.” All 6 of these rolls are gone. GONE. And he asked me if there were more and said I need to make more next time, and I agree!

    These rolls are going to be my go-to lunch from now on. Thanks so much for this delicious recipe!

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      We’re so glad you both enjoyed the tofu and spring rolls, Marie! Thanks so much for sharing! To prevent the rolls from breaking as easily, make sure the water you are soaking them in isn’t too hot and try soaking for less time. Hope that helps!

  16. Jodi says

    Made these spring rolls for dinner last night and they were so fun to make and so, so good. Better than any takeout! The dipping sauce was amazing and the tofu was unlike any tofu I’ve made before. The tofu would be delicious on its own. The cornstarch coating makes it a little crispy and the sauce is a nice addition and helps add flavor to the filling. I made them with carrots, cucumber, and red pepper, plus mint and parsley.

    The only downside was they definitely took longer than the 30 mins mentioned! Cutting the vegetables into the small, julienne pieces takes time. Also assembling takes time if you are assembling carefully. All in all this recipe probably took me an hour to make.

  17. j says

    “Typically, Vietnamese spring rolls come with a vinegar-based sauce, but, sorry no.”

    Wow, how woefully arrogant and…inaccurate.

    Maybe before asserting such a superior interpretation of an entire culinary history, known for its clever balance of textures and flavors, you might want to do your research and learn that peanut sauce is actually more common for goi cuon, and that its pairing depends a lot more on the roll’s fillings (as in this case, where a nut-butter IS the appropriate choice).

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerDana @ Minimalist Baker says

      This is helpful! We are learning as we go and will make this change! Thanks for sharing.

      • Gina A says

        Hi Dana,

        I was at one time a frequent customer of an authentic Vietnamese restaurant that I still dream about (the family closed it), and loved their vinegar-based sauce. But this recipe has become a favorite of ours, and we truly enjoy the nut butter sauce, without a trace of woeful arrogance or superiority, but we’re funny that way.

        Thanks for a great recipe – totally worth the prep!

  18. Kelly Davis says

    Excellent healthy filling flavorful meal! I sometimes add radish or sub shrimp in for tofu. It’s not the easiest recipe, but it’s worth the work.

  19. Danny says

    one of the best recipes of all time!! my only question is HOW DO YOU STOP THESE FROM STICKING TOGETHER!? I make them for 6 of us and they stick together and rip…. do you have any tips on how to avoid this issue?

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Hi Danny, you can wrap them in wet paper towels to prevent sticking. Otherwise, place on a wood surface and make sure they aren’t touching. Hope that helps!

  20. Kristina says

    This is one of our favourite recipes! We are making it at least once a month and still can´t get enough ;)

  21. Fiona Patrice O'Brien says

    This is one of my favorite recipes ever! So easy and versatile – you can easily customize with whatever veggies you have on hand. But the peanut sauce is the true star of the show. It pairs perfectly with the spring rolls and is so delicious.

  22. Amanda says

    I made this for my vegan boss’s baby shower and she loved these, I did sub peanut butter instead of almond butter and it was a big hit. I even just use the crispy tofu portion of the recipe just as a protein for other dishes.

    • Avatar for Dana @ Minimalist BakerSupport @ Minimalist Baker says

      Thanks so much for the lovely review, Amanda. We are so glad she enjoyed it! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo

  23. Linda says

    Very good ?thank you for creating these wonderful simple plant-base meals.. I’m doing the happy foodie dance .. lol.

  24. Kate says

    Love these! I took a few shortcuts though: I used one of those pre-bagged Asian salads for the veggies and mixed the sesame dressing with a peanut sauce from the store with Sriracha sauce to dip. I also used rice instead of noodles – came out great and cut way down on prep time

  25. Maria says

    This was my first time making tofu, and I really liked the way it turned out. The spring rolls tates amazing. My only feedback is that doing all of this definitely takes more than 30 minutes. Assembling the rolls might take 15 minutes, but the prep work took me at least 1 hour. The final result made it worth it though!

    Highly recommend this recipe as long as you got some time (which I did!).

  26. Narwan says

    These are so amazing. I’ve made them following your almond butter recipe before, but today I was feeling lazy and skipped it. Instead, I used the Asian peanut vinaigrette from Trader Joe’s to cook the tofu and dip the rolls in and let me just say, it’s the perfect lazy hack. It’s not as nut buttery as yours but it’s definitely a great shortcut.

  27. amber says

    The almond butter sauce is AMAZING. I skipped a few steps in the recipe, omitting the oil and corn starch and the glaze. I simply dry fried the tofu before marinating it in the sauce. The tofu went right from the marinade into the spring rolls. Easy, oil free, and delicious.

  28. Katie says

    Where can you get rice paper from?

    The one I used was very gummy and it ruined the otherwise lovely rolls!

  29. Khanh Ho says

    The sign of an excellent roll–from the point of view of a Vietnamese person–is the tightness of the roll. Go on Youtube and check out a few Vietnamese people demo-ing rolling technique. It will make a big difference. And you’ll have rolls that you can easily take places–to a barbecue, a beach, a car trip.

  30. Heather says

    10/10 will make again. Have never glazed fried tofu before and it worked out well. Love the inclusion of thread noodles also. Easily interchangeable with other desired vegetables and herbs such as Bibb lettuce and basil. I like the versatility the recipe offers, and nice take on traditional peanut sauce.

    Beautiful photos and excellent instructions.

  31. Corrie says

    I had some leftover satay sauce from another meal during the week so I decided to make this one. Frying and then quickly cooking the tofu in the satay sauce is one of the best ideas! It gave these so much flavour and my son wouldn’t believe me when I said I used tofu instead of chicken! Definitely a keeper for a meat free tasty meal. Thankyou!

  32. Alaina says

    I made this today and it was delicious! It was my first time making spring rolls :). I’m not sure if I cut my tofu rectangles a bit bigger but I put 2 pieces of tofu per roll and got 6 rolls with that so next time I’ll double the recipe. I was a bit skeptical about the almond butter sauce since I don’t really like almond butter but it was so good!! I didn’t have herbs like mint so I left those out and they still turned out great. The tofu and sauce really make it. I’ll definitely be making this again :D

  33. Al says

    SO GOOD. Easy to follow recipe and really satisfying/filling. I added green onions and rainbow radishes in addition to carrots, red pepper, and cucumber. Looking forward to getting better at wrapping!

  34. Tom says

    Not sure if you’ve ever had real Vietnamese spring rolls before, but the type of spring rolls that served as your inspiration for this post are usually served with a peanut sauce, not a vinegar sauce.

  35. Penny says

    I’d like to make some smaller rolls. Is it feasible to make these about half size by cutting the wrapper in half? Thanks, I’ll make them soon!

  36. Megan Lea says

    What variety of mint is best in this recipe? I am planning to plant mint this summer and can never decide what type is most versatile: peppermint, spearmint, or sweet mint. Or is there another mint out there?

  37. Mary Norby says

    I made this last night and it was a big hit!
    What I’m wondering: instead of frying up the tofu with the sesame oil and corn starch, taking it out of the pan and then returning it to the pan with the AWESOME glaze, how about soaking the dried/pressed tofu rectangles in the AWESOME glaze and cornstarch and then adding them to the hot sesame oil?
    This is a great recipe, and I’m making it again!!!

  38. Kelly says

    i just made these and my oh my are they delicious! They’re a little time-consuming, but well worth it for the finished product. I used creamy peanut butter instead of almond butter and the sauce turned out delicious. The fresh mint leaves really give these rolls a fresh taste! I have some leftover spring roll wrappers so I’ll be making these again!

  39. Maddie Kempner says

    These are SO delicious! As someone else mentioned, I was a little skeptical about the almond butter too. Don’t be. I didn’t and wouldn’t change a thing. Thank you!

  40. Sarah johanns says

    These are delicious. My daughter and I are on a 21 day cleanse- and this was a perfect recipe for us. The thing is- we’ll eat this when we are NOT cleansing too. I might add a few bean sprouts and avocado. But delicious! We don’t like tofu- but this was seriously a happy surprise. Thank you!!

    • Isabel says

      These are really good spring rolls, im used to the peanut sauce but almond sauce tasted delicious as well ( but it has a strong taste compared to peanut )
      Vegan approved
      Non vegan approved

  41. Alison says

    Both my fiancé and I thought this recipe was perfect as is! The only sub I made was portabella strips for the tofu because we’ve been eating a lot of tofu lately. I didn’t find the assembly to be too difficult, although our finished product certainly wasn’t as pretty as those at restaurants! It was an absolutely delicious meal and I found myself saying, “man, that was so good!” several times throughout the evening! I can’t wait to make them again (and hopefully get better at rolling them!)

  42. Andy says

    Wow! This is bringing back fond memories of my trip to Ho Chi Minh city a couple of years back. I think i ate something similar to this along with Vietnamese coffee and was blown out of my mind. Thank you for this post and these great memories. Do you have some vietnamese catfish recipes?

  43. Rhiannon says

    These were absolutely amazing!!! I used peanut butter instead of almond butter, but besides that I followed the recipe exactly. I will definitely be making these again.