These Fresh Veggie Spring Rolls are vibrant, flavorful bites that make healthy eating an absolute breeze! Packed with crisp cucumber, crunchy carrots, creamy avocado, colorful cabbage, and fragrant fresh herbs like basil, cilantro, and mint, all wrapped in delicate rice paper. I absolutely adore making fresh spring rolls, especially during the beautiful spring weather like we’re having now on April 23rd – they’re so light, refreshing, and satisfying without requiring any cooking! These Veggie Spring Rolls are perfect as an appetizer, a light lunch, or a healthy snack, served with a simple, zesty dipping sauce.
Why You’ll Love These Veggie Spring Rolls
- Incredibly Fresh and Healthy: Loaded with raw vegetables and fresh herbs, making them a nutritious choice.
- No-Cook Recipe: Perfect for warm weather when you don’t want to turn on the stove (except to boil water for the wrappers).
- Easy to Make: Simple chopping and rolling techniques are all that’s needed.
- Light and Refreshing: A fantastic light meal or appetizer that won’t weigh you down.
- Customizable: Easily swap out veggies or add protein based on your preferences.
Ingredients for Veggie Spring Rolls
Here’s what you’ll need to make these fresh and vibrant rolls. The full list with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Rolls
- Rice paper rounds (Wrappers)
- Cucumber, thinly sliced (Vegetable)
- Avocado, sliced (Fruit)
- Carrots, grated or julienned (Vegetable)
- Purple cabbage, thinly sliced (Vegetable)
- Fresh basil leaves (Herb)
- Fresh cilantro leaves (Herb)
- Fresh mint leaves (Herb)
- Lime (Fruit)
- Small jalapeño, sliced (optional) (Vegetable)
Dipping Sauce
- Soy sauce (or tamari/coconut aminos) (Condiment)
- Sriracha (or to taste) (Condiment)
- Sesame oil (or to taste) (Oil)
(Note: the full ingredients list, including measurements, is provided in the recipe card below.)
Variations
I love the fresh combination in these Veggie Spring Rolls, but they are incredibly versatile:
- Add Protein: Include cooked shrimp, shredded chicken, thin rice noodles (vermicelli), or strips of baked tofu inside the rolls.
- Different Veggies: Add thinly sliced bell peppers, lettuce leaves (like butter lettuce), bean sprouts, or radish sticks.
- Different Herbs: Focus on just one or two herbs, or add Thai basil for a different flavor.
- Peanut Dipping Sauce: Serve with a classic Vietnamese-style peanut dipping sauce instead of the soy-sriracha sauce.
- Mango or Papaya: Add thin strips of green mango or papaya for a tropical twist.
How to Make Fresh Veggie Spring Rolls
Let me show you how easy it is to assemble these beautiful Veggie Spring Rolls:
Prep Veggies, Herbs, and Sauce
- First, I prepare all my fillings: thinly slice the cucumber, avocado, and purple cabbage; grate or julienne the carrots; chop the herbs (basil, cilantro, mint); and slice the jalapeño (if using). Having everything ready makes assembly smooth.
- Next, I quickly make the dipping sauce by mixing the soy sauce, Sriracha, and sesame oil in a small bowl. I set this aside.
Soften Rice Paper Wrappers
- I fill a shallow dish (like a pie plate) with warm water.
- Working one at a time, I completely submerge a rice paper round in the warm water for about 30 seconds to one minute, just until it becomes soft and pliable. It’s important to process one sheet at a time; otherwise, they will stick together in a frustrating clump!
Fill and Roll
- I carefully lay the softened rice paper sheet out flat on a clean, damp surface (like a damp cutting board or clean kitchen towel).
- In the center (slightly towards the bottom edge), I place a small amount of each filling ingredient – cucumber, avocado, carrots, cabbage, basil, cilantro, mint, and a slice of jalapeño if I like some heat. I like to play with different combinations in each roll!
- I squeeze a small dash of fresh lime juice over the filling.
- Now, I fold the bottom edge of the rice paper up over the filling snugly.
- Then, I fold both the left and right sides inward over the filling, like an envelope.
- Finally, I gently but tightly roll the wrapper upwards from the bottom to form a neat spring roll.
- I repeat this process with the remaining rice paper wrappers and fillings.
Serve
- Serve with dipping sauce
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Fresh Spring Rolls
Here are my secrets for making perfect Veggie Spring Rolls:
- Have Prep Done First (Mise en Place): Chop all your vegetables and herbs and have them ready before you start softening the rice paper. Assembly goes quickly once you start.
- Don’t Oversoak Rice Paper: Just dip until pliable. Oversoaking makes them delicate and prone to tearing. Use warm, not hot, water.
- Work Surface: Use a damp, clean surface (like a slightly damp cutting board or smooth kitchen towel) to prevent the softened rice paper from sticking.
- Don’t Overfill: It’s tempting to load them up, but overfilling makes rolling difficult and can cause tears.
- Roll Tightly: A snug roll holds the ingredients together nicely.
- Serve Promptly: Fresh spring rolls are best enjoyed shortly after making them, as the rice paper can dry out or become tough over time.
How to Serve
These Veggie Spring Rolls are fantastic served as:
- A Light Lunch or Dinner: Perfect on their own for a refreshing meal.
- An Appetizer: Arrange them on a platter with the dipping sauce for parties.
- A Healthy Snack: A satisfying and nutritious snack option.
Serve immediately with the prepared soy-sriracha-sesame dipping sauce, or your favorite peanut sauce.
Make Ahead and Storage
Fresh spring rolls are notoriously best when eaten fresh, as the rice paper tends to dry out and harden in the refrigerator.
- Prep Ahead: You can chop all the vegetables and herbs and make the dipping sauce up to a day in advance. Store them in separate airtight containers in the refrigerator.
- Assembly: Assemble the rolls as close to serving time as possible for the best texture.
- Storage (Short Term): If you must store assembled rolls for a few hours, place them in a single layer in an airtight container lined with a slightly damp paper towel (not touching the rolls directly if possible) or cover tightly with plastic wrap. They may still stick together or dry out slightly.
FAQs about Veggie Spring Rolls
- Are these the same as fried spring rolls?
- No, these are fresh spring rolls (also sometimes called summer rolls), made with soft rice paper wrappers and uncooked fillings. Fried spring rolls use different wrappers and are deep-fried.
- Where do I find rice paper wrappers?
- You can find them in the international aisle of most major supermarkets or at Asian grocery stores.
- My rice paper keeps tearing! What am I doing wrong?
- You might be oversoaking it (making it too delicate), handling it too roughly, or overfilling the roll. Try soaking for slightly less time and be gentle when filling and rolling.
Enjoy these light, healthy, flavorful, and Easy Veggie Spring Rolls! They are a perfect taste of freshness.
Print
Fresh Veggie Spring Rolls with Dipping Sauce
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Snack, Light Meal, Vegan, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free (with tamari)
- Cuisine: Vietnamese-Inspired, Asian
Description
These Veggie Spring Rolls are fresh, flavorful bites that will make healthy eating a breeze. Filled with crisp vegetables and fresh herbs, they’re served with a simple soy-Sriracha dipping sauce.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Spring Rolls:
- 1 package rice paper rounds (approx. 8–10 rounds)
- 1 English cucumber, thinly sliced or julienned
- 1 avocado, thinly sliced
- 1 cup grated or julienned carrots
- 1/4 cup purple cabbage, thinly sliced
- Fresh basil leaves, to taste
- Fresh cilantro leaves, to taste
- Fresh mint leaves, to taste
- 1/2 lime, juiced (for sprinkling inside rolls)
- 1 small jalapeño, seeded and thinly sliced (optional)
For the Dipping Sauce:
- 1/4 cup low-sodium soy sauce (or tamari for gluten-free)
- 1 tablespoon Sriracha (or to taste)
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil (toasted recommended)
Instructions
- Prepare Filling Ingredients: Thinly slice or julienne the cucumber and carrot. Thinly slice the avocado and red cabbage. Wash and prepare the fresh herbs (basil, cilantro, mint). Seed and thinly slice the jalapeño, if using. Have all filling ingredients ready near your work surface.
- Prepare Dipping Sauce: In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce (or tamari), Sriracha, and sesame oil. Set aside.
- Soften Rice Paper: Fill a large shallow dish (like a pie plate) with warm water. Working with one rice paper wrapper at a time, fully submerge it in the warm water for about 20-30 seconds, or until it becomes soft and pliable but not falling apart. Do not soak multiple wrappers at once, as they will stick together.
- Assemble Spring Roll: Carefully remove the softened rice paper wrapper from the water, letting excess water drip off. Lay it flat on a clean, smooth work surface (a damp cutting board or clean, damp kitchen towel can prevent sticking).
- Layer Fillings: Place a small amount of each filling ingredient (cucumber, avocado, carrots, cabbage, basil, cilantro, mint, jalapeño if using) in the center third of the rice paper wrapper, closer to the edge nearest you. Drizzle a tiny bit of fresh lime juice over the fillings. Do not overfill.
- Fold and Roll: Fold the bottom edge (closest to you) up and over the filling snugly. Fold in both the left and right sides tightly over the filling, like an envelope. Then, tightly roll the wrapper away from you until you have a neat spring roll.
- Repeat: Repeat steps 3-6 with the remaining rice paper wrappers and fillings.
- Serve: Serve the fresh veggie spring rolls immediately with the prepared dipping sauce on the side.
Notes
- Rice Paper: Handling rice paper takes a little practice. Don’t soak it for too long, or it will tear easily. Work one at a time. Different brands may require slightly different soaking times.
- Vegetables: Use crisp, fresh vegetables. You can vary the fillings based on preference – add bell peppers, lettuce, bean sprouts, cooked rice noodles, tofu, or even cooked shrimp.
- Rolling Tightly: Rolling the spring rolls tightly helps them hold their shape.
- Dipping Sauce: Adjust the amount of Sriracha in the sauce to your preferred spice level. Peanut sauce is another popular dipping sauce option.
- Storage: Fresh spring rolls are best eaten immediately as the rice paper can dry out or become tough over time. If you must store them, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate for a few hours, but the texture will not be as good as fresh.