crispy tofu rice paper rolls 🥬
a pool snack + a fun upcoming week!
hello luvs! hope you all had a wonderful weekend. mine was a mix of fun and chill — went out one night, stayed in and made pasta one night, and started doing some prep for this week because I have a LOT coming up! my birthday is on tuesday and I’m hosting my butter-themed dinner party on thursday, which I’m so excited for. I’m making lots of delicious food and I’ll take you all along on the prep/cooking/setup for the party on my instagram and tiktok! it’s my first dinner party here in LA and it’s gonna be really fun.
on top of that, I just got the keys to my NEW HOUSE! I’m finallly moving into a long term home here in LA (I’ve been living in short term rentals since I got here lol, long story). after my birthday week is over (sorry that sounds diva but it’s just facts), I’ll be setting up my new place and I’ll take you along on for that too.
okay, on to tonight’s recipe! I’ve been making vietnamese-inspired rice paper rolls FOREVER. I lived with my 3 best friends when I was in university and every friday night in the summer, we would make these together. they’re such a perfect lunch or dinner when the weather warms up because you can pack in tons of veggies + protein, and then obviously the sauce is the best part. I made this version to bring to the pool last weekend and they were FAB — my beloved crispy tofu nuggets, lots of fresh veg + herbs and the best red curry almond butter sauce for dipping. the rolling technique takes a bit of practice but I promise you’ll get the hang of it and maybe…even….have fun making these eventually?! I SURE HOPE SO. enjoy!!!
crispy tofu rice paper rolls
1 package rice paper wrappers
1 batch of my crispy tofu
1 head iceberg lettuce
1 large or 3 mini cucumbers
1 large carrot
1/2 head napa or green cabbage
1 ripe avocado
large handful fresh mint
large handful fresh cilantro
for the red curry almond butter sauce:
1/3 cup almond butter
2 tbsp tamari
2 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp red curry pasta
1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
water to thin
start by making your crispy tofu and letting it cool. then set up your fillings by slicing your cucumbers and carrots into thin matchsticks and thinly shredding your cabbage. tear your iceberg lettuce leaves off the core so that you have little “cup” shapes (these will go on the bottom of your roll to give a bit of structure to the fillings). set up your roll building area with the crispy tofu, sliced veggies, lettuce cups, fresh herbs and avocado.
soak a rice paper roll in cold water for about 60 seconds until soft. remove and lay out on a cutting board, then add 1 iceberg lettuce leaf to the centre. on top of that, add a few cucumber strips, a few carrot strips and a small handful of shredded cabbage. top with several pieces of crispy tofu and a few slices of avocado, then sprinkle a couple of herbs on top. roll the end closest to you up and over fillings, then tuck it under to hold them in. tuck each of the sides in and continue rolling to seal the roll (it will be slightly sticky). soak a second rice paper roll until soft, then lay the roll you just made in it and repeat this so that it’s double rolled (this helps them to stay sturdy).
repeat this process with your rice paper rolls until you’ve used all your fillings.
to make the red curry almond butter sauce, whisk all ingredients in a small bowl or jar until smooth. add a little bit of water to thin the sauce to your desired consistency.
cut rolls in half, dip in sauce + enjoy!
have a great week! xo