These veggie spring rolls are loaded with crunchy veggies and pan fried to crispy perfection! They're paired with my favorite peanut sauce, which adds a ton of flavor and a bit of substance to the dish, but the rolls are delicious on their own as well. The term "spring roll" is used to describe both rolls wrapped in rice paper and rolls wrapped in wheat dough. This recipe uses rice paper wrapping, which crisps up well when pan fried.
This dish happens to be vegan, but it's something even non-vegans (like myself) are sure to enjoy. The spring rolls and peanut sauce are filling enough that you won't be missing meat in the meal! This is a great option to work into your rotation if you're looking to do a meatless Monday, or just reduce your meat consumption. It also happens to be gluten-free, just make sure you use a gluten-free soy sauce if you're preparing this for someone who is highly sensitive to gluten.
I spent awhile perfecting this peanut sauce for my Spicy Peanut Noodles recipe, so I'm excited to use it for another dish! This sauce is a little different from other peanut sauces out there, and uses a cornstarch slurry, which helps keep the sauce silky and smooth.
Key Tips - Crispy Veggie Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
Look for this style of rice paper.
- If you haven't cooked with rice paper before, this is a great first recipe to try! The style of rice paper I recommend are large round sheets, you can see what a package typically looks like here.
- Some large American grocery stores will carry rice paper in the Asian foods aisle. You can also find it at most Asian grocery stores. Rice paper is a shelf-stable item, so if you can't find it locally, you can purchase it from an online retailer (here's an option from Amazon).
Substitute other veggies in the filling as desired.
- This recipe calls for 2 cups of coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage and carrots) and 2 cups of broccoli slaw mix (julienne broccoli stems and carrots). These are my favorite fillings to use, but you can substitute with 4 cups of any crunchy veggies you like. The precut mixes make this recipe a lot less work, but you can save some money by cutting the veggies yourself!
- If desired, you could use 4 cups of coleslaw mix, or 4 cups of broccoli slaw mix.
- Some other options to consider are carrots, lettuce, bean sprouts, or your favorite crunchy veggies!
Make a double batch!
- If desired, this recipe can easily be doubled. Just make sure you fry the spring rolls in more batches. If you overcrowd the pan, you risk the spring rolls sticking together.
- You also may need to cook the filling in two batches, since just one batch will fill a normal large skillet.
Make sure you roll the spring rolls into nice tight cylinders
- As you roll the spring roll, it can be easy to accidentally make a wide, rectangular shaped roll. This shape will not hold up as well when pan fried, so try to shape it into a tight cylinder. See the included video on how to roll the spring rolls.
Control the spice level by adding more or less sriracha.
- Adjust the sriracha quantity in the dipping sauce to fit your desired spice level. I use around ½ tablespoon of sriracha for a mild heat. If you're a spice lover, consider using 1-2 tablespoon of sriracha, just taste the sauce and add more until it's perfect.
Check out my guide on freezing fresh garlic to save some time in the kitchen.
- If you're looking for the convenience of pre-minced garlic, but the flavor of fresh garlic, freezing your own minced garlic is a great option! You'll be surprised to find that the flavor of frozen garlic is nearly as good as fresh, without the sticky prep and clean-up. Read more about it here: How to Freeze Garlic.
Variations - Crispy Veggie Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
Don't pan fry the spring rolls.
- If desired, you can skip the pan frying step and enjoy these spring rolls right after rolling. They'll be a little lower calorie, and you'll still get a nice crunch from the veggies!
Dietary Restrictions - Crispy Veggie Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
This dish is naturally Vegan & Vegetarian.
This dish is naturally Dairy-Free.
This dish is naturally Gluten-Free:
- Just make sure you're using gluten-free soy sauce, such as tamari.
A Note On Serving Sizes
Serving sizes are a very personal thing, making it very difficult for me to select a serving size that suits everyone. For this recipe, I've listed a "serving" as one roll + 1/10th of the sauce, which should be ~100 calories, though you will likely have leftover sauce, so the true total is less than this. About ½ the batch (5 rolls) is perfect for a meal-sized portion. 2-3 rolls is perfect for an appetizer portion.
Crispy Veggie Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 10 rice paper sheets 22 cm, round
- 1 large shallot or sub a small onion
- 2 cups coleslaw mix (shredded cabbage & carrots) or sub similar crunchy veggies
- 2 cups broccoli slaw mix (julienne broccoli stems & carrots) or sub similar crunchy veggies
- ½ tablespoon freshly minced garlic
- 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- neutral oil canola oil, veggie oil, etc
For Sauce:
- 2 tablespoon peanut butter
- 1 ½ tablespoon soy sauce
- ½ tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 tablespoon packed light brown sugar optional
- ½ tablespoon Sriracha add more to taste
- ½ tablespoon lime juice
- 1 teaspoon freshly minced garlic
- ½ teaspoon grated ginger or sub ¼ teaspoon powdered ginger
- ½ tablespoon corn starch
Instructions
- Peel the shallot and thinly slice it across the short end, creating rings. Separate the rings with your hands.
- Warm 1 tablespoon of oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Once hot, add the shallots and cook, stirring frequently, for two minutes. Add the garlic, coleslaw mix, and broccoli slaw mix and cook, stirring frequently, for another minute, then add the soy sauce and cook for one more minute. Remove mixture from heat and transfer to a plate or bowl to cool. (You can jump ahead and prep the sauce for step 4 as the mixture cools, but don’t start the heat)
- Once the mixture has cooled, make each spring roll one at a time. Prepare a wide bowl of water, large enough to dip the rice paper. Briefly dip the rice paper, turning it so every part touches the water. Place the rice paper on a clean, smooth surface and fill with ¼ cup of filling. Roll the spring roll as shown in the included video. [The rice paper softens more overtime. If it feels rigid, wait a minute and try again. Try to make the rolls as tight and cylindrical as possible, wide/flat rolls don’t fry as nicely.]
- Once the rolls are prepped, prepare the sauce. Combine the cornstarch with ¼ cup warm water and mix until dissolved. Combine this and all the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and place over low heat as you pan fry the spring rolls, mixing occasionally. If needed, add a splash of water to the sauce to maintain a silky consistency as it simmers.
- Warm 2 tablespoon of oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Once hot, add 5 spring rolls (make sure they don’t touch, they will stick together). Pan fry the rolls, turning occasionally, until the outside is crispy, about 3 minutes. Remove to a paper-towel-lined plate and repeat with the next 5 rolls, adding a little more oil if needed.
- Serve immediately with peanut sauce on the side.
Video
Nutrition
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If you like this recipe, you might also like my Spicy Peanut Noodles, Garlic Eggplant & Crispy Tofu, or Creamy White Bean Soup!
Send me pictures of your creations -- it'll make my day! Message @CraftyCookbook on Instagram, email me ([email protected]), or tag me in a post! Please note, tagged posts are only visible to me if your account is public. Did you make any interesting changes or substitutions for this recipe? Tell me about them in the comment section below!
Catelyn says
SO GOOD. It took me a few batches to really get the rolling part down well but wow these are so good. I'm trying to get my bf to eat more veg meals and this is one that he actually enjoys! That peanut sauce is so good, I'm going to have to try your peanut noodles sometime soon!!
Eric W says
Seriously love these, thanks!