I love spring rolls—especially the ones loaded with crisp vegetables and dipped in a creamy peanut sauce. These rainbow spring rolls work well as an appetizer, snack, lunch, or light dinner. They’re fresh, colorful, and surprisingly simple to make at home. Once you learn how to roll rice paper, you’ll be making them again and again.
I used to order them from restaurants until I realized how easy they are to assemble. With a little practice you’ll be rolling perfect spring rolls in minutes.
Fillings can vary—load them with as many vegetables as you like and add a protein if you want. In this recipe I used tofu, but tempeh, cooked chicken, or no protein at all are all great options. The key is fresh, thinly sliced vegetables and a flavorful dipping sauce.
Let’s get started!
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Rainbow Spring Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce
- Author: Jess
- Prep Time: 45 mins
- Cook Time: 0 mins
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 10
- Category: Main/Appetizer
- Method: No-cook assembly / Cook tofu
- Cuisine: Asian
Description
Fresh, colorful spring rolls filled with crunchy vegetables and marinated tofu, served alongside a creamy, slightly sweet peanut dipping sauce. Light, satisfying, and easy to customize.
Ingredients
- Peanut Sauce:
- 2 tbsp peanut butter
- 1 tbsp water (to thin the sauce as needed)
- 1 tbsp hoisin sauce
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tsp chili flakes (optional)
- Tofu:
- 1 package firm or extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed
- 2 tbsp avocado oil (or other neutral oil) for frying
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp honey (or maple syrup for vegan)
- Rice paper wrappers and fillings:
- 1/2 cup purple cabbage, shredded
- 1/2 cup shredded carrots
- 1/2 cup sliced red bell pepper
- 1/2 cup spinach leaves
- 1/2 cup chopped green onion
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro
Instructions
- Make the peanut sauce: whisk together peanut butter, water, hoisin, sesame oil, and chili flakes until smooth. Adjust thickness with more water if needed and set aside.
- Prepare the tofu: drain and pat tofu dry, then cut into strips.
- Heat avocado oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add tofu strips and cook until golden on each side.
- While tofu cooks, mix soy sauce, honey (or maple syrup), and sesame oil in a small bowl.
- Toss the cooked tofu in the soy-honey mixture and set aside to cool slightly.
- Assemble the rolls: soak one rice paper wrapper in warm water for 30–60 seconds until pliable. Lay it flat on a large plate.
- Place a small mound of vegetables and a few tofu strips in the center of the wrapper. Don’t overfill.
- Fold the top and bottom edges over the filling, then fold the near edge over and tuck tightly. Fold in the sides and continue rolling to seal.
- Repeat with remaining wrappers and ingredients. Serve whole or cut in half with the peanut dipping sauce.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 roll
- Calories: 55
- Sugar: 3g
- Fat: 3g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Carbohydrates: 5g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g