How to Make Summer Rolls, the Healthier, Fresher Spring Roll You Can Eat Year-Round

Spring rolls are a favorite on Chinese menus for many Americans. They’re crispy, often packed with vegetables, and pair well with different dips and sauces. But if you’re in the mood for something lighter, summer rolls (the Vietnamese cousin of spring rolls) should be on your radar. They’re fresh, versatile, and often incredibly nutritious—especially when packed with crunchy vegetables and tofu. Find five ways to make delicious vegan summer rolls below. We promise they’re set to become your new lunchtime favorite, all year round.

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What is the difference between summer rolls and spring rolls?

Summer rolls likely emerged in Vietnam as a fresh alternative to Chinese spring rolls, which are also popular in the country. Unlike spring rolls, which are fried and usually wrapped in wheat-based pastry, summer rolls are made with uncooked rice paper. This is wrapped around raw or cooked ingredients like fresh herbs, fruits, vegetables, and tofu (and sometimes meats or seafood). Like spring rolls, they are often served with a dipping sauce, usually peanut, but the fresh dish complements a wide variety of sauces. Sometimes, summer rolls are referred to as rice paper rolls, Vietnamese spring rolls, or fresh spring rolls.

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Summer rolls have become a global favorite, popularized by Vietnamese restaurants all over the world. Research suggests that there are now nearly 8,000 Vietnamese eateries in the US, and alongside classics like pho and bánh mì, many will have summer rolls on the menu. But you don’t need to eat out to enjoy all the fresh goodness of a Vietnamese summer roll. With just a few ingredients, they’re easy to make from scratch. Find out how to whip them up for yourself by following the recipes below.

Vegan summer roll recipes

Whip up fresh, tasty summer rolls for yourself by following the recipes below.

Veggie Anh

1Summer Rolls With Tofu, Mango, and Avocado

In this tasty summer roll recipe, Vietnamese content creator Anh Tran packs rice paper with fresh, nutrient-dense ingredients, like lightly fried tofu, rice noodles, creamy avocado, and juicy mango. The rolls are then served with a homemade crunchy peanut butter dipping sauce. They’re delicious as a lunchtime treat or a quick dinner, but Tran recommends making and serving them at your next gathering, too. “You talk and spend time with other people while making them together,” she writes. “I like to invite friends over and divide tasks for each person and roll them together while chatting.”
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Lazy Cat Kitchen

2Summer Rolls With Hoisin Tofu

For a tasty fusion dish, this recipe from Lazy Cat Kitchen combines Vietnamese summer rolls with tofu marinated in Chinese hoisin sauce. Other ingredients include vermicelli rice noodles, finely sliced spring onions, and shredded red cabbage for that signature crunchy texture. “These vegan summer rolls are still fresh and pleasantly crunchy, yet filling at the same time,” writes recipe developer Ania Marcinowska. “They make an awesome work or school lunch and perfect picnic food, too.”
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Zucker & Jagdwurst

3Summer Rolls With 2 Dips

Why serve your summer rolls with one dip, when you could make two? These tasty summer rolls from Zucker & Jagdwurst are packed with glass noodles, vegetables, and fruits (think mango, bell pepper, avocado, and leafy greens), and tofu for some added bite. For even more flavor, these rolls are served alongside classic peanut dip and soy and lime, too. According to recipe creator Julia Jagdwurst, the best part about these summer rolls is how customizable they are. “You can throw in almost every vegetable you can find in your kitchen,” she writes. “My favorite combination is carrots, cucumbers, avocado, fried tofu, and sprouts, but feel free to use whatever you can find in your fridge.”
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Minimalist Baker

4 Vietnamese Spring Rolls With Crispy Tofu

If you love the freshness of summer rolls but miss that crispy texture of a Chinese spring roll, then this recipe from Minimalist Baker has the perfect solution: summer rolls packed with crispy tofu. The blog notes that the “tender, slightly crispy, perfectly seasoned tofu [is] way better than raw without being too complicated.” This recipe also swaps the classic peanut dipping sauce for a creamy almond butter version.
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Hot for Food

5Summer Rolls With Green Curry Dipping Sauce

Can’t decide between summer rolls or curry? Have both. This fusion recipe from Lauren Toyota of Hot for Food will walk you through how to make fresh, crunchy rolls with a homemade, Thai-style green curry sauce on the side. “Just wait until you get that creamy green curry dipping sauce in your mouth,” says Toyota. “It’s fantastic.”
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