These Banh Mi Summer Rolls are a vegan twist on the classic Banh Mi Sandwiches. They are light, refreshing and packed full of natural flavour.

My love for handheld food is immense, and these Banh Mi Summer Rolls are no exception. Who can say no to a perfectly fresh salad wrapped in rice paper wrapper?? These summer rolls are perfect for a light healthy lunch or to make in a batch for entertaining.
Perfectly marinated tofu that is slightly crisp on the outside and soft on the inside. Crunchy and salty lightly pickled carrots. Fresh vegetables and herbs.
If you haven't made summer rolls before getting the technique down right is going to take a little bit of practice, but the good news is once you get used to it it is fairly easy.
How to make Banh Mi Summer Rolls:
Your going to want to plan ahead a little bit with this one - the tofu tastes best marinated at least 24 hours before cooking. This gives plenty of time for the tofu to absorb the flavour.
Whisk all the marinade ingredients together and slice the tofu into ½ inch thick pieces. Place the tofu slices in a sealable container and pour in the marinade. Put the marinated tofu in the fridge. I like to check on it a few times and turn the container around to ensure that all pieces of the tofu get covered.
When you are ready to put your summer rolls together, heat a non-stick fry pan to medium heat. Sear each side of the tofu for 4-5 minutes, or until it is slightly crispy.
When the tofu is cooked, remove it from the pan and cut each down down the middle lengthwise then set it aside on a plate to cool and prepare your vegetables for the rolls.
To assemble the summer rolls:
- Find a bowl large enough to fit the width of the rice paper wrappers and fill with warm water.
- Place the rice paper wraps one at a time into the bowl of water and wait for the paper to soften - about 1 minute.
- Lay the freshly softened wrapper on a hard surface. Begin filling the wrapper by laying a handful of spinach just off centre of the rice paper as shown below, then top with the remaining ingredients. I like to add the tofu on top as it helps to hold all the salad parts in while wrapping. Fold in the top and bottom on the wrapper as shown.
- Fold in the short side of the wrapper to close in the first side of the rolls
- While tucking the contents inside to keep them tight continue rolling the roll until the wrapper is firmly closed.
I like to serve these summer rolls by slicing them in half and serving with seasoned rice wine vinegar diluted with water. If you have made our recipe for Gado Gado you will have leftover peanut sauce which would also go great with these rolls.
DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS
This recipe for Banh Mi Summer Rolls is suitable for the following diets:
- vegan and vegetarian
- clean eating and whole thirty
- gluten free, dairy free, and allergy friendly
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Banh Mi Summer Rolls
Ingredients:
- 4 rice paper wrappers
- ¼ cucumber - sliced into matchsticks about 5 inches in length
- ¼ cup pickled carrots
- ¼ bunch cilantro - minced
- 2 cups spinach - shredded
- 4 radish - sliced
- 8 ounces extra firm tofu
- 2 green onion - sliced
Tofu Marinade
- 1 clove garlic - minced
- 1 Tablespoon tamari
- 1 Tablespoon Chinese black vinegar - (or rice wine viegar)
- ½ Tablespoon maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon chili paste
Instructions
- Slice the tofu into ½ inch thick slices.
- Prepare the marinade by mixing garlic, tamari, vinegar, maple syrup and chili paste together.
- Add the marinade to the sliced tofu in a sealable container. Marinate for 24 hours.
- Heat a non stick fry pan to medium high heat. Add the tofu slices, and sear each side 4-5 mins. The tofu should be slightly crisp on the outside when ready to flip.
- When the tofu is cooked, remove it from the pan and cut each slice down the middle length wise to prepare for rolling.
- Working one roll at a time, soften a rice paper wrapper in warm water.
- Spread the wrapper out flat on a hard surface then begin filling with cucumber, pickled carrots, spinach, radish, cilantro, green onions and tofu.
- Fold the wrapper.
- Summer Rolls can be left whole, or cut in half to serve.
- Serve with a dipping sauce. Leftover peanut sauce from our recipe for Gado Gado makes an excellent choice.
Nutrition
* nutritional information is calculated by online tools and may not be 100% accurate.
Sharon Chen says
Amazing recipe. So healthy and delicious!
Courtney says
Thank you! They really are 🙂
Julia says
Well, I wouldn't mind having these for dinner as well! Love the flavors! 🙂
Tara Kuczykowski says
So light, flavorful, and delicious!
Noel Lizotte says
You make it look so easy to put these together! I'm afraid I'd muddle the entire thing and have to eat it "deconstructed"! Thanks for the tips, hopefully I can pull these off.
Courtney says
I have faith in you! Like I said, it could take a couple of tries, but once you've got it, you've got it 🙂
Jessica Formicola says
I love all of the ingredients in these rolls! So good!
Caroline says
The marinade sounds like a tasty way to add some flavor to the tofu and the rolls sound so light with all the veg, as you say.
Alisa Infanti says
Tofu is just something I can't seem to get into. Perhaps because I have not had it prepared right. I have never had it crisped up like this so really feel like this might my thing. It looks so good in this recipe. I am going to give tofu another chance with this recipe!
Courtney says
I wasn't a big fan of it either until I started marinating it and panfrying or baking it. Hope you enjoy it!
Ramona says
These look amazingly appetising, I don’t cook tofu that often although I love it. This is great for sharing too at a party. I have pinned it. Must have it really soon.
Amanda says
I have a recipe so similar on my blog too! Love these vegan rolls! 🙂
Courtney says
Nice! We love them as well, so good!!