Fresh Rainbow Rolls with Almond Shallot Sauce

Eat the rainbow with these Summer Rolls! They’re filled with fresh, crunchy vegetables, creamy avocado, and an abundance of fresh herbs. Dip them in a homemade almond dipping sauce (no fish sauce!) for an appetizer to remember.

A Restaurant Favorite Made at Home!

If you’ve been to Thai or Vietnamese restaurants, you’ve likely had a variation of these delicious summer rolls (spring rolls) and loved how healthy and refreshing they are! Thankfully for us, it’s not difficult to make your own rolls at home and are almost always more budget-friendly.

You can fill them with virtually any crunchy vegetables you’d like and are also wonderful made with additions like smoked tofu or rice vermicelli noodles. 

They’re amazingly versatile, as colorful as the rainbow, and as nutritious as it gets! Once you give them a try, these summer rolls will become a staple in your weekly meal plans. They’re that good!

The Ingredients

Summer Rolls

• Fresh vegetables: I used cucumbers, carrots, avocado, and red cabbage, but you can use any vegetables of choice. Other popular additions include sliced bell pepper, radishes, bean sprouts, and rice vermicelli noodles. 
• Herbs: A combination of fresh mint, cilantro, and basil leaves are essential in these summer rolls! They really make the flavor and are so fresh and delicious.   
• 8-9″ spring roll wrappers: Also known as rice paper wrappers or rice paper, these wrappers are sold while stiff and dry and need to be soaked in water to soften and become pliable. These wrappers are found in most mainstream stores, but if needed, check your local international grocery stores to find them in stores near you. 

​Almond Dipping Sauce

• Almond butter: Use a creamy, natural almond butter for the best flavor.   
• Sugar: Any sugar of choice will work. I’ve used granulated sugar and agave syrup, but if you prefer a bolder flavor, use maple syrup, brown sugar, or coconut sugar.  
• Shallot: Adds a mild onion-like flavor. If preferred, use a small amount of white, yellow, or sweet onion.  
• Thai chili: Optional, but adds a nice fiery kick to the sauce. Adjust to your personal taste buds.  
• Vinegar: Rice vinegar or white vinegar work best. Lime juice may also work.   
• Soy sauce: I used full-sodium soy sauce. If you are gluten-free, use tamari or coconut aminos. 

Add-ins and Substitutions

• Add protein: To make these summer rolls vegan, add thin strips of raw or baked tofu. 
• Almond butter substitution: Use peanut butter, cashew butter, or tahini as a substitute if you’d like. If you are nut-free, replace the almond butter with sunflower seed butter. 

How to Make Vietnamese Summer Rolls

• 1) Start by prepping the veggies. Thinly slice the cucumbers, carrots, avocado, and red cabbage into strips and thin matchsticks. Place them in separate clusters on a large plate or work surface, then prepare the herbs by removing the stems. 

• 2) Next, boil water and fill a wide, shallow bowl or pie plate about halfway full. Allow the hot water to cool slightly, or until it’s cool enough to dip your fingers into. Then, with two wrappers at a time, dip the wrappers into the warm water to soften, using your fingers to move them around. Depending on the thickness of rice wrappers, it will take between 2-10 seconds for them to soften (check the package instructions for precise timing). 
• 3) Layer the two softened rice paper sheets on top of one another on a wet cutting board (wood works well here!). Fill the bottom third of the wrapper with a bit of each of the fresh veggies and herbs. Roll like you would a mini burrito, tucking in the left and right sides of the rice paper wrapper as you go and wrapping tightly into a small log shape. Cut the summer roll in half and place them seam side down on the serving plate. 

• 4) Repeat this process until all of the veggies are used. I am usually able to make about 12 summer rolls.
• 5) Lastly, prepare the almond dipping sauce. Place all of the ingredients into a high-speed blender and process until smooth and creamy. 

• 6) Transfer the dipping sauce to a small bowl, top with scallions and additional chili pepper, if desired, and enjoy the summer rolls immediately while fresh!

Recipe FAQs

Top Recipe Tips 

• Use the freshest ingredients possible. Unlike my Pureed Vegetable Soup where wilted veggies will work well, you want the filling ingredients in your fresh spring rolls to be as crisp and fresh as possible. 
• Don’t overstuff the wrappers. ​When it comes to making summer rolls, less is more. If the rolls are too full, the rice paper wrappers will rip and be difficult to handle. For best results, keep the fillings minimal!
• Pull the wrappers from the water when pliable. ​The right consistency is similar to al dente pasta. It should be pliable, but not mushy and falling apart. 
• Practice makes perfect! Learning how to wrap summer rolls has a bit of a learning curve (similar to making Tofu Sushi!). Try not to worry about making them perfect and enjoy the process. 
• Cover the summer rolls with a damp towel. As you roll the summer rolls, it can be helpful to cover the rolls with a damp paper towel or tea towel to prevent them from drying out as you work. 

How Long Do Summer Rolls Last in the Fridge?

These summer rolls are best enjoyed fresh as the rice wrappers become chewy and tough as they sit. However, leftover summer rolls can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 1-2 days. To keep the rice paper rolls from sticking to one another and ripping the wrappers, place them in a large container so you can leave space between each roll. 

Leftover almond dipping sauce will keep in the fridge for up to 1 week. 

More Takeout-Inspired Recipes 

• ​Veggie Chow Mein
• Vegan Vegetable Pad Thai
• Garlic Sesame Soba Noodles
• Mandarin Pancakes
• Crunchy Thai Peanut Salad

Photos by Alfonso Revilla