Fresh Rainbow Rolls with Almond Shallot Sauce
Eat the rainbow with these Vietnamese 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.
Servings: 12 rolls
Calories: 213kcal
Ingredients
- 1-2 cucumber or carrots, julienned
- 1 sliced avocado
- 1 cup of thinly sliced red (or green) cabbage
- 1 cup of fresh mint leaves
- 1 cup of fresh cilantro leaves
- 1 cup of fresh basil leaves
- 1 package of 'spring roll skin wrappers'
Almond Dipping Sauce
- ½ cup of almond butter (or roasted almonds)
- 1 tablespoon of sugar or agave syrup
- 1 tablespoon of fresh chopped shallot or onion
- ½ teaspoon of salt, or to taste
- ½ teaspoon (or more) of fresh thai chili (optional)
- ¾ cup of warm water
- 1 tablespoon of rice or white vinegar
- 1 tablespoon of coconut aminos, tamari, or soy sauce
Instructions
- Thinly slice all veggies into strips and place them in separate clusters on a large plate. Remove herbs from stems and add whole leaves to the plate as well.
- Boil water and fill a very wide bowl or pie plate about halfway full, let sit for a few minutes to cool ever so slightly. Two at a time, soften spring roll sheets by dipping them into the hot water and using your fingers to move them around. Depending on the hotness of the water, it will take about 2-10 seconds for them to soften. They should be pliable but not mushy and falling apart, think al dente pasta, as they will continue to soften even out of the water. Layer two softened spring roll sheets on top of one another on a cutting board (wood works well here) and fill the bottom third with a bit of each veggie and herb, do not overstuff! Less is more here. Roll up like you would a mini burrito, tucking in sides and rolling up tightly. It will conveniently stick to itself, making this very easy. Cut in half and place on serving plate.
- In a blender combine all ingredients for almond dipping sauce and process for 10-20 seconds until very creamy. Transfer to a small bowl and top with chopped scallions or additional chopped chili pepper, if desired.
Notes
- 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.
Nutrition
Calories: 213kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 3mg | Sodium: 317mg | Potassium: 260mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 405IU | Vitamin C: 7mg | Calcium: 75mg | Iron: 2mg
