Vegan spring rolls with tempeh and spicy dipping sauce

I love making spring rolls because they look freaking amazing. I usually fill them with shrimp or even fried chicken, but spring rolls are so versatile that even vegan spring rolls can be delicious.

For this version of spring rolls, I used marinated and seared tempeh, which has a really nice texture in a spring roll and gives the spring rolls nice body to help them stand up to the dipping sauce!

Preparing the tempeh for spring rolls

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again… I’m not sure why tofu is more popular than tempeh. Tempeh is easier to prepare and much tastier in my opinion.

It’s a little more expensive, but works a lot better than tofu in dishes like this.

Like tofu, however, it can be a bit bland if you just cook it as is, so I marinated my tempeh in a soy sauce and sriracha mixture for a few minutes.

That gives a lot of taste!

Once your tempeh has marinated, heat a small amount of oil in a medium skillet over medium-high heat.

Add the tempeh blocks and cook for 4-5 minutes per side.

Then just slice it pretty thin and you’re ready to go!

Which vegetables go well with spring rolls?

In my opinion, the key to any good spring roll is having lots of good, crunchy veggies to add.

For this version, I grated a carrot, thinly sliced ​​some cucumbers, and used some bean sprouts and pea sprouts. These were a good mix, but don’t feel obligated to use them all. You can use almost any fresh and crunchy vegetable for these guys.

Some other ideas for good vegetables for spring rolls are:

• Shredded cabbage, either kale or bok choy
• butter salad
• Fresh herbs like coriander, mint or Thai basil
• Thinly sliced ​​peppers

Not exactly a vegetable, but if you want to make the spring rolls even more hearty, you can add vermicelli to the filling.

Roll the vegan spring rolls

You should be able to find rice paper wrappers in your supermarket these days. They are usually located in the Asian section on a lower shelf. Obviously every Asian market will have them too.

Rice paper wrappers are gluten free. So if you don’t add anything gluten-free to these spring rolls, they’re gluten-free and vegan. (Although tempeh is gluten-free, always check the product packaging to be sure).

These spring rolls might look intimidating, but they’re actually pretty easy to use.

Pour some warm water into a large bowl or plate that can hold the wrapper. Then work one sleeve at a time, submerging it in the water until it’s flexible. I usually let mine sit for a few seconds per side.

Leaving the wrapper in the water for too long will make it too damp to use.

Once the wrap is flexible, move it to a clean surface and cover like crazy. You can really feed these guys quite a bit.

Then fold the ends over the middle and start rolling the wrap.

When rolling the wrap, pull the wrap slightly so it stays really nice and taut while wrapping. It’s surprising how sturdy these flimsy little papers actually are. They are stronger than you think so you can pull on them and make sure the reels are very tight.

Most importantly, don’t freak out if you screw one up. That happens to the best of us!

When you’re done with the buns, cut them in half and serve with the dipping sauce.

It doesn’t get much easier and more colorful!

I serve these tempeh spring rolls as an appetizer, and then something more substantial like my black pepper tofu for an entree.

Can you make spring rolls in advance?

These vegan spring rolls keep really well, so you can make them a day or two in advance. Be careful as fresh spring rolls can stick together. I recommend rolling the spring rolls, then placing a paper towel between each spring roll to prevent sticking.

Store the spring rolls in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days and they’re great for a quick lunch!

My vegan spring rolls with tempeh

Here are a few other great tempeh recipes to try!