Zucchini Basil Spring Rolls

· by · in Recipes. ·

Since we’ve been back to the States I have been seriously missing all the amazing food we ate on vacation. In the three weeks we’ve been back, I’ve ordered Thai food from our favorite neighborhood spot at least three times. Between ordering Asian food, I’ve decided I need to try my hand at making a few things so I stop making a run to Land every few days. I decided the easiest place to start would be the spring roll. It requires no cooking, about 10 minutes, and can be made with whatever’s laying around the fridge. Sounds pretty perfect, right?

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I was inspired after I found myself in the “specialty” section of the local grocer when I was looking for coconut milk. (Really? Coconut milk is a specialty item?) I stumbled across rice paper wrappers and I knew I had to try my  hand at spring rolls. I had zucchini, yellow squash, basil and pea shoots – all of which I thought would go perfectly together for a fresh and healthy lunch.

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One of my favorite things about summer is the farmer’s market where we can get super fresh and super tasty vegetables. There’s something about farmer’s market veggies that have so much flavor. Why bother with turning on the stove and doing anything with them?

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I started by using a vegetable peeler on the zucchini and squash to make them as thin as I could get them. It makes the rolling process much easier, and even leaves the veggies with a little crunch which really helps make the rolls. With some spinach and pea shoots to add to the texture and some basil leaves for even more flavor, these spring rolls were surprisingly delicious and super easy to make.

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The hardest part was just making sure the rice paper stayed together – it’s a delicate dance. Getting the wrapper wet enough to be pliable but not stretching it too far that the pea shoots start to poke through. As long as you take your time and roll it like a burrito, you should be good. A little practice and a bit of trial and error (two out of my five were torn) and it will eventually come together. The key I found is to not pack them quite as full as you’d like.

raw-spring-rolls vegan-spring-rolls-To serve them I whipped up a simple dipping sauce from toasted sesame oil, soy sauce, garlic powder, minced onion and chili powder. It added a bit of kick and more depth to the rolls.

raw-spring-rolls-13They were, of course, great to eat immediately, but also managed to hold together well enough to be packed for lunch again the next day. I’ve got quite a few wrappers left, so I definitely see more spring rolls in my future. They’re so easy and delicious how could I not want to make them all the time?

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Zucchini Basil Spring Rolls

  • Servings: 5 Spring Rolls
  • Difficulty: super easy
  • Print

What You’ll Need: 

  • 1 cup thinly sliced yellow squash
  • 1 cup thinly sliced zucchini
  • 1/2 cup fresh basil
  • 1 cup spinach
  • 1 cup pea shoots
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
  • 1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon sesame oil
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon chili powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon minced onion

What You’ll Do:

 

  1. Starting with one roll at a time, wet the wrapper so it is pliable but not too sticky.
  2. Place the squash and zucchini in the first quarter of the wrapper, top with spinach, basil, and pea shoots.
  3. Fold the side closest to you over and start rolling until the middle of the wrapper.
  4. Fold in the sides, like a burrito, and continue to roll the rest of the way and use a bit of water on your finger to seal the end.
  5. Repeat with the remainder of the vegetables, it should make 5 rolls in total.
  6. Whisk the sesame oil, soy sauce, and spices together. Slice the spring rolls and dip in sauce. Enjoy!

 

 

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141 responses to “Zucchini Basil Spring Rolls”

  7. Looks really good! Nice work, I would love to have these packed for lunch. I think I’m going to give it a try. Thanks for the inspiration!

  14. We just had spring rolls for dinner a couple of nights ago. They’re great because they’re so versatile and they’re an easy way to add some nice fresh veggies to the day. I’m just waiting for my thai basil plants to grow big enough to come in handy for spring roll nights.

  16. Love your post and pics! Coming from South East Asia, spring rolls are something I have taken for granted. Your post has renewed my appreciation for this common food item in my part of the world. Thanks for this recipe – really handy now that I am trying to eat fresh and whole 🙂

    • Awww thank you so much! Spring rolls were definitely a big part of our meals when we were traveling. I’m so glad I was able to make them at home! Let me know how they turn out for you! 🙂

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  28. Sounds delish! I can’t use rice paper because of an allergy, but I’ll try this with nori sheets! Can’t wait! Thank you for sharing. 🙂

  37. Fab I tried this one with a different filling as my son is wheat allergic….the rolling is so tricky and delicate….but your recipe seems sumptuous …..definitely going to try this out

  45. Healthy food is always a concern with me. I love vegetables and we have many kinds of them in Viet Nam. Eating vegetables rolling in a rice paper is our traditional dish although we usually add boiled meat to balance the taste. I love the photos above, it’s fresh and encouraging people to keep themselves healthy.

    • Thank you! Yes, we encountered a lot of spring rolls with meat as well, but we don’t eat meat so stuck with the vegetarian versions we could find. You’re right – it’s a great way to get extra veggies in. 🙂

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