Summer Vegetable Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce
Summer Vegetable Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce are one of our favorite summer appetizers. I love this dish for several reasons. First of all, I love that this is a meatless recipe. We just came back from a vacation, where we didn’t eat nearly enough vegetables. So, we’re trying to make up for that now. Secondly, I like that this whole appetizer can be made in just thirty minutes. And, lastly, I love how versatile these rolls are. You could use virtually any vegetable in these rolls. And, you could easily add cooked shrimp, shredded chicken, or sliced steak. So, these rolls would be a great way to use up some odds and ends in your refrigerator.
The Equipment I Used
- A Pie Dish or other Shallow Pan- I used this to dip my rice paper wrappers into warm water.
- A Cutting Board- This gives you a surface to roll your Summer Rolls on.
The Ingredients Needed for Summer Vegetable Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce
- Rice Paper Wrappers- You can find these in the Asian aisle of your market. And, they last forever in your pantry.
- Vermicelli Rice Noodles- I used the Kame brand. These can also be found in the Asian section.
- Lime Juice- You’ll need about three limes for the lime juice.
- Fish Sauce- This has a strong smell. If you’re unsure if it smells good to you, start with a teaspoon in the sauce.
- Avocados- Your avocado should be ripe, but not mushy.
- Carrots- I used a mixture of orange and purple carrots.
- Mint and Cilantro- These herbs add so much great flavor and color. If you can’t find mint, just use basil.
How I Made my Summer Rolls
- First, I made my dipping sauce. It’s important to make sure your sugar gets fully mixed in and dissolved.
- Next, I cooked the rice noodles and drained them well.
- Then, I rolled everything up in the rice wrappers. I found the diagrams on the bag my rice paper wrappers came in very helpful.
- Finally, I served my rolls with the dipping sauce. I made these a few hours ahead of time, and they kept just fine under plastic wrap in the refrigerator.
If you love summer rolls, you need to try these Summer Vegetable Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce.
Summer Vegetable Rolls with Sweet and Sour Sauce
Ingredients
- 3 ounces vermicelli rice noodles
- 16 rice paper wrappers
- 1½ avocados, halved and thinly sliced
- 6 carrots, peeled and julienned
- 30 mint leaves
For the Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce:
- ¼ cup fresh lime juice
- 1 tbsp. fish sauce
- 2 tbsp. each sugar and water
- 1 clove garlic, grated
- ⅛ tsp. red pepper flakes
- 2 tbsp. minced cilantro
Instructions
- Begin by making the Sweet and Sour Dipping Sauce: Mix together all the ingredients in a small bowl, until the sugar is dissolved.
- Next, cook the rice noodles according to the package directions. Then, drain them and rinse with cold water.
- In a pan filled with a half inch of warm water, dip one of the rice paper wrappers in until it's soft and pliable. Carefully lay it out on a cutting board. Place some of each ingredient about an inch from the bottom of the rice wrapper. Fold the bottom of the rice wrapper up to cover the ingredients. Then, fold the sides in and roll up the rice wrapper into a log.
- Serve with the dipping sauce.
