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Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls

Light and refreshing, these healthy and delicious Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or light meal.

Light and refreshing, these healthy and delicious Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or light meal.

Looking for a delicious and light summertime meal? These Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls are perfect! They’re easy to make, healthy, and full of flavor.

Summer rolls, or Vietnamese summer rolls, are perfect for any occasion – from casual get-togethers with friends to elegant dinner parties. The combination of fresh, flavourful ingredients and tasty dipping sauces is sure to please everyone.

Fresh spring rolls are a Vietnamese dish traditionally consisting of pork, prawn, vegetables, rice vermicelli, and other ingredients all rolled up in rice wrappers.

They’re vegan and gluten-free, and can easily be made in advance.

Plus, Vietnamese spring rolls are so versatile that you can customize it to your taste. So what are you waiting for? Try this summer roll recipe today!

Light and refreshing, these healthy and delicious Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or light meal.
Light and refreshing, these healthy and delicious Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or light meal.

How to Buy Rice Paper Wrappers

Rice paper wrappers are a staple in many Asian cuisines, and can be used for both sweet and savoury dishes. They’re relatively easy to use, but there are a few things you should keep in mind when purchasing and using them.

When buying rice paper wrappers, make sure to get ones that are made from rice flour. Some brands will add tapioca to the wrappers, which can make them gummier and harder to work with. The Red Rose brand is my usual go-to, but three ladies brand is great too.

If you’re having trouble finding rice paper wrappers in the international section at your local grocery store, you can order them online or check out local Asian grocery stores.

The medium sized wrappers are easier to work with than wrappers that are smaller or larger.

Once the package has been opened, place any remaining rice paper into a resealable plastic bag and store in your pantry.

Light and refreshing, these healthy and delicious Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or light meal.

Tips for Making the BEST Summer Rolls

  • Make sure you are using medium sized rice paper, otherwise it will be challenging to roll them up unless you really skimp on the fillings.
  • Chop your veggies as thin as possible.
  • Be sure to have all your ingredients ready and organized before you get going.
  • Flavour your tofu for best results, tofu alone can be quite bland.
  • Do not soak your rice paper for long. Just dip it in warm water for a few seconds. If soaked too long it will soften too much and become sticky, making it hard to work with.
  • Work with one rice paper at a time.
  • Be careful not to over-stuff the rolls.
  • Serve immediately after preparing.
  • If making ahead, cover with a damp towel to help preserve the texture of the rice wrappers.
Light and refreshing, these healthy and delicious Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or light meal.

Summer Roll Filling Ideas

If you want to mix things up, here are some more ideas for summer rolls fillings! Try these fresh ingredients in your homemade summer rolls:

  • Rice Noodles
  • Vermicelli noodles
  • Leafy greens like butter lettuce
  • Bean sprouts
  • Microgreens
  • Red Cabbage
  • Avocado
  • Sweet Bell Peppers
  • Jalapeno
  • Watermelon radish
  • Jicama
  • Cilantro
  • Mint

What to Serve with Summer Rolls

Aside from the bright fresh flavours inside the rolls, I think the best part of the summer roll experience are the amazing dipping sauces.

I like to serve them with Vietnamese dipping sauce (Nuoc Cham) or a homemade spicy peanut sauce. Chili garlic sauce it another good option.

Vietnamese dipping sauce is a flavourful sauce made of equal parts fish sauce, fresh lemon juice or lime juice, and sugar along with minced chili and garlic.

These dipping sauces can be made homemade, or purchased in the international section of most grocery stores.

No matter how you serve them, summer rolls are always a hit!

Light and refreshing, these healthy and delicious Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or light meal.

How to Store Thai Summer Rolls

It is best to make and immediately consume the summer rolls, this is when they are at their best!

If you need to make the summer rolls ahead of time, the best thing you can do is dampen a clean kitchen towel with cold water and lay it over the freshly made summer rolls. They should not be left at room temperature for more than 2 hours because of the tofu.

If you have leftover summer rolls, the best way to store them is in the fridge. Cover them with a damp paper towel and place them in an airtight container that is roomy enough to store them all without touching, or wrap each one tightly in plastic wrap. They will last for up to 3 days in the fridge, however the fridge is very drying and the texture will not be as good as fresh.

Light and refreshing, these healthy and delicious Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or light meal.

About the Ingredients for Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls

These fresh Vietnamese spring roll filling ingredients are flexible, adjust to suit your tastes!

Rice sheets – You will need round rice paper wraps, look for the medium sized ones or ones that are marked as 22 cm (8.6 inches) diameter.

Protein – If you aren’t into tofu and not specifically looking for vegan summer rolls, you can substitute with cooked shrimp halves or thin strips of pork loin or chicken. If going with tofu you could use smoked tofu or marinate and cook your tofu.

Vegetables – I used a mixture of Zucchini, carrots, cucumber, asparagus, and baby spinach but you can get really creative with your fillings! Crunchy vegetables offer loads of satisfying texture.

Thai Basil – Thai basil has a grassy flavour with a spicy, almost anise-like quality. It can be hard to find in North American grocery stores, so if necessary you can substitute with a mixture of sweet basil and mint leaves. Using fresh herbs in your homemade rolls is a must.

Light and refreshing, these healthy and delicious Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or light meal.

Looking for More Summer Appetizers?

This Caramelized Onion Tart recipe is the perfect appetizer! It’s easy to make and features an onion and feta filling that is sure to please.

Watermelon Salsa with Cinnamon Tortilla Chips is a refreshing summer dessert or appetizer, perfect for serving at backyard parties. Packed with juicy watermelon, this salsa is a quick and easy summer appetizer the whole family will love!

Smoky Spanish tomato dip, or salsa brava, is the perfect appetizer for your next party! Bravas sauce is full of flavour and easy to make!

Light and refreshing, these healthy and delicious Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or light meal.

How to Make Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls

Yields: 4 Servings | Prep time: 30 minutes |Cook time: 0 minutes

Ingredients:

  • 8 rice paper sheets
  • 8 ounces tofu, sliced into 1” strips
  • 1 medium zucchini, shaved
  • 1 cup carrots, shredded
  • 1 cup English cucumber, julienned
  • 16 pieces asparagus, cut in half
  • 1 cup Thai basil leaves
  • 1 cup baby spinach

Optional, to serve: Peanut satay sauce, Vietnamese dipping sauce, Chili garlic sauce

Directions:

Mise En Place all of the fillings so that you can work quickly.

Assembling the summer rolls.

Place about 1” of hot water in a shallow bowl. Dip a rice paper sheet into the bowl for about 2-5 seconds until soft. Gently remove and place on a greased cutting board.

Fill the roll from the bottom third with the tofu, zucchini, carrot, cucumber, asparagus, Thai basil, and spinach.

Light and refreshing, these healthy and delicious Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or light meal.

Roll up the bottom edge while folding in the sides. Place on a serving platter (either whole or cut in half) and repeat with the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately with your choice of dipping sauce.

Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls
Yield: 4 Servings

Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls

Prep Time: 30 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes

Light and refreshing, these healthy and delicious Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or light meal.

Ingredients

  • 8 rice paper sheets
  • 8 ounces tofu, sliced into 1” strips
  • 1 medium zucchini, shaved
  • 1 cup carrots, shredded
  • 1 cup English cucumber, julienned
  • 16 pieces asparagus, cut in half
  • 1 cup Thai basil leaves
  • 1 cup baby spinach

Optional, to serve:

  • Peanut satay sauce
  • Vietnamese dipping sauce
  • Chili garlic sauce

Instructions

  1. Mise En Place all of the fillings so that you can work quickly.
  2. Place about 1” of hot water in a shallow bowl. Dip a rice paper sheet into the bowl for about 2-5 seconds until soft. Gently remove and place on a greased cutting board.
  3. Fill the roll from the bottom third with the tofu, zucchini, carrot, cucumber, asparagus, Thai basil, and spinach.
  4. Roll up the bottom edge while folding in the sides. Place on a serving platter (either whole or cut in half) and repeat with the remaining ingredients. Serve immediately with your choice of dipping sauce.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

4

Serving Size:

2 Rolls

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 213Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 1mgSodium: 270mgCarbohydrates: 33gFiber: 5gSugar: 6gProtein: 11g

This information is provided as a courtesy and for entertainment purposes only. This information comes from online calculators. Although frugalmomeh.com attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures are only estimates.

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Light and refreshing, these healthy and delicious Thai Basil Zucchini Summer Rolls make the perfect appetizer, snack, or light meal.

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