Thai Fresh Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

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These Thai Fresh Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce are little packages that burst with flavor! Packed with mint, Thai basil and cilantro along with noodles, cucumbers, carrots and avocado. Served with a sweet and salty peanut dipping sauce that brings all the flavors home. They are quick and easy (the only cooking is boiling the noodles!), plus they are gluten free, dairy free and vegan. Not only all of that, but they are gorgeously instagrammable!

Ingredients

Fresh rolls can be made with a variety of ingredients, but no matter the variety, the big flavor comes from the herbs. These particular fresh rolls are vegetarian, vegan actually. There is no shrimp or chicken like some, but instead there is avocado, cucumber and carrots, as well as fresh mint, fresh cilantro and fresh Thai basil. The herbs are so powerful, you wouldn't even notice the meat if it was there, so there really is no point!

• Rice Spring Roll Wrappers
• Vermicelli Rice noodles- these super thin noodles take only 3 minutes to boil!
• English Cucumber
• Baby Carrots
• Avocado
• Fresh Mint
• Fresh Thai Basil
• Fresh Cilantro

Then, there's the sauce...creamy, sweet and salty. I know there are a million different ways to make peanut sauce, but if you are looking for the perfect peanut dipping sauce for spring rolls, this is it! This recipe is the perfect amount of sweet, salty, creamy and a teeny bit of spice. To my palate (and I hope yours too!), it is the perfect peanut sauce recipe.

• Peanut Butter
• Sweet Thai Chili Sauce
• Coconut Milk
• Hoisin Sauce (If you are eating gluten free and/or vegan, make sure your hoisin sauce is both, otherwise you can substitute 1 Tablespoon of Coconut Aminos and 1 teaspoon brown sugar)
• Lime Juice
• Rice Wine Vinegar

How to Make the Peanut Dipping Sauce

Make this peanut sauce first. Because when the rolls are ready, you are going to want to dive in, plus this will give the flavors in the sauce time to meld. There is so much flavor in the herbs in the fresh rolls, that we keep the peanut sauce fairly simple so that it complements and not overpowers the rolls.

Get a mixing bowl and a whisk out.

Add the peanut butter, sweet chili sauce, hoisin Sauce, coconut milk, rice vinegar and lime juice (ALL of the ingredients). Whisk it all together until it is nice and smooth. That's all there is to it!

Set it aside while you prepare the rolls.

Not only is this the perfect peanut dipping sauce for spring rolls, but it would also be delicious on these Ground Chicken Lettuce Wraps, or use in place of the honey mustard in this Veggie Wraps recipe.

How to Make Fresh Rolls

These are really so easy to make! All it takes is a little organization with the ingredients and a clean workspace!

First, make sure all of your veggies and herbs are prepped. Wash and cut them according to the directions. Lay them all out on a clean surface with lots of room to work.

Next, boil the rice noodles. These only take 3 minutes to boil, so they go fast! When the timer goes off, drain them and rinse them in cold water to stop the cooking. Place them in a bowl with a little cold water and use your fingers to separate the noodles. This keeps them from sticking together as you work.

Now, get a fairly large bowl, like a mixing bowl and fill it with warm water. You will use this to dip your spring roll wrappers in. OK, you should be all ready to go!

Filling the rolls is not an exact science. You could just throw a bit of all the ingredients in, roll it up and call it good! But, the fun part about rice wrappers is that they are transparent so you can see what's inside! So, if you want to make yours like I did here, with the Thai Basil leaf on the outside, here's how...

Dip one of the spring roll wrappers in the warm water and hold it, submerged for about 8-10 seconds. It might feel a teeny bit stiff still when you pull it from the water, but don't worry, it will continue to soften as you fill it.

What you don't want is to soak it too long because then it becomes really hard to handle. It will rip easily and becomes a gummy mess. So, a little al dente is good.

Place your soaked wrapper on a clean surface (counter or cutting board). To fill it, start by taking one larger Thai basil leaf and place it face down on the wrapper. This way when it is rolled, you will see the front of the leaf through the wrapper.

Next, place a small amount of noodles on top. Basically you want enough to cover the leaf, but not be an overly thick mound. Once you do the first one, you will get a feel for how much to use. Place them in the middle with about 2 inches on either side of the noodle pile.

Then, sprinkle on some cilantro and mint. Like I said, the herbs are where a lot of the flavor comes from, so don't be shy! Sprinkle on about a Tablespoon of each of the cilantro and mint.

Next, take a couple of the cucumber sticks, and carrot sticks and lay them down so they cover the length of the Thai basil leaf (about 3 inches).

Top it all with an avocado slice. Now we are ready to roll!

If you have ever rolled a burrito, it is the same general concept. I like to take the two sides and fold them up towards each other and over the filling, so that they overlap. They will stick together and create what I think is a more secure roll.

Then, take the side closest to you and, use your fingers to hold the filling in place and your thumbs to lift the side closest to you, and over the top of the filling. Use your fingers to hold the filling in place as you roll, so it stays nice and tight.

But be gentle too, these are fairly delicate little rolls! 🙂

Roll it completely up, and if the end is going to cover up your pretty leaf, just fold it under before you roll it completely. Don't worry, it will still stick securely. These rice wrappers are sticky!

That is it!!! You are ready to serve with the delicious peanut dipping sauce! If you are not ready to serve these right away, just wet a couple of paper towels and squeeze out the excess water, then place them over the rolls. This will keep them from drying out, so they are perfect when you are ready to serve!

How to Store Extras

If, and I mean IF there are any leftovers, they are very easy to store! Simply place the extra rolls in a snap lock container. Get a paper towel wet and squeeze out the excess water. Drape it over the rolls and then place a tightly sealed lid on top. Place them in the fridge and this way they will last up to a couple of days! Make sure you save some peanut sauce too!

How to Serve

Honestly, I think this is a perfect summer dinner! A couple of these rolls and a glass of wine, or sparkling water. Deliciously light and refreshing for a hot summer evening!

Of course they are also perfect as an appetizer or healthy after school snack.

Finally, if you are hosting a happy hour type party with hors's oeuvres, serve these rolls alongside these Poke Nachos, or Blistered Shishito Peppers for a truly unique appetizer experience!

I hope you have fun making these Fresh Rolls with Peanut Sauce! I would love to hear from you in the comments way at the bottom! Thank you and thank you for visiting Mollie in Montana~*! ♥️

📖 Recipe