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30 Minutes or Less

Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

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summer rolls on a serving platter with peanut dipping sauce and a fresh lime on the side.

These summer rolls are loaded with fresh, crunchy vegetables and served with a savory peanut sauce! In just 20 minutes you’ll have a fun and healthy lunch or snack.

overhead image of peanut dipping sauce on a serving platter with sesame seeds on the side.

What are Summer Rolls?

Summer rolls are a traditional Vietnamese side dish. They’re an assortment of vegetables wrapped in rice paper. Think of them like a sushi roll, but instead of rice and seaweed, you just wrap everything up in a thin sheet of rice paper.

Summer rolls are most commonly served (and best served) with a side of savory peanut dipping sauce. The peanut sauce is honestly my favorite part. I could drink that stuff straight up. Creamy peanut putter, soy sauce, and fresh ginger come together in the most incredible, flavorful way possible! Dipping these summer rolls loaded with crisp, fresh veggies into luscious peanut sauce is nothing short of a dream come true. Guys, you gotta give this recipe a try. They’re vegan, gluten-free, and dairy-free!

summer rolls being dipped into peanut sauce.

What You Need To Make Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Rice Wrappers – You’d be surprised by how easy rice wrappers are to find! I often locate them in the ethnic/asian aisle of my grocery store. And if all else fails, I can always find them at my local asian markets. If you’re not familiar with rice wrappers, they look sort of like a thinner tortilla. When you remove them from their packaging you’ll find that they’re dry and stiff. Though they simply need a bit of water to help rehydrate them for this recipe. Try not to overthink the process, follow the steps in the recipe below to prepare your rice wrappers.

Tofu – Tofu is an incredible source of protein and contains all nine essential amino acids! It also just sort of takes on the taste of whatever else you’re eating it with. In this case, the tofu soaks up the peanut sauce, which is DELICIOUS. Not only is tofu super easy to come by these days, but it’s super cheap too.

Peanut Butter – To me, peanut butter is typically only ever associated with sweet recipes. Though we turn the tables here by adding savory ingredients such as soy sauce and rice vinegar to create this peanut butter-based sauce. I prefer creamy peanut butter for a smoother sauce, though chunky works too. Just please, whatever you do, make sure the peanut butter you use has NO added sugar! Any sugar in the peanut butter would completely throw off the balance of flavors in this delicious sauce.

summer roll sliced in half on a plate, with cucumber, carrots, and tofu inside.

Adjust This Recipe

  • Make it Nut-Free: For a nut-free sauce, replace the peanut butter with tahini.
  • Add Shrimp: Make my shrimp spring rolls recipe instead!
  • The types and amounts of vegetables and herbs are simply suggestions – you can swap or remove anything you like!
summer rolls with peanut dipping sauce on a plate.
5 from 1 vote

Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

These summer rolls are loaded with fresh, crunchy vegetables and served with a savory peanut sauce! In just 20 minutes you’ll have a fun and healthy lunch or snack.
Print Pin Rate
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

  • 12 spring roll rice wrappers
  • 14 ounces extra firm tofu, sliced into about 12 sticks
  • 1 cup julienned carrots
  • 2 cups julienned cucumber
  • 1 cup napa cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 1/4 cup fresh mint, chopped
  • 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
  • 1/4 cup green onion, sliced

For the peanut sauce:

  • 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 tablespoons soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, optional
  • 1 garlic clove, grated
  • 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, grated
  • 2-3 tablespoons warm water

Instructions

  • Fill a shallow bowl with warm water, submerge one sheet of rice wrapper in water for about 5 seconds then transfer to a clean, damp dish towel.
  • Place filling in the center of wrapper and fold the end closest to you over the filling, then tuck sides in and towards the center, finish rolling to create a sealed summer roll. Repeat with remaining rice wrappers.
  • Make the sauce by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking until completely smooth.
  • Serve summer rolls with peanut dipping sauce and enjoy!

Notes

  • Change up the filling ingredients however you’d like, use up whatever leftover fresh veggies you have on-hand!

    • Nutrition

    Calories: 300kcal

    More Healthy Vegan Recipes You’ll Love

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    30 Minutes or Less

    Fresh Avocado Salad (ready in 5 minutes!)

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    overhead image of avocado salad in a bowl with lemon on the side

    This avocado salad is BURSTING with fresh herbs and vegetables! Perfectly ripe avocado, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and tangy red onion tossed in fresh lemon juice and olive oil. This super quick and easy salad recipe comes together in one bowl, and in under 5 minutes!

    super close-up image of avocado salad

    What You’ll Need To Make Avocado Salad

    Avocados – Duh! The main ingredient, the stars of this show, are two perfectly ripe large avocados. How can you tell when an avocado is ripe? Give it a gentle squeeze, and if the skin feels firm but gives a little, then your avocado’s ripe and ready to use in this salad! However, if your avocado feels especially hard and doesn’t give at all when squeezed, then it’s not ripe and should be left at room temperature overnight to ripen.

    Lemon Juice – A squeeze of fresh lemon juice gives this salad a nice touch of acidity and brightness! The lemon juice also helps to preserve the freshness of the vegetables in this dish. Though if you don’t have any lemon juice, a touch of apple cider vinegar will work too.

    Fresh Herbs – Use any kind of fresh herb you’d like! I used fresh basil and OMG it was delicious. But I’ve also made this plant-based meal with fresh cilantro and fresh parsley, both of which were just as tasty.

    Salt – I swear by lightly salting avocado, no matter what dish it’s in. A tiny pinch of salt brings out the rich, creamy, almost buttery taste in avocado. And if you don’t already have some, I highly recommend investing in some flaky sea salt. For this salad recipe, wait until the very end to add the salt. Salt, while enhancing flavor, will also turn the avocado brown. Therefore, to keep your avocado salad looking as bright and fresh as possible, salt the salad right before serving!

    avocado salad in a bowl with serving utensils.

    Tips and Tricks

    • If you’d like to prep this recipe ahead of time, then prep all ingredients except the avocado. Once avocado is removed from its skin and exposed to air, it’ll brown pretty quickly. This browning doesn’t mean the avocado’s gone bad, and won’t at all affect the taste, though it simply won’t look as pretty. Therefore, chop and prep all other herbs and veggies, then toss in the avocado and salt right before serving to keep it looking vibrant and fresh!
    • Enjoy this avocado salad as-is, or add in your favorite plant-based protein for a heartier meal. A can of drained beans, a cup of lentils, or some crispy cubed tofu would all go perfectly in this salad! Though if not vegan, feel free to serve this salad as a side dish to roast chicken, pan-seared salmon, or really any main course.
    • Store leftover avocado salad in an airtight container. Though before securing the lid, press a piece of plastic wrap over the veggies so that it comes into contact with the top of the salad. This’ll help prevent the avocado from turning brown, and lock in freshness for up to three days!
    overhead image of avocado salad in a bowl with lemon on the side

    This Avocado Salad Is…

    Fresh Avocado Salad (ready in 5 minutes!)

    0 from 0 votes
    Recipe by Samantha Course: SaladsDifficulty: Easy
    Servings

    4

    servings
    Prep time

    5

    minutes
    Cooking time

    0

    minutes
    Total time

    5

    minutes

    This avocado salad is BURSTING with fresh herbs and vegetables! Perfectly ripe avocado, juicy tomatoes, crisp cucumber, and tangy red onion tossed in fresh lemon juice and olive oil. This super quick and easy salad recipe comes together in one bowl, and in under 5 minutes!

    Ingredients

    • 2 large avocados, diced

    • 1 cup grape tomatoes, halved

    • 1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

    • 1/2 English cucumber, sliced

    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil

    • 1/4 cup fresh chopped herbs, such as cilantro, parsley, and/or basil

    • big pinch of salt

    • fresh cracked black pepper, to taste

    Directions

    • Add all ingredients except salt and black pepper to a large bowl and toss to combine.
    • Just before serving, sprinkle in salt and black pepper, then eat immediately.

    Recipe Video

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    30 Minutes or Less

    Crispy Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

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    air fryer sweet potato fries on a plate with ketchup

    Perfectly crispy, yet healthy sweet potato fries! Four ingredients and 15 minutes is all it takes for this addictive appetizer or side dish. Don’t have an air fryer? No worries, I’ve included an oven-baked option that still yields incredibly crispy fries!

    close-up overhead image of air fryer sweet potato fries on a plate with ketchup on the side

    The air fryer is truly the kitchen device of the century (ok, well it’s right up there with the Instant Pot). I only just got my hands on about a year ago, and holy moly it changed the homemade fry game for me, forever. After quite a bit of research for the best air fryer out there, I eventually landed on the Cosori Pro Air Fryer. It’s fairly priced and works like a champ, can’t recommend it enough!

    What You Need To Make Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

    Sweet Potatoes – The star of our show! You can use any variety of sweet potatoes you’d like for this recipe. Just remember, peel them and then slice them into thin matchsticks. Thinner = crispier. And try your best to cut them as evenly as possible, so that they “fry” evenly.

    Avocado Oil – My oil of choice, but you can use any oil you’d like here. Just one tablespoon is all you’ll need, that’s A LOT less oil than if you deep-fried these!

    Salt – Duh! Salt is non-negotiable for fries of any kind. Though start small and add more salt once the fries are done. You can, of course, salt to your preference.

    Garlic Powder – This is my little special touch. I love the extra flavor garlic powder gives these fries, and I promise you will too. Though if you’re not a garlic fan (how?!), then you can leave this ingredient out.

    air fryer sweet potato fries being dipped into ketchup

    Tips and Tricks

    • The secret to these crispy sweet potato fries is working in batches when you air fry them. Just a single layer at a time, avoiding cramming too many into the air fryer, will give you the crispiest non-deep-fried sweet potato fry of all time.
    • No air fryer? No problem! See below for an oven baked option.
    • If you’re looking for something to pair with these sweet potato fries, I can’t help but recommend these crispy air fryer buffalo chicken wings! The perfect healthy game-day, or any day, appetizer duo.

    Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries

    0 from 0 votes
    Recipe by Samantha Russo Course: SidesDifficulty: Easy
    Servings

    4

    servings
    Prep time

    5

    minutes
    Cooking time

    15

    minutes
    Total time

    20

    minutes

    Perfectly crispy, yet healthy sweet potato fries! Four ingredients and 15 minutes is all it takes for this addictive appetizer or side dish. Don’t have an air fryer? No worries, I’ve included an oven-baked option that still yields incredibly crispy fries!

    Ingredients

    • 2 large sweet potatoes, see Notes

    • 1 tablespoon avocado oil

    • 1 teaspoon salt

    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

    Directions

    • In the air fryer:
    • Preheat air fryer to 380° Fahrenheit. While the air fryer preheats, peel and slice sweet potatoes into 1/4-inch sticks.
    • Toss sweet potatoes in a bowl with olive oil, salt and garlic powder. Make sure each fry is evenly coated in oil and spices.
    • Transfer a third of the potatoes to the air fryer, then spread in an even layer and cook for 15 minutes. Pause air fryer to shake pan halfway through.
    • Remove fries and repeat for remaining batches.
    • In the oven:
    • Preheat oven to 425° Fahrenheit. While the air fryer preheats, peel and slice sweet potatoes into 1/4-inch sticks.
    • Toss sweet potatoes in a bowl with olive oil, salt and garlic powder. Make sure each fry is evenly coated in oil and spices.
    • Spread potatoes in an even layer on a large baking sheet – space fries about 1/8-inch apart.
    • Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through.

    Recipe Video

    Notes

    • Sweet Potatoes: Use any variety of sweet potatoes you’d like, white sweet potatoes are my favorite!

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    Dairy-Free

    “Cheesy” Vegan Enchiladas

    By
    overhead image of vegan enchiladas in a baking dish

    Wholesome and comforting vegan enchiladas! Stuffed with mushrooms, black beans, an easy homemade enchilada sauce, and finished off with creamy vegan queso. It doesn’t get any cozier or more delicious than these “cheesy” vegan enchiladas!

    close-up image of vegan enchiladas in a baking dish

    What You’ll Need To Make Vegan Enchiladas

    Tomato Paste – The key to a rich and creamy enchilada sauce is tomato paste. The concentrated flavor in tomato paste gives our sauce an extra tangy and intense taste.

    Vegetable Broth – Most homemade enchilada sauces are made with chicken broth, but to keep ours plant-based, we use vegetable broth instead. Vegetable broth contributes an additional hint of flavor to this already super flavorful recipe. If you don’t have vegetable broth, you can use two cups of water in its place.

    Mushrooms – Finely chopped mushrooms provide our vegan enchiladas with a “meaty” texture! I personally love mushrooms, and add them to many of my vegan recipes. They’re a healthy, delicious, and versatile source of plant-based protein. However, if you don’t enjoy mushrooms, you can use 1/2 cup of cooked lentils instead.

    Black Beans – Our other source of protein is a can of drained and rinsed black beans! They, similar to mushrooms, give this meatless dinner recipe a heartier texture.

    Tortillas – Feel free to use any tortillas you’d like! Corn tortillas or flour tortillas are the standard, but grain-free tortillas taste delicious as well. Though regardless of the type of tortillas you use, make sure they’re no larger than 8-inches. This way, once rolled they’ll fit perfectly in a 9×13-inch baking dish.

    Vegan Cashew Queso – The secret ingredient to our “cheesy” vegan enchiladas is half a cup of my vegan cashew queso! It’s super quick and easy to take, coming together in under 10 minutes. While highly recommended, you can make this recipe without the vegan queso if you’d prefer.

    overhead image of vegan enchiladas in a baking dish with cilantro and limes on the side

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

    Make it Gluten-Free: For gluten-free enchiladas, use corn tortillas instead of flour tortillas. Also, be sure the corn starch you’re using in the enchilada sauce is also gluten-free.

    Make it Paleo: These vegan enchiladas are very easily made paleo as well! To do this, replace the corn starch with arrowroot starch and black beans with diced, then roasted sweet potatoes. Also, use your favorite paleo tortillas, such as Siete Almond Flour Tortillas for rolling your enchiladas.

    Add Cheese: If not vegan or dairy-free, finish this dinner recipe off with a sprinkling of your favorite shredded cheese right before baking!

    “Cheesy” Vegan Enchiladas

    0 from 0 votes
    Recipe by Samantha Course: MainDifficulty: Intermediate
    Servings

    6

    servings
    Prep time

    10

    minutes
    Cooking time

    30

    minutes
    Total time

    40

    minutes

    Wholesome and comforting vegan enchiladas! Stuffed with mushrooms, black beans, an easy homemade enchilada sauce, and finished off with creamy vegan queso. It doesn’t get any cozier or more delicious than these “cheesy” vegan enchiladas!

    Ingredients

    • For the enchilada sauce:

    • 3 tablespoons olive oil

    • 2 tablespoons corn starch

    • 1 tablespoon chili powder

    • 1 teaspoon cumin

    • 1 teaspoon salt

    • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

    • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

    • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar

    • 6 ounces tomato paste

    • 2 cups vegetable broth

    • For the filling:

    • 1 tablespoon olive oil

    • 4 ounces (1/2 cup) mushrooms, finely chopped

    • 1 bell pepper, finely chopped

    • 1/2 yellow onion, finely chopped

    • 1 (15-ounce) can black beans, drained and rinsed

    • 1 teaspoon garlic powder

    • 1 teaspoon cumin

    • 1 teaspoon paprika

    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    • For the enchiladas:

    • 8 8-inch tortillas

    • 1/2 cup vegan cashew queso, optional

    Directions

    • Preheat oven to 350° Fahrenheit.
    • Make the enchilada sauce by whisking together olive oil and corn starch in a large skillet over medium heat, until starch has fully dissolved.
    • Add in the chili powder, cumin, salt, onion powder, and garlic powder, cook for 2 minutes.
    • Pour in apple cider vinegar, tomato paste, and vegetable broth, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce has thickened.
    • Prepare the filling by heating olive oil in a separate large skillet over medium heat. Add in mushrooms, bell pepper, and yellow onion, cook for 3-5 minutes or until veggies are tender.
    • Add in black beans, garlic powder, cumin, paprika, salt, and ½ cup of enchilada sauce you made earlier. Stir and cook for 2 minutes, then remove from heat.
    • Roll enchiladas by placing ¼ cup of filling mixture in the center of each tortilla, ten rolling tortilla around filling to seal. Repeat this process until all 8 tortillas are stuffed and rolled.
    • Spoon half homemade enchilada sauce into the bottom of a large baking dish. Then, place all 8 enchiladas on top of sauce with the seam side facing down.
    • Top with remaining enchilada sauce, then vegan cashew cheese if using. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until bubbly.

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    30 Minutes or Less

    Creamy Mushroom Pasta (Vegan and Gluten-Free!)

    By
    mushroom pasta on a plate

    The easiest mushroom pasta – requiring only 7 ingredients and ready in under 20 minutes! Perfectly creamy and comforting, yet entirely vegan and gluten-free. Defying all odds with this easy, next-level-DELICIOUS mushroom pasta recipe!

    overhead image of mushroom pasta on a plate with fresh sage on the side

    What You’ll Need To Make Creamy Mushroom Pasta

    Pasta – All pasta shapes and sizes are welcome here. I used my all-time favorite Jovial Brown Rice Gluten-Free Tagliatelle, but really any pasta will work. Spaghetti, penne, bow-ties, etc – anything and everything will taste delicious! And for a grain-free option, you can swap the pasta for zucchini noodles.

    Butter – I used Myoko’s Cultured Vegan Butter in my mushroom pasta, but you can use any type of butter you’d like. Though if you’re like me and looking to keep this dinner recipe vegan or dairy-free, I highly recommend the Myoko’s butter. It’s made from simple, good-for-you ingredients, and tastes just like the real thing!

    Mushrooms – I’m starting to feel like a broken record here, but again, any and all mushrooms will taste great in this dish! I picked up a mushroom variety pack from my local grocery store to keep things exciting.

    Garlic – All my fellow garlic fiends, go ahead and add a few extra cloves! I love how well the garlic shines through in this super simple meal. It adds this savory, salty bite that’s seriously so good.

    Shallot – Either a shallot or half of a small yellow onion will work. Whichever option you take, be sure to finely chop it before cooking. If left too large, it could get in the way of the carefully curated textures in this dish.

    mushroom pasta being lifted off a plate with a fork

    Tips and Tricks

    • Don’t forget to reserve pasta water! Pasta water has the perfect amount of starch in it, which will help to thicken the sauce. If forgotten, you can use either regular water or vegetable broth in its place, but risk a thin sauce that won’t lock in as much flavor.
    • Get started on the mushrooms as soon as the pasta starts cooking. The pasta will take anywhere from 7 to 12 minutes to cook, which is exactly the amount of time you’ll need to make the sauce. Therefore, time everything perfectly by having both components going at the same time!
    • This mushroom pasta is best served immediately after cooking! However, if you ever need to reheat pasta, add a little bit of broth or water to freshen it up. I recommend reheating this mushroom pasta over the stove with 1/4-1/2 cup of vegetable broth, stirring frequently until warm throughout!
    overhead image of mushroom pasta on a plate with white wine on the side

    Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs

    Make it Vegan: Take my vegan option and use vegan butter instead of regular butter.

    Make it Gluten-Free: For gluten-free mushroom pasta, simply use your favorite gluten-free pasta.

    Paleo/Grain-Free Option: Make this a paleo pasta recipe by substituting the regular pasta with zucchini noodles, and the butter for olive oil, avocado oil, or ghee!

    Creamy Mushroom Pasta (Vegan and Gluten-Free!)

    0 from 0 votes
    Recipe by Samantha Course: MainDifficulty: Easy
    Servings

    4

    servings
    Prep time

    5

    minutes
    Cooking time

    15

    minutes
    Total time

    20

    minutes

    The easiest mushroom pasta – requiring only 7 ingredients and ready in under 20 minutes! Perfectly creamy and comforting, yet entirely vegan and gluten-free. Defying all odds with this easy, next-level-DELICIOUS mushroom pasta recipe!

    Ingredients

    • 1 pound pasta, uncooked

    • 4 tablespoons butter, separated (I used vegan butter)

    • 7 ounces mushrooms, sliced

    • 1/2 teaspoon salt

    • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

    • 3 garlic cloves, minced

    • 1 shallot, finely chopped

    Directions

    • Cook pasta in a large pot of salted boiling water until al dente.
    • While pasta cooks, melt two tablespoons butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms to skillet and cook until mushrooms are tender, about 5 minutes.
    • Sprinkle mushroom with salt and pepper, then add in garlic and shallots. Cook for about 2 minutes or until very fragrant.
    • Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain pasta and transfer to the skillet. Add in remaining 2 tablespoons of butter and about ½ cup of that reserved pasta water.
    • Reduce heat to low, and simmer until a nice sauce forms and coats the pasta. Continue adding remaining reserved pasta water if pasta begins to dry out. Remove from heat and serve immediately.

    Recipe Video

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