Fresh Summer Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Need a refreshing appetizer recipe with a nutty kick? These Fresh Summer Rolls are filled with crisp veggies, wrapped in rice paper and dipped in a spicy homemade peanut sauce!

If you like that Asian flare, we love serving these summer rolls with my Thai Mango Avocado Salad or my Asian Noodle Salad with Spicy Sesame Dressing.

Fresh Vegetable Summer Rolls with Peanut Dipping Sauce

Bursting with fresh cucumber, pickled carrots, peppers and more, these summer rolls are the ultimate veggie appetizer recipe. They’re paired with a flavorful peanut dipping sauce that adds the perfect kick of heat!

There’s no cooking involved in this dish, and the marinating time is only 15 minutes. It comes together quickly and easily, and it makes a lovely picnic snack. Once you dip a roll in the spicy peanut sauce and take a bite, you’ll fall in love!

The Difference Between Summer Rolls vs Spring Rolls

While spring rolls are served warm, these Vietnamese in origin Summer rolls are served cold. That’s the biggest difference between the two. In addition, traditionally summer rolls are wrapped with a semi-transparent rice paper wrapper, whereas spring rolls are wrapped in a flour-based dough. Both are delicious, but summer rolls really hit the spot on a hot day! Typically, they are served with a savory peanut sauce, made with fish sauce, that is called Nuoc mam cham.

Recipe Ingredients

This recipe for summer rolls uses fresh ingredients and flavorful seasonings. Here’s what you’ll need for each component:

For the Pickled Carrots

• Carrots: Julienned.
• Rice Wine Vinegar: This delicate, slightly sweet vinegar brings out so much flavor from the carrots.
• Sugar: A natural preservative, sugar is a staple pickling ingredient.
• Salt: Just a dash.

For the Summer Rolls

• Rice Paper: 8-10 sheets.
• Cucumber: Julienned.
• Purple Cabbage: Thinly sliced.
• Cilantro Leaves: You’ll need 1/3 cup.
• Basil Leaves: For flavor!
• Peppers: Red and yellow, julienned.
• Lettuce: Use green leaf lettuce for this summer rolls recipe.

For the Spicy Peanut Sauce

• Peanut Butter: Since this is a dipping sauce, be sure to use creamy peanut butter.
• Coconut Aminos: You could also use tamari (gluten-free soy sauce).
• Fresh Cilantro: Diced.
• Raw Honey: Just a tablespoon.
• Fresh Lime Juice: You’ll need about 1 lime’s worth of juice.
• Fresh Ginger: Minced.
• Garlic: One clove, minced.
• Red Pepper Flakes: To spice things up!

How to Make Summer Rolls

Once you marinate your carrots in the pickling mixture, these veggie rolls come together in minutes!

1. Pickle Carrots: Add the carrots, rice wine vinegar, sugar and salt to a medium bowl. Toss to coat the carrots and let them marinate for 15 minutes.
2. Soak Rice Papers: Fill a shallow round pan of at least 9 inches with 1 inch of warm water. Soak a single rice paper in the water for 10-15 seconds. Place the rice paper on a wet working space (such as a cutting board).
3. Add Fillings: On the bottom 1/3 of the rice paper (the side closest to you), place a few cilantro leaves, 1 green leaf lettuce, 2-3 red pepper strips, 2-3 yellow pepper strips, 3-4 cucumber slices, 4-5 carrot slices, a handful of purple cabbage and 1 basil leaf.
4. Wrap: Bring the bottom edge of the rice paper up over the fillings and gently pull the fillings in. Fold in the sides and continue rolling away from you, like you would a burrito, until everything is sealed. Continue with the remaining sheets of rice paper and prepared veggies.
5. Enjoy! Serve immediately with peanut sauce.

How to Make the Peanut Dipping Sauce

This spicy peanut sauce is SO easy to whip up! All you have to do is combine your ingredients.

1. Whisk Ingredients: Add the peanut butter, tamari sauce, fresh cilantro, honey, lime juice, ginger, garlic and red pepper flakes to a mixing bowl. Whisk together until combined. 
2. Serve with Summer Rolls: Set the peanut sauce aside until your summer rolls are ready. Serve it with the rolls and enjoy!

Tips for Success

You’ll love how easily this appetizer comes together. Here are a few extra tips to take note of:

• Marinate Carrots for 15 Minutes: Don’t skimp on the marinating time for your carrots. You want to get them nice and pickled!
• Use Warm Water for Rice Papers: Be sure to use warm, but not hot water to soak your rice papers. This will make it easier to roll them up.
• Avoid Over-Stuffing: Try not to shove too many veggies into each rice paper wrapping. You should be able to roll them up tightly with plenty of overlapping paper so they don’t unravel.
• Use Desired Ingredients: As long as you have rice paper and some vegetables, you can make all kinds of yummy summer rolls with this recipe. Feel free to change it up and add your favorite veggies to the mix!

What Goes with Summer Rolls?

An appetizer like this pairs well with plenty of other dishes. Check out some of my personal favorites!

• Ricotta Toast: My Pomegranate Honey Ricotta Toast has an amazing mix of sweet and salty goodness. It tastes great alongside these summer rolls!
• Stuffed Mushrooms: You can never serve too many appetizers at the same time. Spinach and Goat Cheese Stuffed Mushrooms also pair wonderfully with these veggie rolls.
• Cocktails: I love serving my summer rolls with a cool and refreshing cocktail like Strawberry Mojitos or Lime Mint Kombucha Cocktails!

How to Store Summer Rolls

These summer rolls can be stored in the fridge for 2-3 days. Wrap each roll in plastic wrap so they don’t stick to each other. Place the wrapped rolls in an airtight container and refrigerate.

If you need to stack mutliple layers of spring rolls, place a sheet of wax or parchment paper between each layer. This will keep the plastic wrap from sticking to itself.

Can These Be Made in Advance?

Although these rolls definitely taste best when they’re fresh, you can make them a couple days in advance, if desired. Just follow the storage instructions above!

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