Easy Rice Paper Rolls With Mango and Avocado

Crisp carrot, cabbage, cucumber, bell pepper, mango, and avocado come together in this easy rice paper rolls recipe with the best Thai peanut dipping sauce!

You will find a step-by-step tutorial on how to work with rice paper so you'll be able to pull off this beautiful recipe like a pro.  

What Is A Spring Roll?

Spring rolls are a rolled appetizer that is commonly found in quite a few different Asian cultures. They usually involve some type of wrapper filled with vegetables, meats, and/or noodles. Sometimes they are fried until crispy or served uncooked.

Our version of these little handheld appetizers inspired by the Vietnamese summer roll also goes by the name "fresh roll" or "rice paper rolls".  They're a combination of colorful veggies rolled in a thin, translucent rice paper.

The rice paper is made from the rice paper plant and can be eaten as it is or sometimes cooked until crispy. Our recipe skips the cooking for an easy no-cook appetizer that's sure to be a hit! 

Spring Roll Vs Egg Roll?

These two are similar but also quite different. They both involve a wrapper that's stuffed with ingredients and rolled. 

Fresh spring rolls are made with rice paper wrappers that are thin and a bit transparent. Fresh spring rolls are also served uncooked and are more delicate in their texture and flavor.

On the other hand, egg rolls have a much thicker wrapping and are deep-fried until crunchy.

Ingredients in Fresh Spring Rolls

This fresh summer roll recipe is broken down into two parts! First, the delicate rice paper rolls, and second, the peanut dipping sauce served on the side.

• Rice paper: This delicate paper can be found online or in Asian markets.
• Purple cabbage: Brings a punch of color to these vegetable spring rolls. You can use regular cabbage but the effect won't be the same.
• Other veggies: Cucumbers give some crispness and freshness that pairs well with the mango while the red bell pepper and carrots add crunch and color.
• Mango: The delicate sweetness of the mango adds a surprising contrast to the crunchy veggies.
• Avocado: The creaminess of the avocado works perfectly with the sweetness of the melon and crunchy veggies.
• Flavor and spice: Fresh cilantro and jalapeno add freshness and a hint of spiciness.

The Thai peanut dipping sauce is really the icing on the cake for these easy spring rolls. This sauce is creamy and spicy with a hint of salty, sweet, and sour.  

For this sauce you'll need:

• Chunky peanut butter: We love the crunchy bits of peanut found in the sauce with crunchy peanut butter but you can also use creamy peanut butter.
• Aromatics: Fresh ginger and garlic are best for the fragrant flavors you want in a peanut sauce.
• Rice vinegar: A bit of acidity that balances out the other flavors.
• Honey: For some sweetness to bring the savory and acidic flavors together.
• Soy sauce: Adds its salty umami flavor to the sauce.
• Lime juice: Fresh lime juice is best!
• Coconut milk: Adds a bit of sweetness and creamy texture to the sauce.
• Sriracha: Just a bit for a touch of spiciness.

How to Work With Rice Paper

Before we get into the step by step - I want to talk briefly about working with rice paper:

• It's a transparent, thin, brittle circle that comes in a package of multiple sheets, like tortillas. You'll find them in the Asian section on the shelf.
• Dip them in a pie plate of water for only a few second seconds.  This will soften the paper and make it pliable.
• Keep your working surface wet for easy rolling. Rice paper can tend to get sticky, but keeping your work surface wet combats this problem.

How to Make Rice Paper Rolls

Let's look step by step at how to make fresh spring rolls! It's easier than you think!

1. Cut your veggies.  Everything should be cut into thin strips.  The only thing that needs a dice is the jalapeño.
2. Cut your mango. Find the core, and cut closely along it, cutting off one side of the fruit.  Run your knife down the flesh lengthwise to cut strips, and loosen the fruit with a spoon.
3. Dip the rice papers into room temperature water in a shallow bowl.
4. Moisten only for a few seconds.  Anything longer with that will result in a floppy mess.

5. Transfer the rice paper to a cutting board and smooth it down flat.
6. Add a few strips of cabbage.
7. Top with strips of cucumber.
8. Add some red bell pepper.

9. Top with shredded carrot.
10. Add a few thin mango strips.
11. Layer on some avocado.
12. Garnish with cilantro and jalapeño. 

13. Roll up by starting at one side.  Cover your fruits and veggies and tuck the edge underneath the veggie bundle tightly. Be gentle so you don't tear the paper.
14. Continue rolling up the bundle.
15. Fold in the side edges of the paper.
16. Complete rolling up the bundle until the back edge is sealed against itself. 

How To Make Thai Peanut Dipping Sauce

The sauce process is so so simple.

1. Combine all ingredients in a saucepan.
2. Heat over medium-high heat, stirring constantly until peanut butter is melted and all ingredients are well combined.

This. Sauce. Is. Amazing.

Let the peanut spring roll sauce cool a bit and then transfer it to a little serving bowl to serve along with the vegetable spring rolls.

• Serve immediately for best results. The rice paper does tend to dry out a bit the longer they sit.
• Do not freeze leftover fresh spring rolls.
• Cut the veggies into thin strips! This is important so you can get a little bit of each into the summer rolls without overstuffing them.
• Be gentle handling the rice paper especially once it's wet as it is quite delicate.
• Don't oversoak the rice paper. It just takes a few seconds to moisten them.
• Don't forget to keep your work surface damp to prevent the rice paper from sticking.

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