Easy Vegan Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls With Peanut-Tamarind Dipping Sauce Recipe (2024)

Why It Works

  • Slow-cooking the tofu gets it extra crisp and ready to absorb flavor from the marinade.
  • A combination of hearty textures and fresh flavors makes this dish light but satisfying.

I don't know why I don't serve spring rolls more often at home. They're inexpensive, typically easy to prepare, and have that same DIY-at-the-table appeal that the taco nights of my youth did, but with flavors that are a little more sophisticated than premixed taco seasoning and jarred salsa. The real key to great spring rolls is to balance the textures and flavors of the ingredients inside the soft, stretchy rice paper wrapper. For this version, I'm using tender pea shoots, along with carrots cut into a fine julienne, crispy marinated tofu, herbs, chiles, and toasted peanuts. You could add rehydrated rice or mung bean vermicelli if you'd like, or cucumbers, citrus fruits, spinach, bean sprouts, radish—really anything you want.

To get the tofu extra crisp, I use mylow-and-slow frying technique, which delivers a golden-brown exterior and a substantially thick, crisp crust that makes the tofu perfect for absorbing a flavorful marinade. The key is to dry out the tofu by first pouring boiling water over it (a step that, counterintuitively, ends up evaporating more moisture than it adds), then drying it carefully with paper towels and slowly frying it in oil.

Easy Vegan Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls With Peanut-Tamarind Dipping Sauce Recipe (1)

The balance of crunchy, flavorful ingredients inside the rice paper wrapper is important, but I'd argue that the right dipping sauce is even more important. For this vegan recipe, I wanted to make a sauce that is as hearty as the spring roll itself, so I decided to base mine on peanuts and tamarind. It's more of a classic Thai pairing than a Vietnamese one, but it works just fine as a dipping sauce (save some to use as a satay sauce the next time you fire up the grill) and as a post-fry marinade for the tofu (as I've discovered, marinating tofuafterfrying is far more important than marinating it before frying).

Easy Vegan Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls With Peanut-Tamarind Dipping Sauce Recipe (2)

I start by toasting peanuts in the oven. Meanwhile, I pound together garlic and sugar using amortar and pestle. A mortar and pestle is the best tool for making chunky purées and sauces like this, as it extracts much more flavor through grinding and masticating than a food processor or a knife can.

Next, I add the peanuts, pounding them down into a purée. For flavor, I add soy sauce and intensely sour concentrated tamarind paste. (It's widely available in any Asian market, in the international aisle of most grocery stores—I found it at both Whole Foods and Safeway here in the Bay Area—or online.) I've made similar dipping sauces from scratch using lemongrass, shallots, coriander roots, and chiles, but it's much easier to just add some commercial curry paste, which has comparable ingredients conveniently packaged in one jar. If you're trying to make a world-class Thai curry, you'll want to make your curry paste from scratch, but for a quick and easy dipping sauce, this is great to have around.

When the paste is incorporated, I add vegetable oil and water until I get a pourable yet rich and creamy consistency. Some of it goes into a bowl with the tofu, while the rest I keep for serving.

And, as far as preparation goes, that's about all you need to do. The rest is up to your dinner guests. Arrange all the fillings on a large platter or two, serving the dipping sauce, extra crushed peanuts, and herbs like cilantro, mint, and basil on the side, along with a plate of rice paper wrappers and a bowl of warm water for moistening them.

To form a spring roll, start by dipping the rice paper in the warm water, then transfer it to your plate or cutting board. Layer a small amount of each filling into the center of the wrapper. The number one error I see folks making here is overloading the wrapper. It's the same error people tend to run into when making dumplings for the first time, or perhaps when stuffing a burrito. Go easy—you can always eat more of them when you're done with the first!

To roll the spring rolls, I lift up the edge of the rice paper closest to me with the thumbs and forefingers of both hands, pulling it forward over the filling while simultaneously pushing back on the filling with the middle finger of each hand to get the roll nice and tight. Once the paper is over the filling, I fold one side inward, then continue rolling forward, keeping everything nice and tight. (If you are making these in advance and want to store them for later on, you'll need to fold both sides inward to form a completely sealed roll.) You should end up with a tight package that's open on one side, showing off its fillings and ready to be dipped.

Easy Vegan Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls With Peanut-Tamarind Dipping Sauce Recipe (4)

And, once you taste the peanut sauce, you're going to want to dip it again and again.

March 2016

Recipe Details

Easy Vegan Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls

Prep5 mins

Cook20 mins

Active30 mins

Total25 mins

Serves4 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 (14-ounce; 400g) block firm (non-silken) tofu, cut into matchsticks approximately 2 inches long and 1/2 inch square

  • 3 tablespoons (45ml)vegetable oil

  • 1 recipe peanut-tamarind dipping sauce

  • 1 large carrot, peeled and cut into a fine julienne

  • 4 ounces pea greens

  • 2 cups mixed picked fresh herbs, such as cilantro, mint, and Thai basil

  • Chopped toastedpeanuts

  • Finely sliced Thai bird or serrano chile peppers

  • 20 dried spring roll rice paper wrappers

Directions

  1. Place tofu in a large colander and set in the sink. Pour 1 quart boiling water over tofu and let rest for 1 minute. Transfer to a paper towel–lined tray and press dry. Heat vegetable oil in a large nonstick or cast iron skillet over medium-low heat until shimmering. Add tofu and cook, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crisp on all surfaces, about 10 minutes total. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain.

  2. Transfer drained tofu to a large bowl and add 5 tablespoons peanut-tamarind sauce. Toss to coat tofu.

    Easy Vegan Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls With Peanut-Tamarind Dipping Sauce Recipe (5)

  3. Transfer tofu, carrots, greens, herbs, peanuts, peppers, and remaining dipping sauce to serving platters. Serve with rice paper wrappers and a bowl of warm water. To eat, dip a rice paper wrapper in warm water until moist on all surfaces, then transfer to your plate. Place a small amount of desired fillings in the center. Roll the front edge of the wrapper over the filling away from you, then fold the right side over toward the center. Continue rolling until a tight roll with one open end has formed. Dip spring roll in dipping sauce as you eat.

    Easy Vegan Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls With Peanut-Tamarind Dipping Sauce Recipe (6)

    Easy Vegan Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls With Peanut-Tamarind Dipping Sauce Recipe (7)

Special Equipment

Mortar and pestle

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Easy Vegan Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls With Peanut-Tamarind Dipping Sauce Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How many calories in tofu spring rolls with peanut sauce? ›

Amount per serving: Calories 450, Total Fat 16g (21% DV), Sat.

Does tofu get crispy? ›

Fry the tofu for 2-4 mins on each side until golden, crunchy and browned at the edges. Smaller cubes will take 2 mins each side, larger triangles will take 4 mins.

Are tofu spring rolls good for you? ›

Colorful and nutritious vegetables encompass these fresh and crispy rolls, which make them perfect for lunch or dinner. Enjoy these veggie tofu spring rolls with peanut sauce either by themselves or with your other favorite vegan recipes for a well-balanced meal that is full of both nutrition and flavor.

How many calories in vegan tofu fried rice? ›

Per Serving: 376 calories; calories from fat 26%; fat 11g; saturated fat 2g; mono fat 3g; poly fat 5.1g; protein 15.8g; carbohydrates 50.6g; fiber 3.2g; cholesterol 106mg; iron 3.8mg; sodium 629mg; calcium 79mg.

Why won t my tofu get crispy? ›

The key to crispy tofu is to heat the oil in your pan before adding tofu cubes. Coating the pan-fried tofu in corn flour helps create a crispy coating as the cubed tofu cooks in the oil. Another key to getting uber-crispy tofu is removing excess liquid/moisture from it before you cook tofu.

What is a substitute for cornstarch in crispy tofu? ›

If you prefer not to cook with cornstarch, you can try a substitute such as potato starch or arrowroot starch. Salt and pepper: You can also add additional seasonings like garlic and onion powder, paprika, nutritional yeast, etc.

Should you marinate tofu before frying? ›

For the tastiest results, marinade the tofu overnight. Roll slices or cubes of marinated tofu in some rice flour, potato starch, corn flour or grated coconut before pan-frying for an extra-crispy crust. Be sure to use a non-stick pan with a generous amount of oil. Deep-frying is also an option.

What is the tastiest way to make tofu? ›

Press tofu and cube it. Coat it in garlic, black pepper, salt (plus more of your favourite seasonings), liquid aminos and some olive oil. Then mix it into some cornstarch and toss it all together, then bake for about 20 minutes. Cornstarch also helps to draw out excess moisture so it really gets the tofu crispy.

What to season tofu with? ›

Tofu seasoning rub: Rub the pressed tofu with lots of spices like garlic or onion powder, salt and pepper, nutritional yeast or a spicy taco seasoning, KFC seasoning, Buffalo spice, etc. Tofu marinade: Soak the tofu cubes in your favorite chicken/meat marinade to infuse extra flavor.

Is it better to fry or bake tofu? ›

It sticks, and the crispy bits end up sticking to the pan, which is a tofu tragedy. Plus, it requires more oil, and you don't need to use a lot of oil to get crispy tofu. When you bake your tofu, you give it time to develop crispy edges and warm, pillowy insides. It's simply the best.

How many calories are in Vietnamese peanut sauce? ›

Tan Tan
Nutrition Facts
For a Serving Size of 2 tablespoons (33g)
How many calories are in Vietnamese Peanut Sauce? Amount of calories in Vietnamese Peanut Sauce: Calories 90Calories from Fat 40.5 (45%)
% Daily Value *
How much fat is in Vietnamese Peanut Sauce? Amount of fat in Vietnamese Peanut Sauce: Total Fat 4.5g-
14 more rows

How many calories are in kung pao tofu with peanuts? ›

Savory Kung Pao tofu stir fried with peppers and peanuts and served over quinoa brown rice and seasoned green beans with a side of Szechuan sauce. Contains at least 20g of protein. 660 cal.

How many calories are in peanut satay tofu? ›

There are 158 calories in 100 g of Soyco Malaysian Peanut Satay Tofu.

How many calories are in Chinese deep fried tofu? ›

Fresh Tofu King Deep Fried Tofu 北佬豆腐泡 230g
Typical Valuesper 100g
Energy (kJ)2078 kJ/ 490 kcal
Fats (g)20.4g
of which saturates (g)0g
Total Carbohydrate (g)69.4g
4 more rows

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