Veggie & rice spring rolls with Thai peanut dipping sauce make for a fresh and delicious meal that’s bursting with flavor, texture and nutrition. Made gluten-free and perfect for the warmer months.
As temps start to warm up, it’s a great time to refresh your weekly meal rotation with some fresh and easy meals that are perfect for spring!
Spring rolls are definitely one of those meals or appetizers in my book, and my take made with high quality U.S.-grown rice has more staying power and nutrition per bite! This spring roll recipe is made with U.S.-grown medium grain rice and colorful, crunchy veggies like carrots, radish, cucumber, cabbage and fresh herbs. It’s gluten and dairy free and full of fresh flavor!
What I also really like about veggie spring rolls is that they’re easy to customize based on the veggies you have on hand. If you don’t have one of the specific vegetables listed, substitute for sliced peppers, etc.
Rice of all kinds is a pantry staple of mine and something I recommend we all have in our pantries to help build nutritious and satisfying meals with. I love how it adds great texture to these veggie spring rolls!
Rice Nutrition
When it comes to nutrition, rice is small but mighty! It’s packed with energy, complex carbs, protein, fiber, antioxidants and more than 15 vitamins and minerals. I always have different varieties of U.S.-grown rice in my pantry to use as a base in meals like this and more.
Brown, wild, black, red and purple rice are 100% whole grain varieties. Research shows that eating whole grains can help reduce heart disease, and may reduce the risk of certain cancers.
Rice is a nutrient-dense, complex carbohydrate that the body slowly digests to help you stay energized throughout the day. Plus, research shows that eating rice increases levels of the feel-good chemical serotonin, which helps boost mood and keeps appetite in check.
Is All Rice Gluten Free?
One question I get asked alot is: “Is rice gluten free?”
The answer is yes, rice is naturally gluten-free, highly digestible and the least allergenic of all grains. It’s a great option for people with Celiac disease or who choose to follow a gluten-free diet.
Ingredients For Veggie & Rice Spring Rolls
- U.S.-Grown Medium-Grain White Rice
- Spring Roll Wrappers
- Butter lettuce
- Carrots
- Cucumbers
- Purple Cabbage
- Radish
- Thai Basil or Mint
- Creamy Unsweetened Peanut Butter
- Tamari or Coconut Aminos
- Toasted Sesame Oil
- Garlic
- Lime
- Sesame Seeds
- Green Onion
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Salt & Pepper
Equipment / utensils
- Cutting Board
- Knife
- Small Mixing Bowl
Tips for Making Spring Rolls
1. Prep all of the ingredients ahead of time. You want everything ready when you’re ready to make the rolls!
2. Place the rice on the bottom and top with veggies. I like this order because there’s less of a likelihood of one of the veggies poking through the wrapper and making a hole.
3. Don’t overfill the wrappers. Less ingredients is actually better to make sure the spring rolls stay intact and don’t rip.
Veggie & Rice Spring Rolls With Thai Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cup cooked U.S.-grown medium-grain white rice
- 1 cup butter lettuce
- ½ cup shredded purple cabbage
- 2 medium carrots peeled and sliced into strips
- 2 Persian mini cucumbers or 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced
- ½ cup radish thinly sliced and halved
- 2 tbsp. fresh mint leaves or Thai basil
- 8 sheets rice paper spring roll wrappers
For the peanut sauce:
- ⅓ cup creamy unsweetened peanut butter
- 2 tbsp. rice vinegar
- 2 tbsp. reduced-sodium tamari or coconut aminos
- ½ of a lime juiced
- 1 tbsp. toasted sesame oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 2 to 3 tbsp. water as needed
- 2 tsp. sesame seeds
- 2 tsp. green onion chopped
Instructions
- Cook rice according to package directions in a rice cooker or on the stovetop.
- Prepare all of the veggies by washing and cutting them.
- Soak spring roll wrappers in warm water until pliable. I recommend doing one at a time.
- Place spring roll wrapper on a cutting board and start by filling with 2 tbsp of rice in the middle. Alternate stacking cucumber, carrots, lettuce, cabbage and radish on top (just a thin layer as to not overfill), finally topping with mint.
- Start wrapping up the spring roll by folding up the sides first, then the bottom, then roll over the top of the wrapper until fully wrapped up. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Cut spring rolls in half, and place on a plate cut side up.
- Mix together all of the ingredients for the peanut sauce except for the sesame seeds and green onion. Once a creamy consistency has been reached topped with sesame seeds and green onion.
- Use peanut sauce for dipping rice spring rolls in and enjoy!
This blog post is in partnership with the US Rice Federation. All opinions are my own and I’m proud to partner with brands and organizations that share my mission of making healthy food more accessible to everyone.
More recipes using rice you’re sure to love:
- Fall Chicken Rice Bake
- Turmeric Coconut Basmati Rice Bowl
- Fall Wild Rice Pilaf
- Chicken Lemon Rice Soup
Pin this recipe for later!
