Vietnamese Bánh Mì Summer Rolls Recipe for Fresh Entertaining

These Banh Mi Summer Rolls put a fresh vegan spin on the classic Banh Mi sandwich. Light, bright and full of natural flavor, they make a perfect healthy lunch or an impressive party appetizer.

I have a serious weakness for handheld food, and these summer rolls are a top contender. Crisp vegetables, fragrant herbs and marinated tofu are wrapped in delicate rice paper, creating a refreshing bite that’s easy to customize and great to make in batches.

The filling features tofu that’s marinated for depth of flavor, seared until slightly crisp on the outside yet tender inside, crunchy lightly pickled carrots, crisp cucumber, thinly sliced radish, shredded spinach, scallions and plenty of cilantro for that classic Banh Mi aroma.

If this is your first time making summer rolls, expect a little practice to get the rice paper handling just right. Once you learn the technique, assembly becomes quick and satisfying.

How to make Banh Mi Summer Rolls:

Plan ahead: the tofu benefits from at least 24 hours in the marinade so it can absorb all the flavors. Whisk the marinade ingredients together, slice the tofu into ½-inch thick pieces and place the slices in a sealable container. Pour the marinade over the tofu and refrigerate. Turn the container occasionally so every piece gets evenly coated.

When ready to cook, heat a non-stick skillet over medium heat and sear each side of the tofu for 4–5 minutes until the exterior is slightly crisp. Remove the tofu, cut each piece lengthwise down the middle, and set aside to cool while you prepare the vegetables.

With the tofu cooled and vegetables prepped, you’re ready to assemble the rolls.

To assemble the summer rolls:

1. Fill a bowl wide enough for your rice paper wrappers with warm water.
2. Soak one rice paper wrapper at a time in the warm water until it softens, about 1 minute.
3. Lay the softened wrapper flat on a clean, firm surface. Place a handful of shredded spinach slightly off center, then add cucumber matchsticks, pickled carrots, sliced radish, cilantro, green onion and the tofu pieces. I like to position the tofu on top to help hold the filling as I wrap.
4. Fold the top and bottom edges of the wrapper inward, then fold the short side over the filling to begin sealing the roll.
5. Tuck the contents in as you continue rolling, keeping everything tight until the wrapper is firmly sealed.

I serve these summer rolls halved with a simple dipping sauce of seasoned rice wine vinegar diluted with a little water. Leftover peanut sauce from a Gado Gado-style recipe is also an excellent pairing.

DIETARY CONSIDERATIONS

This recipe is suitable for a variety of diets:

• Vegan and vegetarian
• Clean eating and Whole30-friendly (adjust ingredients like maple syrup or tamari as needed)
• Gluten-free (use gluten-free tamari), dairy-free and allergy-friendly

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MORE RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE

If you enjoy these Banh Mi Summer Rolls, you might also like:

• Healthy Banana Coconut Muffins
• Healthy Nicoise Salad
• Easy Bean Salad

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