These summer rolls are packed with bright, bold flavors and insanely addicting crispy pineapple glazed tofu – with extra glaze on the side for dipping, of course! They’re kinda sweet, kinda spicy, and super fresh … AKA the perfect summer recipe!

summer rolls : always a crowd pleaser

Every single time I make these summer rolls for a party or get-together, I always make a double batch because I’m certain they’ll be one of the first appetizers to go. Whether you’re vegan, vegetarian or a staunch meat-eater, I can guarantee these Summer Rolls with Pineapple Glazed Crispy Tofu will be one of your new favorite summertime recipes!

Grab a drink and let’s get to rolling, shall we?!

reason #1 to love these summer rolls : the most addicting pineapple glaze 

These Summer Rolls with Pineapple Glazed Crispy Tofu are all about freshness. The rice noodles cook up quickly, and the veggies are crisp … combine the two and you’ve got amazing texture. But the real star of this dish is that Pineapple Glaze, used to coat the crispy tofu AND for dipping. The outcome is a dance of savory, sweet, and crunchy with just a kiss of heat. It’s addicting, to say the least. Here’s what’s in the sauce that makes it so damn good:

• Lime juice
• Pineapple juice
• Garlic
• Ginger
• Jalapeño
• Coconut sugar (brown sugar works, too)
• Cornstarch – for that super glaze-y consistency
• A little bit of oil

PS – this glaze is good on everything from these summer rolls to pineapple glazed burger patties for a summer inspired burger! So if you have extra, get creative with it!

reason #2 to love these summer rolls : all the fresh veg!

If ya’ll have been following me for awhile now, then you know I love me some super savory comfort food – no matter what the season is! These Summer Rolls with Pineapple Glazed Crispy Tofu are such a great recipe for incorporating fresh veggies into your diet! Toothsome rice noodles and delicious pineapple glaze alone is a wonderful combo – but add some raw veggies and fresh herbs into the mix and that puts these summer rolls over the top! Feel free to play around with your favorite herbs and veggies, but these are my favorite to use:

• Carrots
• Red bell pepper
• Avocado
• Green onion
• Thinly sliced jalapeño
• Cilantro
• Green leaf lettuce

tips on making summer rolls

Making summer rolls might be a bit intimidating at first – especially if you’ve never worked with rice paper before! But with some practice and a couple YouTube tutorials, it becomes super easy and you get better with every roll, I promise! Additionally, here are some extra tips to mastering the art of summer rolls:

1. Use cool water to soften the rice paper. A lot of recipes suggest using hot or warm water, but I’ve found that the warmer the water, the more fragile and breakable the rice paper becomes. Using cool water may take a bit longer to soak them (and by a bit, I mean just a few seconds), but they hold up way better when rolling!
2. Use lettuce to hold fillings together. This might be my favorite trick … I always use lettuce to hold in the slippery noodles and little pieces of fly-away herbs. It’s like a little blanket that acts as a barrier to hold in all the fillings. Lay down the lettuce leaf first on top of the rice paper, then all the fillings!
3. Set yourself up for success. Have all your veggies cut and lines up, all your herbs ready to go, your noodles cooked, cooled, and drained, and a big bowl of cool water for dipping your rice paper rolls. I like to make a little assembly line of the exact order I’m rolling so the process goes as smoothly as possible!
4. Don’t overfill your summer rolls. This one is hard for me, because I used to think the more filling = a tighter roll, but it’s quite the opposite. Too much filling and you’re likely to tear the rice paper, so keep it minimal!
5. Roll it like a burrito! Rolling summer rolls is just like rolling a burrito. Roll up at one end, fold in the sides, then keep rolling to form a mini rice-paper burrito. Go slow and steady and don’t get discouraged if you mess up the first few times.
6. Use a second sheet of rice paper. If you’re a beginner and you notice a lot of your rolls are tearing – no need to get frustrated! Just roll it in a second sheet of rice paper! Remember, practice makes perfect!

are these summer rolls on repeat in your home?!

Hearty, healthy summer rolls are such a staple in our household during these super hot months, and I’m hoping these Summer Rolls with Pineapple Glazed Crispy Tofu ear a spot in your summertime recipe rotation as well! If you give this recipe a try, I’d love to see! Snap a photo, take a video, or make a story and post it to Instagram, and tag me at @eat_figs_not_pigs and #EatFigsNotPigs. I love seeing your recreations of my recipes!

Til next time, friends!

XO!

Summer Rolls with Pineapple Glazed Crispy Tofu

Ashley

These summer rolls are packed with bright, bold flavors and insanely addicting crispy pineapple glazed tofu - with extra glaze on the side for dipping, of course! They're kinda sweet, kinda spicy, and super fresh ... AKA the perfect summer recipe!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Course Vegan

Cuisine Vietnamese-Inspired

Servings 16 Summer Rolls

Ingredients

  

1x2x3x

PINEAPPLE GLAZE:

• 2 TBS avocado oil
• 1 jalapeño seeds removed and minced finely
• 1 TBS fresh ginger minced
• 6 cloves garlic minced
• 1 cup pineapple juice
• 1/2 cup water + 3 tablespoons cornstarch whisked to combine and make a "slurry"
• 1/3 cup soy sauce
• Juice of 1 fresh lime about 3 tablespoons
• 2 TBS coconut sugar or light brown sugar

CRISPY TOFU:

• 16 oz extra firm tofu drained and thoroughly pressed
• 1/3 cup cornstarch
• 8 TBS avocado oil divided
• 1/2 cup Pineapple Glaze

SUMMER ROLLS

• 3 cups julienned vegetables such as carrots red bell pepper, jalapeño, and avocado
• 1 large bunch fresh cilantro
• 1 bunch fresh green onion
• 4 oz rice vermicelli noodles
• 16-20 whole spring roll rice papers

Instructions

 

PINEAPPLE GLAZE

• Start by preparing the pineapple glaze. Heat a small saucepan over medium heat with avocado oil. Add jalapeño, ginger, and garlic. Sauté until the garlic is fragrant, about 3-5 minutes. Add pineapple juice, cornstarch slurry, soy sauce, fresh lime juice, and coconut sugar. Whisk to combine. Increase heat to high. Once the sauce reaches a simmer, reduce heat to low and simmer, uncovered until it thickens and reduces about 1/3, about 10 minutes. Make sure you're whisking every 3-4 minutes so you don't burn the bottom of the glaze. Remove from heat and set aside
• Meanwhile, prepare the rice noodles according to package directions. Drain, rinse, and set aside.

CRISPY TOFU

• Cut the tofu into 16 rectangles. Gently toss the rectangles in cornstarch and flash fry tofu in batched in a large skillet over medium-high heat, starting with 4 tablespoons of avocado oil and adding more as the pan needs it. Flip the tofu on all sides to ensure even browning, about 3-5 minutes per side. Once all the tofu pieces are golden-brown and crispy, add them all into the skillet with 1/2 cup reserved Pineapple Glaze, stirring to coat. Cook for several minutes, or until all of the sauce is absorbed and the tofu looks glazed. Remove from heat and set aside.

SUMMER ROLLS:

• To assemble summer rolls, fill a large bowl with cool water. Submerge your rice paper into the bowl, rotating if you need to, until it's just softened and pliable, about 7-10 seconds. Place the rice paper roll on a lightly dampened, clean work surface.
• Place a lettuce leaf towards the bottom middle of the rice paper, followed by a small handful of noodles, a couple pieces of bell pepper, carrots, jalapeño, avocado, fresh herbs, and 1 piece of glazed tofu on top.
• Gently fold over once, tuck in both sides, then continue to gently roll until the seam is sealed. If the paper breaks, simply roll in another piece. Repeat until you have about 16 rolls.
• Cut in half and serve with remaining pineapple glaze.
• Serve fresh!

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!