Make a healthy version of this delish appetizer – gỏi cuốn, fresh spring roll – using brown rice paper and spaghetti squash. Vegan, Gluten-Free.
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Vietnamese food is one of my favorites. I love the flavors and the inherent healthiness of the cuisine. Anytime gỏi cuốn is on the menu at a restaurant, I order it. With Lunar New Year this week, I thought it would be fun to make this as opposed to the fried alternative. Spring rolls are a symbol of wealth and prosperity for their golden glow and shape look like bricks of gold. I try to stay away from fried foods so I use brown rice wrappers in order to achieve the golden glow.
This dish is easy to make at home and I substitute a few ingredients to up the nutritional value. Firstly, I make gỏi cuốn with vegetables, but you may make it with pork, chicken, or shrimp if you choose. Additionally, I also like to use brown rice papers for the wrappers. Lastly, I replace vermicelli noodles with spaghetti squash. Now, on to the good stuff…
Tips for making gỏi cuốn, fresh spring roll
Prepare Spaghetti Squash. Cut the squash lengthwise. Clean by scooping out the seeds and pulp. Add enough water to a sheet pan to cover the bottom about 1/8 an inch. Place the spaghetti squash cut-side down and place in the oven at convection bake 375° for 30 minutes or until the squash easily peals away with a fork. We will only use a portion of the squash in this recipe. For ways to use the remaining squash, check out my spaghetti squash with meat sauce recipe.
Sauté Mushrooms. Heat a dry pan for 2 minutes. Combine 1 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp tamari sauce, 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar. Add the mixture to the hot pan along with 10oz sliced shitake mushrooms. Sauté until browned, about 8 minutes.
Prep Fresh Veggies and Herb. Next, using a chef’s knife or a mandolin, finely slice the 1/4 red cabbage and set aside. Using a grater or a food processor, shred the carrot and set aside. De-stem the basil and set aside.
Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the 3 Tbsp peanut butter, 2 tsp tamari sauce, 1 Tbsp water, ½ tsp crushed red pepper, 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil.
How to Roll
Get Rolling. Using a medium-sized bowl, fill with warm water. Place one sheet of rice paper in for 10 seconds and remove. Place wrapper on a plate and add a row of basil (5 leaves) on the left-hand side of the wrapper about 1 1/2 inches towards the center. Top the basil with a row of mushrooms, then carrots, shredded cabbage, spaghetti squash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Be careful not to overfill the wrap. You want a little of everything, but the goal is for the wraps to be about 1 – 1 1/2 inches thick once rolled. Once all your ingredients are in a nice row, fold the top and bottom of the wrapper over the ingredients. Then, starting from the left-side, roll up the spring roll. Repeat for all other wrappers.
Substitutions. You can use any vegetables you’d like for these fresh spring rolls. Try adding shrimp, pork, or chicken. Furthermore, feel free to swap out the basil with fresh mint, cilantro or other herb of choice. For the sauce, if you are not following a gluten-free diet, feel free to substitute soy sauce for the tamari. The possibilities are endless. Try something new and tell me about it in the comments.
Equipment
– Sheet Pan
– Large bowl
– Grater or food processor
– Chef’s knife
GỎI CUỐN – FRESH SPRING ROLL WITH PEANUT SAUCE
- Prep Time: 40 min
- Cook Time: 30 min
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 5 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Multi
- Cuisine: Vietnamese
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Make a healthy version of this delish appetizer – gỏi cuốn, fresh spring roll – using brown rice paper and spaghetti squash. Vegan, Gluten-Free.
Ingredients
For Spring Rolls:
- 10 Brown Rice Spring Roll Wrappers
- 1/4 purple cabbage, shredded
- 1 large carrot, shredded
- 1 teaspoon sesame seeds
- 50 basil leaves, 1/2 bunch, de-stemmed
- 1/2 spaghetti squash, cooked and shredded
- ¼ cups water
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 2 teaspoons tamari
- 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- 10 oz Fresh Shitake Mushrooms, sliced
For Peanut Sauce:
- 3 tablespoons natural peanut butter
- 2 teaspoons tamari sauce, or soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon water
- ½ teaspoons crushed red pepper
- 1 teaspoon fresh ginger, grated
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Instructions
- Preheat Oven. 375°F
- Prepare Spaghetti Squash. Cut the squash lengthwise. Clean by scooping out the seeds and pulp. Add enough water to a sheet pan to cover the bottom about 1/8 an inch. Place the spaghetti squash cut-side down and place in the oven at convection bake 375° for 30 minutes or until the squash easily peals away with a fork. Set aside and allow to cool. See notes for ways to use the leftover squash.
- Sauté Mushrooms. Heat a dry pan for 2 minutes. Combine 1 tsp sesame oil, 2 tsp tamari sauce, 2 Tbsp rice wine vinegar. Add the mixture to the hot pan along with 10oz sliced shitake mushrooms. Sauté until browned, about 8 minutes.
- Prep Fresh Veggies and Herb. Using a chef’s knife or a mandolin, finely slice the 1/4 red cabbage and set aside. Using a grater or a food processor, shred the carrot and set aside. De-stem the basil and set aside.
- Make the sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the 3 Tbsp peanut butter, 2 tsp tamari sauce, 1 Tbsp water, ½ tsp crushed red pepper, 1 tsp grated fresh ginger, and 1 tsp toasted sesame oil.
- Roll. Using a medium-sized bowl, fill with warm water. Place one sheet of rice paper in for 10 seconds and remove. Place wrapper on a plate and add a row of basil (5 leaves) on the left-hand side of the wrapper about 1 1/2 inches towards the center. Top the basil with a row of mushrooms, then carrots, shredded cabbage, spaghetti squash. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. Be careful not to overfill the wrap. You want a little of everything, but the goal is for the wraps to be about 1 – 1 1/2 inches thick once rolled. Once all your ingredients are in a nice row, fold the top and bottom of the wrapper over the ingredients. Then, starting from the left-side, roll up the spring roll. Repeat for all other wrappers.
- Slice, Plate, Serve. Slice each roll in half. Plate and serve with peanut sauce at room temperature.
Notes
For ways to use the remaining squash, check out my spaghetti squash with meat sauce recipe.
Substitutions. You can use any vegetables you’d like for these fresh spring rolls. Try adding shrimp, pork, or chicken. Feel free to swap out the basil with fresh mint, cilantro or other herb of choice. For the sauce, if you are not following a gluten-free diet, feel free to substitute soy sauce for the tamari. The possibilities are endless. Try something new and tell me about it in the comments.
Place a clean damp towel over rolls and refrigerate for up to one day.
Keywords: spring roll, Vietnamese, gỏi cuốn, Vegetarian, Gluten-Free, Summer Roll, Appetizer, Side,
