Fraiche Nutrition: Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls
It was a beautiful sunny day, and I wanted to make something as light and refreshing as spring. So, I set off to create a healthy, vegetarian, protein-packed delicious version of a spring roll.
Now, my husband isn’t exactly the tofu-eating type, but I’m on a mission to make every effort to eat more plants and less animal protein. I made a batch of these and silently winced as he took his first bite in anticipation of his reaction. Sweet success—he devoured them and declared them to be the best spring rolls he has ever had.
The marinade for the tofu (which transforms into a dipping sauce) really makes the dish—that stuff is gold! I’d almost be tempted to double it… up to you of course! If you plan on cutting these beauties, make sure you use a sharp knife. I thought I had good knives until a good one landed in my knife drawer—it is incredible! A couple of good sharp knives are one of the best kitchen investments you will ever make.
Crispy Tofu Spring Rolls
1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cook rice vermicelli noodles according to the instructions on the package and immediately drain into a fine sieve and rinse with cold water. Place cooked vermicelli into a small bowl and set aside.
2. Prepare a shallow dish that will accommodate the rice wrappers and warm water.
3. Prepare the other toppings for the spring rolls and set aside.
4. To assemble the spring rolls, prepare your rice wrappers with warm water as per the instructions and layer in the middle of each paper a slice of avocado, vermicelli rice noodles, carrot, cucumber, green onion, cilantro, Crispy Tofu, and a sprinkle of peanuts. Roll up in a burrito style, tucking the ends in halfway through the roll, and repeat.
5. Serve with the Peanut Dipping Sauce, hoisin, and Sriracha sauce (if desired) and the reduced Crispy Tofu marinade as condiments.
Crispy Tofu
1. Cut tofu into 3″ x ½” slices (doesn’t have to be exact) and place in a medium shallow dish.
2. In a small saucepan, combine remaining ingredients (except for the oils used for frying tofu). Bring to a simmer over medium heat. Simmer for one minute. Pour mixture over tofu, gently stirring to coat all of the tofu. Marinate for one hour.
3. Remove tofu from marinade and set aside. Pour marinade into a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium-low heat. Simmer until slightly reduced, about three minutes. Remove from heat and pour into a small serving dish. You can remove the ginger or leave it in if you’re a big ginger fan (I leave mine in)!
4. In a large frying pan or grilling pan, heat the sesame and vegetable oils on medium heat. Add tofu to pan and cook in batches (depending on the size of your frying pan) until golden brown on each side, about two minutes each side. Remove from the pan and set aside.
Peanut Dipping Sauce
1. Combine all of the ingredients in a medium bowl and whisk together or place in a blender or mini-food processor and blend until smooth.
2. Set aside in a small serving dish.
Tori is a Registered Dietitian and self-proclaimed foodie. Her nutrition philosophy embraces moderation and quality without deprivation. She started up Fraîche Nutrition on a whim in August 2014, inspired to help share her love of food and educate others on simple healthy eating at the same time. Tori believes that food and nutrition has become overly complicated, and hopes to help others live healthier lives one wholesome recipe at a time.
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