Instead of having two recipes for you today, I came very close to having none.
If my husband and daughter hadn’t walked in right in the middle of my culinary meltdown, tasted a couple of the misshapen spring rolls I had managed to coax out of the dried out wrappers that had been buried in my freezer for months, and pronounced them not only edible but blog-worthy, I might have given up on cooking, declared the cabbage I’d already prepared a minimalist coleslaw, and ordered Szechuan Tofu and Vegetable Lo Mein from the take-out place down the street.
But they loved the homely little baked spring rolls and urged me to make more, despite the fact that only one out of every five wrappers held together enough to survive being stuffed with uncooked cabbage and placed on a baking sheet. So I struggled on for my family, and for you, because I figured that if I could get tasty, low-fat spring rolls out of pastry that should have been thrown out during the Bush administration, you could get even tastier ones using fresh wrappers and less swearing.
I made 14 spring rolls before finally deciding that it was a losing battle; the remaining wrappers were either too dry to pull apart or too soggy from my attempts to rehydrate them. I was left with about half of the vegetables and tofu I’d prepared as stuffing, and since I never throw away perfectly good food (or, apparently, out-of-date frozen food), I got busy turning them into a quick main dish. We had baked spring rolls and lo mein for dinner, which made my carb-loving family very happy.
Both the spring rolls and the pasta are flavored with a chili paste called Sambal Oelek, which provides a lot of heat but no sweetness or other flavor. You can find both it and eggless spring roll wrappers at Asian grocery stores. Look for the wrappers in the frozen section, but do check to make sure that no ice crystals have formed inside the package and the wrappers look fresh.
Easy Baked Spring Rolls
Ingredients
- 1/2 head Napa Cabbage (about 8 ounces cored and shredded)
- 1 carrot
- 1/2 tablespoon sambal oelek (or other chili paste, to taste)
- 6 ounces extra-firm tofu
- 1 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
- 2 teaspoons water
- 1 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1/4 teaspoon sesame oil optional
- 24 spring roll wrappers (I used 4×4-inch wrappers)
Instructions
- Cut the cabbage in quarters lengthwise and cut out and discard the hard core. Slice two of the quarters thinly, and reserve the other two for another use. Cut the carrot into thin matchsticks about 1-inch long. Mix the cabbage with the carrot in a large bowl and stir in the sabal oelek (chili paste).
- Cut the tofu into 1/4-inch thick slices. Lay them out on a double-layer of paper towels. Top with another double layer of towels and gently press down on each slice with your hands to remove as much moisture as possible. Remove from paper towels and cut into tiny, 1/4-inch cubes. Place into a medium-sized bowl. In another bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Pour over the tofu, stirring gently (I used my hands) to distribute the sauce without breaking up the tofu.
- Preheat oven to 375 F. Place one spring roll wrapper on your work surface with a corner toward you. (Keep the remaining wrappers covered to prevent them from drying out.) Place a heaping tablespoon of the cabbage mixture in the center and top it with a line of tofu cubes. Bring the bottom corner over the filling and the two sides in, forming an envelope-like packet. Moisten the top corner with a little water and roll up from the bottom, pressing the edge to seal. Place seam-side down on a baking sheet lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Repeat with remaining ingredients.
- Bake for 6-9 minutes. Turn over and bake for another 6-10 minutes or until golden brown. Serve with a sweet and sour dipping sauce such as Apricot Duck Sauce.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
I added another quarter of a cabbage and half a carrot as well as mushrooms and red bell pepper to the vegetables I had left over from making half a batch of spring rolls to make this easy pasta dish. You can substitute whatever vegetables you like, though Napa cabbage (also known as Chinese cabbage) gives it a great flavor and crunch. If you have them, some green onions added near the end would be a nice touch.
Low-Fat Lo Mein
Ingredients
- 6 ounces Napa Cabbage , cored and shredded
- 1 carrot , cut into matchsticks
- 1/2 teaspoon sambal oelek (or other chili paste, to taste)
- 3 oz extra-firm tofu
- 1/2 teaspoon soy sauce or tamari
- 1 teaspoon water
- 1/2 teaspoon seasoned rice vinegar
- 1/8 teaspoon sesame oil optional
- 8 ounces whole wheat pasta such as fettuccine
- 2 teaspoons minced ginger root
- 1 teaspoon minced garlic
- 1/4 red bell pepper , thinly sliced
- 6 Cremini mushrooms , sliced
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce or tamari (or to taste)
- 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil (or to taste)
Instructions
- Combine the cabbage, carrots, and chili paste.
- Cut the tofu into 1/4-inch thick slices. Lay them out on a double-layer of paper towels. Top with another double layer of towels and gently press down on each slice with your hands to remove as much moisture as possible. Remove from paper towels and cut into tiny, 1/4-inch cubes. Place into a medium-sized bowl. In another bowl, combine the soy sauce, water, rice vinegar, and sesame oil. Pour over the tofu, stirring gently (I used my hands) to distribute the sauce without breaking up the tofu.
- Cook the pasta according to package directions. Drain.
- Heat a non-stick wok. Give it a quick spray with olive oil if you like. Add the tofu and cook, turning periodically, until lightly browned on all sides. Remove from skillet.
- Add the ginger, garlic, bell pepper, and mushrooms to the hot skillet along with a tablespoon or two of water. Cook, stirring constantly and adding water as needed to prevent sticking, until mushrooms soften, about 1-2 minutes. Add the cabbage mixture, and continue to stir-fry for another 1-2 minutes, until just softened. Add the pasta, gently fold in the tofu, and season to taste with soy sauce and sesame oil. Serve with additional chili sauce on the side.
Nutritional info is approximate.
More Baked Rolls
See these other blogs for baked egg roll recipes and helpful process photos:
- Baked Vegetable Egg Rolls from For the Love of Cooking
- Baked Spring Rolls with Almond Butter Dipping Sauce by Koko’s Kitchen
- Baked Egg Rolls from Albion Cooks (not vegan but adaptable)
- Eggless Baked Spring Rolls from Madhuram’s Eggless Cooking
Misty
I tried making the spring rolls and used rice wrappers instead of wheat. I had to bake about 5 minutes longer on each side for them to get browned and crispy. They only got crispy on the outside, and on the inside the wrapper was still chewy and a bit soggy. They were pretty fail 🙁
Melanie
THANK YOU. My husband and I haven’t been able to resist take-out lately because all our attempts at Asian food at home have been dismal. This post is redemptive for us! You are great!
FreezeFrame
I came across your site from a Vegan app on my phone. It’s love at first sight or site! I’m trying to get my family eating healthier and all of your recipes look amazing! I can’t wait to see more! I LOVE lo mein and spring rolls, so this recipevwill be used again and again! Thanks!
Susan Voisin
Welcome! I’d love to know what app that was!
Willeke
Dear Susan
Yesterday I had unexpected vegan guests and all I had were springrollsheets, veggies and a lot of tofu. I searched on your site and found this recipe. I made one batch with veggies following your recipe and then I got inspired and the other batch I filled with tofu, bambooshoots and vegan mix for babi ketjap (here in the Netherlands we have plenty mixes for Indonesian food) . My guests were delighted and they now also know about your blog.
Thank you so much for sharing your recipes!
Beth Whitaker
My husband and I have been vegan since June 15 of this year. Your site has been my favorite and I have used many of your recipes. The Baked Spring Rolls are already a favorite of ours. We have made them 4 times in the past 3 weeks. Yummy everytime.
I appreciate and thank you for taking the time to help and encourage those of us who are new to the Vegan world (oldis also), to live a healthier life. You make it easy and a lot of fun.
kvrose48
Fixed the Easy Bake Spring Rolls for New Year’s Eve. They were Delicious! We made them the main dish. My husband and I are new Vegans and this was our first New Year’s Eve celebration minus all the fat. Thank you for all the great recipes here..this one is a keeper!
Linda
Hi, Susan. I shortly found out that I have heart disease. I’m 38. So…I’ve decided a very low fat vegan diet is worth a try. I’ve done vegeterian before while I was pregnant with my 4th child, but not low fat.(Does that make sense?) :O) Well, I really like your blog. Thank you for taking the time out of your day to post these recipes. I hope they will help me. This one looks especially yummy!
Sincerely,
Linda
Rose
Linda I also have heart disease but at 63 years of age. Check out Dr Caldwell Esselstyns book on this. I am trying to reverse mine now doing plant based and it’s already helped my ear infections and vertigo and not having seasonal allergies now either. I wish you health and blessing!!!
I am going to try making some today. Was trying to find an oil free dip and no fat as well.
Havi
These came out good. I really liked the flavoring for the tofu.
To press tofu, I always lay it between two towels after slicing, then place books on top. Not too heavy, otherwise the tofu will be a pancake. I usually leave it for at least half an hour, then it will zealously absorb any liquid you offer it.
I loved the filling and tofu together, it was very light but also filling enough to be a meal. I dipped in tamari. Unfortunately, the wrappers I bought had a hole in the packaging and were dried out, so I wasn’t able to get the full effect as my rolls were a bit mangled. Can’t wait to try again with properly packaged wrappers.
Anna
This looks so good! I recently ordered this dish at a restaurant. It was delicious, but too high in fat.
Kyle
I just made (unbaked) spring rolls this week and used an awesome peanut sauce. The peanut sauce is 3T crunchy peanut butter, low sodium sauce, chili sauce w/garlic, lime juice, agave (just enough for your taste), and garlic. I portion everything to my taste (I usually don’t follow recipes…recipes are merely guides for me!). Also, if you haven’t tried Santa Cruz lemon and lime juices, I highly recommend you try them (expensive, but such high quality, and recipes do not usually call for large quantities of lemon/lime juice).
My husband and I just started all plant-based (low/no oil) in January after following a vegetarian diet since ’07. I love it and I am always grateful to find websites like yours to give me ideas and techniques. I have made a few of your recipes with great results, and plan to make many more. I am a nursing student, usually pressed for time, so while I have the summer off I will be cooking up a storm!
Thanks for sharing!
Kyle (female, pronounced just like the “guy’s” name)
Shellie
I’ve been avoiding wonton skins, egg roll wrappers and spring roll wrappers because of the egg that I see on all the packages. I see this brand doesn’t have any egg. YAY. Now if only I can find it locally. I didn’t see it in my Asian market. In the mean time, I’ve been using bean curd skins cut down to size. We also have them filled with a garlicky kale mixture…all baked in the oven. Delicious. I cannot wait to try these. Thanks again for some great recipes.
Cara O'Sullivan
I can hardly wait to try these. Would the spring rolls freeze well do you think? If so, would you freeze them before or after baking?
Susan Voisin
I would freeze them before baking–though I haven’t tried that yet.
Kristyn
I bought the same exact TYJ Spring Roll Pastry but in a 24 pack. The calorie count is 45 per sheet. I wonder if yours are smaller?
Susan Voisin
Yours must be much larger. Mine are about 4×4 inches and contain 6 calories per sheet.
Kristyn
I need to find the smaller version!
Mary
I have checked other sites for spring rolls and your recipe sounds awesome its just what I have been looking for
marilyn
I can’t wait to try these receipes. I just have to go shopping for the ingredients. I have very little of these items in my refrigerator.
Anne
I have never used Napa cabbage before or made egg rolls so I am thrilled at how easy these recipes are and how delicious! I made it for my family last night – I was so excited I even called the one who has her own place and invited her – and am happily eating leftovers for lunch today.