Bi cuon chay is a Vietnamese vegetarian spring roll made of tofu, jicama, carrots, sweet potatoes, bean thread and seasoning, rolled with fresh vegetables and herbs in a rice paper wrap. This is an authentic and popular rice paper roll among Vietnamese vegetarians. It’s perfect as an appetizer, snack or tasty meal on-the-go!
My husband and I always joke that if we had our own food truck, it would be all about spring rolls and we’d name it ROLLS TO GO. These bi cuon chay would be on the menu of course. They are filling, delicious, and fresh – with no meat! My son actually prefers these over the pork and shrimp rolls.
The main filling of these spring rolls consists of bi chay, which is made from tofu and vegetables, and can be used in many other vegetarian dishes. In this post I’ll show how easy it is to make fresh vegetarian spring rolls at home – you’re going to love them!
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Ingredients & Notes
Bi Chay – This is a vegetarian dish made of tofu and vegetables.
Spring Roll Wrapper – My favorite is the Ba Co Gai (Three Ladies) brand. It’s a quality rice paper that’s thick and sturdy enough to hold the filling. It also does not get sticky quickly or tear easily – absolutely important when you are rolling the spring rolls. Get this at your local Asian market.
Fresh herbs and vegetables – Make sure they’re fresh and fragrant, it brings an extra layer of texture and fresh flavors. Common herbs and veggies that you can get at any grocery store are green lettuce, mint, cucumber and cilantro.
How to Roll a Spring Roll
1). Dip the rice paper wrapper in a bowl of warm water for about 5 seconds. You may need to rotate the wrapper to evenly moisten it in the water. Make sure the water is not hot.
2). Place the wrapper on a cutting board or clean surface. Layer the filling by adding the tofu mixture first. Add the filling about ⅓rd from the bottom of the wrapper, leaving about an inch of space on each side of the wrapper.
3). Add the herbs and vegetables.
4). Fold the bottom end over the filling.
5). Pull the two sides over to seal the filling.
6). Start rolling while tucking the filling in tightly until you complete the roll!
Pro Tips
- Serve with nuoc cham sauce, vegan nuoc cham dipping sauce or peanut sauce.
- Adding too much filling and veggies will make your rolls big and a bit more difficult to wrap.
- It’s best to soak the rice paper in warm water. When the water is too hot, the rice paper will become soft quickly, making it difficult to work with.
- Do not soak the rice paper for too long. The rice paper will become too soggy and tear with too much water.
- Wrap on a smooth surface, preferably a cutting board or plate.
- Add the bi chay filling first, then add the vegetables and herbs over it. This will make it easier to roll.
- Work quickly to avoid the rice paper getting too sticky and dry, which may tear when you roll.
- Best to eat right away at room temperature.
- If you need to store this overnight or take it to go, wrap each roll individually in plastic wrap and keep it in an airtight container.
- To reheat overnight leftovers, microwave for about 15 seconds to soften the rice paper.
FAQs
Yes, they are made with tapioca, rice, salt and water. However, always check the ingredients.
Soak the rice paper for about 5 seconds in warm water.
Do not stack the rolls on top of each other or let them touch each other. This prevents the rolls from sticking to one another and tearing. You can individually roll them with plastic wrap as well to prevent sticking.
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Bi Cuon Chay (Vietnamese Vegetarian Tofu Spring Rolls)
Ingredients
- Tofu and vegetable mixture (bi chay)
- 16 sheets rice paper about 8.5 inch diameter sheets
- 1 head red or green lettuce
- 1 bunch mint leaves
- 1 bunch cilantro leaves
- 2 cucumbers, sliced thinly length-wise
- warm water placed in shallow dish
Instructions
- Prep all your ingredients on a work station.
- Take one piece of rice paper and dip it into warm water for about 5 seconds. You may need to rotate the wrapper to evenly moisten it in the water. Place rice paper on a plate or cutting board.
- Add bi chay (tofu mixture) ⅓ from the bottom of the rice paper. Leaving about an inch of space on each side of the wrapper.
- Add vegetables and herbs.
- Fold the bottom end of the rice paper over the filling.
- Pull the two sides of the wrapper over to seal the filling.
- Roll and tuck the filling in tightly until you complete the roll.
- Repeat with the remaining filling and wrappers.
Notes
- Serve with vegan nuoc cham dipping sauce or peanut sauce.
- Adding too much filling and veggies will make your rolls big and a bit more difficult to wrap.
- It’s best to soak the rice paper in warm water. When the water is too hot, the rice paper will become soft quickly, making it difficult to work with.
- Do not soak the rice paper for too long. The rice paper will become too soggy and tear with too much water.
- Work quickly to avoid the rice paper getting too sticky and dry, which may tear when you roll.
- Best to eat right away at room temperature.
- To store overnight or to for to-go options, wrap each roll individually in plastic wrap and keep it in an airtight container.
- To reheat overnight leftovers, microwave for about 15 seconds to soften the rice paper.