These vegan egg rolls have a delicious filling of carrots, cabbage, scallion, and mushrooms wrapped in crunchy rice paper wrappers. You can prepare the filling in 10 minutes and bake the whole batch in one in 20 minutes. Or deep-fry or air-fry them for a couple of minutes.

Are you looking for more rice paper roll recipes? We have lots of fun dishes you can choose from, like rice paper dumplings, rice paper spring rolls, rice paper samosa rolls, or fresh Vietnamese spring rolls. How about other recipes than rolls? We have a good deal of delicious rice paper recipes.
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What can you expect from this recipe?
It is always best to start with expectations. Classic egg rolls are the invention of Chinese American restaurants.
The typical fillings include a mixture of shredded cabbage, carrots, onions, and pork. Some variations may also include bean sprouts, mushrooms, or water chestnuts. The filling is pre-cooked, typically in a combination of soy sauce and other Asian-style seasonings. Then it is wrapped in egg roll wrappers and deep-fried to get a bubbly surface.
So, how to make egg rolls with rice paper? Rice paper wrappers are a versatile ingredient to use in place of other wrappers. They are cheap and easy to work with. You can also get them crispy just as simply.
These rice paper egg rolls are loaded with many colorful ingredients. We show you 3 ways how to make them crispy like restaurant-style egg rolls.
Ingredients
Making rice paper egg rolls is super easy. You will have a large batch in no time, especially if you choose to bake them in the end.
- Rice paper wrappers → We have a complete guide on rice paper wrappers with everything you want to know about how to choose, prepare, and roll it.
- Oyster mushrooms → We used pearly oysters, but you can use any type of oyster mushrooms. Here is a list of where to buy them.
- Carrots
- Cabbage → We recommend using white, green, or napa cabbage. Red cabbage will also work, but it may color the other veggies purple.
- Scallion or green onion
- Ginger
- Garlic
- Soy sauce → use tamari to make it gluten-free
- Sesame oil
- Vegetable oil
- Rice vinegar
- Sugar – Any sweetener could work, but we never tested it with low-carb alternatives like stevia or erythritol. Honey is not vegan, so choose any of these honey substitutes.
- Salt
- Black pepper
🛒 You can find detailed measurements for all ingredients in the printable version of the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Instructions
Preparing the vegetables
- Since oyster mushrooms don’t grow in the dirt but on longs, preparing them is easy. Cut the end of the stem and tear the cap into small shreds with your hands.
- Wash, peel and cut the carrots julienne (small matchsticks). You can see how to do it in our sautéed julienne carrot recipe. Alternatively, you can shred them with a large hole cheese grater.
- Wash and shred the cabbage.
- Wash and cut the scallion julienne (small matchsticks). Cut off the end and any dry, brown part. Cut them into 3. Finally, cut them vertically as thin as you can.
- Peel and mince garlic and ginger.
Frying oyster mushrooms
While there are several ways to cook oyster mushrooms, we choose this time to quickly fry them on the stovetop since we don’t need a huge amount.
- Take a small bowl and mix soy sauce (or tamari) and cornstarch. Since the enemy of crispy egg rolls is moisture, we recommend using corn starch to capture any excess liquid that the mushrooms may release during frying.
- Take a frying pan and heat it over high heat.
- Add vegetable oil and shredded mushrooms and cook them for approx. 2-3 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce slurry and cook for another 2-3 minutes. You don’t want them as crispy as in these vegan gyros, or on this vegan Philly cheesesteak recipes. It should look similar to the ones in the below photo.
Precooking the vegetable filling
It is really quick to pre-cook the veggies for rice paper egg rolls. You don’t need more than 5 minutes, I guarantee you.
- Take the same pan you used to fry the oyster mushroom and add sesame oil. Heat it over medium heat.
- Add minced garlic and ginger and cook them for approx. 2 minutes.
- Take the heat up and add the prepared scallions, carrots, and cabbage. Stir well.
- Add rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Cook them for approx. 2 minutes again. And you are ready! The veggie filling shouldn’t need to be cooked until tender. It should remain slightly crunchy, like in the below photo.
How to roll egg rolls?
Making rice paper egg rolls is simpler than it seems. We will guide you through the process step by step. For a comprehensive understanding, refer to our guide on rice paper wrappers, which addresses all your queries. For a brief overview, check out our Cooking Tips section below.
- Cool pre-cooked egg roll filling before using.
- Use a large shallow bowl for submerging rice paper in lukewarm water, and have non-stick parchment paper ready for finished egg rolls.
- Place fillings in small bowls for easy access.
- Submerge rice paper gently. (See our Cooking Tips section on how to know the duration.)
- Place on a dry and smooth surface. (Wiped after each roll.)
- Place filling in the middle, around the lower third of the rice paper wrappers.
- Fold sides to the middle, then bottom over filling and roll up tightly.
- Place them on the parchment paper with a seam at the bottom.
Baking
- Preheat the oven to 395 Fahrenheit (ca. 202 °C).
- Place the rice paper egg rolls on a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.
- Spray it with a bit of oil. Don’t brush them, as you might end up adding too much.
- Bake them for 10-15 minutes. The rice paper will not change color really, so don’t wait for them to be golden brown. I usually flip them after 10 minutes to make sure that they are crispy all around.
Cooking tips
Get all the information you need about rice paper wrappers in our guide. Learn how they’re made, their variations, and how the rolling method differs depending on the type. To ensure success when making rice paper egg rolls, here are the top 3 tips from the guide:
- Use dry hands → Make sure your hands are dry before handling rice paper wrappers. Wet hands can activate them and they will stick together.
- Damp towel or submerging in water? → Which method to choose depends on whether your rice paper contains tapioca starch or not. Check the packaging and use a damp towel for high tapioca content, but submerge in water for wraps made of 100% rice flour.
- How much time do you need to soften the wrappers? → Depends on the type. According to our experience, you will need 7-8 seconds for wrappers made of 100% rice flour, and less for those with tapioca starch. We recommend submerging your rice paper for 3-4 seconds first. Place it on a smooth, clean surface and wait for 2-3 seconds. If it is still not soft, submerge it again. It is really hard to work with overly soft sheets that are soaked in water for too long.
Variations
- Add other vegetables: You can customize the filling ingredients to your preference. We recommend using vegetables that can be shredded or are soft like mushrooms (choose any of these oyster mushroom substitutes) or go with your favorite like shiitake, or button mushrooms. Bok choy, spinach, kale also work great.
- Pork substitutes: Consider using TVP, it works perfectly as vegan ground pork in this Vietnamese rice paper pizza recipe.
- Shredded tofu: We added some shredded Hoisin tofu to make these Chinese rice paper spring rolls more interesting.
- Rice noodles or vermicelli noodles are typical in Vietnamese spring rolls (also known as summer rolls), but they may not work well with precooked veggies.
- Use other wrappers: While this is specifically a rice paper egg roll recipe, there are actually 10 different things you can use as spring roll wrappers.
- Change the cooking method: Frying and baking egg rolls have slight differences. Frying results in extra crispy and bubbly egg rolls, but may absorb oil. Baking is a healthier alternative. Rolls are brushed with only minimal oil, resulting in less crispy but still crunchy egg rolls. You can also see the difference between baking and frying in the below photos. Let us know in the comments which is your favorite way to make rice paper egg rolls.
Serving ideas
There are a variety of dipping sauces you can serve these rice paper egg rolls with. The most popular one is sweet chili sauce, but many delicious alternatives exist. You will have a hard time choosing one of these 13 spring roll dipping sauces, since all of them are so tasty.
Equipment
- Rice paper water bowl – A large shallow bowl is a simple option for softening the wrappers, but specialized water bowls have added benefits. They are compact and take up less space than a regular bowl and make it easy to submerge the rice paper.
- Rice paper tray – Though not necessarily elegant, a rice paper tray effectively prevents sticking and allows excess liquid to drain through holes. An alternative option is using a plastic cutting board, just make sure to wipe it dry between each roll.
Storing tips
- Fridge: Fresh rice paper egg rolls can be stored in the refrigerator on a plate covered in plastic wrap. Make sure to place them loosely as they may stick together if placed too close. Baked or fried egg rolls can be stored in an airtight container, but will lose crispiness over time.
- Reheat: To regain some crispiness, quickly reheat in a lightly oiled frying pan. Microwaves will not give you the same result.
- Freezer: We do not recommend freezing them as it can result in a soggy texture as the moisture from the filling will soften the wrappers.
FAQs
Keep the surface dry and roll the rice paper egg rolls as tight as you can. Use minimal oil or sauce to prevent the filling from becoming too wet, as too much moisture will ruin crispiness. Dry the rolls with paper towel or refrigerate before cooking for extra crispiness.
Yes, you can. Make sure to roll them tightly, otherwise, the rolls may open or burst in hot oil.
Spray a bit of oil on the bottom of the air fryer. Air fry rice paper egg rolls at 380 Fahrenheit (ca. 193 °C) for approx. 10 minutes.
More rice paper rolls recipes
Try one of these delicious rice paper recipes, or choose one from below:
More vegan Asian takeout recipes
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Rice Paper Egg Rolls (3 Ways)
Ingredients
Egg roll filling
- 1 Tbsp Sesame oil
- 5 oz Cabbage shredded
- 1 Carrots (large)
- 1 Scallion
- ¼ tsp Ginger grated
- 2 cloves Garlic (finely chopped)
- 1 tsp Rice vinegar
- ½ tsp Cane sugar
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ⅛ tsp Black pepper
Oyster mushroom
- 1 Tbsp Vegetable oil
- 5 oz Oyster mushrooms
- 1 Tbsp Soy sauce or tamari
- ½ tsp Corn starch
- 1 Tbsp Water
Instructions
Prepare the ingredients
- Cut the end of the oyster mushroom stem and tear the cap into tiny shreds with your hands. If the stem is soft enough you can shred them as well.
- Wash, peel, and shred carrots using a grater or cut them julienne with a knife. Julienne means thin matchsticks, so cut them as thin as you can.
- Wash and cut spring onion julienne with a knife. Cut off the roots and the dry, brown part of the leaves. Cut them into 3 pieces. Finally, cut them vertically into thin matchsticks.
- Take the outer leaves of the cabbage. Shred them using a grater with large holes or cut them into shreds with a knife.
- Peel and mince garlic and ginger.
Fry mushrooms
- Take a small bowl and mix soy sauce (or tamari) and corn starch.
- Take a wok, a frying pan, or a cast-iron skillet and heat it over high heat. Add vegetable oil and shredded mushrooms and cook them for approx. 2-3 minutes.
- Add the soy sauce slurry and cook for another 2-3 minutes.
Pre-cook the veggie filling
- Take the same pan you used to fry the oyster mushroom and add sesame oil.
- Heat it over medium heat and add minced garlic and ginger. Cook them for approx. 2 minutes.
- Take the heat up and add the prepared spring onions, carrots, and cabbage. Stir well.
- Add rice vinegar, sugar, salt, and black pepper. Cook them for approx. 2-3 minutes again. The filling is ready when the veggies have softened, but they are still a bit crunchy. You don’t want them too soft and mushy.
Rolling rice paper egg rolls
- Gently submerge the rice paper. (See NOTES on how to know the duration.)
- Once submerged, transfer it to a dry and smooth surface.
- I place the filling in the middle around the lower third of the rice paper. If you have standard-size rice paper (approx. 20-22 cm /8-9 inches), you can fit 2-3 Tbsp of filling, which would make an approx. 10 cm (4-inch) long egg roll.
- First, fold the sides gently but tight towards the middle.
- Take the bottom seam and fold it upwards gently, but tight.
- Use your fingers to tuck the filling tight within the rice paper before rolling it up.
- Roll it up, but use your fingers to keep the filling tucked tightly.
- Place your finished spring roll on parchment paper with the closing seam on the bottom.
Baking, deep-frying, or air frying
- We recommend placing the finished egg rolls in the fridge to remove moisture before baking or frying. Make sure they don’t touch and cover them with plastic wrap.
- Preheat the oven to 395 Fahrenheit (ca. 202 °C). Place the rolls on a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat. Spray it with a bit of oil. Don’t brush them, as you might end up adding too much. Bake them for 15-20 minutes. The rice paper will not change color, so don’t wait for them to be golden brown. I usually flip them after 10 minutes to ensure they are crispy.
- Deep-fry in enough oil for a couple of minutes until crispy. If you shallow fry them in a pan, flip them after 2-3 minutes.
- Spray a bit of oil on the bottom of the air fryer. Air fry them at 380 Fahrenheit (ca. 193 °C) for approx. 10 minutes. Check at the 10-minute mark.
Notes
- Use dry hands → Make sure your hands are dry before handling rice paper wrappers. Wet hands can activate them and they will stick together.
- Damp towel or submerging in water? → Which method to choose depends on whether your rice paper contains tapioca starch or not. Check the packaging and use a damp towel for high tapioca content, but submerge in water for wraps made of 100% rice flour.
- How much time do you need to soften the wrappers? → Depends on the type. According to our experience, you will need 7-8 seconds for wrappers made of 100% rice flour, and less for those with tapioca starch. We recommend submerging your rice paper for 3-4 seconds first. Place it on a smooth, clean surface and wait for 2-3 seconds. If it is still not soft, submerge it again. It is really hard to work with overly soft sheets that are soaked in water for too long.
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