Rice Paper Egg Rolls (3 Ways)

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.

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.

1. 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.
2. Take a frying pan and heat it over high heat.
3. Add vegetable oil and shredded mushrooms and cook them for approx. 2-3 minutes.
4. 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.

1. Take the same pan you used to fry the oyster mushroom and add sesame oil. Heat it over medium heat.
2. Add minced garlic and ginger and cook them for approx. 2 minutes.
3. Take the heat up and add the prepared scallions, carrots, and cabbage. Stir well.
4. 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.

1. Cool pre-cooked egg roll filling before using.
2. Use a large shallow bowl for submerging rice paper in lukewarm water, and have non-stick parchment paper ready for finished egg rolls.
3. Place fillings in small bowls for easy access.
4. Submerge rice paper gently. (See our Cooking Tips section on how to know the duration.)
5. Place on a dry and smooth surface. (Wiped after each roll.)
6. Place filling in the middle, around the lower third of the rice paper wrappers.
7. Fold sides to the middle, then bottom over filling and roll up tightly.
8. Place them on the parchment paper with a seam at the bottom.

Baking

1. Preheat the oven to 395 Fahrenheit (ca. 202 °C).
2. Place the rice paper egg rolls on a baking sheet with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat.
3. Spray it with a bit of oil. Don’t brush them, as you might end up adding too much.
4. 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.

More rice paper rolls recipes

Try one of these delicious rice paper recipes, or choose one from below:

More vegan Asian takeout recipes