Miso Roasted Pumpkin Veggie Summer Rolls

Veggie summer rolls are the perfect light lunch or dinner for the whole family. Bursting with color and flavor, these fresh spring rolls boast lots of fresh veggies as well as some delicious miso-roasted pumpkin. Easily made ahead of time and packed in lunchboxes for a healthy snack, or serve with a side salad for a healthy and filling dinner.

We love using miso in our meals, if you have some leftover miso after making these vegetarian cold rolls then be sure to try this Toasted Sesame and Miso Noodle Salad next time for another delicious meal.

Miso Roasted Pumpkin Veggie Summer Rolls

You are going to love these fresh summer rolls stuffed with miso-roasted pumpkin.

They are so fun and vibrant and pack in so much flavor and goodness in one little salad roll that they are sure to be added to your regular meal rotation.

You will need:

• Pumpkin: I use butternut squash as it is a very versatile pumpkin and works well in lots of different meals (like in this roasted garlic and pumpkin hummus);
• Maple syrup: look for 100% pure maple syrup and not a maple flavored syrup;
• White miso paste: you should find this in the Asian section of a well-stocked grocery store;
• Soy sauce: not all soy sauces are created equally, and some can be a lot saltier than others, so check for levels of saltiness before using. I tend to use tamari, which can usually be found alongside the soy sauce. You can also replace this with coconut aminos if needed.
• Ground ginger: you can sub in some fresh ginger if preferred;
• Garlic powder: you can sub in some finely minced fresh garlic if preferred;
• Spring roll rice wrapper sheets: these can usually be found in the Asian section of your grocery store. Rice paper wrappers are round white sheets and come in packaging similar to what you would find in nori sheets for making sushi;
• Tofu: look for firm tofu so that it holds together better, and be sure to press excess liquid out before using. You can leave the tofu out of you are not a fan;
• Carrots: we are going to shred or finely chop the carrots into thin strips, so if you prefer to cut down on time you can usually buy pre-shredded carrots in most cold sections of the fruit and vegetable aisle;
• Brussels sprouts: again, this will be shredded, so buy pre-shredded if you want to cut down on time, or simply use a grater or a sharp knife and do it yourself;
• Purple Cabbage: again, this will be shredded, so buy pre-shredded if you want to cut down on time, or simply use a grater or a sharp knife and do it yourself;
• Cilantro (coriander): fresh herbs are really needed to give a real pop of flavor in these veggie summer rolls, so try not to replace it with ground cilantro.
• Thai chiles: these are small red chiles, but substitute with whatever chili you prefer, or simply use chili flakes. If you are serving to kids who perhaps do not like spice then you can leave this out;
• Furikake: this is otherwise known as sushi rice seasoning and can be found in either the spice section or the Asian section of most grocery stores.

If there are any other fresh vegetables you think would go well and you need to use up then go on ahead and add them in too.

You will also need some dipping sauce of your choice.

I am quite partial to a peanut satay sauce which I make by combining some smooth peanut butter with hot water and a splash of soy and then whisk until smooth.

Other dipping sauces that go well with these vegan rice paper rolls are sweet chili sauce or some sriracha.

How To Make

Whilst wrapping fresh spring rolls can seem a bit daunting to begin with, they are actually quite simple, and with a bit of practice they can come together pretty quickly.

It is important to have all of your ingredients prepped and ready to go before you start rolling the summer rolls. This will make the process a whole lot more streamlined.

We are going to start by roasting the pumpkin so that it has plenty of time to cool before adding it to the summer roll.

Chop the pumpkin into evenly-sized rectangles about as thick as a finger (see ingredient photo above for reference).

Whip up the miso sauce by whisking together the maple syrup, miso paste, soy sauce, ground ginger, garlic powder, and salt. Drizzle this over the chopped pumpkin and pop it into the oven for about 15-20 minutes.

The pumpkin is ready when it is easily pierced with a fork.

Once cooked, remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before using in the rolls.

While the pumpkin is cooking grab a big platter or chopping board, and have all of the rest of the ingredients prepped and ready to go.

TIP: Although the spring roll wrapper packaging will tell you to use warm water and dip the wrapper for 2-5 seconds, I actually find it better to dip them in cold water for about 7-9 seconds. This makes them less flimsy and easier to work with.

Once you have softened the spring roll wrapper it is time to load it up.

Fill the roll from the bottom third with ⅛th of the filling ingredients (the pumpkin, tofu, carrot, brussels sprouts, red cabbage, cilantro, minced chiles, and a sprinkle of furikake).

Roll up the bottom edge and fold in the sides before rolling the wrap up completely.

TIP: It is important not to overstuff as the spring roll wrappers can be quite delicate and will rip and fall apart if overstuffed.

Pop onto a serving platter and repeat with the remaining ingredients.

Storing Leftovers

Cold rice paper rolls are best served immediately.

However, if stored correctly they can be kept in the fridge and enjoyed for a couple of days.

Although I hate using it, I find they keep best if wrapped individually in clingwrap (plastic wrap) and stored in an airtight container. Using this method allows them to last about 3 days.

I have also had luck wrapping them individually with beeswax wrappers if you have some on hand.

They have quite a sticky texture, so if they are stored without being individually wrapped they can stick together and then fall apart with separated.

TIP: use clingwrap or beeswax wrappers to individually wrap the leftover cold rolls before adding to a sealed container. This prevents them from sticking together and ripping when separated.

These vegan summer rolls will not freeze well.

Tips, Tricks, and Substitutions

Although the packaging of the spring roll wrappers will tell you to use hot water to dip the rolls and make them more malleable, I find it easier to work with cold water, as they don't become as flimsy, which makes it easier to wrap.

If you are not a fan of tofu it can easily be left out of this recipe if preferred. Alternatively, you could try using a marinated tofu with flavors that would match the miso-roasted pumpkin.

Feel free to add any of your favorite veggies that you think would work with the flavors here. I sometimes add green onions and thin rice noodles (rice vermicelli noodles) to change things up.

TIP: use the shredding attachment that comes with the food processor to quickly shred your crunchy vegetables.

Serving Suggestions

These veggie summer rolls are best served cold or at room temperature.

I usually serve mine as a light meal with a side of spicy peanut sauce.

However, they also go well with sweet chili sauce, sriracha, or soy sauce.

If you would like a more substantial meal then try serving with:

• a side salad
• some edamame (like these air fryer edamame)
• a bowl of miso soup
• some simple noodles like these spicy peanut noodles with crispy tofu and green beans.

Or use your imagination and use what you have on hand to make a complete meal.

If you enjoyed these veggie summer rolls boasting lots of crunchy veggies then please leave a 5 star rating on the recipe card, or a comment underneath the recipe card.

Happy Eating.

xx

Recipe

The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.