Spring Rolls | Crispy Veg Spring Roll Recipe

These Spring rolls are a popular Chinese snack of crispy rolls filled with a savory mixed vegetables stuffing. Hot handheld pockets of spiced veggies are wrapped and deep fried for an endlessly adaptable and delightfully dippable snack. This yummy recipe for crispy vegan Veg Spring Rolls can be made with whatever veggies you have on hand. I’m excited to show you how to make your favorite Indo-Chinese street food at home using just a few simple ingredients!

About Spring Rolls

Spring rolls are called so as they were made during the spring season and also for the Spring Festival in China. They are made with some of the fresh vegetables that appear during the spring season. 

The mixed vegetables are filled inside a thin wrapper or pastry and shaped into a cylindrical roll. Depending on the type of wrapper used, the rolls can be served fresh or cooked further.

There are so many variants of spring rolls. So you will find may kinds of spring roll recipes. The can be savory, sweet and even non-fried and fresh spring rolls like the Vietnamese spring rolls. The stuffing ingredients also vary with each Asian country.

About This Spring Roll Recipe

If you have been following this blog for a while, then you know how much I love to eat vegetables. When said veggies are cooked with tasty spices then wrapped in a thin layer of dough and deep fried to crispy, golden perfection? There’s really nothing better.

Fried spring rolls are one of my greatest eating delights. Crunchy on the outside and filled with a warmly spiced veggie-noodle mixture, they’re perfect for dipping into an array of sauces like chili sauce, red garlic chili sauce, tomato ketchup,  hoisin sauce or Szechuan sauce.

Vegetable spring rolls are a popular street food recipe in India. My recipe is suitable for both vegans and vegetarians alike. The rolls are filled with healthy vegetables, aromatics and seasonings. I have seasoned the veggie filling with soy sauce and not shrimp sauce.

The homemade Spring Roll Wrappers take just a few pantry ingredients and can easily be made. You are also welcome to use store bought wrappers to cut back on prep time. Once you have the wrappers ready, making the spring rolls is easy as can be!

I also love how flexible this veggie spring roll recipe is. You can use basically any vegetables you might have languishing in the crisper drawer as your filling, making this an excellent way to use up any leftover bits of produce at the end of the week.

I keep the seasonings basic so that the flavors of the vegetables shine in the recipe. Here I have deep fried the rolls, but you can choose to shallow fry or bake or air-fry them.

This recipe is also quite generous, making between 24 to 30 small to medium sized fried spring rolls. Whether you’re looking to eat a snack dinner or want to make appetizers for your loved ones, these veg spring rolls fit the bill.

Since this recipe is also naturally vegan, it is an excellent appetizer to make for company. Both your omnivorous and vegetarian friends alike will love these crispy spring rolls!

Need more protein boost? Add some mushrooms, scrambled tofu or bean sprouts. 

So meet me in the kitchen and learn how to make this awesome vegan appetizer recipe. I promise you’ll be happy you did!

How to Make Spring Rolls

While it might seem intimidating to make veg spring rolls from scratch, I can assure you that it is actually quite simple to do. Just follow along with the step-by-step photos below to see how!

Boil Noodles

1. First cook 75 grams instant noodles as per package instructions. Add the noodles to boiling water and cook them.

You can use instant noodles or hakka noodles or any type of flour noodles. However do not use rice noodles or flat noodles.

NOTE: Adding noodles is optional. If you prefer to skip them, then begin from step 5.

2. The noodles should be cooked until al dente.

3. Then drain the noodles and rinse them thoroughly in fresh cold water.

4. Drain the water very well and set aside. From 75 grams of raw noodles, you will get about 1 cup cooked noodles.

Prep Veggies

5. Chop, slice or shred the veggies in thin long strips. For cabbage and carrot, you can shred them using a box grater. Slice the green bell pepper/capsicum in thin strips or matchsticks. French beans can be sliced diagonally into long, thin strips.

I recognize that chopping takes time, so feel free to use a food processor to chop the veggies instead. You can also use whatever variety of vegetables that you like.

Measure the vegetables and set aside. You will need:

• 2.25 to 2.5 cups shredded cabbage
• ½ cup shredded or grated carrots
• ⅓ cup thinly sliced green bell pepper (capsicum) – can swap with red bell pepper or yellow bell pepper
• ¼ cup finely chopped french beans
• ⅓ cup spring onion whites (scallion whites) or onions – for scallions reserve the greens to be added later

6. Here is another plate of prepped veggies for a different batch of spring rolls – as you can see, I opted to use button mushrooms and red cabbage in this version. The vegetables you use are entirely up to you!

So feel free to include vegetables that you like: Napa cabbage, leeks, bok choy, broccoli, button mushrooms, baby corn, bell peppers are some good options.

Make Spring Roll Stuffing

7. Once your veggies are prepped, heat 2 tablespoons oil in a wok or kadai. Keep the flame on medium heat and add ⅓ cup spring onion whites.

Use any neutral flavored oil or sesame oil (not the toasted sesame oil) – but sesame oil made from raw sesame seeds.

At this point if you like, you can add about ½ teaspoon of minced or finely chopped ginger. You can also mince 1 small to medium garlic clove and add at this step.

8. Stir and then add all the chopped veggies.

9. Increase the heat to high and begin to stir fry the veggies.

10. Stir fry the veggies for 4 to 5 minutes on a high heat. Do not cook the vegetables all through, but half cook them. They should still retain some crunch and bite.

11. Then add ½ teaspoon crushed black pepper or pepper powder. Also add 1 teaspoon finely chopped celery (optional).

12. Add 1 tablespoon soy sauce. Both black pepper and soy sauce can be adjusted as per your taste. Mix everything very well.

13. Add the cooked noodles.

14. Season with salt. Note that soy sauce is naturally quite salty, so be sure to adjust your seasoning with caution.

15. Stir again very well.

TIP: The filling has to be dry for the wrappers to seal properly. If your vegetables have given off a lot of water, then cook them until the excess liquid evaporates.

16. Switch off the heat and add 2 to 3 tablespoons of spring onion greens. You can add some herbs like chopped coriander leaves (cilantro) or fresh basil leaves at this point.

17. Stir and keep the pan with the vegetable filling aside for it to cool at room temperature.

Prepare Sealing Paste

1. In a bowl, mix 6 tablespoons all purpose flour or cornstarch and 4 to 5 tablespoons water. I used all-purpose flour.

2. Whisk very well to make a thick paste without any lumps.

Stuff the Spring Rolls

Here I show two methods for rolling and sealing the spring rolls for cooking. Note that either method works well; it is just a matter of personal preference. Also note that your hands are going to get messy either way, so just embrace it!

1. Now take one spring roll wrapper and place it on your work surface. If you are using the Spring Roll Wrapper which I have posted, then keep the cooked side facing you. Using your fingertips, apply the sealing paste on the edges of the wrapper.

NOTE: Do use flour wrappers. They can be frozen or homemade. Kindly do not use rice paper wrappers.

TIP 1: Make sure that the spring roll wrappers are at room temperature before using them. Thaw at room temperature if using frozen wrappers. Keep them covered with a damp kitchen towel so that they do not become dry.

TIP 2: If using store-brought square wrappers, the do check the video for wrapping and rolling. In the video I have made the spring rolls with square wrappers.

2. Place approximately 1 tablespoon of the veggie stuffing on one side.

NOTE: If the spring roll wrappers are big in size, then you can a few more tablespoons of the stuffing.

Wrapping Method 1

3. Gently (but tightly) wrap and roll till the end to a cylindrical shape.

4. Seal the end part to the roll and place the roll with the sealed side downwards.

5. Gently turn over the roll. Now spread some of the paste on the sides.

6. Bring one side touching the roll and press gently.

7. Do the same with the other side. Again spread the batter on both the closed edges. I am comfortable rolling and sealing the spring rolls this way, but feel free to try the other method below to find which you prefer.

Wrapping Method 2

8. After adding the filling, roll the spring roll halfway then spread the batter on the sides. Here I overstuffed the roll 🙂

9. Fold both sides inward to seal. Spread some batter on the sealed edges.

10. Then bring the open side on top of the roll. Press gently and seal it.

TIP: While working with the wrappers, use light force from your hands, otherwise they may break. If there is a tear, then just spread some of the batter on it to close it.

11. Now place all the veg spring rolls with the sealed edges facing down on a plate.

Fry The Spring Rolls

1. In wok or frying pan, heat oil to deep frying temperature (180 to 190 degrees Celsius/356 to 374 degrees Fahrenheit). Keep the heat to medium.

Gently slide in one spring roll to test. The oil should begin bubbling quite furiously. If the oil is not hot enough, then the spring rolls absorb oil and become soggy.

2. Depending on the size of the pan or wok, you can fry 2 to 3 veg spring rolls at a time.

3. Once they become light golden, turn them over and fry the other side.

4. Fry them till they are crisp and golden turning over as needed. The spring rolls fry quickly, so keep a close eye on them as they cook.

5. Remove with a slotted spoon.

6. Drain them on kitchen paper towels to remove excess oil.

7. Garnish with some chopped spring onion greens or fresh cilantro leaves. Serve the veg spring rolls hot with any dipping sauce of your choice.

I like to serve them with chili garlic sauce or hoisin sauce. Some other options of dipping sauces are tomato ketchup, sriracha sauce, peanut sauce or schezwan sauce. Enjoy!

Expert Tips for Spring Rolls

• Veggies: Opt to add vegetables of your choice. Some good options are: carrots, napa cabbage, bok choy, leeks, green or purple cabbage, broccoli, bell peppers, baby corn, french beans, spring onions. Edible mushrooms like button mushrooms or cremini mushrooms also make the stuffing more flavorful.
• Protein: For some more protein, add scrambled tofu or bean sprouts to the stuffing. For a vegetarian option, you can also add some scrambled paneer (Indian cottage cheese). 
• Spicy: My recipe is not spicy. But for a spicy and pungent taste, you can add some finely chopped green chillies to the filling. 
• Wrappers: The recipe works well with both homemade spring roll wrappers as well as frozen wrappers. Thaw frozen wrappers at room temperature before you wrap and roll with them. Keep them covered with a damp towel, so that they do not dry out.
• Deep frying: Remember to deep fry at a moderately hot temperature (180 to 190 degrees Celsius/356 to 374 degrees Fahrenheit). On a low heat the spring rolls will absorb more oil. On a very high heat they will brown quickly or can get burnt. You can also shallow fry these rolls.

FAQs

This Spring Rolls post from the archives (October 2015) has been republished and updated on 1 October 2021.