Summer Rolls with Plant-Based Meat
By America's Test KitchenPublished on January 31, 2022
Time
55 minutes
Yield
Serves 4 to 6 (makes 12 rolls)
Ingredients
Peanut-Hoisin Sauce
1 Thai chile, sliced thin1 garlic clove, minced1 teaspoon kosher salt ⅔ cup water ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce 2 tablespoons tomato paste 1 tablespoon distilled white vinegarSummer Rolls
6 ounces rice vermicelli 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 12 ounces plant-based ground meat 1 cup fresh mint leaves 1 cup fresh cilantro leaves and thin stems1 cup fresh Thai basil leaves12 (8½-inch) round rice paper wrappers 12 leaves red or green leaf lettuce, thick ribs removed2 scallions, sliced thin on biasBefore You Begin
For the best results, make sure to shake all excess water from the noodles after rinsing them. A wooden surface will draw moisture away from the wrappers, so assemble the rolls directly on your counter or on a plastic cutting board. If part of the wrapper starts to dry out while you are forming the rolls, moisten it with your dampened fingers. If Thai basil is unavailable, increase the mint and cilantro to 1½ cups each.
Instructions
- Using mortar and pestle (or on cutting board using flat side of chef's knife), mash Thai chile, garlic, and salt to fine paste. Transfer to medium bowl. Add water, peanut butter, hoisin, tomato paste, and vinegar and whisk until smooth; set aside for serving. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days; let come to room temperature before serving.)
- Bring 2 quarts water to boil in medium saucepan. Off heat, add noodles and let sit until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water until cool. Drain noodles again, then spread on large plate to dry.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add ground meat and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until firm crumbles form, about 3 minutes. Off heat, let cool completely.
- Tear mint, cilantro, and Thai basil into 1-inch pieces and combine in bowl. Fill large bowl with cold water. Submerge 1 wrapper in water until wet on both sides, no longer than 2 seconds. Shake gently over bowl to remove excess water, then lay wrapper flat on work surface (wrapper will be fairly stiff but will continue to soften as you assemble roll). Repeat with second wrapper and place next to first wrapper. Fold 1 lettuce leaf and place on lower third of first wrapper, leaving about ½-inch margin on each side. Spread ⅓ cup noodles on top of lettuce, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon scallions. Top scallions with 2 heaping tablespoons meat. Spread ¼ cup herb mixture over meat.
- Bring lower edge of wrapper up and over herbs. Roll snugly but gently until long sides of greens and noodles are enclosed. Fold in sides to enclose ends and continue to roll until filling is completely enclosed in neat cylinder. Transfer roll to serving platter and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with second moistened wrapper. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, keeping completed rolls covered with plastic. Uncover and serve immediately with sauce. (Leftover rolls can be wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated for up to 24 hours, but wrappers will become chewier and may break in places.)
for the peanut-hoisin sauce
for the summer rolls
Time
55 minutesYield
Serves 4 to 6 (makes 12 rolls)Ingredients
Peanut-Hoisin Sauce
Summer Rolls
Ingredients
Peanut-Hoisin Sauce
Summer Rolls
Ingredients
Peanut-Hoisin Sauce
Summer Rolls
Why This Recipe Works
Loaded with springy rice noodles, crisp lettuce, and an abundance of fresh herbs, Vietnamese summer rolls are a cool delight. Our version replaces the pork and shrimp that traditionally add protein to these rolls with savory plant-based ground meat, which complements the freshness of mint, cilantro, and Thai basil as well as the spicy-sweet dipping sauce. To soften the rice paper wrappers, we dunk them briefly in cold water and then transfer them to the counter while still stiff. This leaves them with just enough moisture clinging to the surface to hydrate and become elastic enough to support a generous amount of filling while remaining easy to handle.
Before You Begin
For the best results, make sure to shake all excess water from the noodles after rinsing them. A wooden surface will draw moisture away from the wrappers, so assemble the rolls directly on your counter or on a plastic cutting board. If part of the wrapper starts to dry out while you are forming the rolls, moisten it with your dampened fingers. If Thai basil is unavailable, increase the mint and cilantro to 1½ cups each.
Instructions
- Using mortar and pestle (or on cutting board using flat side of chef's knife), mash Thai chile, garlic, and salt to fine paste. Transfer to medium bowl. Add water, peanut butter, hoisin, tomato paste, and vinegar and whisk until smooth; set aside for serving. (Sauce can be refrigerated for up to 4 days; let come to room temperature before serving.)
- Bring 2 quarts water to boil in medium saucepan. Off heat, add noodles and let sit until tender, about 10 minutes. Drain noodles and rinse with cold water until cool. Drain noodles again, then spread on large plate to dry.
- Heat oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add ground meat and cook, breaking up meat with wooden spoon, until firm crumbles form, about 3 minutes. Off heat, let cool completely.
- Tear mint, cilantro, and Thai basil into 1-inch pieces and combine in bowl. Fill large bowl with cold water. Submerge 1 wrapper in water until wet on both sides, no longer than 2 seconds. Shake gently over bowl to remove excess water, then lay wrapper flat on work surface (wrapper will be fairly stiff but will continue to soften as you assemble roll). Repeat with second wrapper and place next to first wrapper. Fold 1 lettuce leaf and place on lower third of first wrapper, leaving about ½-inch margin on each side. Spread ⅓ cup noodles on top of lettuce, then sprinkle with 1 teaspoon scallions. Top scallions with 2 heaping tablespoons meat. Spread ¼ cup herb mixture over meat.
- Bring lower edge of wrapper up and over herbs. Roll snugly but gently until long sides of greens and noodles are enclosed. Fold in sides to enclose ends and continue to roll until filling is completely enclosed in neat cylinder. Transfer roll to serving platter and cover with plastic wrap. Repeat with second moistened wrapper. Repeat with remaining wrappers and filling, keeping completed rolls covered with plastic. Uncover and serve immediately with sauce. (Leftover rolls can be wrapped tightly in plastic and refrigerated for up to 24 hours, but wrappers will become chewier and may break in places.)
for the peanut-hoisin sauce
for the summer rolls
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