Spring rolls, often called “summer rolls,” are not only perfect for summer but can be enjoyed any time of the year when you want a light, refreshing, and healthy appetizer.
Vegetables such as sweet bell peppers, carrots, daikon, cucumber, lettuce, and cilantro—with optional mint and Thai basil—are wrapped in paper-thin rice wrappers and served with spicy peanut sauce and garlic soy sauce.
I used brown rice spring roll wrappers and brown rice noodles, but you can also use traditional white rice wrappers and noodles. Brown rice noodles and wrappers may not be available in every grocery store, but they can often be found at Whole Foods.
Use the structured ingredient and direction fields below for cooking. The recipe source is Delights of Culinaria.
- Step 1
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Cut the core out of the cabbage.
- Step 2
Add 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon vinegar to the boiling water. Place the cabbage in the water and cook for about 10 minutes.
- Step 3
Drain the cabbage and allow it to cool while you prepare the filling.
- Step 4
Heat a large frying pan or Dutch oven. Add the olive oil and butter. Add the chopped onion and sauté until soft. Remove the onion from the pan and set aside.
- Step 5
Add the shredded carrots to the same pan and sauté for a couple of minutes.
- Step 6
Return the onions to the pan. Add the ground beef or chicken and the half-cooked rice.
- Step 7
Add the paprika, roasted pepper paste, or tomato paste and mix everything together. Season with salt and black pepper, then remove the filling from the heat.
- Step 8
Pull the large leaves from the cooled cabbage. Cut out the thick, hard center vein. The first outer leaves may be very large; cut those leaves in half if necessary.
- Step 9
Place a portion of filling in the middle of each cabbage leaf.
- Step 10
Roll the cabbage leaf around the filling and tuck in the sides. Alternatively, fold the sides inward first and then roll it up.
- Step 11
For stuffed peppers: use 8–10 blanched bell peppers instead of the cabbage. Fill the peppers with the same filling and arrange them in a baking or casserole dish.
- Step 12
Arrange the prepared cabbage rolls in a baking or casserole dish.
- Step 13
Mix the 16 oz tomato sauce with 1 cup water, vegetable stock, chicken stock, or beef stock. Season the sauce with salt and black pepper, then pour it over the cabbage rolls or stuffed peppers.
- Step 14
Cut the 2 tablespoons butter into thin slices and arrange the slices over the cabbage rolls or stuffed peppers.
- Step 15
If making cabbage rolls, cover the top with the leftover small cabbage leaves. Cover the entire baking dish tightly with foil.
- Step 16
Bake at 450°F for 30 minutes.
- Step 17
Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for about 1 hour 15 minutes, until the rolls or peppers are tender and the filling is cooked through.
- Step 18
Serve the cabbage rolls or stuffed peppers hot with sour cream.
- Calories:360 kcal18%
- Protein:20 g40%
- Carbohydrates:35 g13%
- Sugar:9 g18%
- Salt:1.5 g25%
- Energy:1506 kJ18%
- Fat:16 g23%
