Sesame Tofu Spring Rolls with Tahini Sauce

LESSONS LEARNED WHILE MAKING THESE SPRING ROLLS:

• Brown rice wrappers are tasty, but not so pretty in pictures. For the most beautiful rolls, stick with regular white rice wrappers.
• Eating spring rolls by yourself is great, but eating them with friends is even better. 
• Spring rolls taste better when eaten outside. Pack them up in a container and take them out for a picnic! 
• Even though tofu is generally squishy and flavorless, sauteing it with plenty of soy, toasted sesame oil, chili, and garlic makes it incredible. 
• Even the ugly ones taste great.
• Sauce is the key to life. Or, well, at least the key to spring rolls. These ones get a thick + creamy tahini sauce that’s loaded with ginger, lime, and toasted sesame oil. Slather some inside each roll, or leave it all as a dipping sauce- your choice. 
• Finely sliced/shredded veggies taste best in spring rolls. I didn’t chop my cucumbers into matchsticks and have regretted it ever since. Don’t be like me- chop ’em up! 
• There are no rules when it comes to spring rolls. Want to add in shredded carrots or beets? Go for it! No tahini for the sauce? Just use peanut butter or almond butter instead! Hate cilantro? Grab a handful of basil or mint and you’re good to go.
• Make yourself an assembly line. Spring rolls are annoying to make when you don’t have everything you need cut up and laid out in front of you. Just make yourself a little station in your kitchen and roll, roll, roll.
• Spring rolls are beautiful, and make me happy.  

I hope you all love these easy, spicy, sesame-loaded Spring Rolls as much as I do! The firm, salty tofu with crisp cucumber, creamy avocado, fresh cilantro, and that creamy, gingery tahini sauce is literally all I want for lunch every day from now until October. 

Let’s plan a spring picnic! You bring the blanket and the wine, I’ll bring the spring rolls and brownies. Deal? Deal. See you at the park!

Sesame Tofu Spring Rolls with Tahini Sauce

Chelsea Colbath

Fresh spring rolls filled with crispy sesame-soy tofu, cucumber, avocado, cilantro, and a ginger + lime infused tahini dipping sauce.

Print Pin It

Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

  

• 14 ounces extra firm tofu
• 1 Tablespoon olive oil
• 2 Tablespoons soy sauce or liquid aminos
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon each of ground ginger garlic powder, and chili flakes
• 1 seedless cucumber
• 1 avocado
• a handful of cilantro
• 12 spring roll wrappers brown rice or white rice wrappers both work

Tahini Sauce

• 1/4 cup tahini
• 3 Tablespoons soy sauce or liquid aminos
• 1 lime zest and juice
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon maple syrup
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon chili flakes optional- for heat
• 2 Tablespoons water

Instructions

 

• 1. Put a large skillet on the stove over medium heat. Drain tofu and pat dry with a paper towel. Slice tofu into 12 1-inch thick strips, and put into pan with olive oil. Let cook 5 minutes, then flip and cook another 5.
• 2. In a small bowl, mix the sauce for the tofu. Add soy, sesame oil, maple syrup, ginger, garlic, and chili flakes and stir to combine. When the tofu is finished cooking, turn off the heat and drizzle over the sauce. Toss to combine, then let sit and cool in the pan, off the heat, while you assemble all other ingredients.
• 3. Thinly slice cucumber into matchsticks, and slice avocado into very thin strips. Roughly chop the cilantro.
• 4. Make tahini sauce by putting all ingredients into a bowl and whisking to combine. I sometimes do this in a 12-oz mason jar, just shaking everything up to combine. If the sauce is too thick, add up to 1 T more water.
• 5. Lay out all your ingredients on a cutting board or plates: sauce, tofu, and chopped veggies. Then, fill a large round dish (I used a glass pie plate) with hot tap water. This will be used to soften the rice wrappers. Make sure you have a flat, clean surface to roll up each spring roll.
• 6. Assemble: Dip a rice wrapper into the warm water, and submerge it for 15-30 seconds, or until soft. Carefully remove with your hands and place on a flat surface. Place one strip of tofu, a few slices of avocado, a small handful of sliced cucumber, and a pinch of cilantro in the center of each rice wrapper. Drizzle with a little bit of sauce, then roll. See pictures for rolling method- essentially, it's like a mini burrito. Fold in the sides, then use your hands to tuck and roll it into a little log. Repeat with all remaining rice wrappers. Serve with extra sauce.
• 7. These are best eaten the day they're made, but can be stored in a covered airtight container for up to 3 days. If making ahead, I recommend keeping the sauce all on the side so it doesn't make them soggy. If the leftover rolls look dried out, cover with a damp paper towel for a minute to re-hydrate.