These summer rolls with lettuce wraps are fresh, flavorful, and completely plant-based — packed with savory mushroom-tofu filling, crunchy water chestnuts, and wrapped in delicate rice paper nestled inside crisp butter lettuce. Perfect for a light spring roll dinner or anytime you want something impressive without turning on the oven.
Okay, real talk — the first time I made these, I ate four of them standing over the kitchen counter before they even made it to a plate. No regrets. These lettuce wrap summer rolls have this magical combo of chewy rice paper, crispy wonton strips, and a deeply savory filling that makes you feel like you ordered takeout, except you made it yourself and it cost a fraction of the price.
Table of Contents
What Makes These Summer Rolls So Good
These aren’t your sad, limp restaurant rolls. We’re talking a umami-packed mushroom and tofu filling seasoned with hoisin, chili garlic sauce, Chinese 5 spice, and a little dark soy for depth. The butter lettuce leaf tucked inside gives every bite this satisfying crunch that plays beautifully against the soft rice paper. And those crispy wonton strips? Non-negotiable.
Whether you’re serving these as a spring roll dinner for guests or just meal-prepping something fresh for the week, this recipe delivers. It’s also naturally vegan, endlessly customizable, and honestly kind of fun to assemble — like edible arts and crafts.
Summer Rolls with Lettuce Wraps
Equipment
- Large nonstick sauté pan
- Small mixing bowl
- Large bowl (for soaking rice paper)
- Whisk
- Clean work surface
Ingredients
Seasoning Mix
- ¼ cup low-sodium soy sauce
- 3 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons chili garlic sauce or Sambal Oelek
- 2 teaspoons coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons dark soy sauce optional
- 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Chinese 5 spice
Filling
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 12 oz cremini mushrooms chopped
- 8 oz extra firm tofu drained, patted dry, and crumbled
- 1 cup onion diced
- 1 cup water chestnuts drained and diced
- ¾ cup carrot grated
- 8 cloves garlic minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger minced
- 1 cup green onion chopped, plus more for garnish
For the Rolls
- 15 rice paper sheets approximately
- 1 head butter leaf lettuce
- fresh chopped cilantro to taste
- crispy wonton strips to taste
- spicy soy sauce for serving
- toasted sesame seeds for garnish
Instructions
- Place all seasoning mix ingredients — soy sauce, hoisin sauce, chili garlic sauce, coconut sugar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and Chinese 5 spice — in a small bowl and whisk to combine. Set aside.
- Heat the avocado oil in a large nonstick sauté pan over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mushrooms and crumbled tofu. Cook, stirring often, until most of the liquid has cooked out of the mushrooms and the tofu starts to crisp around the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes.
- Reduce the heat to medium. Add the diced onion, water chestnuts, grated carrot, garlic, and ginger, stirring to combine. Pour in the seasoning mix and continue to cook until the onion is slightly translucent and the garlic is fragrant, about 4 to 5 minutes.
- Stir in the green onion, mix to combine, and remove from the heat. Let the filling cool at room temperature for about 10 minutes before assembling the summer rolls.
- To assemble, fill a large bowl with cool water. Submerge one rice paper sheet at a time, rotating as needed, until just softened and pliable, about 12 to 15 seconds. Place the softened rice paper on a lightly dampened, clean work surface.
- Place a butter lettuce leaf toward the bottom center of the rice paper. Top with a couple tablespoons of the filling, a little fresh cilantro, and a handful of crispy wonton strips.
- Gently fold the bottom edge up over the filling once, tuck in both sides, then continue rolling upward tightly until the seam seals itself — the rice paper is naturally sticky and will hold. Repeat until you have about 15 rolls.
- Cut each roll in half on a diagonal and serve immediately, garnished with toasted sesame seeds and extra green onion, alongside spicy soy sauce for dipping. Enjoy!
Notes
Ingredients
Seasoning Mix
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Low-sodium soy sauce | ¼ cup |
| Hoisin sauce | 3 tablespoons |
| Chili garlic sauce (or Sambal Oelek) | 2 tablespoons |
| Coconut sugar | 2 teaspoons |
| Dark soy sauce (optional) | 2 teaspoons |
| Toasted sesame oil | 2 teaspoons |
| Chinese 5 spice | 1 teaspoon |
Filling
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Avocado oil | 2 tablespoons |
| Cremini mushrooms, chopped | 12 oz |
| Extra firm tofu, drained, patted dry, crumbled | 8 oz |
| Onion, diced | 1 cup |
| Water chestnuts, drained and diced | 1 cup |
| Carrot, grated | ¾ cup |
| Garlic, minced | 8 cloves |
| Fresh ginger, minced | 2 tablespoons |
| Green onion, chopped (plus more for garnish) | 1 cup |
For the Rolls
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Rice paper sheets | ~15 |
| Butter leaf lettuce | 1 head |
| Fresh chopped cilantro | To taste |
| Crispy wonton strips | To taste |
| Spicy soy sauce, for serving | To taste |
| Toasted sesame seeds, for garnish | To taste |
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Make the Seasoning Mix
Whisk together the soy sauce, hoisin, chili garlic sauce, coconut sugar, dark soy sauce, sesame oil, and Chinese 5 spice in a small bowl. Set it aside — this stuff is liquid gold and it’s going to do all the heavy lifting flavor-wise. Go ahead and taste it. I know you want to.
Step 2: Cook the Filling
Heat your avocado oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the chopped cremini mushrooms and crumbled tofu. Cook, stirring pretty often, for about 10 to 12 minutes until most of the liquid has cooked off the mushrooms and the tofu starts getting those gorgeous crispy edges. That browning is where all the flavor lives, so don’t rush it.
Reduce the heat to medium and add the diced onion, water chestnuts, grated carrot, garlic, and ginger. Stir everything together, then pour in your seasoning mix. Keep cooking for another 4 to 5 minutes until the onion softens up and your kitchen smells absolutely incredible. Stir in the green onions, take it off the heat, and let the filling cool for about 10 minutes before you start rolling. Hot filling = soggy rice paper = a sad time.
Step 3: Soften the Rice Paper
Fill a large bowl with cool water — not hot, just cool. Submerge one rice paper sheet at a time, gently rotating it if your bowl isn’t quite big enough, until it’s just softened and pliable. About 12 to 15 seconds is all it takes. Lay it flat on a lightly dampened, clean work surface.
Pro tip: You want the rice paper slightly underdone when you pull it out — it’ll continue to soften as you work. If it’s totally floppy coming out of the water, it’s going to tear on you.
Step 4: Assemble the Lettuce Wrap Summer Rolls
Place a butter lettuce leaf toward the bottom center of your rice paper. Spoon a couple tablespoons of the filling on top of the lettuce, then add a little cilantro and a handful of those crispy wonton strips. Don’t overfill — I know it’s tempting, but restraint here pays off.
Fold the bottom edge up over the filling once, then tuck in both sides like you’re burrito-ing it (yes, that’s a verb now). Continue rolling upward, nice and snug, until the seam seals itself. Rice paper is naturally sticky, so it’ll hold together without any fuss. Repeat with the remaining ingredients until you’ve got about 15 beautiful lettuce spring rolls.
Step 5: Serve ‘Em Up
Slice each roll in half on a diagonal — this is purely for aesthetics but honestly makes them look so much more impressive. Arrange on a plate, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and extra green onion, and serve immediately with spicy soy sauce for dipping. Enjoy immediately, because rice paper waits for no one.
Expert Tips, Variations & Troubleshooting
Tips for Perfect Rolls Every Time
Make sure your tofu is properly drained and patted dry before it hits the pan. Excess moisture is the enemy of a good crispy sear. If you have time, press the tofu for 20 to 30 minutes beforehand — it makes a noticeable difference. For the mushrooms, let them cook undisturbed for the first couple of minutes to get some real color before you start stirring.
When it comes to rice paper, work one sheet at a time and keep your work surface lightly damp. A dry surface will make the paper stick and tear. Also — and I cannot stress this enough — don’t soak the rice paper too long. Twelve to fifteen seconds in cool water is your window.
Variations Worth Trying
Want to make this a heartier spring roll dinner? Add some cooked rice vermicelli noodles into the filling or tuck them into the wrap alongside the lettuce. You can also swap the cremini mushrooms for shiitake for a slightly earthier, more intense flavor. If you’re not vegan, finely chopped shrimp or ground chicken works beautifully in place of (or alongside) the tofu.
For a lower-carb version, skip the rice paper entirely and just use the butter lettuce leaves as your wrap — basically a deconstructed lettuce spring roll situation. It’s actually really good and much easier to put together on a weeknight. Kind of like this corned beef recipe that’s simple but never boring.
Troubleshooting
If your rolls are falling apart, the most likely culprits are overfilling or over-soaking the rice paper. Try using less filling and pulling the paper out of the water a couple seconds earlier. If the filling feels too wet, cook it a bit longer before assembling — you want it on the drier side. And if your rolls are sticking to each other after assembly, place them on a lightly oiled plate and don’t let them touch.
Storage & Reheating
| Storage Method | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Refrigerator (assembled rolls) | Up to 1 day | Cover with damp paper towel, wrap in plastic |
| Refrigerator (filling only) | Up to 4 days | Store separately; roll fresh as needed |
| Freezer (filling only) | Up to 2 months | Thaw overnight in fridge before using |
Rice paper rolls are honestly best eaten fresh — the texture changes once they’ve been refrigerated. The filling, however, keeps beautifully for days. My favorite move is to make a big batch of the filling, refrigerate it, and roll fresh summer rolls with lettuce wraps each day for lunch. Takes about two minutes once the filling is ready.
No-waste kitchen ideas: Leftover filling is amazing stirred into red beans and rice for a fusion-y weeknight dinner. Or serve it over steamed jasmine rice with a drizzle of spicy soy sauce. The seasoning is so good you’ll want to put it on everything.
Nutritional Information (Per Roll, Approximate)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | ~110 |
| Carbohydrates | 15g |
| Protein | 5g |
| Fat | 3.5g |
| Fiber | 1.5g |
| Sodium | 380mg |
| Sugar | 3g |
Nutritional values are estimates and will vary based on specific ingredients and portion sizes used.
Summer Rolls with Lettuce Wraps FAQs
Can I make these summer rolls with lettuce wraps ahead of time?
The filling can absolutely be made up to 4 days ahead and stored in the fridge — which honestly makes this recipe even more weeknight-friendly. The rolls themselves are best assembled fresh since rice paper tends to dry out and stick together when refrigerated. If you need to prep them a few hours ahead, cover them with a damp paper towel and keep them tightly wrapped.
What’s the best lettuce for lettuce spring rolls?
Butter leaf (also called Boston or Bibb lettuce) is the move here — it’s soft, slightly cupped, and flexible enough to fold inside the rice paper without tearing. Romaine works in a pinch but it’s stiffer and a little harder to roll neatly. Save the iceberg for something else.
Can I skip the tofu and make this with just mushrooms?
Totally! The cremini mushrooms bring a ton of meaty texture and umami on their own. You might want to bump up the mushroom quantity slightly to compensate — try 16 oz instead of 12. The filling will be a little less substantial but still incredibly flavorful.
What can I serve alongside these for a full spring roll dinner?
These pair really well with a fresh strawberry lemonade for a summer spread, or serve them alongside a light mango salad or a simple miso soup. For dessert, something bright and fruity like watermelon fruit pizza is an amazing follow-up.
These summer rolls with lettuce wraps are one of those recipes that sounds like more work than it actually is — and once you make them once, you’ll want to make them every week. They’re fresh, satisfying, totally plant-based, and honestly just fun to eat. Plus they look incredibly impressive on a plate without requiring chef-level skills.
If you give these a try, I’d absolutely love to hear how they turned out for you! Drop a comment below with your experience, any swaps you made, or questions. And if these lettuce wrap summer rolls made it to your dinner table, share them on Pinterest so others can find the recipe too — it really helps and I appreciate every single save. Happy rolling! 🥢
