Vegan Bánh Tráng Cuốn (Rice Paper Rolls)

If you have rice paper sitting in your pantry, I have a delicious recipe for you!

Inspired by Vietnamese street food “Bánh tráng cuốn” (but slightly adapted!), these rice paper rolls are still quite unknown overseas – I have actually never seen any recipe on a Western food blog for this type of dish, so I guess I’m one of the first to talk about it. Yay!

Although my version is not completely traditional, it still features Vietnamese flavors. To make it vegan, I replaced the dried beef with five-spice jackfruit, adding plenty of meatiness! The use of young green jackfruit actually makes sense as it’s a fruit widely used in Vietnamese cuisine.

It’s not the best-looking dish, to say the least, but it tastes super good as it’s packed with many textures and a sweet, salty, tangy, fruity flavor. Give it a try!

⭐️ Why You Should Try It

A fun way to use rice paper.

You may be familiar with fresh spring rolls or even rice paper salad, but have you ever tried bánh tráng cuốn? It’s basically supercharged fresh spring rolls!

While the concept is similar, this dish stands out with its unique filling of unripe mango, all beautifully complemented by a generous drizzle of mayo and chili sauce – the icing on the cake.

A symphony of flavors.

Filled with five-spice jackfruit (hey char siu vibes!), crispy green mango, fried shallots, and Vietnamese coriander, this dish is a flavor bomb. Add to that a tangy tamarind dipping sauce, and you’ve got the ultimate savory snack!

📘 What is Bánh Tráng Cuốn

“Bánh tráng cuốn sốt me” is a Vietnamese dish that consists of rice paper filled with shredded mango (the same kind that is used to make green mango salad), dried beef or chicken, hard-boiled eggs, green onions, and many other things, depending on the vendor.

Far from me the idea of giving you a Vietnamese language lesson (I’m terrible at it), but I thought it might be helpful to share that “bánh tráng cuốn” refers to “rice paper roll” while “sốt me” means “tamarind sauce.”

🥭 Filling Ingredients

Rice paper

There are no rice paper rolls without rice paper!

Green mango

Shredded green mango is essential for the filling, bringing some crunch, sweetness, and a subtle sourness. When it comes to which variety to pick, I recommend Hoa Loc mangoes, but basically, any green mango will work, so don’t stress it.

How to pick it: The mango should be at a stage between unripe and just slightly ripe. It should be very firm to the touch while still mostly green on the outside. Don’t use ripe mango that is really soft as it would be impossible to grate and too sweet.

Jackfruit

I went with green jackfruit to add meatiness and extra texture to the rolls. In case you are not familiar with it, jackfruit is a tropical fruit that has a fibrous texture and a very mild flavor when it is unripe.

Note: Ensure you are using young green (unripe) jackfruit, not the ripe kind. You can find it sold in cans in well-stocked supermarkets.

Green onions

Sautéed green onions are often used as a garnish to bánh tráng cuốn. Although they do add flavor, they are optional, so if you cannot locate any green onions, simply leave them out.

Fried shallots

You can use either fried shallots or fried onions – it doesn’t really matter. They add a layer of crispiness to the rolls.

Peanuts

Roasted peanuts add an addicting crunch to the rolls.

Make it peanut-free: Replace the peanuts with crushed roasted cashews.

Vietnamese coriander

If you are not familiar with it, Vietnamese coriander, also known as “rau răm,” is a fresh herb that has long and thin leaves. It has a lemony aroma, adding a touch of freshness. This herb is an essential ingredient in this recipe.

Where to buy: From my experience, the only place where you can find this herb is at your nearby Asian supermarket. You can find it in the refrigerated section. If they don’t stock any, do not hesitate to ask the staff as they may be able to order it for you.

Substitute: While it won’t deliver the exact same flavor, Thai basil can make a decent substitute.

Mayo & sweet chili sauce

To drizzle over the rolls.

A quick tip: Since mayo is sometimes sold in jars, I suggest transferring it to a small squeeze bottle to make it easier to drizzle over the rolls.

Chili sauce recommendations: For an authentic flavor, I suggest using sweet chili sauce from either Cholimex or Chin-su. Alternatively, you can use my homemade sweet chili sauce recipe.

🧄 Sauce Ingredients

Like in many Vietnamese dishes, the sauce is a key component in Bánh tráng cuốn. It’s made with a base of tamarind juice, adding tanginess, fish sauce for a pungent and savory flavor, and sugar to balance the tanginess. On top of that, a trio of aromatics – garlic, lemongrass, and chili – infuse the sauce with a lemony aroma and a hint of heat. Lovers of the sweet and salty combo, you’re in for a treat!

Tamarind

Tamarind makes the base of the sauce, giving it a fruity and tangy flavor. Tamarind comes in many different forms. For this recipe, you want to use tamarind paste (seedless or not, it doesn’t really matter).

Not familiar with tamarind? I have written a full article on what is tamarind and how to use it. Feel free to check it out!

Garlic, lemongrass, and chili

To infuse the dipping sauce with pungent, citrusy, and spicy notes.

Note: Frozen chopped lemongrass works great here and allows you to save time so do not hesitate to use that.

Vegan fish sauce

Vegan fish sauce adds umami and saltiness to the sauce. Use homemade vegan fish sauce or store-bought vegan fish sauce.

Substitute: It’s difficult to recommend a good substitute for fish sauce as it has a very unique taste. If you really cannot find vegan fish sauce, a simple alternative would be soy sauce.

Sugar

Like most Vietnamese dipping sauces, the tamarind sauce is both sweet and salty. I went with regular granulated sugar, but coconut sugar, maple syrup, or agave syrup will work as well.

🥣 How to Make It

1. Prepare the sauce

1. Make the tamarind juice. The first step consists of diluting tamarind pulp in boiling water. Add the pulp to a bowl, cover with boiling water, and allow it to sit for about 20 minutes.

2. Strain it. Next, strain the tamarind juice using a fine-sieve mesh. Discard the pulp and set the juice aside. You should end up with about 6 tablespoons of tamarind juice.

3. Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a saucepan and sauté the minced garlic, lemongrass, and chili for about 2 minutes or until the garlic is fragrant.

4. Add the tamarind juice. Pour in the tamarind juice that you previously prepared, vegan fish sauce, and sugar into the saucepan.
5. Cook the sauce. Bring to a simmer and cook the sauce for 1-2 minutes before dividing it into 3 small bowls.

Why cook the sauce: It’s important to cook the sauce to ensure the sugar dissolves thoroughly. On top of that, cooking the sauce extends its shelf life, allowing you to keep leftovers for up to 7 days.

2. Cook the jackfruit

1. Sauté the aromatics. Heat the oil in a skillet and sauté the minced shallot and garlic for 2-3 minutes.
2. Add the jackfruit. Next, add the jackfruit chunks and sauté for 1 more minute.
3. Toss with the seasonings. Add the soy sauce, sugar, and five-spice powder. Toss to coat the jackfruit and cook for another 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and set aside.

3. Sauté the green onions

1. Cook the green onions. Heat the two tablespoons of oil in a small saucepan. Once hot, add the chopped green onions and sauté for 10 seconds. Turn off the heat and let it cool. Transfer the sautéed green onions to a small bowl and set aside. You will use these as a garnish later.

4. Assemble

Now that the filling is ready, it’s time to assemble the rolls!

1. Dampen the rice paper. Fill a small bowl with water. Lay one sheet of rice paper on a wooden board or working surface. Dip your hand into the water and gently massage the rice paper evenly. Repeat 2-3 times or until the rice paper is damp. Note: Instead of using your hands, you can also dip your rice paper in warm water for 2-3 seconds to dampen it.
2. Drizzle the mayo. Drizzle about 1 tablespoon of mayo on the ⅓ of the wrapper that is closest to you.
3. Add the green onions. Next, add about 1 teaspoon of the sautéed green onions.

4. Add the green mango and jackfruit. Place some shredded green mango and some of the cooked jackfruit (around 1/4 cup per roll).
5. Garnish. Top with about 1 tablespoon of roasted peanuts, 1 tablespoon of fried onions, and a few leaves of Vietnamese coriander.

6. Roll it tightly. Fold the lower edge of the rice paper over the filling and roll it up tightly. Repeat with the remaining rice paper and filling.
7. Cut. After rolling, cut each roll into 4 pieces using a pair of scissors. Transfer them to a plate.
8. Drizzle. Finally, generously drizzle the rolls with sweet chili sauce and mayo before serving!

🥜 How to Serve It

Nothing simpler! Simply pick a roll using a pair of chopsticks or your fingers, dip it into the tamarind sauce, and gobble it up. Repeat and enjoy!

🥬 Variations

• Add extra vegetables: You could incorporate shredded red cabbage, cucumber, green papaya, or radish. Note that these ideas are far from being traditional, but I believe they would work pretty well with the filling.
• Add protein: Make the rolls heartier by adding thinly sliced tofu or vegan bologna.
• Switch up the sauce: Instead of serving the rolls with tamarind sauce, serve them with a peanut dipping sauce or with nước chấm.

💬 FAQ

This dish is definitely one of my favorite savory snacks! It’s spicy, sweet, rich, meaty, and packed with flavor! Better than takeout? Absolutely!

🫓 More Rice Paper Recipes

Vegan Bánh Tráng Trộn (Vietnamese Rice Paper Salad)

Vegan Vietnamese Spring Rolls (Gỏi Cuốn)

Vegan Bánh Tráng Nướng (Vietnamese Grilled Rice Paper)

Vegan Bì Cuốn (Vietnamese Rolls)

⭐️ Did you like this recipe? Let us know in the comments below, and tag us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest!