Summer rolls have literally become a SUMMER Shabbat staple in my house. When it’s crazy hot outside (I live in NY and yes, anything over 85 degrees is too hot for me), I love serving cold apps so this clearly fits the bill. Every weekend, I make different summer roll variations with fillings like roasted salmon, ground beef, shredded chicken and baked tofu. I love challenging myself to come up with new flavor combos and that’s where this bbq tofu recipe came from. Tofu baked in bbq sauce, tons of creamy cole slaw and delicious fresh basil all rolled tightly in rice paper wrappers. And don’t forget about that dipping sauce. Every summer roll needs a dipping sauce!
If these photos look just a wee bit special to you, it’s because I had a special visitor in my house that gave me a crash course in lighting and taught me how to use my new Nikon D610. I know, I know, I’ve been blogging and taking pictures of my own food for over 6 years but I feel like I’m always struggling with my natural light. Well, the uber talented Miriam Pascal of Overtimecook.com drove all the way from Lakewood to help me out and save the day! Since Danielle Renov of Peaslovencarrots.com is visiting from Israel, she also got in on the fun so get ready for the recipe she’s going to post on her blog soon. Hint: it’s spicy and involves rice noodles. So yeah, keep an eye out for that and get ready for more beautiful photos!
If you’re wondering how to wrap a summer roll so it’s perfectly tight and none of the filling falls out when you take that first bite, click HERE for step by step pictures.
BBQ Tofu Summer Rolls
Ingredients
- 1 package rice paper wrappers (10–12 wrappers)
- 1 package (16 ounces) firm tofu
- 1/2 cup BBQ Sauce (homemade or store bought and whatever flavor you like)
- 1 cup shredded purple cabbage
- 1 cup shredded green cabbage
- 1 cup shredded carrots
- 1/4 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- pinch of salt
- a large bunch of fresh basil
Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1 Tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Drain tofu and remove excess liquid with a paper towel. Slice tofu into even pieces and gently stir together with the bbq sauce. Place the tofu on the baking sheet in one layer, making sure that none of the pieces are touching each other, and bake for 30 minutes, until the edges are just beginning to crisp. Cool the tofu completely before filling the rolls.
- Meanwhile, stir together the shredded purple and green cabbage, carrots, mayonnaise, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder and salt to create a slaw.
- To assemble the summer rolls, soften the rice paper wrappers by filling a pie plate or a large pan halfway with warm water. Dip 1 wrapper at a time in the water until it softens, about 15 seconds. Use both hands to pull it up out of the water and immediately lay it flat on a clean work surface. You should fill each roll before moving on to the next one.
- Place 2 to 3 basil leaves down the center of wrapper. Place 3 to 4 pieces of bbq tofu on one side of the herbs. On the other side, add a heaping spoonful of the slaw.
- To roll up the summer rolls, fold the top and bottom of the wrapper over the filling. Fold the left side over the filling and continue rolling tightly to the right until it’s closed and snug. Place it on an oiled sheet of parchment paper and cover with a damp towel (paper towels will work). Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling, adding more warm water to the pie dish as needed.
- To make the dipping sauce, stir together the mayonnaise, lemon juice, apple cider vinegar, garlic powder and salt. Transfer to a small bowl to serve with the summer rolls.
- These summer rolls can be made 1 day in advance by refrigerating the rolls covered with a damp towel and plastic wrap.
