Christmas Eve Rice Paper Rolls with Winter Vegetables
These Christmas Eve rice paper rolls are a fresh, colorful appetizer or light meal built around crisp winter vegetables, tender rice noodles, and a bright dipping sauce. They feel festive without being heavy, making them a nice contrast to richer holiday dishes.
Ingredients
- 100 g rice vermicelli noodles
- 12 round rice paper wrappers
- 150 g red cabbage finely shredded
- 2 medium carrots peeled and cut into thin matchsticks
- 1 medium cucumber seeded and cut into thin matchsticks
- 1 large avocado peeled, pitted, and sliced thinly
- 30 g fresh mint leaves
- 20 g fresh cilantro leaves
- 60 g mixed salad greens
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons lime juice
- 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon finely grated fresh ginger
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Bring a medium saucepan of water to a boil. Add the rice vermicelli noodles, cook for 3 minutes or until just tender, then drain and rinse under cold water. Drain well and set aside.
- Prepare all filling ingredients before assembling the rolls. Arrange the shredded red cabbage, carrots, cucumber, avocado, mint, cilantro, salad greens, and cooked noodles in separate piles so assembly is quick and organized.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, lime juice, rice vinegar, maple syrup, sesame oil, grated ginger, and water until fully combined. Set the dipping sauce aside.
- Fill a wide shallow dish or pie plate with warm water. Dip 1 rice paper wrapper into the water for about 10 to 15 seconds, just until pliable but not overly soft, then lay it flat on a clean damp towel or cutting board.
- Place a small layer of salad greens across the lower third of the wrapper. Top with a small bundle of noodles, a little red cabbage, carrot, cucumber, a few avocado slices, and several mint and cilantro leaves, keeping the filling compact and centered.
- Fold the bottom of the wrapper up over the filling, then fold in the sides and roll tightly into a neat cylinder. Place the finished roll seam-side down on a tray and cover loosely with a lightly damp towel.
- Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling ingredients, keeping space between the finished rolls so they do not stick together.
- Serve the rolls whole or cut in half on a diagonal and arrange on a platter with the dipping sauce in a small bowl on the side.
Notes
Nutrition is an approximate estimate per roll, including dipping sauce, and can vary with wrapper size, vegetable yield, and exact sauce amounts.
Store assembled rolls in a single layer in an airtight container lined with lightly damp paper towels.