rainbow vegetable summer rolls with peanut dipping sauce

prep: 30 MINUTES | total: 30 MINUTES | makes 12 SUMMER ROLLS

Summer rolls are probably my favorite appetizer of all time. I don’t know if it’s because of their super-fresh flavor, the dreamy peanut sauce that they get dunked in, or how pretty they look on a platter with their beautiful, bright colors. That’s why they’re almost always on our party menus. Sometimes they’re ready and waiting for our guests, and sometimes I arrange all the ingredients in pretty dishes and bowls so that when people arrive, they can assemble their own. (One less thing for me to do while finishing getting the meal ready!)

PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE

½ cup creamy peanut butter

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar

1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce or tamari soy sauce

2 teaspoons Sriracha

1 garlic clove, minced

½ teaspoon grated fresh ginger

⅓ cup hot water

2 tablespoons chopped peanuts, for garnish

SUMMER ROLLS

12 (8-inch) rice paper wrappers (see Notes)

1 head butter lettuce, washed and leaves separated

6 ounces dry vermicelli rice noodles, cooked according to package instructions

1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

1 yellow bell pepper, cored, seeded, and thinly sliced

1 large carrot, thinly sliced

1 cup thinly sliced purple cabbage

2 Persian cucumbers or 1 small English cucumber, thinly sliced

1 ripe avocado, pitted, peeled, and thinly sliced

Handful of fresh mint, basil (regular or Thai), and cilantro leaves

1 Make the dipping sauce: In a medium bowl, stir together the peanut butter, hoisin, vinegar, soy sauce, Sriracha, garlic, and ginger. Whisk in the hot water until the sauce is smooth. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little more water until you reach your desired consistency—it should be thick enough for good dipping but not gloppy. Pour the sauce into a serving bowl and garnish with the chopped peanuts. Set aside until ready to serve.

2 Assemble the summer rolls: Fill a wide, shallow bowl with warm water. Dip one rice paper wrapper in the water and let it soften for 10 to 15 seconds, until it’s just barely pliable. If the wrapper gets too soggy it will rip. It will continue to soften as you add the other ingredients. Carefully remove the paper from the water and lay it flat on a damp, lint-free dishtowel.

3 Lay one piece of lettuce over the bottom third of the rice paper. Top with about 2 tablespoons rice noodles and equal amounts of peppers, carrot, cabbage, cucumber, and avocado. Finish with a sprinkling of fresh herbs.

4 Pick up the end of the rice paper closest to the filling and tightly fold it over the veggies. Fold in the sides, like you are making a burrito, then roll tightly. The paper will stick to itself, holding everything inside. Repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 12 summer rolls.

5 Arrange the summer rolls seam side down on a platter and serve with the peanut dipping sauce.

NOTES: These would also be delicious with tofu or shrimp. You can find rice paper wrappers and rice noodles in the Asian section of most grocery stores, or at Asian markets.