Herbed Zucchini Summer Rolls

08.26.17

Hello! You've landed on an older recipe. Sometimes the older recipes aren't written as clearly as they should be or something might need to be clarified. If something seems confusing or a question arises, send me an email and I'll help!

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Herbed Zucchini Summer Rolls | Naturally Ella

I love cooked zucchini when done well. Grill it, roast it, or sauté it- there's so many options. However, I often forget how great zucchini is raw, especially with herbs in a fresh summer recipe. These zucchini summer rolls really show this well. The zucchini is left in strips that are tossed in a wonderful herb mixture that's finely minced and coats the zucchini/cabbage mixture. Perfect for a light lunch or road-trip snack.

Also, I didn't specify a sauce for these but a few different ones would work. Try a simple soy/rice vinegar/sesame mixture or step up your game with a tahini sauce. The flavors work well with many different kinds so find which type of sauce works best for you!

Print Pin Rate

Herbed Zucchini Summer Rolls

4 servings

Fresh summer rolls featuring zucchini tossed with shredded purple cabbage and a lovely garlicky herb mixture. Perfect for a light lunch or quick road-trip snack!

Prep Time: 30

Total Time: 30

Calories: 227kcal

1/4 cup lightly packed basil
3 tablespoons cilantro leaves and stems
1 clove garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
1 medium zucchini/yellow squash
3 to 4 small sweet red peppers
2 cups shredded cabbage
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoons sweetened rice wine vinegar
1 large just-ripe avocado (pitted and cut into 1/4)
8 rice paper wrappers
Toasted sesame seeds (for serving)

Place the basil, cilantro, garlic, and ginger on a cutting board and chop until everything is finely minced and well combined (as if you were making a gremolata).
Cut zucchini and peppers into 2” long strips (the zucchini should be roughly ¼” thick) or alternatively, turn your zucchini into noodles. Place in a bowl along with the the shredded cabbage. Add the herb mixture along with the soy sauce and rice vinegar. Toss until everything is well combined.
Prep a summer roll rolling station: Set up your spring roll rolling station with the pan of water, cabbage mixture, sliced avocado, and the rice paper wrappers. Add a bit of extra water if it is too hot- the temperature should be hot but not scalding.
Soak the rice paper for 10-15 seconds, just until the rice paper starts to soften (this will depend on hot the water is). Place rice paper on a cutting board and load with a mound cabbage and a few slices of avocado. Roll, tuck, and fold in sides as you go. Continue with remaining ingredients.
Slice in half and serve with a small bowl of soy sauce if desired.

Notes

Tips & Tricks: I love to pack these summer rolls for a road trip. Wrap them in a damp towel and place in a sealed container for up to 48 hours.

Stock up: get the pantry ingredients you will need: herbs, avocado, zucchini

Nutrition: see the information.

Nutrition

Prep Time: 30

Zucchini Summer Rolls

variations

I've not really changed the mixture but rather, there's a few add-ins I think work well. These summer rolls are good but if you're looking for something filling, I'd recommend bulking them up a bit.

Noodles/Noodle Bowl: I love rice noodles added to my summer rolls. They help bulk up the meal and soak in all the flavors. You could also ditch the rice papers and have just a noodle bowl with the ingredients above, adding a splash or two more of the soy sauce and rice vinegar.

Spice: Sambal Oelek or Sriracha are lovely in the cabbage mixture. Add a small bit, taste, and add more if you desired a stronger heat level.

Tofu: A great way to add protein to the mix!

Explore Zucchini

I've always found the idea of 'too much zucchini' to be false in my kitchen- I can never have too much. I'll happily take any or all of this summer produce and turn it into quick bread or fritters. Of course, that's just the start. A few of my other favorite zucchini recipes:

Corn Cilantro Cakes with Roasted Zucchini Salsa
Grilled Zucchini with Lemon Labneh and Za’atar
Zucchini (Summer) Paella

Herbed Zucchini Summer Rolls with Cabbage and Sesame | Naturally Ella

4 comments on “Herbed Zucchini Summer Rolls”

Lindsey of This Miss Cooks says:

08.27.17 at 8:25 am

Healthy (check), colorful and beautiful (check), easy (check), something my fiance would totally eat and EVEN HELP ME MAKE (check!!). You're amazing. 😉

Oh, and I totally agree about zucchini! Plus it's sturdy enough to survive in my fridge until the end of the week when all I want to do is throw together a sheet pan dinner or a stir fry, so buying extras is never a mistake in my house.

Reply
Hanna says:

08.29.17 at 3:14 am

Absolutely delicious! . ..

Reply
Marci says:

09.11.17 at 4:48 am

I loved these so much! Are those brown rice wrappers? I'm curious what you used.

Reply
1. Erin Alderson says:
  
  09.11.17 at 7:30 am
  
  They are! I typically use brown rice paper wrappers but they are not always the easiest to find!
  
  Reply

hi.

Welcome to my little internet nook. On this site you'll find over a thousand vegetarian recipes, pantry knowledge, and more. I'm ever obsessed with food from gardening, cooking, and preserving. I hope you'll find endless inspiration on these pages and visit often.

Virtual hugs, Erin (aka: e.l.l.a.)

A NATURALLY NEWSLETTER