Veggie Wraps
My Perfected Rice Paper Veggie Wraps
Fresh, crunchy, naturally gluten-free, and so easy the little ones can help. Fair warning: they disappear FAST.
I have finally, FINALLY perfected my rice paper veggie wraps! There are a hundred things you could tuck inside these little bundles, and half the fun is playing around — but after plenty of experimenting, I keep coming back to one combination I absolutely LOVE. Light, cool, crunchy, and dipped in a slightly spicy peanut sauce… they taste like a treat and eat like a garden.
And here’s the part that makes my celiac heart happy: rice paper (you’ll see it labeled bánh tráng at the store) is made from rice and tapioca, so it’s naturally gluten-free. No special flour, no fuss — just a wrapper that’s safe for our family right off the shelf. It’s become one of my favorite quick, celiac-friendly lunches.
Fresh Rice Paper Veggie Wraps
Makes about 10–12 wraps • naturally gluten-free • no cooking required
My favorite filling1 package round rice paper wrappers (non-gmo, about 8½-inch rounds)
A few big handfuls of organic baby spinach (I buy mine at Costco)
2–3 organic carrots, shredded
1 cucumber, cut into thin slices or matchsticks
A generous handful of fresh mint leaves (I love peppermint!)
For dipping San-J Gluten Free Thai Peanut Marinade & Dipping Sauce
Bragg’s Liquid Aminos (a gluten-free soy-sauce alternative) — for thinning the sauce for little ones
How to roll themSet up a little station: a shallow dish of WARM water, a clean damp plate or cutting board to roll on, and all your veggies in tidy piles.
Dip one rice paper into the warm water for just 5–10 seconds — until it’s barely pliable. It keeps softening as you work, so under-soak rather than over-soak. Lay it on your damp surface.
Pile a small handful of filling across the lower third of the wrapper. Tuck a few mint leaves up near the top — they show through the wrapper like a pretty green window!
Fold the bottom edge up over the filling, fold in both sides, then roll it up snug — just like you’d roll an egg roll (or a tiny burrito).
Set each finished wrap a little apart so they don’t stick to each other. Repeat until your filling is gone.
Serve with the peanut sauce and watch them vanish!
Rolling tips I learned the hard wayUse warm water, not hot, and work with one wrapper at a time.
The #1 mistake is over-soaking — a too-wet wrapper turns gummy and tears. Pull it out while it still feels slightly firm.
Don’t overfill! A modest handful rolls up tight and pretty; too much filling splits the wrapper.
Keep finished rolls from touching, or they’ll glue themselves together.
Mix it up
Once you’ve got the rolling down, the fillings are wide open. A few favorites to try:
Add a protein — cooked shrimp, shredded rotisserie chicken, baked tofu, or leftover steak turn these into a full meal. Make them heartier with a little cooked rice vermicelli. Pile on more veggies like thin bell pepper strips, purple cabbage, avocado, or crunchy sprouts. And if peppermint is a little strong for you, spearmint, Thai basil, or fresh cilantro are all lovely swaps.
Once you’ve got the rolling down, the fillings are wide open. A few favorites to try:
Add a protein — cooked shrimp, shredded rotisserie chicken, baked tofu, or leftover steak turn these into a full meal. Make them heartier with a little cooked rice vermicelli. Pile on more veggies like thin bell pepper strips, purple cabbage, avocado, or crunchy sprouts. And if peppermint is a little strong for you, spearmint, Thai basil, or fresh cilantro are all lovely swaps.
About that peanut sauce
My easy go-to is the San-J Gluten Free Thai Peanut sauce — it’s certified gluten-free, slightly spicy, nutty, and SO good. My sweet husband pays nearly $8 for just three veggie wraps when he grabs them at the health food store for lunch, and this sauce is a big part of why the store version tastes so special. Making them at home costs me a fraction of that (more on that below!).
The sauce has a little kick, so for my youngest two I dilute a few spoonfuls with a splash of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos — it mellows the spice right down to kid-approved.
If you’d rather stir up your own, here’s a quick homemade version: whisk together ⅓ cup natural peanut butter, 2 Tablespoons gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos, 1 Tablespoon lime juice, 1 Tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, and 1 small grated garlic clove, thinning with a little warm water until it’s dip-able. Easy and delicious.
My easy go-to is the San-J Gluten Free Thai Peanut sauce — it’s certified gluten-free, slightly spicy, nutty, and SO good. My sweet husband pays nearly $8 for just three veggie wraps when he grabs them at the health food store for lunch, and this sauce is a big part of why the store version tastes so special. Making them at home costs me a fraction of that (more on that below!).
The sauce has a little kick, so for my youngest two I dilute a few spoonfuls with a splash of Bragg’s Liquid Aminos — it mellows the spice right down to kid-approved.
If you’d rather stir up your own, here’s a quick homemade version: whisk together ⅓ cup natural peanut butter, 2 Tablespoons gluten-free tamari or coconut aminos, 1 Tablespoon lime juice, 1 Tablespoon honey, 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger, and 1 small grated garlic clove, thinning with a little warm water until it’s dip-able. Easy and delicious.
Making them ahead
These are at their absolute best FRESH, the day you make them. If you need a little head start, lay them in a single layer (not touching!), drape a damp paper towel over the top, cover tightly, and refrigerate — then enjoy within a day. They firm up a bit in the cold, but a few minutes at room temperature softens them back up.
These are at their absolute best FRESH, the day you make them. If you need a little head start, lay them in a single layer (not touching!), drape a damp paper towel over the top, cover tightly, and refrigerate — then enjoy within a day. They firm up a bit in the cold, but a few minutes at room temperature softens them back up.
I made 23 wraps in the morning, and before noon I had only 6 left. I snapped a photo FAST, before anyone could sneak another one!
The proof is in the disappearing
I wish you could have seen it. I made 23 of these one morning, and by lunchtime only 6 remained — so I grabbed my phone and took a picture quick, before the rest vanished too! My youngest daughter (3) and my son (5) were the biggest culprits. Little hands, big appetites for something this fresh and fun.
And the money! Sending my husband off with a stack of these — the same wraps he’d pay close to $8 for three of at the store — for just pennies apiece is one of my favorite small victories. Real food, made with love, that feeds the people I love AND is kind to our grocery budget. YUMMY, YUMMY, YUMMY!
“…they, continuing daily with one accord… did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.”
I wish you could have seen it. I made 23 of these one morning, and by lunchtime only 6 remained — so I grabbed my phone and took a picture quick, before the rest vanished too! My youngest daughter (3) and my son (5) were the biggest culprits. Little hands, big appetites for something this fresh and fun.
And the money! Sending my husband off with a stack of these — the same wraps he’d pay close to $8 for three of at the store — for just pennies apiece is one of my favorite small victories. Real food, made with love, that feeds the people I love AND is kind to our grocery budget. YUMMY, YUMMY, YUMMY!
“…they, continuing daily with one accord… did eat their meat with gladness and singleness of heart.”
- Acts 2:46
Happy wrapping!
Happy wrapping!
With much love,
Steffanie
A quick note for our celiac and allergy families: rice paper is naturally gluten-free, but always double-check any sauce or add-in for a certified gluten-free label, since recipes and cross-contamination practices can change. The San-J Thai Peanut sauce contains peanuts and soy — please skip or swap it if anyone at your table has a peanut or soy allergy.
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