These sesame rice paper rolls blew up on TikTok for good reason: they’re a cute and satisfying snack or light lunch! Similar to Rice Paper Dumplings, they have a crispy outer and balanced filling of veggies, rice and tofu is so delicious. They’re easy to whip up and make a fun activity to prepare them with friends or kids.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Balanced and nutritious – the filling of rice, tofu and veggies plus nori sheets has a good mix of carbs, protein and vegetables. If using a non-stick pan, you won’t need much oil for cooking either.
- The crispy outer shell of the fried sesame seeds is so satisfying to bite into!
- It’s customizable – mix and match the filling ingredients with other veggies, protein or sauces to make it your own.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll find the specific quantities for each ingredient listed in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but for your convenience, here’s a shopping list of everything you’ll need:
- Rice paper sheets
- Cooked sushi rice
- Extra firm tofu
- Soy sauce
- Carrot
- Persian cucumber
- Mayonnaise
- Teriyaki sauce
- Nori sheets (seaweed snacks)
- Black sesame seeds
- White sesame seeds
- Vegetable oil (for cooking)
Instructions
Follow along with this step-by-step guide to make your crispy sesame rice paper rolls. All the exact details are in the recipe card below.
Step one: Shred that tofu and toss it in a hot pan with a splash of soy sauce. Cook it until it’s got those golden little crispy bits
Step two: Grab your carrot and cucumber and julienne them nice and thin. Make sure your rice is cooked and ready to go.
Step three: Soften a rice paper sheet in some water until it’s flexible but not floppy. Lay it out, stack on nori, tofu, rice, veggies, and a drizzle of mayo and teriyaki. Then roll it up tight like a little sushi log.
Step four: Roll each bundle in sesame seeds until they’re fully coated. That’s what makes them crispy and delicious.
Step five: Heat some oil in a pan and fry the rolls until they’re golden and crispy all around. Once done, serve them up with soy sauce and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Substitutions & Variations
Looking to swap an ingredient or customize this recipe? Here are some reliable substitutions that I recommend.
- Tofu: Substitute with any cooked protein of your choice. Tempeh, plant-based chicken or shrimp would also be tasty.
- Veggies: use whatever veggies you would like, just be sure to julienne or shred them finely enough so they aren’t too crunchy (as they will break through the rice paper and just won’t taste nice). Some examples are red cabbage, spring onion and bell pepper.
- Teriyaki Sauce: Use hoisin sauce or sweet chili sauce for a different flavor profile.
- Nori Sheets: Substitute with lettuce leaves or omit for a lighter version.
Equipment
Here’s the list of equipment you’ll need for this recipe:
- Large plate or shallow dish (for wetting rice paper sheets)
- Fry pan or skillet (for frying the rolls)
- Julienne peeler (for cutting carrots into thin strips)
- Paper towels (for draining fried rolls)
Storage
These rolls are best eaten fresh, I wouldn’t recommend storing as they will go soggy. If that doesn’t bother you though, you can keep them in the refrigerator for 24 hours in an airtight container and they will be safe to eat.
FAQ
No, these are best eaten immediately after cooking. But if you want to minimise prep time, you can make your fillings in advance. I.e. cook the rice, pan fry the protein, julienne the veggies etc. Store all filling components separately in the fridge for up to 1 day in advance.
Unfortunately, no frying is essential for that crispy texture.
Yes, you can omit tofu or replace it with plant-based chicken, shrimp, or tempeh to suit your preferences.
For sure! Experiment with sauces like hoisin, sweet chili, or a spicy mayo for different flavor profiles.
If you enjoy this recipe, I would be super grateful if you could leave a star rating and review—it really helps the algorithm send my recipes to more people! You can also tag me in your photos on Instagram @glowdiaries___ and I will reshare your posts — I am so proud to see you make my recipes!
Sesame Rice Paper Rolls (Pan Fried)
Equipment
- Mandoline or Julienne Peeler (for julienning vegetables)
- non-stick frypan
Ingredients
- 2 tbsp vegetable oil for frying; plus more as needed
- 7 oz extra-firm tofu shredded; approx. 200g
- 1½ tbsp soy sauce regular or low-sodium
- 1 cup cooked white rice approx. 170g
- 1 large carrot peeled and julienned; approx. 1 cup or 99g
- 1 Persian cucumber julienned; or sub ½ English cucumber
- 8 sheets rice paper round Vietnamese-style
- 16 sheets seaweed snack small nori sheets
- plant-based mayonnaise to taste; optional
- teriyaki sauce to taste; optional
- 2 tbsp sesame seeds black and white; for coating; approx. 18g total
- soy sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Heat 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil in a nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add the shredded tofu and cook for 3–4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden in spots. Add the soy sauce and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Cook the white rice if it’s not already made. Julienne the carrot and cucumber. Set out your rice paper, nori sheets, mayonnaise, and teriyaki sauce.
- Fill a shallow plate or pie dish with room-temperature water. Dip one sheet of rice paper for about 20 seconds—just until softened but not floppy—and place it on a large dinner plate.
- Layer one nori sheet in the center, then add a small scoop of tofu, a few spoonfuls of rice, some carrot and cucumber, and a drizzle of mayo and teriyaki sauce (if using). Top with a second nori sheet.
- Fold the sides of the rice paper over the filling and roll tightly into a log shape.
- Pour the sesame seeds onto a small plate. Roll the assembled rice paper log in the seeds to coat all sides. Transfer to a clean plate and repeat with the remaining ingredients to make 8 rolls total.
- Heat 1–2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a large nonstick frying pan over medium-high heat. Add a few rolls at a time and cook for 1–2 minutes per side, turning until the sesame coating is golden and crisp. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate and repeat with the remaining rolls, adding more oil as needed.
- Serve warm with soy sauce for dipping. Sprinkle with extra sesame seeds if desired.
Abril Davila says
Cute idea
Tine says
assembling this was fun!! its so crispy on the outside, chewy on the inside, and veryyy satisfying to snack on.