Crispy and Delicious Vegan Chili Cheeze Rolls
Summers pre-2020 were full of fun and fairs. You’d get your friends together to check out the local carnivals where you would eat way too much and spend way too much money on rides and games you could never win, and you would love every minute of it.
Or maybe you are the sport loving type, so you would put on your favorite jersey, get out your foam finger, and head to the ball game. There you would buy beers, pretzels, and chili cheese dogs. You would yell at the umpire, cheers with your friends, and have the time of your life.
Thankfully, things will get better, and there are many summers ahead where memories like these will be made. Another thing that is changing is people’s appetite for good food isn’t solely relying on using animal products to make it taste good. Heck, I would bet that the next time I head to a carnival or sporting event that I will see some Beyond Meat burgers being slung to the masses. Despite of all of the hardships happening at the moment, it is a good time to be alive.
While we wish and wait for brighter, memory making days ahead, we can spend time experimenting in the kitchen with friends and family, creating new versions of old favorites. That is exactly what I did to make these Chili Cheeze Rolls. They have a hearty filling, major flavor, and the crispy spring roll skin brings it all together in one delicious snackable and addictive package. If you are looking for something delicious for dinner, add these to the menu and you will be everyone’s MVP.
These crispy rolls are easy to make and I promise that everyone, no matter what their dietary preferences are, will love to mow down on these bites. For added effect, serve them while watching a recording of your all time favorite baseball game, and make sure to yell at the ump between bites for added effect.
To make these truly cheezy, you will also need to make my Creamy Pumpkin Coconut Cheeze Sauce, or use your favorite dairy-free cheeze sauce.
Get ready for a vegan party recipe that will knock your socks off!
Chili Cheeze Rolls
Delicious, addictive, and 100% plant-based!
Ingredients
- 1 package frozen spring roll wrappers, thawed for use
- 3 C cooked brown lentils
- Oil for cooking
- 1 medium white onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 green bell pepper, diced
- 1 can diced tomatoes
- 2 tsp. ground paprika
- 1/2 tsp. ground cumin
- 1/4 tsp. chili powder (more if you like it spicy!)
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1 dash liquid smoke (optional)
- 1 C cooking oil, enough for a shallow fry
Instructions
- In a large pan, add a bit of cooking oil and heat over medium-high heat.
- Add in diced onion and minced garlic, stir for 1-2 minutes then add in diced green bell pepper. Sauté for about 4 minutes until the bell pepper becomes soft.
- Add in diced tomatoes along with the liquid and mix it into the mixture. Add in spices and liquid smoke if using. Stir to combine.
- Reduce heat and simmer for about 5 minutes until mixture becomes a bit dry. You want to maintain some of the moisture, but not too much so it has a bit of "juiciness".
- Remove from heat and prepare a board to wrap the rolls. Place 1-2 spring roll wrappers (use a double layer of wrappers if they are thin) on the board with a corner facing you. Place about a scant 1/4 cup of the mixture about 1/3 of the way down the wrapper, more towards you.
- Starting with the corner closest to you, fold the corner pretty tightly over the mixture. Roll it once over. Then, fold the two side corners over towards the middle. Finally, carefully roll until the wrap is complete. Seal with a bit of warm water and carefully put to the side. Repeat with remaining rolls.
- In a small, shallow pan, add in 1 C cooking oil. It should be about 2 inches high. Place it over medium high heat. Once a sprinkle of water sizzles if it's flicked into the oil, the oil is ready to go.
- Add 2-3 rolls in at a time, cook for about 2 minutes on one side, then carefully turning to cook the other side for another 2 minutes. The rolls should be a beautiful golden brown. You might need to adjust the temperature as you are cooking to ensure even cooking and to make sure it oil doesn't smoke.
- Prepare your serving plate with a generous amount of coconut pumpkin cheeze sauce. Place roll on top and add desired toppings. I like to use avocado, hot sauce, and sliced green onions. Alternatively, you can serve in a large batch and give everyone their very own cheezy dip to dive into.