Strawberry Poppyseed and Cucumber Noodle Spring Rolls

On my cooking days when I’m making 3-4 recipes at a time (and simultaneously bringing my kitchen into disaster zone status), I often box up the leftovers right away so lunches are set for the next day. My husband is rarely aware of my cooking agenda, so this means he gets a nice little surprise for lunch the following day. When he arrives home, I always ask for feedback, and he usually responds with an enthusiastic “Great!”

But on the day I sent these spring rolls for lunch, his feedback was more to the tune of “holy **** this is probably the best blog recipe you’ve ever made!”

And I’d have to wholeheartedly agree. It’s a healthy, summertime salad with cucumber noodles all wrapped up in rice paper wrappers. And they’re literally bursting with freshness and punches of sweet and savory flavor. Let’s break down the filling:

1. Strawberries: I chose the brightest, most ruby red strawberries I could find to ensure maximum sweetness.
2. Cucumber: I spiralized the cucumber into noodles to mimic the rice noodle filling in traditional Vietnamese spring rolls. Cucumbers bulk up the roll, adding crunch and a punch of freshness.
3. Red onion: Just a few tiny slivers to add some zippiness to the rolls. Totally optional.
4. Chicken: I seasoned a couple chicken breasts with salt, pepper, and a bouquet garni spice blend. Try any of your favorite herbs like rosemary, parsley thyme, or oregano. Then, I sautéed the chicken in olive oil.
5. Spinach: My greens of choice for poppyseed salads. But any type will work just fine.

Rice paper wrappers can be a little hard to find. Sometimes they’re in the Asian foods aisle, sometimes they’re in the produce section next to the eggroll wrappers, and sometimes they’re nowhere to be found. In that instance, find them on Amazon.

For the wrapping of the rolls, it’s best to just watch a YouTube video for the best tips and tricks. I found this one particularly helpful!

And now for the dressing! I know there is a ton of great poppyseed dressings out there, so feel free to use your favorite. But you should also consider making this homemade version following the recipe below. It’s so easy and I’m positive it’s what sent these spring rolls into “best blog recipe ever” territory.

You might be wondering where to find poppyseeds. I admittedly had to turn to Google for the answer. But it turns out, they’re hiding among all the herbs and spices at your local grocery store. If for some reason you’re unable to find them in store, find them here on Amazon. Or, you could even use chia seeds instead!

These Strawberry Poppyseed and Cucumber Noodle Spring Rolls are simply amazing. They’re so light and refreshing, and the perfect summer appetizer to enjoy on those really hot August days.

I used The Inspiralizer to spiralize the cucumbers used in this recipe!

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which means I receive a small commission if you make a purchase using any of the links.

Strawberry Poppyseed and Cucumber Noodle Spring Rolls

 

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Prep time

20 mins

Cook time

10 mins

Total time

30 mins

 

Author: Krista

Serves: 8 spring rolls

Ingredients

Chicken

• 2 boneless skinless chicken breasts (about 5 ounces each), cut into thin strips
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ teaspoon pepper
• 1 teaspoon bouquet garni or favorite spice blend for chicken
• 1 tablespoon oil

Dressing

• ½ clove garlic
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped red onion or shallot
• Juice of 1 lemon
• 1 tablespoon honey
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 teaspoon poppy seeds

Spring Rolls

• 8 rice paper wraps
• 1 ½ English cucumbers, spiralized
• 8 strawberries, sliced
• ¼ cup thinly sliced red onion
• 2 cups spinach

Instructions

1. Cook the chicken: Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Sprinkle salt, pepper, and spices on all sides of the chicken breasts. Once oil is heated, add chicken to the pan and cook for about 2 minutes per side. Then, cover the pan and cook the chicken for another 5-6 minutes until cooked through.
2. Make the dressing: Combine all dressing ingredients except the poppy seeds in a blender or whisk in a bowl. Once mixed, stir in the poppy seeds.
3. Fill the spring rolls: fill a large bowl with water. Take one spring roll wrapper and dip it halfway into the water. Rotate the wrapper until all sides are wet. Place the wet wrapper on a flat surface. Layer a few strawberry slices across the middle of the wrapper. Top with a few strands of cucumber noodles, a couple onion slices, 2-3 strips of chicken, and a few spinach leaves.
4. Wrap the spring rolls: fold the bottom half of the spring roll over the filling and gently pull it tight. Fold in both sides toward the center and roll it up tightly. Cut the spring rolls in half and serve with a side of poppyseed dressing for dipping.

Notes

Serving Size: 1 spring roll
Calories: 91 Fat: 1.2g Carb: 11.3g Fiber: .6g Protein: 7.4g Sugar 3.3g Sodium: 226.4mg

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