Summer Rolls With Dragon Fruit

How do you make vegan summer rolls? Summer rolls are filled with peanut sauce tofu, dragon fruit, mangoes, avocado, and onions. These rolls are unique and easy to make.

I haven’t had summer rolls since I left NJ.

I have missed eating summer rolls, and I thought it was about time I made my version of summer rolls because they are just too darn irresistible!

These are so colorful, aren’t they?  I tried to capture as much vibrancy of summer as I could into this recipe.

Tips for working with dragon fruit

Use a butter knife

I think this might cause some controversy, but I don’t like using regular knives on dragon fruit.  I use a butter knife, which is gentler on the dragon fruit.  Plus, a butter knife leaves a ridge-like shape on the dragon fruit, which gives them a good texture in any recipe where they are the star.

Refrigerate until ready to use

Dragon fruit works best when it’s cold.  It’s easier to cut into or shape.  If you are using a melon baller, you will find it easier to make tiny balls out of it when it has been chilled for about an hour.  Also, do not freeze them because they will be a mess when thawed out.

Look for the greenest “cacti” leaves

When you are at the grocery store, and you see a basket full of dragon fruit, how do you know which one to get?  You want to pick the “not-yet-ripe” dragon fruit.  The unripe ones will have brighter pink or red skin.  The green cacti leaves are sharp and pointy!  Also, the fruit is firm when you try to squeeze it.

When the fruit begins to ripen, you will notice that it’s softer when you squeeze it.  Also, the green leaves are droopy and have started to brown.  Also, the outer red color looks darker.   That’s when you know that the fruit is ripe and ready to eat.

The riper the fruit, the sweeter it tastes.  So, I like to bring the unripe ones home from the grocery store and store them in a dark corner for a day before refrigerating them.

What fruits should I use in summer rolls?

• Mangoes
• Apples
• Peaches / Nectarines
• Kiwi
• Pineapple

Any fruit that is in season can work in the summer roll.  The only exception I would say would be bananas.  They just don’t roll well.

The possibilities are infinite, so go nuts with our choice of fruits

What’s the difference between summer rolls and spring rolls?

Nothing! They are both the same recipe.  Having said that, I have seen spring rolls referred to as vegetarian/vegan recipes only.  Also, spring rolls can be fried and use wonton paper instead of rice paper.

However, for the most part, summer rolls and spring rolls are the same thing.  They are so colorful and represent the vibrancy of both summer and spring.

Or you can make it more interesting by using tortillas. Naturallie Plant Based makes a delicious Thai peanut tofu wrap using tortillas, which tastes really good.

How do you like to refer to them?

How to serve them?

Cut the summer rolls in half and serve with my homemade peanut satay sauce.   I like to dip the summer rolls in the peanut satay sauce and devour them immediately. It’s also perfect to serve with this homemade sweet and sour sauce.

I also baked the tofu after coating it in the same peanut satay sauce.  For me, tofu tastes better when it’s cooked in some way.  Cooked tofu is easier to digest, in my opinion.

Also, the peanut satay sauce really flavors the tofu and the other ingredients.   It adds so much flavor to the rolls.

P/S: If you find yourself in Long Branch, NJ, check out The Ocean Cafe.  They make amazing rolls and other delicious dishes.  They are not paying me to talk about them.  I am just a huge fan of their food.

What is dragon fruit?

Dragon fruit is one of my favorite fruits in the world.  It has a unique shape and gets its name because it looks like dragon eggs.

Their real name is Pitaya or Pitahaya, which is part ofthe cactus family.  They look like cacti, don’t they?

Dragon fruit grows in Mexico and the Central American region, where it’s very popular.  However, they became a huge part of the Chinese diet a few decades ago, which is why you might see them in it.

Today, dragon fruit is grown in the US (California, Florida, Hawaii), Australia, and parts of the Caribbean.

If you reside in any of these locations or in a climate where there is no frost or freeze, you could easily grow your own dragon fruit.

While researching for this vegan summer rolls post, I discovered that they are surprisingly easy to grow.  Check out these videos on YouTube that show you how easy it is to grow Dragon Fruit in your backyard.

Sources: Pitaya on Wikipedia, Miami Herald, Edible South Florida,  University of Florida EDIS,

Types of dragon fruits?

There are three types of dragon fruit varieties:

• Red dragon fruit (red-skinned)
• White dragon fruit (pink-skinned)
• Yellow dragon fruit (yellow-skinned)

Here, in central Florida, I have only seen the red and white varieties of Dragon fruit. Out west and in Hawaii, you will find the yellow version of dragon fruit.

This is one case where I absolutely have a favorite! The RED dragon fruit. That’s what I used in this vegan summer rolls recipe.

Red dragon fruit

The red dragon fruit is my favorite version.  It is “meatier” than the white version and is slightly sweeter too. They are round and have red skin with green cacti.

The inside has a dark red color with black seeds.  It’s so colorful that they instantly add color to any recipe that you put them into.

Given their “thickness” and bright color, they are incredibly popular with the smoothie crowd.  They make a delicious smoothie bowl, especially when topped with all kinds of healthy ingredients.

P/S: If you are part of the smoothie crowd, try my avocado smoothie, mandarin smoothie, or my ultimate smoothie blast.

White dragon fruit

Although the skin is pink, when you cut into it, the dragon fruit is actually white pulp with black seeds.  They are longer in shape and have lighter pink skin.

Just like their red counterpart, white dragon fruit has the consistency of kiwi.  It’s not as sweet as the red ones and has a very slight tang.

Their white color makes them popular in juice drinks and fruit salads.  My favorite recipe is using them in a melon ball type of recipe.  It adds such a wonderful contrast to the colors.

I haven’t used them on this blog before, but I am planning on a delicious summer recipe using the white version.  So, stay tuned.  In the meantime, tell me how you like to use these white dragon fruits.

P/S: if you are looking for a melon salad, check out my melon-arugula salad in a cinnamon pita recipe or my arugula watermelon salad

How to tell if a dragon fruit is red or white from the inside?

Well, in recent years, grocery stores have started putting a label on the outside that shows if the dragon fruit is red or white on the inside.

However, if you come across one that is not labeled, check for 2 things

1) Is it round or long? If it’s round, it will be red on the inside. If it’s longer and oblong-shaped, then it’s white on the inside. Red dragon fruit is closer in shape to an apple, and white dragon fruit is closer in shape to a mango
2) Look at its skin color. This is one time where its ok to judge by the color of the skin. The red dragon fruit has redder skin on the outside. The white one has lighter pink skin on the outside.