- Prepare the filling
Finely chop the tofu or chicken, cabbage, onion, ginger, and mushrooms. Grate the carrots. - Cook the vegetables
In a large pan, heat a drizzle of olive oil over medium heat. Sauté the onions and ginger for 3 minutes until fragrant. Add the rest of the chopped ingredients and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until everything is tender. - Prepare the vermicelli
Pour boiling water over the vermicelli and let them sit for 3–4 minutes until soft. Drain, then cut into small pieces using kitchen scissors. - Mix the filling
In a large bowl, combine the cooked vegetables, chopped vermicelli, the eggs, soybean sprouts and soy sauce. Mix well until everything is evenly coated. - Set up your rolling station
Moisten a clean kitchen towel and lay it flat on your work surface. Dip one rice paper sheet into a shallow bowl of warm water until soft (about 10 seconds), then place it on the towel. - Fill and roll
Place a heaping tablespoon of the filling in the lower third of the rice paper. Fold in the sides, then roll tightly like a burrito. Repeat with the rest of the sheets and filling. - Brush and bake
Preheat your oven to 200°C / 390°F. Place the rolls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Lightly brush them with olive oil. - Bake until golden
Bake for 20 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crisp and golden brown.
I started making these on weeknights when we wanted comfort food but didn’t want to stand over a pan of oil. Now, they’ve become a family favourite — a little messy to roll, maybe, but always fun and so worth it. Even the kids are getting better and better at rolling! Serve them once, and don’t be surprised when everyone asks for “those baked nems” again next week.
