This recipe for Italian summer rolls is quick, easy and makes the perfect appetizer for those looking for something lighter this summer. Only six ingredients needed!
Do you ever pretend to be on Chopped?
You know that moment when the chefs open their baskets to find weird ingredients they have to cook with? Well that’s how I feel whenever I’m being lazy but want to cook something with what’s left in my fridge.
All of a sudden cooking becomes a fun challenge and I imagine myself being one of the contestants who has to prepare a dish worth $10,000. The funny thing is that I often end up making some pretty delicious meals that way! I constantly surprise myself with how creative I can be and that pushes me to keep thinking about new ways to serve food.
No one ever pictures Italy when they hear the words summer rolls but I wanted to create something totally different for this dish.
My goal was to highlight the flavors of Bertolli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil, the number one oil brand in the world with over 150 years of expertise in olive oil blending. A good olive oil deserves to shine and I think this dish does just that! I’m only using six ingredients for this recipe; chicken, spring roll wrappers, basil, radishes, kumquats and Bertolli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil.
The result is a dish that’s savory, citrusy, peppery and aromatic. It’s the flavors of Italy wrapped into one colorful summer roll. It’s vibrant, fresh and delicious!
I would like to tell you that I served these Italian summer rolls at one of my dinner parties or as an appetizer for dinner but the truth is they were gone as soon as I was done shooting them.
Ben and I took turns dipping the rolls in the yummy kumquat olive oil sauce and kept going for more. Another bonus to eating these yummy rolls? They are super healthy! Bertolli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil is non-GMO and verified USDA Organic, made from organic olives and produced using organic farming standards.
It’s always a little surprising – in a good way – when a dish this healthy and simple turns out to be so addictive!
I saved the leftover kumquat olive oil sauce for the following day and used it as a dressing for a rice salad. Then I thought about using it as a marinade along with a little honey and chili pepper flakes. So many different uses for such an easy sauce!
Summer is all about taking it easy and enjoying the beautiful weather. Having quick dishes like these Italian summer rolls is a great way to save time in the kitchen while still eating healthy and tasty.
I personally prefer making the rolls the day of to accentuate their freshness and preserve the vibrant green color of the basil, but you can make them up to a day ahead and store them in the fridge. Take them out of the fridge 30 minutes before serving so the ingredients aren’t too cold and the wrapping has time to soften a bit.
Did you like this Italian Summer Roll Recipe? Are there changes you made that you would like to share?
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Italian Summer Rolls
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 20 minutes
- Yield: 6 summer rolls 1x
- Category: Appetizers
- Method: Chopping
- Cuisine: Italian
Description
An Italian version of the classic Vietnamese summer roll. Served with a kumquat dressing.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound boneless, skinless chicken breast
- 1 tablespoon Bertolli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 large purple radishes (julienned (cut into sticks))
- 1 cup basil leaves
- 6 rice paper wrappers
For the dressing:
- 1/4 cup Bertolli Organic Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 8 kumquats
- 1/8 teaspoon kosher salt (or more, to taste)
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
For the rolls:
- Put the chicken breast in a pot and fill with water until the breast is covered. Bring to a boil and turn the heat off. Cover with a lid and let sit for 10 minutes.
- Take the chicken out and let cool to room temperature.
- Using your fingers, shred the chicken into thin strips over a plate. Add the 1 tablespoon olive oil over the chicken and season with salt and pepper. Toss the chicken shredded chicken until the pieces are evenly coated.
- Put a tea towel on a flat surface and place a bowl large enough to fit a spring roll wrapper, filled with warm water next to it.
- Place your hands on opposite sides of rice paper and dunk in water, sliding it from side to side until it becomes smooth and soft, almost see through.
- Put the rice paper on the towel and place a few slices of radishes, a few basil leaves and about 1/4 cup of shredded chicken closer to one side of the paper.
Fold the bottom ends, then the side with the ingredients, gently so the wrapper doesn’t break. Roll tightly up to the other end. - Repeat with remaining ingredients and spring roll wrappers.
- Serve with dipping sauce.
For the dipping sauce:
- Put all the ingredients for the dressing in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer to a serving dipping bowl.
Notes
For vegans and vegetarians: substitute chicken for canned jackfruit. I don’t recommend using fresh jackfruit since the texture is different than canned jackfruit.
Nutrition
- Serving Size:
- Calories: 204
- Sugar: 2.4 g
- Sodium: 533.7 mg
- Fat: 12.3 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.4 g
- Fiber: 1.9 g
- Protein: 0.7 g
- Cholesterol: 24.8 mg
Looks so yummy!
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