• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
Cooking @ Umami Days

Cooking @ Umami Days

Still meaty with a dash of veggies, but better.

  • Recipes
  • Cooking tips
  • Food Stories
  • Newsletter
  • Recipes
  • Cooking tips
  • Food Stories
  • Newsletter

Tuna and tofu spring rolls

A recipe with Seafood, Tofu by Connie Veneracion | January 12, 2012 (Updated: April 27, 2025)
Three things about this recipe. First, it is possible to generously feed four people using a 180-gram (6.3 oz) can of tuna. Second, tofu is a great neutral-tasting ingredient that soaks up seasonings well. Third, you have to use good quality canned tuna.
Print
Tuna and tofu spring rolls
Prep Time 10 minutes minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes minutes
Total Time 20 minutes minutes
Course Main Course, Snack
Cuisine Asian
Servings 4 people

Connie’s Notes

This is a pantry dish. Meaning, you use items from the pantry. It would be more swell if you can use fresh tuna (eg., leftover grilled tuna) but for a pantry dish, let’s stick with canned tuna.
Tofu is protein-rich, tofu is filling, tofu is practically fat free and cholesterol free. Nice, eh? But even if tofu weren’t so healthy (in today’s health fad context, anyway), I’d still love it. I am a huge fan of tofu. Tofu, however, is neutral in taste. So, we add seasonings…
Tuna and tofu spring rolls seasonings
The key to a successful pantry dish is to make sure that you have good things in your pantry. In my case, that means things like black bean garlic sauce and chili garlic sauce.
I really don’t like mentioning brands because I’d be happier if readers would take the time to compare the quality of different brands and decide for themselves but, in the case of Lee Kum Kee, I haven’t found anything comparable in quality. I’m not a Lee Kum Kee paid endorser, let’s make that clear — I don’t get paid to say that Lee Kum Kee products are greeeaaat. It’s just a personal preference. So, yes, I added a heaping teaspoonful of chili garlic sauce and black bean garlic sauce to the filling.
Making Tuna and tofu spring rolls filling
Another pantry secret is dried herbs. We do grow herbs but not all varieties that I use for cooking. And the supply can be hit-and-miss. One typhoon is all it takes to drown the herbs. And, until they can be replanted, well… See, grocery-bought fresh herbs aren’t exactly cheap. And they don’t last very long in the fridge either. So, it’s cheaper and more practical to use dried herbs.
Frying spring rolls
Once the tuna and tofu mixture have been seasoned to perfection, wrap and roll (see illustrated guide), and deep fry until golden and crisp.

Ingredients

  • 180 grams tuna in water or brine - (6.3 oz) well drained
  • 100 grams tofu - finely chopped and excess water squeezed out
  • 1 heaping teaspoon chili garlic sauce
  • 1 heaping teaspoon black bean garlic sauce
  • 1 tablespoon dried chopped chives
  • 1 teaspoon dried cilantro
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 20 pieces spring roll wrappers - (large)
  • 2 cups cooking oil for frying
  • sweet chili sauce - for dipping

Instructions
 

  1. Flake the drained tuna. Place in a mixing bowl with the tofu, sauces, herbs, salt, pepper and egg. Mix well.
  2. Separate the spring roll wrappers. Place a heaping teaspoonful of filling at the center. Wrap, roll and seal.
  3. Heat the oil until fine wisps of smoke appear.
  4. Fry the spring rolls in batches until golden brown and crisp.
  5. Drain on paper towels or stand upright in a strainer.
  6. Serve the tuna and tofu spring rolls with sweet chili sauce.
Print

More Seafood, Tofu

Crispy fried whole fish with lemon sauce

Crispy fried whole fish with lemon sauce

Miso soup with tofu and wakame

Miso soup with tofu and wakame

Baked whole fish with oyster sauce

Baked whole fish with oyster sauce

Fish head soup with coconut cream

Fish head soup with coconut cream

  • About
  • Privacy
  • Copyright
  • No AI
  • Contact

Created by a human for humans · Copyright © 2025 · Connie Veneracion · All Rights Reserved