Yes, you read that right, vegan pork rinds made from fried rice paper! This snack is fun to make and they fry up like magic in just seconds! They're super crunchy and have the same texture as pork rinds, without any animal ingredients! Have fun seasoning them any way that you wish. This snack will never get boring! You can even season the fried rice paper with cheesy nutritional yeast and make homemade vegan cheese puffs.
As a vegan, nothing seems less appealing to me than pork rinds, but this fried rice paper is delicious and the texture is amazing. Seasoned with some salt and smoked paprika these crisps are addictive. If you were a person that enjoyed pork rinds before giving up meat, you will love these!
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❤️ This recipe is
- quick and easy to make!
- a vegan, soy-free, and gluten-free snack that everyone will love.
- crispy and delicious!
🧾 Ingredients and substitutions
- Rice Paper - These are the flat sheets that you usually soak in water and make into summer rolls. I tested it with different brands and they all worked the same.
- Oil - for deep frying. Any neutral-flavored oil will work.
- Smoked Paprika - to give them a smoky flavor.
- Umami Mushroom Seasoning - (optional) if you have this, it gives it more of a meaty flavor, but you can definitely omit it.
- Salt - for flavor.
- Cayenne Pepper - just a dash for a spicy vegan pork rind flavor. (optional)
- Other Optional Seasonings - My family also likes Tony Chachere's creole seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, or even some nutritional yeast. Feel free to get creative with how you season them.
🔪 Helpful tools
- Deep Fryer - it is helpful, but you can also easily just use a large pot with about a 1/2 inch of oil.
- Tongs - to take the deep-fried rice paper out of the hot oil.
🥄 Instructions
- Cut 2 pieces of dry rice paper into small pieces. (You can make them in any shape that you want like triangles or strips.)
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or a saucepan to about 350 F. (If you don't have a thermometer, toss in a small test piece of rice paper. It should sizzle and puff up immediately.)
- Mix the seasoning and get it ready to sprinkle on the fried rice paper. Place a paper towel on a plate to absorb excess oil.
- Toss a few pieces of rice paper at a time into the hot oil. After a few seconds, it will puff up and stop sizzling, at this point remove it with tongs. (Shake the fried pieces over the pot of oil. The bumps on the fried rice paper tend to trap the oil.)
- Immediately sprinkle them with your desired seasoning mix.
👩🏻🍳 Pro tips
- Kitchen scissors work great for cutting up the rice paper into the desired shape.
- You will know that the oil is hot enough when you place a piece of rice paper in it and it puffs up and bubbles instantly. If the rice paper remains soft for a few seconds after you put it in the oil, then it's not hot enough.
- Fry the rice paper until it stops sizzling, then take it out of the hot oil with tongs. Be careful, the bumps trap some of the oil and it will run off as you take them out.
🍞 Are they gluten-free?
Yes, just be sure to check the ingredients on your rice paper package. Some brands do add some wheat flour, so double-check to be sure.
🥡 Storage
Vegan pork rinds are best eaten fresh, but you can keep them in an air-tight bag at room temperature for up to 5 days. If it is humid, they will get stale, but you can put them on a cookie sheet and bake them at 200° F (93° C) for about 5 minutes to dry them out and make them crispy again.
🌟 More vegan snacks
📌 Be sure to follow me on Pinterest for new vegan recipes!
Vegan Pork Rinds - Fried Rice Paper
Equipment
- Tongs - to take the fried rice paper out of the hot oil.
Ingredients
- 2 sheets rice paper
- 1 cup cooking oil (or enough to allow the rice paper to float while it cooks)
Pork rind seasoning
- 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon umami seasoning (optional)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 dash cayenne pepper (optional - to taste)
For vegan cheese puffs
- 1 tablespoon nutritional yeast
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Other optional seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Old Bay seasoning
- 2 teaspoons Tony chachere's creole seasoning
Instructions
- Cut 2 pieces of dry rice paper into small pieces. (You can make them in any shape that you want like triangles or strips.)
- Heat oil in a deep fryer or a saucepan to about 360° F (182° C). (If you don't have a thermometer, toss in a small test piece of rice paper. It should sizzle and puff up immediately.)
- Mix the seasoning and get it ready to sprinkle on the fried rice paper. Place a paper towel on a plate to absorb excess oil.
- Toss a few pieces of rice paper at a time into the hot oil. After a few seconds, it will puff up and stop sizzling, at this point remove it with tongs. (Shake the fried pieces over the pot of oil. The bumps on the fried rice paper tend to trap the oil.)
- Immediately sprinkle them with your desired seasoning mix.
Notes
- Kitchen scissors work great for cutting up the rice paper into the desired shape.
- You will know that the oil is hot enough when you place a piece of rice paper in it and it puffs up and bubbles instantly. If the rice paper remains soft for a few seconds after you put it in the oil, then it's not hot enough.
- Fry the rice paper until it stops sizzling, then take it out of the hot oil with tongs. Be careful, the bumps trap some of the oil and it will run off as you take them out.
Nutrition
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Click the stars above or leave a comment! I'd love to hear from you!
My mind is blown. Pregnant but vegan and had a random craving! This totally filled it! Thanks so much! My whole family is so impressed with this!
I'm so happy that I was able to help with your pregnancy cravings! Glad that you guys liked it and it did the trick for you! 🙂
Can you use Air Fryer ????
I don't think that you can, but I have never tested it.
If you try it and it works will you let us know? I am on a strict no oil diet!!Thanks
Well I tried it tonight and ended up having to make 3 batches as everyone loved it.
I'm so happy that you guys liked it! 🙂
That sounds crazy fun! I'm going to try it soon! Thanks for the cool idea!