---
title: "Roll cut: what it means in cooking — Tiny Plates"
description: "A roll cut is an angled cut where you turn a long vegetable a quarter turn between slices, giving chunky wedges with many faces for stir-fries and stews."
url: "https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/roll-cut"
---

# Roll cut

A roll cut is an angled cut where you turn a long vegetable a quarter turn between slices, giving chunky wedges with many faces for stir-fries and stews.

Also called Oblique cut, Rangiri, Rolling cut.

A roll cut is a way to cut long, round vegetables into chunky, irregular wedges. You make an angled cut, roll the vegetable a quarter turn, and cut at the same angle again. Each piece has several flat faces. It is common in Chinese and Japanese cooking; in Japanese it is called _rangiri_. It works well on carrots, daikon, parsnips, zucchini (courgette in the UK), Asian eggplant (aubergine in the UK) and asparagus.

## How to do it

1. Peel the vegetable if needed and lay it on the board at a right angle to you.
2. Trim the end with a cut at about 45 degrees, as for a [bias cut](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/bias-cut).
3. Roll the vegetable a quarter turn toward you.
4. Make the next cut at the same angle, about 2 to 3 cm (3/4 to 1 1/4 inches) along. It will cross the face of the last cut.
5. Keep rolling a quarter turn and cutting until you reach the end.

A [santoku](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/santoku) or a [chef's knife](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/chefs-knife) both work. Keep your fingertips curled and move your guiding hand back after each cut.

## Why it works

Each wedge has a lot of cut surface for its size, so it cooks faster than a round chunk of the same weight and picks up more sauce and browning. The pieces are thick in one part and thin in another, which gives a mix of tender and firm bites. Because the vegetable gets thinner toward the tip, rolling also lets you keep the pieces about the same size along its length.

## How to use it

* Carrots and daikon for braises and simmered dishes.
* Zucchini and eggplant for [stir-fries](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/stir-fry).
* Parsnips and carrots for a tray of [roast](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/roast) vegetables.

## Common mistakes

* Turning the vegetable by different amounts, so the pieces come out in random shapes and sizes.
* Cutting the thick end and the thin tip at the same spacing. Make the cuts closer together at the thick end, so every piece weighs about the same.
* Letting your guiding hand creep toward the blade as you roll. Reset your grip after every turn, with your fingertips curled.

## In recipes

"Roll cut", "oblique cut" and "cut into wedges on the diagonal" all mean this cut. A recipe that says "cut on the bias" without rolling means plain angled slices.

## Related terms

* [Bias cutA bias cut is a slice made at an angle, usually around 45 degrees, to give long oval pieces that cook fast and look good in stir-fries and salads.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/bias-cut)
* [Stir-fryStir-frying cooks small, evenly cut pieces of food in a very hot wok with a little oil, stirring constantly so they sear and cook through in minutes.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/stir-fry)
* [RoastRoasting cooks meat or vegetables uncovered in a hot oven, so dry heat browns the outside and concentrates flavor while the inside cooks through.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/roast)
* [SantokuA santoku is a Japanese all-purpose kitchen knife with a flat edge and rounded tip. Here is how it compares to a chef's knife.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/santoku)
* [Chef's knifeA chef's knife is the all-purpose kitchen knife, with a wide 20 cm (8 in) blade for chopping, slicing and mincing. Here is how to hold it.](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/chefs-knife)

[More in knife skills and preparation](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary/category/knife-skills)[Every term from A to Z](https://www.tinyplates.dev/glossary)