Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls with Peanut Sauce

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls Recipe

One of my all-time favorite appetizers to order from our favorite Vietnamese restaurant (which is ironically called, Vietnam Restaurant!) are their Fresh Spring Rolls.

There is something so satisfying about the freshness of the ingredients all rolled up in rice paper to make a fun finger food.

Not to mention that addictingly good sweet, spicy, and a little tangy peanut butter dipping sauce.

Couldn’t you just drink it by the spoonful?!  

It has been on my bucket list for a while to attempt this seemingly intimidating recipe at home.

And then a buddy of ours told us that he made spring rolls as a first date activity.  *Hint, Hint to any of you fellows out there that might be reading this… Awesome.  Date.  Idea!!*

So the hubby and I finally attempted them at home.  After a few very UGLY rolls we finally figured out the method to the madness which includes a few tricks for assembling the rolls so you don’t tear that delicate rice paper!

What is a Spring Roll?

Fresh Spring Rolls, sometimes referred to as summer rolls, are filled with fresh veggies, herbs, vermicelli noodles, and sometimes a protein such as shrimp, pork, or chicken and then wrapped in a thin rice or flour paper.  They are typically served cold with a side of peanut dipping sauce.

These rolls are extremely healthy since they are not deep-fried and are full of nutritious raw veggies and lean protein.

Fresh spring rolls are typically found in the Vietnamese cuisine and are also called Gỏi cuốn.  They enjoy this delicacy at the beginning of Spring at festivals to welcome in the new season.

Egg rolls are different from spring rolls in that they are made with a heavier wrapper that is then coated in egg and deep-fried.  These are not nearly as healthy due to this preparation method when compared to fresh spring rolls, or summer rolls.

Ingredients

Before we get to the fun part of rolling these up, you want to make sure and have all of the ingredients prepped and ready to go.  So let’s take a look at what those ingredients are:

• Shrimp – Medium-sized shrimp that are about 35/40 count per pound are the best size to use.  Also, look for ones that have already been peeled and deveined to save you a bit of time.  You can choose to buy already cooked shrimp or boil raw shrimp at home.  (Learn how to boil shrimp below.)
  • You can leave these out if you are vegan or vegetarian.
• Fresh Herbs – A combination of cilantro and basil are used.  Thai basil is preferred, but sweet basil will also work great.
• Raw Vegetables – Carrots, cucumber and cabbage are thinly sliced and julienned.  They add a brilliant color and an excellent crunch.  (Read below to learn more about how to prepare these vegetables.)
• Vermicelli – Very thin rice noodles, called vermicelli, are cooked and then stuffed into the rolls to help bulk them up.
• Rice paper – A larger rice paper that measures 22cm across was used to make these spring rolls.  These are typically found in your Asian or Vietnamese section of your grocery store and can also be found online.

Preparing the Vegetables

It’s important when making spring rolls at home that you prepare all of the vegetables to be about the same size.

• Carrots – The pre-packaged matchstick carrots work great and will save you a bit of time.  Or, you can julienne a whole carrots until you get thin strips that are about ¼-inch thick by 3-4 inches long.
• Cucumber – You can either use an English seedless cucumber or a large one with seeds.
  • To prepare one with seeds:
    1. Cut and remove both of the ends.
    2. Slice it half lengthwise to showcase the seeds.
    3. Using a spoon with a relatively sharp edge, scrape out and discard all of the seeds.
    4. Cut the cucumber halves down the middle to get four 3-4 inch long pieces.
    5. Julienne the cucumber into thin strips about  ¼ inch wide and ¼ inch thick.
       • It’s best to leave the peel on for an added crunch and a pop of color in the spring rolls, but you can choose to peel them if you’d prefer.
• Cabbage – Red cabbage is preferred over green cabbage purely for the color.  You’ll want to slice the cabbage into thin strips roughly  ¼-inch thick and 3-4 inches long until you have 2 cups of shredded cabbage.  (Learn how to shred cabbage.)

Cilantro and Basil

After the veggies are prepped, you’ll want to grab ½ bunch of cilantro and about 1 oz. of basil.

Remove the basil and cilantro leaves from their stems.

Pro Tip: You can remove a lot of the cilantro leaves by lightly pulling on the leaves as you run your thumb and pointer finger down the main stem.

How to Boil Shrimp

If you chose to buy raw shrimp then you’ll need to boil them first before using.  To do this:

1. Add 1 pound of shrimp to a medium to large-sized pot of boiling water.
2. Cook shrimp for about 2-3 minutes, or until they’re opaque and their tails begin to curl. (shown above)
3. Rinse shrimp under cold running water in a colander until they are cool to the touch.

How to Cook Vermicelli Noodles

The last ingredient you’ll want to prepare before you start rolling up your spring rolls is the vermicelli noodles.  They tend to stick together after sitting out for a while so it’s best if you cook them right before rolling.

1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil.
2. Remove the pot from the heat once it starts boiling and add 4 oz. of vermicelli noodles.
3. Let noodles soak in the warm water for 5 minutes. (shown above)
4. Drain water from the pot using a colander and rinse under cool running water to stop the cooking process.
   • You can also toss in a teaspoon of oil to prevent sticking.

Rice Paper

Now that you have your vegetables, herbs, shrimp, and noodles prepared, it’s time to get to rolling!   You want to wait until JUST before rolling to soften the rice paper.  And only soften ONE at a time.  They become very tricky to work with if they sit out for too long.

1. Fill a large shallow pan or dish with 1-2 inches of warm water.
   • You’ll want the dish to be large enough to fit a piece of rice paper into it with a little wiggle room around the sides.
2. Dip one piece of rice paper into the warm water and let soak for 5 seconds.  And not a second longer!  The paper will still fill a bit firm when you pull it out but it will continue to soften while you add your filling ingredients.
3. Remove the paper from the water and place it on a plastic cutting board.*

Pro Tip: Do NOT try rolling these up on a wooden cutting board. The rice paper will stick to the wood and end up tearing.

How to Make Spring Rolls

1. Add a tablespoon of cilantro, a few basil leaves, 2-3 shrimp,  ¼ cup vermicelli noodles, 2-3 strips of cucumber, 1-2 Tbsp. carrots, and 1-2 tbsp. shredded cabbage to the middle of the rice paper. (step 1 above)
   • Place just enough of these ingredients into the roll without overfilling it. If you have too many ingredients you’ll have a difficult time rolling it up.
2. Fold over the bottom edge of the rice paper that is closest to you to cover up the ingredients. (step 2 above)
3. Fold the right side of the paper over. And then fold the left side over.  It should look like an opened envelope at this point. (step 3 above)
   • This is a little easier if you hold the paper with both hands. If it crinkles up a little bit, it’s totally OK! Just keep going.
4. Roll the rice paper and ingredients like a burrito beginning from the side that is closest to you until it makes a tight spring roll. (step 4 above)

Pro Tip: If you’re having trouble with the paper sticking to your hands, simply dip the tips of your fingers in the warm water. They should slide right over the rice paper now without sticking!

Peanut Dipping Sauce Ingredients

The peanut dipping sauce that you’ll see below is a breeze to whip up.  You will only need a few easy-to-find ingredients and 5 minutes to make it:

• Peanut Butter – A smooth peanut butter without any added sugar is best.
• Soy Sauce – A gluten-free kind or Tamari sauce may be used.  Coconut liquid aminos can also be substituted if avoiding soy.
• Sugar – Brown sugar will taste the best but coconut sugar, honey, or agave nectar may also be used.
• Sriracha Sauce – Add as little or as much as you’d like for a spicy kick.
• Rice Vinegar – This will add a subtle tangy punch.
• Garlic – A clove of fresh garlic is preferred, but garlic powder can be substituted.
• Water – This helps to thin out the sauce until it is a good dipping consistency.

How to Make Peanut Sauce

1. Add all ingredients, except for the water, to a medium-sized bowl.
2. Whisk until well smooth and well combined.
3. Slowly add in warm water 1 tablespoon at a time to help thin it out. 
4. 3-6 tablespoons of water should get it to be a good dipping consistency.
   

Meal Prep and Storage Tips

Fresh spring rolls are best when served immediately after making.  You can even put your guests to work and teach them how to roll up their own!

To Prep Ahead: Chop the fresh vegetables, remove the herb leaves from the stems, boil the shrimp, and make the peanut sauce up to 1 day before preparing.  On the day of serving, boil the vermicelli noodles and wrap the ingredients in the rice paper.

To Store: Place fresh spring rolls in an airtight container and store for up to 1-2 days.  After a day, the rice paper will begin to harden on the outside and lose its soft texture.

Pro Tips and Tricks

• Remove cilantro leaves by lightly pulling on the leaves as you run your thumb and pointer finger down the main stem.
• Rinsing the shrimp and vermicelli noodles under cold running water helps to stop the cooking process so they do not come out rubbery or mushy.
• Soften one rice paper just before rolling so it is easier to work with.
• Roll these up on a plastic cutting board and NOT a wooden cutting board.
• Dip the tips of your fingers in warm water to prevent your fingers from sticking to the rice paper.
• Prepare fresh spring rolls just before serving for the best taste and texture.

Other Finger Food Appetizer Ideas

Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps

Rainbow Raw Veggie Hummus Wrap

Ground Turkey Taco Lettuce Wraps

Ground Chicken Thai Lettuce Wraps

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Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls Recipe

Look no further than these Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls for a super healthy, fresh, and fun appetizer. You will learn a few tricks to easily roll veggies, herbs, boiled shrimp, and vermicelli noodles in delicate rice paper.

Course Appetizer

Cuisine Vietnamese

Keyword appetizer, baked shrimp scampi, easy, gluten free

Prep Time 45 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 1 hour

Servings 12 spring rolls

Calories 216 kcal

London Brazil

Ingredients

Spring Rolls

• ½ bunch cilantro stems removed
• 1 oz. basil sweet or Thai, stems removed
• 1 lb. boiled shrimp 36/40 count, peeled and deveined
• 4 oz. Vermicelli rice noodles cooked
• 2 cups matchstick carrots
• 1 large cucumber seeds removed, cut into 3-inch long ¼-inch strips
• 2 cups cabbage cut into 3-inch long slices
• 12 rice papers gluten-free

Peanut Dipping Sauce

• ½ cup peanut butter smooth
• 2 Tbsp. soy sauce Tamari or gluten-free
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar honey or coconut sugar
• 1 Tbsp. rice vinegar or lime juice
• 1 clove garlic crushed
• ½-1 tsp. Sriracha sauce to taste
• 3-6 Tbsp warm water

Instructions

Preparing the Rice Paper:

1. Fill a large shallow pan or dish with 1-2 inches of warm water. You’ll want the dish to be large enough to fit a piece of rice paper into it with a little wiggle room around the sides.
2. Dip one piece of rice paper into the warm water and let soak for 5 seconds.  And not a second longer!  The paper will still fill a bit firm when you pull it out but it will continue to soften while you add your filling ingredients.

3. Remove the paper from the water and place it on a plastic cutting board.

Making Spring Rolls:

1. Add a tablespoon of cilantro, a few basil leaves, 2-3 shrimp, ¼ cup vermicelli noodles, 2-3 strips of cucumber, 1-2 Tbsp. carrots, and 1-2 tbsp. shredded cabbage to the middle of the rice paper. Place just enough of these ingredients into the roll without overfilling it. If you have too many ingredients you'll have a difficult time rolling it up.

2. Fold over the bottom edge of the rice paper that is closest to you to cover up the ingredients.

3. Fold the right side of the paper over. And then fold the left side over.  It should look like an opened envelope at this point. This is a little easier if you hold the paper with both hands. If it crinkles up a little bit, it's totally okay! Just keep going.

4. Roll the rice paper and ingredients like a burrito beginning from the side that is closest to you until it makes a tight spring roll. Repeat with the remaining filling ingredients and rice paper until you have 12 spring rolls.

Peanut Butter Dipping Sauce:

1. Add all ingredients, except for the water, to a medium-sized bowl.
2. Whisk until well smooth and well combined.
3. Slowly add in warm water 1 tablespoon at a time to help thin it out.
4. 3-6 tablespoons of water should get it to be a good dipping consistency.

Recipe Video

Recipe Notes

Meal Prep and Storage

• How to prep ahead of time: Fresh spring rolls are best when served immediately after making. You can even put your guests to work and teach them how to roll up their own! Chop the fresh vegetables, remove the herb leaves from the stems, boil the shrimp, and make the peanut sauce up to 1 day before preparing. On the day of serving, boil the vermicelli noodles and wrap the ingredients in rice paper.
• How to store: Place fresh spring rolls in an airtight container and store them for up to 1-2 days. After a day, the rice paper will begin to harden on the outside and lose its soft texture.
• How to freeze: Freezing is not recommended.

Nutrition Facts

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls Recipe

Amount Per Serving

Calories 216 Calories from Fat 54

% Daily Value*

Fat 6g9%

Saturated Fat 1g6%

Cholesterol 97mg32%

Sodium 632mg27%

Potassium 240mg7%

Carbohydrates 27g9%

Fiber 2g8%

Sugar 5g6%

Protein 13g26%

Vitamin A 3105IU62%

Vitamin C 8mg10%

Calcium 92mg9%

Iron 2mg11%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.