Bring the flavors of SE Asia home with these easy Vietnamese Spring Rolls. These fresh salad rolls combine herbs and crisp vegetables, and are perfect for dipping in a flavorful sauce! Add shrimp to make these a meal, or keep them light for an appetizer.
Love Asian flavors? Also try these Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps or this Absolutely Addicitive Asian Cabbage Salad.
*This post is sponsored by SunButter, a sunflower seed spread perfect for allergy-safe baking and cooking! Thanks for supporting the brands that keep Sunkissed Kitchen running.
Contents
Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Spring rolls are a favorite from SE Asia. They are made in a variety of ways. Cha gio are a fried spring roll, made with finely chopped meat and vegetables.
Gỏi cuốn are a fresh spring roll, also called Fresh Summer Rolls.
If these are a favorite of yours at Vietnamese restaurants, you’ll love how easy they are to make at home!
These use thin rice paper sheets, soaked in water, with tons of fresh veggies and herbs. No cooking required. I love to make these for light summer meals or party appetizers.
For the filling ingredients, use what veggies you have on hand. Choose herbs you love.
The sauce is what makes these over-the-top delicious! Traditionally served with peanut sauce, I make an allergy-friendly version with SunButter Sunflower Seed Butter.
SunButter is perfect for adding a nutty flavor to Asian sauces. I also use it for my Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps and Asian Pork Meatballs.
Hop on over to SunButter’s website to see where it’s sold near you!
What You’ll Need
- Rice Paper Wrappers (spring roll wrappers)
- Lettuce Leaves (I use butter lettuce)
- Fresh Vegetables: Cucumber, Red Bell Peppers, Purple Cabbage, Carrots, bean sprouts, etc.
- Fresh Herbs: Thai Basil, Cilantro, Chives or Spring Onions or Green Onions
- Shrimp (precooked), optional. Leave out for vegan spring rolls.
- Rice Vermicelli Noodles (traditionally used in spring rolls, but in my opinion, totally optional!)
Peanut Style Dipping Sauce
- SunButter No Sugar Added
- Coconut Aminos (a soy-free soy sauce alternative. Use tamari or soy sauce if desired.)
- Lime Juice
- Water
- Sriracha Chili Sauce
What is the best sauce for Spring Rolls?
The two most popular sauces served with spring rolls are a simple peanut sauce, hoisin sauce, or a sweet chili sauce called nước chấm.
Nước chấm is a combination of brown sugar, chilis, garlic, fish sauce, and lime juice or rice vinegar, to make a sweet-spicy-sour dipping sauce that works with a variety of Vietnamese dishes.
Homemade peanut sauce is made from crushed peanuts, soy sauce, lime juice, and chilis.
To make these safe for allergy sufferers, I use sunflower seed butter or almond butter (to avoid peanuts), and coconut aminos (a soy free alternative to soy sauce). A traditional sauce would also have fish sauce, so add it if you love it.
The combination is creamy, spicy, sweet and sour. We adore this sauce and even use it as a simple salad dressing!
Prepping to Make Spring Rolls
Prior to wrapping your spring rolls, prepare these 3 things:
Shrimp: If using shrimp, precook it, or purchase cooked shrimp. Cut the shrimp lengthwise so they are thin enough to roll with the vegetables.
Vermicelli Noodles: Soak these fine rice noodles (sometimes called glass noodles) in a large bowl of warm water. It usually takes about 10-15 minutes for them to soften. Drain, and set aside to use with the fillings.
“Peanut” Style Dipping Sauce:
This delicious sauce is easy to make! It’s thin right out of the blender but gets thicker and creamier once it’s chilled, so I like to make it ahead of time and chill it prior to serving.
Add SunButter No Sugar Added (can sub peanut butter or almond butter, if desired), lime juice, coconut aminos (or fish sauce), water, and sriracha to a blender. Process until very smooth and creamy. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
How to Make Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Step 1: Set up a work surface by placing fillings in bowls and setting up a wrapping station. Add hot water to pie plate or tart pan to soak the rice paper. Precook shrimp and rice vermicelli noodles, if using.
Step 2: Dip a piece of rice paper into the water. Do not over soak it. It does not have to be soft when you remove it. Hold it in the water for about 2-3 seconds, and then place it on a cutting board. The water will continue to soak in as you wrap the spring rolls. If you over soak the rice paper, the spring rolls will tear when rolling.
Step 3: Add a piece of lettuce and 3 half shrimp pieces to each spring roll wrapper. Keep the fillings in the center to allow space to roll the rice paper.
Step 4: Add rice vermicelli noodles, herbs, and crisp vegetables. Any combo of veggies work but I like to get a rainbow of colors in these!
Step 5: Fold the top part of the wrapper to the bottom part. They will stick together in the center of the roll.
Step 6: Roll from left to right in a tight roll. The rice paper is sticky so once you have it rolled, it will hold tight. I’ve made these many times, and the first one never looks nice! Practice with each roll to make the next one look better.
Step 7: Serve spring rolls with dipping sauce of choice!
FAQ & How to Store Leftover Spring Rolls
How to Store Leftovers
Place leftovers on a plate, and cover tightly in plastic wrap. If needed, use parchment to separate rolls. If they touch, they will stick together and be difficult to pull apart without tearing the delicate rice paper.
Keep refrigerated for up to 3 days. If the rice paper is chewy (from water evaporating), spray them with a mist of cold water, and then allow them to sit and soak the water in for a couple of minutes.
Vegan Spring Rolls
These are easily adaptable to a vegan roll! Simply skip shrimp, or add a vegan protein, like edamame or fried tofu.
More Delicious Asian Recipes
I’d love to connect with you on social media! Find me on Facebook or Instagram where I post daily healthy eating and lifestyle inspiration!
Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Ingredients
Spring Rolls
- 10 shrimp precooked, sliced in half lengthwise
- 16 rice paper wrappers
- 1/2 ounce rice vermicelli noodles optional (I prefer extra veggies in mine!), soaked to package directions and drained
- 8 leaves butter lettuce
- fresh herbs cilantro, basil, spring onions
- 1 cup carrots julienne cut
- 1 cup red cabbage very thinly shredded
- 1 cup cucumber julienne cut
- 1 red bell pepper julienne cut
Creamy Dipping Sauce
- 1/2 cup SunButter No Sugar Added Organic or Creamy varieties also work!
- 1/2 cup water
- 2 tablespoons fish sauce or sub coconut aminos
- 1 tablespoon lime juice
- 1-3 teaspoons sriracha based on desired heat level
Instructions
Creamy Dipping Sauce
- Add all ingredients into a blender, and process until smooth. Pour into a serving dish, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to serve.
Spring Rolls
- If using shrimp, precook it, or purchase cooked shrimp. Cut the shrimp lengthwise so they are thin enough to roll with the vegetables.
- Soak these fine rice noodles (sometimes called glass noodles) in a large bowl of hot water. It usually takes about 10-15 minutes for them to soften. Drain, and set aside to use with the fillings.
- Prepare all your fillings and set up a wrapping station. Add water to pie plate or tart pan to soak the rice paper. Precook shrimp and rice vermicelli noodles, if using.
- Dip a piece of rice paper into the water. Do not over soak it. It does not have to be soft when you remove it. Hold it in the water for about 2-3 seconds, and then place it on a cutting board. The water will continue to soak in as you wrap the spring rolls. If you over soak the rice paper, the spring rolls will tear when rolling.
- Add a piece of lettuce and 3 half shrimp pieces to each spring roll wrapper. Keep the fillings in the center to allow space to roll the rice paper.
- Add rice vermicelli noodles, herbs, and crisp vegetables. Any combo of veggies work but I like to get a rainbow of colors in these!
- Fold the top part of the wrapper to the bottom part. They will stick together in the center of the roll.
- Roll from left to right in a tight roll. The rice paper is sticky so once you have it rolled, it will hold tight. I’ve made these many times, and the first one never looks nice! Practice with each roll to make the next one look better.
- Serve spring rolls with dipping sauce of choice!
Leave a Reply