Fresh Spring Rolls
intro
Light, refreshing translucent rice paper rolls packed with fresh herbs, crisp veggies, tender shrimp, and pork, served with creamy peanut dipping sauce for a cool, bright bite.
Ingredients
Steps
Cook core fillings
Bring 2 small (1L) pots of water to a rolling boil over medium-high heat. In the first pot, boil the 150g pork belly for 12 minutes until it reaches an internal temperature of 71°C/160°F, then remove and submerge in ice water for 5 minutes before slicing into thin 3mm strips. In the second pot, boil the 200g shrimp for 2 minutes until pink and opaque, then transfer to ice water for 3 minutes, and butterfly each by slicing halfway through the back. Use the same boiling shrimp water to cook the 100g dried rice vermicelli for 3 minutes per package directions, then drain, rinse with cold water, and set aside.
Prep fresh produce
Pat the julienned cucumber and carrot completely dry with paper towels to avoid soggy rolls. Tear the red leaf lettuce into 10cm (4-inch) pieces, discarding any thick, tough center stems. Pick mint, Thai basil, and cilantro leaves off their woody stems, then arrange all prepped vegetables and herbs on a large shared platter for easy assembly access.
Mix peanut sauce
In a small 120ml ceramic bowl, whisk together 80g creamy unsweetened peanut butter, 30ml hoisin sauce, 15ml rice vinegar, and 30ml warm water until completely smooth with no remaining lumps. Sprinkle the top with 10g crushed roasted peanuts, then set aside at room temperature until ready to serve.
Soften rice wrappers
Fill a wide, shallow 28cm (11-inch) dish with 2.5cm (1 inch) of room-temperature (21°C/70°F) filtered water. Working one wrapper at a time, submerge a single rice paper sheet in the water for 10-15 seconds until it is pliable but still slightly firm (it will continue softening as you add fillings). Lift the wrapper carefully, let excess water drip off for 2 seconds, then lay it flat on a clean, slightly damp wooden cutting board.
Layer roll fillings
Across the lower third of the softened rice paper (the edge closest to you), layer 1 piece of lettuce, a 30g small handful of cooled rice vermicelli, 2-3 thin strips of pork, 3-4 carrot and cucumber sticks, and a small pinch of mixed herbs. Place 2 butterflied shrimp, cut-side facing up, in a straight line 5cm (2 inches) above the vegetable pile, so the pink shrimp will be visible through the transparent wrapper when rolled.
Roll, cut and serve
Fold the left and right edges of the wrapper inward over the filling to cover the sides, then fold the bottom edge (closest to you) up over the vegetable pile, pressing gently to tuck the filling tight. Roll the wrapper firmly away from you, moving smoothly over the shrimp line to create a tight, even cylinder with no trapped air gaps. Repeat with remaining wrappers and fillings, then cut each roll in half diagonally at a 45-degree angle, and serve immediately alongside the prepared peanut dipping sauce.
Tips
2.Pat all vegetable and noodle fillings dry before assembling: excess moisture will seep through the rice paper, making rolls soggy and causing them to split within an hour of rolling.
3.If prepping rolls ahead for a picnic or potluck, wrap each individual roll tightly in plastic wrap and store in a single layer in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 hours to prevent sticking and drying out.
OMG these are SO good! I made them for our neighborhood potluck last weekend and every single roll was gone in 15 minutes. The peanut dipping sauce recipe included is a total game changer, I could drink that stuff straight. Only note is I soaked my rice paper a tiny bit too long the first couple tries, so don’t leave it in the water more than 10 seconds max!
My kids loved it! I swapped the shrimp for baked tofu for my oldest who’s vegan, and even the picky middle one ate two rolls without complaining. Perfect light weeknight dinner when it’s too hot to turn the oven on.
These hold up so well for meal prep! I made a batch on Sunday, wrapped each roll individually in damp paper towels and stored them in an airtight container, and they were still fresh for lunch on Wednesday. 10/10 will be adding these to my weekly rotation.
Wait, super easy recipe but I ran into a problem — my rolls kept sticking to the plate when I set them down! Did I do something wrong? They tasted amazing but looked a little messy when I served them to my roommates.
Made these for my at-home date night with my girlfriend last night and she said they’re better than the ones we get at our favorite Vietnamese spot in Brooklyn. Win for me! Paired them with a crisp riesling and it was chef’s kiss.
Finally a fresh spring roll recipe that doesn’t have any hidden gluten! I used tamari instead of regular soy sauce in the dipping sauce and it worked perfectly. So refreshing for summer cookouts.
Wait, has anyone tried adding avocado to these? I feel like that creamy texture would go so well with the veggies and shrimp. Thinking of making these for my book club next week.
As someone who can barely boil water, these were shockingly easy to make! 30 minutes total, no fancy equipment needed, and my dorm mates thought I was a culinary genius. 10/10, no notes.
I added a little sriracha to the peanut sauce and a handful of thinly sliced jalapeño to the filling for a kick, and oh my gosh it was perfect. If you like heat, do not sleep on that addition.
These have become our go-to Friday night family dinner! We set up a little build-your-own roll station with all the fillings laid out, and my husband and kids love assembling their own. Even gets my 7 year old to eat carrots and cucumber without a fight.
Has anyone tried using leftover grilled pork in these instead of shrimp? I have a ton of leftover pork tenderloin from last night’s BBQ and want to repurpose it instead of letting it go to waste.
These are the perfect light post-gym meal! High protein from the shrimp, tons of fresh veggies, no heavy fried coating, and they actually keep me full for hours. I’ve been recommending this recipe to everyone in my workout group.
Quick question — I can’t find Thai basil at my regular grocery store, is regular basil an okay substitute? I really want to make these this weekend!
Y’all, I made the peanut dipping sauce from this recipe to go with some chicken satay I made last night, and it was so good I was literally licking the bowl. Who knew a 5-ingredient sauce could hit that hard?