Look no further for restaurant-quality Spring Rolls that are unbelievably easy to make, delicious and healthy! I like to serve them with homemade peanut sauce for dipping and they make a great light lunch, dinner or appetizer.
I've mentioned before that I'm completely obsessed with Vietnamese and Thai food recipes, and I've loved trying to recreate some of my restaurant favorites in my own kitchen, including Thai Chicken Lettuce Wraps, Pho soup and Panang curry.
My love for spring rolls goes back decades when a neighbor taught my mom and me her authentic tricks for making fresh spring rolls . These are packed with flavorful and taste better than anything I've ever found from a Thai Restaurant in the United States. We've made them regularly and I think i've perfected our method and tips and I'm excited to share them with you!
What I love about this recipe:
- Healthy and flavorful.
- Adaptable: this recipe is extremely forgiving, and easy to adapt to use ingredients that you like and have on hand. I'm sharing what I typically put in them, but the options are endless, including bean sprouts, chicken, lettuce, bell peppers avocado.
- The dipping sauce: a simple peanut sweet chili sauce that puts them over the top!
How to make Fresh Spring Rolls:
Assemble all of your ingredients together, including the chopped veggies, cooked chicken or shrimp, noodles, herbs, and rice paper wrappers. Chop all of your vegetables into long, thin slices. I like to shred the carrot, but you can cut it julienne if you'd like.
1. Dip wrappers in water. Fill a large shallow dish or pie plate with an inch or so of water.
Remove one rice paper wrapper from the package, and place it in the water to soak. Allow it to soak for about 10 to 15 seconds and then remove and place on a cutting board or countertop. The rice wrapper should still feel pretty firm at this point. It will soften as it sits and as you add the filling ingredients. (If you let it soak for too long it will tear more easily when rolled).
2. Add filling. Layer everything on the ⅓ of the spring roll that is closest to you. Add 1-2 of each ingredient, and small pinch of noodles.
3. Wrap. Pick up the sides of the spring roll and fold them in over the toppings. Then pick up the edge closest to you and pull it up and snugly over the toppings. Continue rolling all the way up like a burrito. Practice will make perfect, but just try to keep all of the ingredients in tightly together as you roll everything up.
How to store spring rolls:
If you're not enjoying the spring rolls right away, wrap each roll individually in plastic wrap. Otherwise the rice wrapper will dry out, and if you wrap them side-by-side they will stick together and the wrappers will tear when you try to get them apart.
They taste best the day they are made, but they can be stored for 2-3 days, wrapped individually and stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator.
Consider serving these with other Thai inspired recipes:
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Recipe
Fresh Spring Rolls
These Fresh Spring Rolls are even better than you'd find at a restaurant, and they're easy to make and healthy!
Ingredients
- 1 package spring roll rice wrappers , found in the Asian foods section at the grocery store
- 1 package vermicelli rice noodles , found in the Asian foods section at the grocery store
- 2 mangos , peeled and sliced into thin strips
- 1 large carrot , peeled and shredded or sliced into thin strips
- 1 large English cucumber , peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 pound small, cooked shrimp , deveined, tails removed, or substitute chicken
- 1 bunch fresh mint leaves
- 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
For the peanut sauce:
- 3/4 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1/3 cup peanut butter , smooth or crunchy
- 1/2 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon hoisin sauce
Instructions
- Cook vermicelli noodles in boiling water, for just a few minutes, according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
- Gather all topping ingredients together, including chopped veggies, herbs, cooked shrimp.
- Add about 1 inch of water to a large, deep dish, or pie pan. Place one rice wrapper into the water and let soak for just 10-15 seconds. It should still feel pretty firm as you remove it and lay it on your counter or plate.
- (It will soften up as you add the filling ingredients, but If you let it soak for too long it will get too soft and will tear when you roll it up.)
- Layer 1-2 slices of each veggie, a few shrimp, a few leaves of each herb and a pinch of noodles on the ⅓ of the spring roll that is closest to you.
- Fold the sides of the spring roll in over the ingredients. Then pull the side closest to you up and over the ingredients, sealing everything together tightly, and rolling it up like a burrito.
For the peanut sauce:
- Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and pulse until smooth.
Notes
Other filling ingredient ideas:
- bean sprouts
- sliced avocado
- cooked, chopped chicken
- romaine lettuce leaf
- sliced bell peppers
Nutrition
Calories: 80kcalCarbohydrates: 18gProtein: 1gSodium: 36mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 1905IUVitamin C: 11.7mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 0.4mg
Have you tried this recipe?!
RATE and COMMENT below! I would love to hear your experience.
*I originally shared this recipe March 2013. Updated February 2020.
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This recipe is pretty simple and super delicious! I’m not usually a fan of peanut butter or sauces that include it, but the sauce elevates these yummy rolls to heaven in your mouth!
WHat is the ser serving size? 1 roll? 2?
serving is for 1 roll
This recipe makes 15 spring rolls?
Yes, just about (depending on how full you fill them).
I’m going to try this it looks so good
Hi! Is there a reason for leaving out the red cabbage in the recipe?
Feel free to add red cabbage or make any modifications based on your taste!
How would you go about using chicken instead of shrimp? Rotisserie,baked, fried or canned chicken?
I prefer rotisserie chicken or just chicken that has been pan seared and then shredded. Hope you enjoy them!
how far in advance can you make them and what is the best way to transport them so they don’t stick and tear.
I think they’re best served the day they are made (otherwise the wrapper dries out). The best way to ensure they don’t stick to each other or dry out is to wrap them in plastic wrap.
This is a salad roll… Not a spring roll…
…Why is that important to you, Sarah? I grew up calling them spring rolls, and learned my other Asian friends called spring rolls “egg rolls” it varies culture to culture. Perhaps, sharing your perspective instead of obtusely correcting someone would be more productive to learning your perspective. Thanks for coming to my TED Talk.
This most certainly is a spring roll (fresh).
Would wrapping spring roll in wax paper and placing in large plastic bag work for storing? Syran wraps and me, just don’t get along. Ty
Hi Jayne, yes that would work. Just be aware that if you lay them side-by-side they will likely stick to each other and may tear when you try to pull them apart.
WOW these were good! I served them at a girls night and everyone thought they were the best they had ever had.
I always wanted to make spring rolls but I’ve been intimidated. Your explanation and photos of the process finally gave me the confidence and I’m so glad I did! They were amazing!!!!!!!!! I shared them with some friends and they all said they were the best spring rolls they had ever had. Thank you so much for the great recipe!
This makes me so incredibly happy! I’m thrilled you decided to make them, and so happy everyone loved them! Hope you get to try more recipes here soon 🙂