Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls Recipe

I perfected my recipe for Traditional Vietnamese Spring Rolls with shrimp, pork belly, and crisp vegetables that come together with almost no cooking in just over an hour.

I didn’t expect shrimp and pork belly in a summer roll to be my go to dinner, but here we are. These Traditional Vietnamese Spring Rolls hit a weird sweet spot between light and totally satisfying, they look delicate but every bite has bold contrast, and I keep telling myself I’ll make them just once for company and then eat them alone.

This Fresh Rolls Recipe stole my lazy chef heart because it feels a little fancy even when I’m messy, and the dipping sauce gets me every time. Try one and you’ll know what I mean, it’s kinda addictive.

Ingredients

• Rice paper wrappers: Thin, chewy, low calorie; mostly carbs, great for wrapping veggies and herbs.
• Shrimp: Lean protein, low fat, gives iodine and B12, cooks fast and tastes sweetly savory.
• Pork belly: Rich, fatty pork adds deep savory notes, high calories and saturated fat, still delicious.
• Rice vermicelli: Light rice noodles, gentle carbs and texture, they soak up sauces real good.
• Herbs (basil, mint, cilantro): Fresh aromatic leaves, add bright flavor, vitamins and digestion friendly compounds.
• Cucumber and carrot: Crunchy, hydrating veggies, add fiber, natural sweetness, color and fresh bite.
• Hoisin peanut dipping sauce: Sweet salty umami, creamy peanuts add protein and richness, add chili if you like.
• Nuoc cham: Sour salty bright Vietnamese dip, lime and fish sauce give tang and balance.

Ingredient Quantities

• For the rolls
  • About 12 to 16 rice paper wrappers, 8 inch round (or so)
  • 12 large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails removed (about 10 to 12 oz / 300 to 350 g)
  • 8 oz (225 g) pork belly, thinly sliced
  • 4 oz (115 g) dry rice vermicelli noodles
  • 8 to 12 butter or Boston lettuce leaves
  • 1 medium cucumber, julienned
  • 1 medium carrot, peeled and julienned (about 1 cup)
  • 1 cup bean sprouts, rinsed
  • 3 scallions, cut into long thin strips
  • Small bunch Thai basil, about 12 to 16 leaves
  • Small bunch mint, about 12 to 16 leaves
  • Small bunch cilantro, about 1/2 cup loosely packed leaves
  • 1/2 cup roasted peanuts, chopped
  • Kosher salt
  • Ice water

• Hoisin peanut dipping sauce
  • 1/2 cup hoisin sauce
  • 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water to thin
  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon lime juice (optional)
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts, optional
  • Sriracha or chili sauce, optional

• Nuoc cham dipping sauce (optional)
  • 1/4 cup fish sauce
  • 1/4 cup fresh lime juice
  • 1/4 cup warm water
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 to 2 bird’s eye chilis, thinly sliced

How to Make this

1. Cook the proteins: bring a pot of water to a gentle boil, season with a pinch of kosher salt; add pork belly slices and simmer 20 to 25 minutes until cooked through and tender, then remove and let cool a bit; add the shrimp to the same simmering water for 2 to 3 minutes until pink and opaque, then transfer shrimp to a bowl of ice water to stop cooking; drain and pat pork and shrimp dry.

2. Prep noodles and produce: soak the rice vermicelli in hot water for 4 to 6 minutes until soft, drain and rinse under cold water; julienne cucumber and carrot, rinse bean sprouts, cut scallions into long thin strips, and pick basil, mint and cilantro leaves; separate lettuce leaves and set a damp towel on your work surface to keep things from sticking.

3. Make the hoisin peanut dipping sauce: whisk together 1/2 cup hoisin sauce, 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 minced garlic clove, 1 tablespoon lime juice if using, and 2 to 3 tablespoons warm water to thin to dipping consistency; stir in 1 tablespoon chopped peanuts and sriracha to taste.

4. Make the nuoc cham (optional): dissolve 2 tablespoons sugar in 1/4 cup warm water, then add 1/4 cup fish sauce, 1/4 cup fresh lime juice, 1 minced garlic clove and 1 to 2 thinly sliced bird’s eye chilis; taste and adjust sweetness or lime if needed.

5. Slice proteins for rolling: cut the pork belly into long thin strips; slice each shrimp in half lengthwise if you want the pretty cross section showing in the roll (optional).

6. Prep rice papers and set station: fill a wide shallow bowl with warm water and have a clean damp towel or cutting board nearby; keep the herbs, noodles, veggies, pork, shrimp and chopped roasted peanuts within reach so assembly flows.

7. Assemble each roll: briefly submerge one rice paper (about 8 inch) in warm water 3 to 8 seconds until pliable but not falling apart, lay it on the damp towel, place a lettuce leaf near the bottom third, add a small handful of vermicelli, a few cucumber and carrot sticks, bean sprouts, a couple scallion strips, a few herb leaves, a few pork strips, 2 shrimp halves (or whole), and a sprinkling of chopped roasted peanuts. Don’t overstuff or the wrapper will tear.

8. Roll tightly: fold the bottom edge over the filling, fold the sides in, then roll up tightly like a burrito, keeping pressure so the roll holds together; transfer to a plate seam side down and cover with a damp towel while you finish the rest.

9. Finish and serve: cut rolls in half if desired, sprinkle extra chopped peanuts on top, serve with the hoisin peanut sauce and the nuoc cham on the side for dipping; a tip, keep a bowl of ice water handy to cool hands or refresh shrimp quickly, and keep unused rice papers covered with a damp towel so they dont dry out.

Equipment Needed

1. Large pot with lid, for simmering pork and shrimp
2. Slotted spoon or spider/skimmer, to lift and drain proteins
3. Large bowl of ice water, to shock the shrimp
4. Wide shallow bowl or pie plate, for softening rice papers
5. Cutting board and sharp chefs knife, for veg and slicing pork/shrimp
6. Fine mesh strainer or colander, to drain vermicelli
7. Small mixing bowls and a whisk or fork, for the hoisin peanut sauce and nuoc cham
8. Damp kitchen towel or clean board, for assembling rolls and keeping wrappers from sticking, dont let it dry out
9. Tongs or chopsticks, plus a serving plate, to move and present finished rolls

FAQ

Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Shrimp
  • Poached or rotisserie chicken, shredded — mild, cooks fast and kid friendly
  • Extra-firm tofu, pressed and pan-fried or baked for a chewy, protein-packed swap
  • Tempeh, thinly sliced and marinated, then pan-seared for a nutty bite
  • Smoked salmon or cooked crab meat if you want a richer seafood flavor
• Pork belly
  • Thinly sliced pork loin or shoulder, quick-seared or grilled, leaner but still tasty
  • Boneless chicken thigh, roasted or pan-fried and thinly sliced
  • Sliced shiitake or portobello mushrooms, sautéed in soy and garlic for a vegetarian option
  • Smoked turkey breast, sliced thin, for a different but convenient flavor
• Rice paper wrappers
  • Butter or Boston lettuce leaves for an easier, no-soak wrap (fresher, more crunch)
  • Collard or Swiss chard leaves briefly blanched to make them pliable and sturdy
  • Nori sheets for a sushi-style roll, works great with seafood and herbs
• Hoisin peanut dipping sauce
  • Nuoc cham (the fish-sauce lime dip from your list) for a lighter, tangier dip
  • Sunflower seed butter + soy + lime + a little honey, peanut-free and similar texture
  • Sweet chili sauce mixed with lime and garlic for a sweet-spicy alternative
  • Tahini or almond butter blended with soy, rice vinegar and a touch of sugar for a sesame twist

Pro Tips

– Get your station ready first and keep everything within arm’s reach. Rice papers dry out fast so keep them under a damp towel, have a shallow bowl of warm water ready, and line used rolls up seam-side down on a damp plate so they don’t unravel.

– Chill and handle proteins quickly. Shock cooked shrimp and pork in ice water to stop carryover cooking, then pat completely dry and cut into long thin strips so they lay flat in the roll. If bits are wet they’ll make the wrapper soggy.

– Don’t overstuff. Use a small handful of noodles and a modest amount of veg, tuck a lettuce leaf near the edge as a moisture barrier, fold the sides in snug, then roll tight like a burrito so the roll holds. If the rice paper tears a little, press a damp fingertip over the rip to reseal it.

– Keep textures balanced. Rinse and drain vermicelli and bean sprouts well, julienne cucumbers so they don’t bulk up, and add herbs last for bright pockets of flavor. Crunch from peanuts and crisp lettuce makes the rolls feel fresh instead of mushy.

– Make the sauces a little ahead and taste adjust. Thin peanut-hoisin with warm water a spoon at a time till it dips cleanly, brighten it with lime or soy as needed, and dissolve sugar into the nuoc cham base first so it blends evenly. Store extras chilled and stir before serving.