Whether you call them summer rolls or fresh spring rolls, this popular Vietnamese snack is easy to make at home (though it can take a fair amount of time to assemble). Prep a few ingredients in advance, grab a friend to help form an assembly line, and you’ll have no trouble cranking them out for a party.
For this fresh spring roll recipe, you’ll soften rice paper wrappers in hot water (check the package instructions; timing can vary by brand), then stuff them with cooked shrimp and assorted mix-ins, including bright mango and seedless English hothouse cucumbers. But, once you’ve gotten the hang of rolling them, you should feel free to play around: Use cooked ground pork flavored with shallots and ginger, or swap in diced tofu for a vegetarian rendition. Trade the vermicelli for other styles of rice noodles or mung beans. Use any crunchy vegetable you like (radishes, red bell pepper, etc.), or even fruits like Asian pear—or tuck the rolls into butter lettuce leaves for even more crisp freshness. Mix and match the fresh herbs for whatever you please, such as bean sprouts or Thai basil.
The umami nuoc cham dipping sauce recipe is a bright complement to the sweet shrimp, while the sweet and tangy peanut sauce is a consummate crowd-pleaser. Still, you could serve these fresh spring rolls with sweet chili sauce or quartered lime wedges for squeezing at the table.
Recipe information
Total Time
40 minutes
Yield
Makes 8 rolls
Ingredients
Peanut Sauce
Nuoc cham
Spring rolls and assembly
Preparation
Peanut sauce
Step 1
Whisk ⅔ cup hoisin sauce, ⅓ cup creamy peanut butter, 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, 1½ Tbsp. soy sauce, and ⅓ cup water in a small bowl until smooth. Set aside.
Do ahead: Peanut sauce can be made 1 day ahead; refrigerate in an airtight container. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Nuoc cham
Step 2
Whisk 3 Tbsp. fish sauce such as Thai nam pla or Vietnamese nuoc mam, 3 Tbsp. fresh lime juice, 2½ tsp. (packed) brown sugar in another small bowl until sugar is dissolved. Add 2 Tbsp. water and whisk to combine. Set aside.
Do ahead: Nuoc cham can be made 4 hours ahead. Store at room temperature.
Spring rolls and assembly
Step 3
Place 12 large shell-on shrimp (21–25 per lb.), peeled, in a 4- to 5-qt. pot of boiling salted water, then reduce heat to medium-low. Poach shrimp at a bare simmer, uncovered, until just cooked through, about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer shrimp to a bowl of ice-cold water to stop cooking (reserve cooking water). Chill shrimp in ice bath until cold, about 2 minutes, then drain and pat dry. Cut each shrimp in half lengthwise, deveining if necessary.
Step 4
Return shrimp cooking water to a boil and add 3 oz. rice vermicelli noodles; cook until just tender, about 3 minutes. Drain in a colander, then rinse under cold running water and drain well. Stir 3 Tbsp. rice vinegar, 2 Tbsp. granulated sugar, and ½ tsp. Diamond Crystal or ¼ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a large bowl until sugar is dissolved; add noodles and toss to coat.
Step 5
Put 2 layers of paper towels on a work surface and fill a shallow baking pan with warm water. Check 8 (8") rice-paper rounds, plus more in case some tear and use only those that have no holes. Soak 1 round in warm water until pliable, 30 seconds to 1 minute, then carefully transfer to paper towels.
Step 6
Arrange 3 shrimp halves (cut sides up) in a row across bottom third (part nearest you) of soaked rice paper. Spread ¼ cup noodles on top of shrimp and arrange 3 fresh cilantro leaves, 3 fresh mint leaves, 8 seedless cucumber matchsticks, six 3"-long scallion strips, and 10 firm-ripe mango matchsticks horizontally on top of noodles. Fold bottom of rice paper over filling and begin rolling up tightly, stopping at halfway point. Arrange 3 more fresh mint leaves and 3 more fresh cilantro leaves along crease, then fold in ends and continue rolling. Transfer rice paper roll, seam side down, to a plate and cover with dampened paper towels. Repeat to make 7 more spring rolls. Serve, whole or halved diagonally, with nuoc cham and peanut dipping sauce.
Do ahead: Spring rolls can be made 4 hours ahead and chilled, covered with dampened paper towels, and then with plastic wrap. Bring to room temperature before serving.
Editor’s note: This recipe for fresh spring rolls was first printed in the May 2003 issue of ‘Gourmet’ as ‘Mango Shrimp Summer Rolls.’ Head this way for more of our best party appetizers →
