Love spring rolls, but think they’re too much trouble to make on your own? Don’t worry, we’ve got you! 

These fresh Vietnamese-Style Spring Rolls are a healthy, light appetizer and even more delicious dipped in peanut sauce.  Plus, they’re simple to make and taste even better than those restaurant ones.

Spring Rolls vs. Egg Rolls

Spring rolls and egg rolls, while both savory appetizers, differ in their wrappers, fillings, and origins. 

Spring rolls are wrapped in thin, delicate rice wrappers. They can be baked, fried, and sometimes not cooked at all apart from the filling.

Egg rolls are wrapped in a thicker wrapper that’s dipped in egg for richness. They’re also deep fried, which accounts for their bubbly, crispy exteriors.

Vietnamese spring rolls (or gỏi cuốn) contain pork, shrimp, rice vermicelli noodles, and vegetables in a rice paper wrapper.  Great for parties as you can prep them ahead of time. They’re also a refreshing change from the usual fried variety.

Why we love these ingredients

If you suffer from constipation or other digestive issues, eat some mango! This tropical treat contains plenty of water and dietary fiber as well as amylases, digestive enzymes that break down complex carbs into sugars like glucose and maltose.

What’s more, mango contains more than a dozen different types of antioxidants. The most potent is mangiferin, which research shows can repair free radical damage linked to cancer, diabetes, and other diseases. 

Cucumbers are a gut health hero, thanks to their high levels of fiber and water. In fact, cucumbers are 96% water and one of the perfect veggies to help keep your system hydrated.

Mint has been used as a digestive aid for centuries, and modern medicine confirms that it can help ease indigestion, stomach upset and even IBS symptoms. It’s also shown to slow the release of chemicals that can aggravate nasal allergies and hay fever symptoms. 

Pro tips for easy prep

Feel free to be creative with the fillings. For example, you can swap out the mango for pineapple or the shrimp for ground pork or leftover chicken. You can even leave some ingredients out completely.

Tip: don’t overload your spring rolls! Rice wrappers are delicate and tear easily. If you stuff them too much, they’ll explode their goodness everywhere. Add the bare minimum of ingredients, especially on your first roll and then see if that was enough. If after your trial roll you think there is room for a little more, add more on the next one.

Because the rice paper wrappers are prone to drying out and cracking, try to eat the spring rolls as soon as you make them. If you have leftovers, wrap each spring roll individually in plastic wrap and store it in the fridge for up to three days. 

You can find spring roll rice wrappers and the rice noodles in the Asian foods section of your supermarket.

Ready? Let’s do this!

Vietnamese Style Fresh Spring Rolls

Prep 20 minutes 

Cook 5 minutes 

Assembly time 15 minutes 

Total 40 minutes 

Servings: 10

INGREDIENTS

For the rolls;

• 1 cup chopped purple cabbage
• 1 package spring roll rice wrappers
• 1 package vermicelli rice noodles
• 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
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh mint leaves
• 1 ⅓ tablespoons chopped fresh Thai basil
• 3 tablespoons chopped 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

1. Cook vermicelli noodles in boiling water, for just a few minutes, according to package instructions. Drain and rinse with cold water.
2. Gather all topping ingredients together, including chopped veggies, herbs, cooked shrimp.
3. 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.)
4. 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.
5. 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. 

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