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–+ servings
Fried Vietnamese spring rolls over bed of lettuce on plate.
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5 from 6 votes

Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Light and crunchy, savory and addicting, these fried spring rolls are served wrapped in lettuce leaves with lots of fresh herbs, dipped in a fish sauce, and eaten out of hand.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time1 hour
Total Time2 hours
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Servings: 30 Spring Rolls
Author: Katie Workman

Ingredients

For Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce)

  • ¼ cup water
  • 3 tablespoons sugar
  • ½ cup shredded carrot
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 3 tablespoons fish sauce
  • 1 Thai chili pepper (sliced; see Note)

For the Filling:

  • 2 ounces cellophane noodles (bean threads)
  • 1 pound medium shrimp (peeled and deveined; see Note)
  • 1 ½ cups shredded carrots
  • 1 pound ground pork
  • 8 scallions (trimmed and finely chopped; white and green parts)
  • 1 small onion (finely chopped)
  • 1 clove garlic (finely minced)
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
  • ¼ cup water
  • 2 tablespoons sugar
  • 30 (6 or 8-inch) rice paper rounds
  • Peanut or vegetable oil (for frying)

For Serving:

  • Green leaf lettuce
  • 1 seedless cucumber (cut into 4-inch sections, halved, seeded, and julienned lengthwise)
  • 2 tomatoes (diced; optional)
  • Sprigs of fresh cilantro, Asian basil, and mint (any or all)

Instructions

Make the Nuoc Mam (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce)

  • Heat 1/4 cup water and the sugar in a small saucepot until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
  • Meanwhile, place the carrot in a colander or strainer and sprinkle with the salt. Toss and let sit for 10 minutes. Rinse and pat dry with a clean dish towel or paper towels.
  • Combine the sugar syrup, carrots, lime juice, fish sauce, and chili sauce in a small bowl.

Make the Spring Rolls:

  • Soak the cellophane noodles in hot water for 30 minutes until soft. Drain, then cut the noodles into 1-inch pieces.
  • Meanwhile, place the shrimp in the food processor and pulse to chop (you can also finely chop the shrimp by hand). Turn the shrimp into a bowl and add the carrots, pork, scallions, onion, garlic, and drained cellophane noodles. Season with salt and pepper and mix well to combine (your hands are the best tools for this – you want the filling to be completely blended).
  • Heat the water and the sugar in a small saucepot over medium heat until the sugar is dissolved. Set aside to cool.
  • Fill a pie plate or another shallow pan with warm water. Dip the rice papers one at a time into the warm water for about 5 seconds, then remove. The rice paper will continue to absorb the liquid a bit while it sits and become more pliable.
  • Place the rice paper on a clean surface and scoop 1 heaping tablespoon filling onto the bottom third of the circle. Use your fingers to lift the bottom edge over the filling, then fold in both sides.
  • Roll into a small cylinder about 3/4 inch wide and 2 to 3 inches long. Place seam side down to set up (the rice paper will firm up again and seal itself). Brush the rolls with the cooled sugar water on all sides, and let dry.
  • Don’t stack the rolls. Continue until all of the rolls are formed. Keep refreshing the water so it stays warm.
  • Line a clean surface with paper towels. Pour about 1 1/2 inches of oil into a large deep skillet or saucepan and heat to 350 F.
  • You can also test by adding one of the rolls: if the oil bubbles around the edges of the spring roll when it’s added, the oil is ready — it should not bubble too vigorously, though. Add the rolls in batches without crowding them and cook until golden on all sides, about 6 minutes in all, flipping them gently as you fry them. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain on the paper towels.
  • Serve immediately with the dipping sauce and garnishes. Place a warm spring roll into a lettuce leaf with a few fresh herb leaves, a slice or two of cucumber, and a bit of tomato, wrap it up, then dip into the sauce.

Notes

  • When making the sauce, you can also use 1 tablespoon chili sauce, such as Sriracha sauce, instead of the chili pepper, though your sauce will be tinted an orang-ey color.
  • You can use any size of shrimp you like. Since they will be chopped, it makes sense to buy a smaller size, which is almost always less expensive.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 118kcal | Carbohydrates: 17g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 343mg | Potassium: 123mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 1474IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 20mg | Iron: 1mg