Ah, spring rolls 🥢🥬—crisp, fresh, and endlessly versatile!
What they are
- Thin wrappers (rice paper or wheat flour-based) filled with vegetables, sometimes meat, seafood, or noodles.
- Can be fresh (uncooked, like Vietnamese summer rolls) or fried until crispy.
- Served with dipping sauces: sweet chili, hoisin-peanut, soy-vinegar, or plum sauce.
Classic Ingredients
For the filling (Vietnamese-style fresh rolls):
- Rice paper wrappers
- Cooked shrimp, chicken, or tofu (optional)
- Vermicelli rice noodles, cooked
- Fresh vegetables: lettuce, cucumber, carrots (julienned), bell pepper
- Fresh herbs: mint, cilantro, Thai basil
For fried rolls (Chinese-style):
- Wheat flour spring roll wrappers
- Shredded cabbage, carrots, mushrooms, bean sprouts
- Ground pork or chicken (optional)
- Soy sauce, garlic, ginger
- Oil for frying
How to Make Fresh Spring Rolls
- Prep ingredients: Cut vegetables and proteins into thin strips. Cook noodles if using.
- Soften rice paper: Dip in warm water 5–10 seconds until pliable.
- Fill & roll: Place filling near the bottom edge, fold sides over, then roll tightly.
- Serve: With peanut hoisin sauce, nuoc cham (fish sauce dip), or sweet chili sauce.
How to Make Fried Spring Rolls
- Prepare filling: Cook meat and veggies with garlic, ginger, soy sauce until slightly tender. Cool.
- Wrap: Place 1–2 tbsp filling on wrapper, fold edges, and roll tightly. Seal with water or egg wash.
- Fry: Deep fry at 350°F (175°C) until golden brown, 3–5 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
- Serve: With sweet chili or plum sauce.
Tips & Variations
- Vegetarian: Skip meat, add mushrooms, tofu, or extra herbs.
- Make-ahead: Wrap fresh rolls and store in damp paper towels in an airtight container for up to 4 hours.
- Crispy shortcut: Brush fresh rolls with oil and bake at 400°F for 10–12 minutes instead of frying.
If you want, I can give a step-by-step Vietnamese fresh spring roll recipe and a crispy fried spring roll version with exact measurements, so you can pick either style.
Do you want me to do that?
