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Traditionally called Gỏi cuốn, these Vietnamese shrimp spring rolls are a great snack or appetizer—light, fresh, and full of flavor. The combination of cooked shrimp, crunchy vegetables, vermicelli noodles, and flavorful herbs all bundled up in a soft rice paper wrapper is truly delicious! Plus, the homemade spicy peanut sauce takes it to the next level.
Spring rolls are a popular appetizer, snack, or side dish in Asian cuisine. Traditionally called Gỏi cuốn, they are made with a thin wrapper that is filled with vegetables and herbs and then rolled up into small rolls. Rice paper wrappers are often used to make them as they create a light, crisp texture.
These Vietnamese shrimp spring rolls are really easy to make and require minimal ingredients. They really are versatile, too; you can mix them up by adding different vegetables or herbs if you wish.
Shrimp spring rolls have a great combination of flavors, textures, and colors.
The cooked shrimp provides a delicious source of protein, the crunchy vegetables add texture and flavor, the vermicelli noodles provide starchiness, and the herbs bring it all together. Plus, everything is wrapped up in a thin rice paper wrapper, which adds an airy crunch.
The homemade spicy peanut sauce is key for these Vietnamese shrimp spring rolls! Not only does it provide a great flavor, but also an extra kick of heat that complements the sweetness of the shrimp and vegetables.
Here’s everything you need to make these delicious Vietnamese shrimp spring rolls…
- Cooked shrimp
- Rice paper sheets
- Thin vermicelli noodles
- Carrot
- Cucumber
- Butter lettuce
- Fresh mint
- Thai basil
- Cilantro leaves
- Warm water
- Creamy peanut butter
- Rice wine vinegar
- Lime
- Low-sodium soy sauce
- Garlic cloves
- Honey
- Toasted sesame oil
- Chili paste
Now that you have a list of everything you need, let’s get started with making these yummy spring rolls.
For this recipe, you have two options for the shrimp:
- You can either buy pre-cooked shrimp for quick prep.
- Peel small raw shrimp and boil them quickly.
If you decide to cook your own shrimp, make sure to do this step first and allow the boiled shrimp to cool down before adding them to the spring rolls.
What can I use in place of the shrimp?
If you don’t have shrimp or if you’re looking for a vegetarian spring roll option, these are delicious with tofu, tempeh, and other plant-based proteins.
For another source of protein, consider adding in some char siu pork or sliced chicken.
After preparing the shrimp, take the time to cook and cool the vermicelli noodles.
These noodles are a classic in Vietnamese cuisine and will add a lot of flavor to the spring rolls.
To cook them:
- Bring a pot of water to a boil, then turn off the heat and add the vermicelli noodles.
- Cook for about 8 minutes (or whatever the package instructions say), stirring occasionally until noodles are soft but still slightly chewy.
- Drain and rinse under cold water to chill the noodles.
TIP
Using kitchen shears, cut the noodles so they are easier to work with in the roll!
Yes! If you don’t have vermicelli noodles, feel free to use other types of thin rice noodles or even shirataki noodles.
The last thing you need to prep before putting the rolls together is the veggies and herbs.
You will need:
- Carrots – Peeled and sliced into thin 3-inch matchsticks.
- Cucumbers – Sliced into thin 3-inch matchsticks. Make sure to get the seedless kind, like Persian Cucumbers.
- Butter lettuce – Remove the rough bottoms.
For the herbs, you’ll need fresh mint, Thai basil, and cilantro leaves.
TIP
To make the rolls look pretty and to ensure that they are easier to eat, try to keep all of your ingredients cut as even as possible.
If you can’t find Thai basil, feel free to leave it out, use regular basil, or add a few extra sprigs of cilantro.
Feel to get creative with your spring rolls and add other veggies that you like! Some good fillings in this recipe are:
- Shredded cabbage
- Julienned bell peppers
Rice paper sheets are essential for this recipe, and add a great texture to the rolls. They are normally available in Asian markets and some regular grocery stores. As a bonus, they are typically gluten-free!
These rice sheets are a little tricky to work with, but if you follow the steps below, you’ll be able to master them in no time:
- Prepare a bowl of warm water that is big enough to fit the rice paper sheets.
- Moisten a plate or cutting board by rubbing some warm water on it and keep it on the side.
- Dip one rice paper sheet into the warm water for about 2 seconds, until it is entirely wet.
- Take it out and place it onto the moistened plate or cutting board.
- Then move onto assembling the roll one at a time
No, you don’t need to cook the rice paper sheets. All you need to do is dip them in warm water for a few seconds, and they will become pliable enough to work with.
Now that you have everything prepped, it’s time to put together some of the shrimp spring rolls!
- Wet and soften one rice paper sheet and lay down on the wet surface you prepped.
- At the bottom part of the rice paper sheet, lay down the ingredients:
- A piece of lettuce
- Basil
- Mint
- Cilantro
- Bit of noodles
- Carrots
- Cucumber
- Then, place 2-3 shrimp in the center of the rice paper.
- Start rolling from the bottom with lettuce and veggies and continue until you reach the shrimp.
- Once you have rolled the shrimp onto the veggies, fold in the sides of the rice paper and complete the rolling motion like you would for a burrito.
- Repeat the same process for the remaining rice paper sheets.
As delicious as these shrimp spring rolls are, they taste even better when paired with a homemade dipping sauce.
Now, traditionally, Vietnamese spring rolls are served with a side of hoisin dipping sauce. Sometimes, they are even served with a sweet and spicy fish sauce. But, for these shrimp spring rolls, I thought that a spicy peanut sauce would add the perfect touch of flavor!
Luckily, the spicy peanut sauce is easy. All you need to do is combine all of the dip ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the spice level as much as you need.
You can also whisk the sauce by hand in a bowl
If you don’t have chili sauce, no problem. You can also use a teaspoon of sriracha sauce or freshly chopped red chilis to get the same level of spice. Sometimes, I’ll swap the chili sauce for some crushed red peppers.
No. You can leave out the chili sauce if you don’t want your peanut sauce to be spicy.
If you want the dipping sauce thinner, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water and whisk until combined.
Once you have put together all of your Vietnamese shrimp spring rolls, it’s time to serve!
I like to set them out on a platter with the spicy peanut sauce in a bowl or small cup. That way, everyone can grab their own rolls and dip them in as much sauce as they would like.
Enjoy your shrimp spring rolls chilled as a refreshing appetizer or snack.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure tag me on Instagram at @girlwiththeironcast or hashtag #girlwiththeironcast so I can see your creations!
Vietnamese Shrimp Spring Rolls With Spicy Peanut Sauce
Ingredients
Spring Rolls
- 16 small-medium size shrimp (see note)
- 8 large circular rice paper sheets
- 2 ounces thin vermicelli noodles
- 1 carrot (peeled, sliced into thin 3 inch matchsticks)
- 1 seedless cucumber (sliced into thin 3 inch matchsticks)
- 8 leaves butter lettuce (tough bottoms removed)
- 1/4 cup fresh mint
- 1/4 cup Thai basil
- 1/4 cup cilantro leaves
- Warm water
Spicy Peanut Sauce
- 1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 ½ tablespoons rice wine vinegar
- Juice of 1 lime (1 tablespoon)
- 2 tablespoons low sodium tamari or soy sauce
- 2 cloves garlic finely minced or use garlic press
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon Huy Fong Chili sauce or ¼ tsp crushed red pepper flakes
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Instructions
Spicy Peanut Sauce
- In a small bowl, whisk together all of the dressing ingredients, you may also use a blender. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed (see note).
Spring Rolls
- Prepare vermicelli noodles according to package instruction. Drain and rinse under cold water to chill the noodles. Using kitchen shears, cut the noodles so they are easier to work with in the roll.
- Fill a bowl with warm water, large enough to accommodate the rice paper sheets. Rub some of the warm water on a plate or a cutting board and place on the side. Dip the first sheet into the warm water for 2 seconds, so the whole sheet becomes wet. Remove it and place onto the plate or cutting board.
- At the bottom part of the rice paper sheet lay down a piece of lettuce, the basil, mint, cilantro, followed by a small amount of noodles, carrots, then cucumber. Above these ingredients set down the two shrimp side by side, so they are in the middle of the rice paper.
- Begin to roll starting at the bottom where the lettuce and veggies are. Continue to roll until you reach the shrimp, once you have rolled the shrimp, tuck in the sides of the rice paper, and finish rolling. Repeat with remaining rice paper sheets.
- Serve with the peanut sauce and enjoy!
Notes
Shrimp
- For this recipe you can purchase already cooked shrimp or you can get peeled raw shrimp and quickly boil them for the recipe.
Peanut Sauce
- If you want the dressing thinner, add 1 to 2 tbsp of water and whisk until combined.
- Due to the sodium in the tamari and chili paste I didn’t add extra salt, taste after combined and add if you’d like.
Making ahead
- If you don't serve right away, place the spring rolls in the refrigerator wrapped in a damp paper towel so they do not dry out.
- The peanut sauce may also be made in advance, you may need to re-whisk before serving.
