Fresh Vietnamese Spring Rolls with Shrimp and Two Dipping Sauces
By Isabella Quinn
Prep
40 min
Cook
5 min
Total
45 min
Servings
15
Level
Easy
Soaking rice paper softens it for use in food wraps. Lightly wetting a board prevents rice-paper wraps from sticking to the board. Vietnamese spring rolls include ingredients such as shrimp, rice noodles, and vegetables like cucumber and carrots, as well as lettuce and cilantro, wrapped in rice paper.
The filling is layered, not mixed. Ingredients for the filling are lettuce, a generous pinch of cooked, drained vermicelli, carrots, cucumbers, and cilantro. Sliced shrimp is layered on the other half of the lettuce, with the cut side of the shrimp up to show in the final spring roll. Dipping sauces include fish sauce and lime juice or a peanut butter and sesame ginger sauce.
The wrapping should be pliable after 10 to 15 seconds in hot water and not too wet when wrapped around the board. Boil the noodles until they are tender but not mushy, rinse with cold water, and drain well to avoid soggy rolls. Common problems with rolls include sloppy wrapping. Begin wrapping the roll at the lettuce end, push sides together firmly, and roll over the shrimp.
Keep finished rolls under a damp kitchen towel on a serving tray to maintain moisture. Serve whole rice paper rolls or rice paper rolls cut on a diagonal to expose shrimp shapes. Prep shrimp and other vegetables a day ahead, but roll the rice paper rolls the same day you serve the dish.
Why we keep this one around
- Soaking rice paper briefly in warm water makes it pliable enough to wrap around food. Do not soak longer than necessary, as the rice paper will become too pliable to work with.
- The lettuce beneath the noodles helps support the filling as the first fold is made to contain and secure the filling for the folding and rolling of the noodle wrapper.
- Raw, drained vermicelli noodles do not soften or fall apart. Noodles in spring rolls will stay intact instead of becoming mushy.
- Sliced shrimp arranged with the cut side of the shrimp facing out through the rice paper makes rolls more attractive and allows you to add a shrimp pattern to the rolls without any separate garnish.
- Placing a damp towel over platters of food helps keep the wrappers pliable until serving time.
- Two sauces are made differently: The fish sauce recipe includes a step to stir until sugar dissolves. The peanut sauce recipe includes a step to shake until smooth.
Ingredients
- •1 lb large shrimp (21-25 count, peeled and deveined; keep shells to boil shrimp)
- •3 oz vermicelli rice noodles
- •½ butter lettuce (15 leaves)
- •2 carrots (peeled and julienned)
- •½ English cucumber (julienned; or 3 small cucumbers)
- •1 cup cilantro sprigs
- •15 round rice paper sheets (8.5-inch diameter)
- •⅓ cup water (preferably filtered)
- •¼ cup fish sauce (Three Crabs brand)
- •¼ cup granulated sugar (or to taste)
- •2 Tbsp lime juice (freshly squeezed from 1 lime)
- •2 tsp rice wine vinegar
- •2 tsp chili garlic sauce (or to taste; add more for a spicier sauce)
- •1 large garlic clove (grated or finely minced; or 2 small cloves)
- •2 tsp sesame oil (to taste)
- •1 Tbsp shredded carrot
- •1 cup sesame ginger dressing (Newman's Own brand)
- •2 Tbsp peanut butter (heaping)
Instructions
- 1
Boil the shrimp according to the boiled shrimp recipe, then immediately cool in ice water.
- 2
Drain the cooled shrimp and cut them in half lengthwise.
- 3
Cook the vermicelli noodles according to package instructions until softened, taking care not to overcook them.
- 4
Drain the noodles in a colander, rinse with cold water, and let them drain until assembly.
- 5
Alternatively, bring water to a boil in a saucepan, add the noodles, turn off the heat, and let them sit in the hot water for 5 to 7 minutes.
- 6
Julienne the cucumber and carrots, remove stiff stems from the lettuce leaves, and coarsely chop the cilantro.
- 7
Fill a shallow round bowl wider than the wrappers with very warm or hot water.
- 8
Submerge one rice paper wrapper for about 10 to 15 seconds, or until softened, depending on the water temperature.
- 9
Place the wet wrapper on a clean, lightly wet cutting board.
- 10
On one half of the wrapper, layer lettuce, a generous pinch of noodles, carrots, cucumber, and cilantro sprigs.
- 11
Place the halved shrimp on the second half of the wrapper with the cut side up.
- 12
Roll tightly from the lettuce side, tuck in the sides, then roll over the shrimp so the shrimp is visible on the outside.
- 13
Transfer finished rolls to a serving platter and cover them with a damp kitchen towel so they do not dry out.
- 14
Serve the rolls whole or cut them in half diagonally.
- 15
For the Vietnamese dipping sauce, combine the water, fish sauce, sugar, lime juice, rice wine vinegar, chili garlic sauce, garlic, sesame oil, and shredded carrot in a small mixing bowl.
- 16
Adjust the sugar and sesame oil to taste for the Vietnamese dipping sauce.
- 17
For the peanut dipping sauce, combine the sesame ginger dressing and peanut butter in a mason jar.
- 18
Cover the jar tightly and shake until the peanut dipping sauce is smooth and well combined.
FAQ
Nutrition (per serving)
103
Calories
6g
Protein
1g
Fat
17g
Carbs
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