Fresh Spring Rolls (With Rice Paper)
Fresh spring rolls, also called salad rolls or summer rolls, make a great light lunch, appetizer, or snack. Colorful, crunchy vegetables are tucked inside an al dente rice paper wrap and served with a delicious homemade Vietnamese peanut sauce.
Ingredients
Vietnamese Peanut Sauce
- 3 garlic cloves finely minced or grated
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or another neutral oil
- 6 tablespoons gluten free hoisin sauce or storebought
- 4 tablespoons runny creamy peanut butter or tahini if nut-free see notes
- ½ - ¾ cup water see notes
- 1 teaspoon sriracha
- chopped peanuts, for serving optional
Fresh Spring Rolls
- rice paper wrappers
- 1 head butter lettuce
- 1 cup purple cabbage thinly sliced
- 2 medium carrots julienned
- 2 persian cucumbers sliced into thin matchsticks
- 1 cup bean sprouts
- fresh cilantro leaves
- fresh mint leaves
- ½ cup cooked shrimp sliced in half lengthwise
Instructions
Vietnamese peanut sauce
- Heat the avocado oil in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add the minced garlic. Cook for 30 seconds, stirring often.
- Add the hoisin sauce, peanut butter, and water. Whisk to combine and let simmer for 1-2 minutes. Then remove from the heat and stir in the sriracha. Add the chopped peanuts just before serving.
Fresh spring rolls
- Submerge a rice paper sheet into a shallow bowl or skillet of warm water for a few seconds. Shake off any excess water then transfer the hydrated rice paper to a clean surface or plate.
- Place a piece of lettuce in the bottom half of the rice paper along with the thinly sliced cabbage, carrots, cucumber, bean sprouts, fresh herbs, and sliced shrimp.
- Gently pull the bottom of the rice paper over the top of the filling, tucking it in as tightly as possible.
- Fold in each side, and complete the roll. Transfer the rolls to a plate lined with parchment paper or lightly oiled, leaving some space in between each one so they don't stick together.
- Repeat until you've used up all the filling. Serve with the peanut sauce.
Notes
Just make sure your peanut butter (or tahini) is runny or well-stirred, otherwise, if it's dry from the bottom of the jar it can affect the texture of the sauce.
You can change the thickness of the sauce by using more or less water. If you prefer a thicker sauce, only use ½ cup water. If you like it a little thinner, use ¾ cup. You can add more if needed, but start there.
See the blog post for helpful tips about making fresh spring rolls.