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Overhead view of Vietnamese spring rolls on a platter and plate.
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4.30 from 17 votes

Vietnamese spring rolls with peanut sauce

Fresh spring rolls are great but the peanut sauce is the star of this recipe!
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Keyword: peanut sauce, spring rolls
Servings: 6
Calories: 376kcal
Author: romain | glebekitchen

Ingredients

vietnamese spring rolls

  • 12 rice paper sheets (8 1/2 inch diameter) - plus a few extra for practice
  • 3 oz rice vermicelli
  • 1/2 lb shrimp - 31-40 count - you need 18 shrimp total
  • leaf or boston lettuce - 12 small or 6 large leaves torn in half plus a few more for practice
  • mint
  • cilantro
  • julienned carrot and cucumber

peanut dippings sauce

  • 1/2 cup peanut butter - smooth
  • 1/2 cup coconut milk
  • 2 tbsp hoisin sauce
  • 1 tbsp fish sauce
  • 1 tsp sriracha
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 1/4 cup water

Instructions

Make the peanut sauce

  • Combine all the ingredients in a small sauce pan. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook for about 2 minutes. Set aside to cool. Yes, it's that easy. Which is good because rolling spring rolls is a little more of a challenge.

Cook your shrimp

  • Bring 3 cups of water to a boil. Add a 1/2 tsp of salt. Drop your cold, thawed shrimp into the pot. Cover. Remove from heat. Let stand exactly 6 minutes.
  •  While they stand prepare an ice bath. In a large bowl combine ice and water. 
  • After 6 minutes drain the shrimp and plunge into cold water to stop them from continuing to cook.
  • Cut each shrimp in half lengthwise. Set aside.

Make the spring rolls

  • Do not overstuff your spring rolls. Just don't do it. It will make you crazy. You don't want them too thin but overstuffed is just a mess waiting to happen.
  • Place the rice vermicelli in a large bowl. Pour hot tap water overtop to completely submerge. 
  • Let stand around 10 minutes or so. Check. You want them a little chewy but not hard. They are probably good to go at this point. If they aren't let them soak another minute or two. Drain and rinse under cold water.
  • Prep your ingredients. Stem the mint leaves and cilantro. Have your lettuce and shrimp at hand. If you are using carrots or cucumbers keep them close as well.
  • Fill a large bowl with warm(almost hot) tap water. Not as hot as it goes but pretty warm. 
  • You are making little rice paper burritos. Think about it like that. You want to be able to fold the ends over and then roll them up. Just like a burrito. You have to move fast. Make a couple practice rolls before you start adding the shrimp.
  • Put a lettuce leaf flat on a cutting board. Put a little rice vermicelli on top. Now add a few sprigs of cilantro (be generous) and roll it into a little lettuce cigar. You want it about 4-5 inches long. Set it to the side of the cutting board.
  • Top with julienned carrot and cucumber.
  • Dip a rice paper sheet in the warm water for about 2-3 seconds. It will still be firm but that's OK. Lay it flat on a cutting board. Place a couple mint leaves about a 1/3 of the way down from the side furthest away from you. Arrange the shrimp around the mint. Make sure the cut side is up.
  • Place the lettuce cigar in the bottom third . Carefully peel up one side (your left or right) and fold it over the filling. Repeat on the other side. 
  • Peel up the side closest to you. Place it overtop the lettuce wrap. Now roll the whole thing away you. Be careful. The rice paper sheet will be very soft by this point. You want to start fairly tight and then relax as you roll over the shrimp.
  • Do this without the shrimp a couple times. It will come. Just be patient and deliberate. Once you hit your rhythm start making them with shrimp.
  • Serve the rice rolls with the peanut sauce to dip or drizzle. 

Notes

Prep your lettuce before hand. Remove the leafy part from the stalk. Discard the stalk.
Have everything ready to go. Seriously. Rice paper waits for no one.

Nutrition

Serving: 12rolls | Calories: 376kcal | Carbohydrates: 41g | Protein: 18g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Cholesterol: 98mg | Sodium: 981mg | Potassium: 257mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin C: 2.3mg | Calcium: 90mg | Iron: 3.3mg