How to Make Spring Rolls at Home

Homemade Spring Rolls

Vietnamese summer rolls (more commonly known as Spring Rolls in America) are as fresh and crunchy as they are beautiful. Making these homemade spring rolls are easier than it may seem. Plus, even if they don’t look as pretty as you’d like during your first go-round, they will still taste just as delicious.

Most grocery stores carry the vermicelli noodles and rice paper in the global foods aisle, but we also recommend taking a trip to your local Asian specialty market. We find joy in exploring the global goods, plus you can find some unique ingredients to integrate into your cooking like this Vietnamese Crepes recipe! (We also love getting their frozen dumplings for a quick dinner at home).

These spring rolls pair perfectly with our homemade Thai peanut sauce. We recommend whipping up this simple dipping sauce recipe prior to making your spring rolls.

Serves 6

Ingredients:

1 avocado, sliced
12 cooked shrimp, sliced in half lengthwise
6 rice papers
2 carrots, julienned
½ cucumber, seeds removed, julienned
¼ cup crushed peanuts
½ package vermicelli noodles
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
Cilantro
Mint
Crushed red pepper, optional

Start by prepping your mise en place (aka chop all your ingredients). It will make things much easier if you have all your ingredients prepared prior to assembly. Take the time to julienne your veggies and destem your herbs. The next step is to bring a pot of water to boil in order to prepare your vermicelli noodles. Cook your noodles according to the directions on the package. It usually takes roughly 4 minutes. Drain and rinse the vermicelli in cool water. Add the toasted sesame oil and toss to coat the noodles.

When you’re ready to roll (literally), dip your rice paper in a bowl of warm water for about 5 seconds. Then set it on a plate. It will continue to soften once you pull it from the water. In the center, place four slices of shrimp and top with avocado, cucumber, carrots, peanuts, crushed red pepper, fresh herbs and vermicelli noodles. Then fold the sides over and start to roll your spring roll from the bottom upward. Try and tuck the ingredients in tight as you roll. The rice paper will naturally adhere to itself to seal the roll. These spring rolls are best consumed immediately after making them. Give them a dunk in peanut sauce and enjoy!