Vietnamese Spring Rolls

Fresh, light, and packed with flavor, these Vietnamese Spring Rolls are the perfect balance of crisp veggies, tender shrimp, and two irresistible dipping sauces.

Yields: 12 spring rolls
Prep Time: 30-45 minutes
Cook Time: 5-10 minutes
Special Equipment: mandolin, knife, rolling surface, a large bowl

Ingredients

• 18 medium shrimp (21/25 count, shell-on, about ¾ lb, thaw if frozen)

• 3 oz thin rice vermicelli (maifun)

• 1 large carrot, cut into thin matchsticks

• 1-1 ½ Persian cucumbers, cut into matchsticks

• 1 large red bell pepper, cut into matchsticks

• ½ cup fresh mint leaves, loosely packed

• 12 butter lettuce leaves, tough stems removed

• 12 large rice paper wrappers (22cm)

• Warm water (for softening wrappers)

  Peanut Sauce

• ½ cup creamy peanut butter

• ¼–½ cup water (start with ¼, add more as needed)

• 2 Tbsp rice vinegar

• 2 Tbsp soy sauce

• 1 ½ - 2 Tbsp maple syrup or brown sugar

• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil

  Nước Chấm (Vietnamese Dipping Sauce)

• ⅓ cup warm water

• 3 Tbsp sugar

• 2 Tbsp fish sauce (or more to taste)

• 1 Tbsp lime juice

• 1 Thai chili, sliced

• 1 garlic clove, minced

Directions

1. Make the Sauces:

   Peanut Sauce: Whisk peanut butter, rice vinegar, soy sauce, maple syrup, and sesame oil together. Add ¼ cup water, then adjust with more water (1 Tbsp at a time) until smooth and pourable.

   Nước Chấm: Stir warm water and sugar until dissolved. Mix in fish sauce, lime juice, chili, and garlic. Taste and adjust seasoning. Tip: Make sauces ahead of time so flavors develop while you prepare the rolls.

2. Cook the Shrimp: Bring a medium pot of water to a boil. Add shrimp and cook about 2 minutes, until pink and opaque. Drain and cool 5 minutes, then peel. Slice each shrimp in half lengthwise (so you have 36 halves).

3. Prepare the Noodles: Bring a pot of water to a boil, then turn off heat. Add rice vermicelli and soak 5-8 minutes, or until tender (check package instructions). Drain and rinse under cold water. Cut noodles into shorter lengths with scissors for easier rolling.

4. Set Up Rolling Station: Fill a large bowl with lukewarm water for dipping rice paper. Arrange shrimp, noodles, veggies, herbs, and lettuce in separate bowls. Lightly dampen a cutting board (or cover with a damp paper towel) to prevent sticking.

5. Assemble Spring Rolls: Dip 1 rice paper wrapper into lukewarm water for a few seconds, just until softened. Place on your work surface. Near the bottom edge, add 1 lettuce leaf. On top, place a small bundle of noodles, carrots, cucumber, bell pepper, and mint. About 1–2 inches from the top edge, lay 3 shrimp halves, pink side down. Roll tightly: start from the bottom, roll up over the filling, fold in the sides, then finish rolling over the shrimp. Repeat with remaining wrappers and ingredients.

6. Serve: Arrange spring rolls on a platter. Serve immediately with peanut sauce and Nước Chấm for dipping.