I’m excited to share my Shrimp Spring Rolls With Peanut Sauce, a fresh and easy summer lunch that comes with both a traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce and a simple 2-ingredient peanut sauce.
I make these EASY Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls all summer, because they feel light but still exciting. The combo of cooked medium shrimp and crisp English cucumber wrapped in soft rice paper keeps every bite bright, and I always get asked about the dipping options.
Whether you reach for a classic nuoc cham or a quick peanut sauce, these Shrimp Spring Rolls are the kind of Fresh Spring Rolls Recipe that makes friends curious, they lean in and ask for another. I promise they look impressive and are way less fussy than they seem, though I still sometimes mess up the rolling.
Ingredients
- Shrimp: Lean protein, low in carbs, it’s sweet briny flavor gives meaty bite.
- Rice paper wrappers: Light carbs, very low fat, chewy when wet and delicately translucent.
- Rice vermicelli noodles: Quick carbs for energy, soft texture, soaks up sauce yet stays light.
- Herbs: Cilantro, mint and Thai basil bring bright, minty peppery notes and antioxidants.
- Crunchy veg: Cucumber, carrot and sprouts add fiber, fresh texture and extra crunch.
- Nuoc cham: Salt from fish sauce, lime juice gives sour brightness, sugar adds sweet balance.
- Peanut hoisin sauce: Rich, creamy, sweet savory combo, great for dipping and adding depth.
Ingredient Quantities
- For the rolls
- 16 cooked medium shrimp (about 8 oz), peeled and deveined, tails removed, halved lengthwise
- 8 to 10 round rice paper wrappers (about 8 1/2 inch)
- 3 oz dry rice vermicelli noodles (about 1 cup cooked)
- 4 to 6 large butter lettuce or romaine leaves, torn
- 1 English cucumber, julienned
- 1 large carrot, julienned or shredded
- 1 cup fresh bean sprouts, rinsed (optional)
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
- 1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves (or extra cilantro)
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- Optional: 1 ripe avocado, sliced
- For the traditional nuoc cham dipping sauce
- 3 tbsp fish sauce (nuoc mam)
- 3 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp warm water
- 1 small garlic clove, minced
- 1 small red Thai chili or 1/2 jalapeno, thinly sliced (optional)
- For the 2 ingredient peanut sauce
- 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
- 3 tbsp hoisin sauce
- Water to thin, as needed (optional)
How to Make this
1. Cook the rice vermicelli: pour boiling water over 3 oz dry noodles, soak 3 to 4 minutes until tender, drain and rinse under cold water, shake off excess and toss lightly with a little sesame oil or neutral oil so they don’t stick.
2. Prep fillings: halve 16 cooked shrimp lengthwise, julienne 1 cucumber and 1 large carrot, tear 4 to 6 large lettuce leaves into pieces, slice 2 scallions thin, rinse 1 cup bean sprouts if using, pick 1/2 cup each cilantro, mint and Thai basil, and slice avocado last if using so it doesn’t brown.
3. Set up an assembly station: a shallow wide bowl of warm water for the rice wrappers, a clean damp kitchen towel to lay softened wrappers on, and all fillings arranged in small bowls within reach. Working fast keeps the wrappers from getting gummy.
4. Soften each rice paper wrapper: dip one round wrapper into warm water for about 8 to 12 seconds until it just softens (it will keep softening on the towel), lay it flat on the damp towel. Don’t over soak or it will tear.
5. Add fillings in a compact line across the lower third of the wrapper: a lettuce piece first so it acts like a barrier, a small handful of noodles, cucumber, carrot, bean sprouts, herbs, scallions, optional avocado, then place 2 shrimp halves with the cut side down near the top of the filling so the shrimp show through the wrapper for a pretty look.
6. Roll it up: fold the bottom edge up over the filling, tuck in the sides snugly and roll forward into a neat cylinder, pressing gently to remove air pockets. If a wrapper tears just use another wrapper or fold the tear into the seam and roll tighter.
7. Make the traditional nuoc cham: whisk together 3 tbsp fish sauce, 3 tbsp fresh lime juice, 2 tbsp sugar and 3 tbsp warm water until the sugar dissolves, add 1 minced garlic clove and sliced Thai chili or jalapeno to taste, taste and adjust lime or sugar if needed.
8. Make the 2 ingredient peanut sauce: stir 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter with 3 tbsp hoisin sauce until smooth, thin with water a tablespoon at a time to desired dipping consistency, heat slightly if you want it silkier.
9. Serve and store: serve rolls immediately with both sauces, or wrap individually in plastic and refrigerate up to 24 hours (keep dipping sauces separate). To rescue slightly dry rice paper mist them lightly with water and cover with a damp towel.
Equipment Needed
1. Large shallow bowl for warming the rice papers (or a wide shallow dish)
2. Clean damp tea towel to lay softened wrappers on
3. Cutting board for veg, herbs and shrimp
4. A sharp chef knife plus a small paring knife for avocado and trim work
5. Kettle or small pot to boil water for noodles and warming
6. Colander or fine mesh sieve to drain and rinse the vermicelli
7. Several small bowls or ramekins to hold fillings and sauces at the assembly station
8. Whisk or fork and a tablespoon for mixing the nuoc cham, plus a spoon for the peanut sauce
9. Tongs or kitchen tweezers for placing shrimp, and plastic wrap or airtight container for storing finished rolls
FAQ
(EASY) Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Shrimp — Swap with extra-firm tofu (press, slice into strips and pan-fry till golden) for a vegetarian roll, or use shredded cooked chicken breast if you want a similar protein texture, or thinly sliced smoked salmon for a richer flavor.
- Rice paper wrappers — Use large butter lettuce leaves for an easier, low carb roll, or blanched collard or Swiss chard leaves for something sturdier, or nori sheets if you want a sushi-style twist (eat right away or they get chewy).
- Rice vermicelli noodles — Replace with glass (mung bean) noodles or thin soba noodles, or skip them and add extra julienned veggies and avocado for a lighter, low-carb version.
- Fish sauce (in nuoc cham) — For vegetarian/vegan use tamari or soy sauce with an extra squeeze of lime and a pinch of sugar to mimic the salty-umami-lime combo, or use coconut aminos for a lower-sodium gluten-free option.
Pro Tips
1) Soak the rice wrapper fast and work quickly. If you let it sit too long itll get gummy and tear, so dip briefly then lay it on a damp towel to finish softening. If a wrapper tears once just fold the tear into the seam and roll tighter instead of tossing it.
2) Keep fillings as dry as possible. Pat shrimp, noodles and herbs dry and squeeze extra water from cucumber or shredded carrot with paper towels — wet filling is the main cause of soggy rolls. Toss the noodles with a tiny bit of neutral oil so they dont clump.
3) Make the rolls look great and seal better by where you place the shrimp and lettuce. Put the shrimp so the pretty side faces out and use a lettuce leaf or a strip of herb as a barrier between wet veggies and the wrapper; that helps keep the rice paper from weakening.
4) Treat the sauces as lifesavers. For nuoc cham taste for a balance of salty sour and sweet and tweak lime or sugar to suit your palate. Warm the peanut sauce a little and thin it with warm water tablespoon by tablespoon for a silky dip. If rolls dry out a bit, mist with water and cover with a damp towel for a few minutes to revive them.
(EASY) Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls Recipe
I’m excited to share my Shrimp Spring Rolls With Peanut Sauce, a fresh and easy summer lunch that comes with both a traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce and a simple 2-ingredient peanut sauce.
8
servings
265
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large shallow bowl for warming the rice papers (or a wide shallow dish)
2. Clean damp tea towel to lay softened wrappers on
3. Cutting board for veg, herbs and shrimp
4. A sharp chef knife plus a small paring knife for avocado and trim work
5. Kettle or small pot to boil water for noodles and warming
6. Colander or fine mesh sieve to drain and rinse the vermicelli
7. Several small bowls or ramekins to hold fillings and sauces at the assembly station
8. Whisk or fork and a tablespoon for mixing the nuoc cham, plus a spoon for the peanut sauce
9. Tongs or kitchen tweezers for placing shrimp, and plastic wrap or airtight container for storing finished rolls
Ingredients
For the rolls
16 cooked medium shrimp (about 8 oz), peeled and deveined, tails removed, halved lengthwise
8 to 10 round rice paper wrappers (about 8 1/2 inch)
3 oz dry rice vermicelli noodles (about 1 cup cooked)
4 to 6 large butter lettuce or romaine leaves, torn
1 English cucumber, julienned
1 large carrot, julienned or shredded
1 cup fresh bean sprouts, rinsed (optional)
1/2 cup fresh cilantro leaves
1/2 cup fresh mint leaves
1/2 cup fresh Thai basil leaves (or extra cilantro)
2 scallions, thinly sliced
Optional: 1 ripe avocado, sliced
For the traditional nuoc cham dipping sauce
3 tbsp fish sauce (nuoc mam)
3 tbsp fresh lime juice (about 2 limes)
2 tbsp granulated sugar
3 tbsp warm water
1 small garlic clove, minced
1 small red Thai chili or 1/2 jalapeno, thinly sliced (optional)
For the 2 ingredient peanut sauce
1/2 cup smooth peanut butter
3 tbsp hoisin sauce
Water to thin, as needed (optional)
Directions
- Cook the rice vermicelli: pour boiling water over 3 oz dry noodles, soak 3 to 4 minutes until tender, drain and rinse under cold water, shake off excess and toss lightly with a little sesame oil or neutral oil so they don't stick.
- Prep fillings: halve 16 cooked shrimp lengthwise, julienne 1 cucumber and 1 large carrot, tear 4 to 6 large lettuce leaves into pieces, slice 2 scallions thin, rinse 1 cup bean sprouts if using, pick 1/2 cup each cilantro, mint and Thai basil, and slice avocado last if using so it doesn't brown.
- Set up an assembly station: a shallow wide bowl of warm water for the rice wrappers, a clean damp kitchen towel to lay softened wrappers on, and all fillings arranged in small bowls within reach. Working fast keeps the wrappers from getting gummy.
- Soften each rice paper wrapper: dip one round wrapper into warm water for about 8 to 12 seconds until it just softens (it will keep softening on the towel), lay it flat on the damp towel. Don't over soak or it will tear.
- Add fillings in a compact line across the lower third of the wrapper: a lettuce piece first so it acts like a barrier, a small handful of noodles, cucumber, carrot, bean sprouts, herbs, scallions, optional avocado, then place 2 shrimp halves with the cut side down near the top of the filling so the shrimp show through the wrapper for a pretty look.
- Roll it up: fold the bottom edge up over the filling, tuck in the sides snugly and roll forward into a neat cylinder, pressing gently to remove air pockets. If a wrapper tears just use another wrapper or fold the tear into the seam and roll tighter.
- Make the traditional nuoc cham: whisk together 3 tbsp fish sauce, 3 tbsp fresh lime juice, 2 tbsp sugar and 3 tbsp warm water until the sugar dissolves, add 1 minced garlic clove and sliced Thai chili or jalapeno to taste, taste and adjust lime or sugar if needed.
- Make the 2 ingredient peanut sauce: stir 1/2 cup smooth peanut butter with 3 tbsp hoisin sauce until smooth, thin with water a tablespoon at a time to desired dipping consistency, heat slightly if you want it silkier.
- Serve and store: serve rolls immediately with both sauces, or wrap individually in plastic and refrigerate up to 24 hours (keep dipping sauces separate). To rescue slightly dry rice paper mist them lightly with water and cover with a damp towel.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 170g
- Total number of serves: 8
- Calories: 265kcal
- Fat: 13.3g
- Saturated Fat: 2.3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.5g
- Monounsaturated: 8.5g
- Cholesterol: 55mg
- Sodium: 822mg
- Potassium: 238mg
- Carbohydrates: 36g
- Fiber: 4g
- Sugar: 6g
- Protein: 12.6g
- Vitamin A: 1300IU
- Vitamin C: 7.5mg
- Calcium: 38mg
- Iron: 0.9mg
