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Spring Rolls

Authentic Vietnamese-style spring rolls. This is a great side dish or meal on a summer day. Plus, it's a lot of fun to make.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time5 minutes
Total Time20 minutes
Course: Main Course
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Servings: 8
Author: Steve

Ingredients

  • Meekong rice paper (We like White Elephant brand.)This is the round, thin sheet of rice paper that is used to wrap the spring rolls. You can buy them dried in a package at the Asian food store.
  • Rice noodles
  • Water

Meat

  • Cooked shelled shrimp
  • Roast beef, sliced

Vegetables

  • Lettuce
  • Cilantro
  • Mint
  • Cucumber
  • Carrot
  • Celery

Condiments

  • Peanut sauce Thai or Vietnamese style. Available at your local Asian food store.
  • Thai sweet chili sauce (if you want) Available at your local Asian food store.

Instructions

  • Put a pot of water on to boil. When it's hot, you will place it in a large, wide glass or metal bowl (a wide enough pot will do in a pinch, or a wok.)
  • Place dried rice noodles in a small pot of boiling water and cook until soft, following the instructions on the package.
  • While the water is boiling, prepare the other ingredients for as many people will be eating.
  • If you buy the shrimp and roast beef pre-cooked, this is a super simple meal. Put these out in a bowl or on a platter.
  • Wash the vegetables. Thin slice the carrots, celery and cucumber. Chop the mint and cilantro. Break up the lettuce.
  • The spring rolls can be prepared in the kitchen and served on a platter, but it's a lot more fun for everyone to make their own at the table.
  • To serve, place a single sheet of rice paper in the large bowl of hot water for 3-5 seconds. Rotate it around. It should become soft and sticky. Put the rice paper flat on your plate and add ingredients to the center to taste. Fold up on side tightly, then the other, then fold up the two ends.