Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls are packed with bright, fresh flavours and served with an insanely addictive Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce that takes a minute to make. With a couple of cheeky tricks, step by step photos and an easy to follow video, you’ll be rolling perfect rice paper rolls like a pro in no time!
This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!
Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls – always a hit!!
If I took a platter of these to a gathering with my friends, I guarantee they’d be one of the first things to go. Everybody I know loves these. Even the hardest of hard-core carnivores munch these down as enthusiastically as they would a rack of ribs.
They truly are that good.
Vietnamese food is my idea of the ultimate “accidently healthy” food. Sure, there are a handful of deep fried recipes. But generally, most Vietnamese dishes are super fresh, full of bright flavours, loaded with herbs and salads, with just a bit of protein. Dressings and sauces are refreshingly light and devoid of oil, unlike basically every Western dressing!
I think that Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls are one of those things that people love but always assume are just too fiddly or too hard to make. To dispel of that myth, let me tell you – I am not into fiddly. That’s why you’ll never see fancy decorated cakes on my blog. I simply don’t have the patience or co-ordination for fiddly dishes – sweet or savoury.
I actually posted this recipe way back when I started my blog. A couple of years on, and my photos have somewhat improved but more importantly – VIDEO! I REALLY wanted to remake this with a video, it is so great to be able to demonstrate how to make these rolls.
Serving idea: DIY spread!
Lay out all the ingredients with a large bowl of water for dipping the rice paper in, then make everyone make their own. This DIY approach is a menu item on Vietnamese restaurants here in Sydney which is very popular, I always order it!
Tips to make Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls
In addition to the video, I have 2 little tips that can make your Vietnamese Rice Paper Roll Making Life so much easier:
Bundle up fly-away bits inside a piece of lettuce. I like making these with bean sprouts and vermicelli noodles (other filling suggestions in the recipe notes). Until you get your rolling technique down pat, bundle it up in lettuce before rolling it in the rice paper. This holds the “stuff” together which makes it so much easier to roll the rice paper and it will also prevent things like bean sprouts, carrots, cucumber etc from piercing the rice paper;
Use two rice paper sheets – again, this is a tip while you are an up-and-coming Rice Paper Roll Master. It is much easier to handle when rolling. The downside is that the ends are a touch chewy, because there’s triple / quadruple layers. But it’s not tough chewy, not in the least bit. It’s just chewy compared to how soft and fragile a single layer of rice paper is. It doesn’t deter me at all. My mother noticed it, but it didn’t stop her from hoeing down 4 of these in minutes. Never fails to amazes me that a woman of a certain age can consume so much so quickly. (PS She came over to be my hand model for the video, this was a tough one to shoot by myself!)
PS The reason the prawns and lettuce bundle are laid out in different positions on the rice paper is so there is only layer of rice paper on the prawns once rolled up – makes the prawns more visible. Ie Pretty rolls.
Peanut Dipping Sauce for Rice Paper Rolls
This peanut sauce is everything!! This is a Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce. The 2 key ingredients are peanut butter and hoisin sauce which is thinned out with either milk or water (I prefer milk for colour. With water, the sauce is darker). Plus vinegar for a bit of tang (really needs it), garlic (it ain’t Asian if there’s no garlic in it!) and a touch of chilli if you want (which I love).
It’s different to Thai / Malaysian / Chinese style peanut sauces and I think you and this Vietnamese Peanut Sauce are going to be very good friends. 🙂
So…..what do you think? 🙂 Have I convinced you to try your hand at becoming a Rice Paper Roll Master?? – Nagi xx
PS There are a bunch of other filling ideas in the recipe notes. I’ve kept this fairly classic.
PPS Even if they are wonky, they still taste incredible!!!
Get your Vietnamese fix!
Lemongrass Chicken – one of my favourite things to grill!
Vietnamese Caramel Pork – another iconic Vietnamese food! Also see the Chicken version.
Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls – the super quick version of the above
And some other ways with fresh prawns
5 Prawn Dipping Sauces for a giant bucket of fresh prawns
Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls (this recipe)
Fresh peeled prawns alongside a Corn Salad with Avocado for a quick summer meal
Browse all Prawn / Shrimp Recipes
Watch How To Make It
This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!
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Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls (Spring Rolls)
Ingredients
- 7 – 14 sheets of 22cm/8.5″ round rice paper (Note 1)
- 11 small cooked prawns/shrimp (about 12cm/5″ in length, unpeeled including the head)
- 50g / 1.5 oz dried vermicelli noodles
- 7 lettuce leaves – use a lettuce with soft leaves, like Oak or Butter Lettuce (Note 2)
- 14 mint leaves
- 1 cup bean sprouts
Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce (Note 3)
- 1 tbsp peanut butter, preferably smooth (crunchy is ok too)
- 2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
- 1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar (or lime juice)
- 1/3 cup milk (any fat %) (or water)
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1/2 tsp crushed chilli, samba oelak or other chilli paste, adjust to taste (optional)
Instructions
- Peanut Sauce: Combine the Peanut Dipping Sauce ingredients. Mix briefly (it won’t come together), then microwave for 30 seconds. Mix again until smooth. Set aside to cool. Adjust sour with vinegar, salt with salt and spiciness to taste. Thickness can be adjusted with milk or water once cooled.
- Place vermicelli noodles in a bowl and cover with warm water for 2 minutes, then drain (or follow packet instructions).
- Peel the prawns, slice in half lengthwise and devein (watch video).
- Remove the crunchy core of the lettuce leaves (watch video).
- Tip – LETTUCE BUNDLE (Note 4): Place some vermicelli noodles and bean sprouts in a lettuce leaf, then roll it up, finishing seam side down. Repeat.
- Fill a large bowl with warm water. The bowl doesn’t need to be large enough to fit the whole rice paper in one go.
- Place two rice papers together (if using 2). Note which side is the smooth side – this is supposed to be the outside of the spring roll. Submerge the rice papers into the water (both of them at the same time, together) for 2 seconds. If your bowl isn’t large enough to fit the whole rice paper in one go, that’s fine, just rotate it and count 2 seconds for each section you submerge into the water.
- Place both the rice papers (one on top of the other, they will stick together) on a board or the counter with the smooth side down.
- On the top part of the rice paper, place 3 prawns with a mint leaf in between, as per the photo below.
- Place the lettuce bundle with the seam side down onto the middle of the rice paper.
- Fold the left and right edges of the rice paper in, then starting from the bottom, roll up to cover the lettuce bundle. Then keep rolling firmly. The rice paper is sticky, it will seal itself.
- If you placed the ingredients on the rice paper as per the photo below, your rice paper rolls should look pretty with the prawn and mint leaves on the smooth side of the roll and the seam on the side or underside of the roll.
- Serve immediately with the peanut dipping sauce.
Recipe Notes:
* Julienned vegetables like carrots, cucumbers
* Alfalfa, watercress and other similar shaped vegetables
* Thinly sliced tofu
* Shredded chicken and other proteins
* Other herbs like coriander/cilantro, chives (this is classic Viet) 7. ORIGINAL PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE: As requested by a reader! The one provided in the recipe is more authentic and akin to what you get at Vietnamese restaurants here in Sydney. But here is the original one, FYI: ½ cup smooth peanut butter
1 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis, it’s thick like syrup)
2 small garlic cloves (or 1 large), minced
1 birds eye chilli, finely chopped
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp lime juice
Water Mix together ingredients, using water to thin to a dippable consistency. 8. Nutrition per rice paper roll, no sauce.
Nutrition Information:
Originally posted in July 2014, updated with new words, an even better peanut dipping sauce, new photos and a video!
Life Of Dozer
“WHY is she setting fire to my food???!!!”
HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOZER!! I want to tell you that he had an extra special day….but honestly? It’s like every day is his birthday….
Love the tips.
However how do I make the peanut sauce without the vinegar curdling the milk?
Hi Jonathan, it doesn’t curdle at all when mixing it all together ☺️
Since love all asian good and this Sprint tolls are my favorite which I make on regular basis. I love this one look’s so easy to do, it is going into my go to Sprint roll 1st choix recipe.
I must cknfirm that your new présentation of recipes is so very Well represented. Thank you for your hard work. Wish you the best of Holiday. Happy New YEAR 2019 . Health happiness and thé best of luck.
Thanks so so much Murielle! I’m so glad you’re loving the new site and love this recipe as well! Merry Christmas!
Thanks for posting this Nagi, our family often have this for weekend dinner esp on Sat since my kids know how to eat by themselves but I still love the way you make this. Very much appreciated for your sharing
Love hearing that NY! N xx
What can be substituted for hoisin sauce if gluten intolerance?
oyster sauce
Nagi, I have loved these in Vietnamese restaurants for years. Now I can make my own. Just one issue. The rice paper sticks like crazy to my cutting board when I try to roll them. Even just picking up the edge to fold over is awkward. Any tips?
Hi Phil! What type of cutting board do you use? I have a plastic type one, also I do this on a wooden counter. They do stick a bit but not a crazy amount. Try reducing the time you soak the so they are not as wet? 🙂 N x
Hi Nagi. I am using a wood cutting board, and am only soaking them a second or two like in the video. I will try my plastic cutting board as it has a slight texture. Thanks for your response.
use a plate 🙂 They work well
My husband was diagnosed diabetic 3 months ago. I started making these for his lunch, using all the different suggestions for filling and he lost 27 pounds and gained a love of veggies he had not had before. Thank you so much for this portable lunch that has given us so much joy. Not at the diabetic stage any longer since he lost the weight. I blame you. Thank you so much!
Hi Nagi, used your recipe for the first time yesterday. The peanut sauce with the rice paper roll is great! Thank you. I will be trying out more of your recipes down the road. Thanks for sharing.
Hello Nagi!
Again I’ve stumbled onto your fabulous site. My 7yr old son loves your dumpling soup and we make it often. Now the rice paper rolls, which I’ve made before, but thought I’d see how others make it.
Thank you for making us happy.
Much love
Bxo
I love hearing that your son loves the dumpling soup!!! 🙂
It was so fun to experiment with. Thank you for the video. I did find that using two wrappers did make them very chewy but after rolling 3, felt confident using only one wrapper- much better.
Thank you for sharing. Amazingly yummy! I followed your peanut sauce precisely, and hubby asked to always have some in the fridge for everything. And thank you so much for the video – successfull wrapped them the first time! Love this recipe, and thank you once again!!
I love hearing that! So glad you enjoyed this Peggy! N x
These spring rolls were awesome. Made them for family and they loved them. Now they are making them because they are healthy ingredients, fresh vegetables and lean meat. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
That’s great Eva! Thanks for letting me know! – N x ❤️
Hey! I love the step by step photos, it’s very comprehensive and makes it seem very doable for a beginner like myself. I wanna make these for my cousin’s bridal shower, but I need to multiply the recipe to account for more people. I know the recipe says “serves 7” but I’m just wondering if you could tell me precisely how many rolls that yields? Thanks!
Hi Claudia! It makes 7 rolls 🙂 Just click on the Servings and slide to scale the recipe up! N x
Made these last night! Subbed in thin rice noodles and cilantro. Light and yummy. I was sad when they were gone.
Currently eating the same combo but with added prawns and also a satay sweet chill dipping sauce, mmmmmmmmmm yummy yum yumm
Thanks for great recipe the peanut sauce is fantastic the whole family loves these rolls super easy.
Great to hear Linda! Thank you for taking the time to let me know! N x
Where is the video?
we do not need to cook the vermicelli? which brand did you use?
Hi Cindy! Please see step 2 🙂 N x
Just made your spring rolls, super good and loved the peanut sauce.
That’s great to hear Michelle! Thanks so much for letting me know you enjoyed this! N x ❤️
Hi! What sauce can you use if you have peanut allergy? Thanks
Sub with almond spread!
What sauce can you use if you are allergic to peanuts?
If you are allergic to nuts I would suggest sweet chili sauce.
That is such a great idea Megan, thanks! I’ll pop that tip in the recipe 🙂 N x
almond spread would be terrific!
Thank you.
My kids all finally Love summer rolls with this recipe. We made it in Brazil, where the peanut butter is crazy sweet, but the peanut butter dipping sauce was still absolutely delicious!!!
That’s so great to hear!! I didn’t know peanut butter was crazy sweet in Brazil. Is it used as a spread like we do??