Vietnamese spring rolls are all about balance. Crisp, hot, freshly fried rolls are traditionally served wrapped in ice-cold lettuce leaves to create an instant contrast of temperature and texture. The cool crunch of the lettuce softens the heat, cuts through richness, and turns each bite into something lighter, fresher, and far more refreshing than the roll alone. It’s not just presentation – it’s a clever way of eating that makes indulgence feel effortless.
Then there’s the dipping sauce: Nuoc Cham. This is the moment everything comes together. Salty, sweet, sour and savoury all at once, Nuoc Cham is designed to wake up the palate. Each dip sharpens the flavours, lifts the fried roll, and ties the freshness of the lettuce to the warmth inside. It’s punchy without being overpowering, and once you’ve tasted it, you’ll understand why it’s a cornerstone of Vietnamese food culture.
Eaten slowly, wrapped, dipped, and shared, Vietnamese spring rolls are less about speed and more about experience – a perfect example of how Vietnamese cooking celebrates contrast, freshness, and harmony in every mouthful.
Vietnamese Spring Rolls
Ingredients
- 40 Rice Paper Sheets 25cm Rounds
- 1 Ice Berg Lettuce Leaves seperated
Filling Ingredients
- 1 kg Minced Turkey or Pork Mince
- 2 Carrots grated
- 200-300 g Beansprouts
- 60 g Dried Wood Ear Mushroom (Black Fungus)
- 400 g Bamboo Shoots sliced into matchsticks
- 4 Spring Onions finely chopped
- 4 Nests Thin Mung Bean Noodles aka Glass Noodles
- 6 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 3 tbsp Light Soy Sauce or Tamari Optional use Gluten Free
- 5 tbsp Oyster Sauce Optional use Gluten Free
- 1/2 tsp White Pepper
- 3 tbsp Corn Flour
- 1 tbsp Sesame Oil
Dipping Sauce Ingredients
- 2 tbsp Fish Sauce
- 2 tbsp Sugar
- 8 tbsp Water
- 1 Birds Eye Chilli finely chopped
- 1/2 Lime juice only
- 1 tbsp White Rice Vinegar
Instructions
- Make the filling
- Begin by placing your wood ear mushroom into a bowl and pouring over boiling water, once fully hydrated (roughly 10 minutes) drain your wood ear mushrooms, pat dry and chop into a fine dice
- In a separate bowl add your dried mung bean noodles and cover with boiling water. Once hydrated drain your mung bean noodles, using a pair of scissors chop into small pieces
- Place all of your filling ingredients into a large bowl
- Now using your hand mix very well
- Lay a clean tea towel onto your work top
- Take a rice paper sheet and submerge in water for a couple of seconds, lay rice paper sheet on to the clean tea towel
- Place roughly a tablespoon of mixture onto the rice paper sheet
- Once the rice paper sheet has become supple, take the edge closest to you and fold it over the mixture, now pull the edge under the mixture and pull it gently back to you forcing the mixture into a sausage shape
- Fold over the left and right edges and then roll into a sausage
- Place spring roll onto a wire rack and repeat with the remainder of the ingredients.
- NOTE: Ensure spring rolls are not touching each other as they will stick and tear when you try to part them.
Make the sauce
- Place all the ingredients together and mix well into the sugar has dissolved completely.
How to store once made
- Place your spring rolls into the freezer on the wire rack, once frozen transfer to a freezer bag
Time to cook
- If you have stored your spring rolls in the freezer I'd recommend defrosting before cooking.
- The spring rolls are traditionally fried if you want to do this heat your oil to 180c
- Gently place the spring rolls into the hot oil, try and keep them separate as they fry as they will try and stick to one another.
- Keep turning the rolls as they cook to ensure even cooking and browning. Fry for roughly 4 to 5 minutes or until fully cooked.
- Drain and serve with ice berg lettuce and your dipping sauce.
Air Fryer Cooking
- Pre heat your air fryer to 180c
- Place your spring rolls into the air fryer and cook for 6 minutes, ensure they are not touching each other
- Turn spring rolls and cook for a further 6 to 8 minutes
- Serve and enjoy
For more recipe checkout my Chinese Made Easy Cook Book
