Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls

These fresh spring rolls are delicious! Don't be intimidated by the rice paper wrappers. Soak them one at a time in warm water until they are JUST soft then remove it to a paper towel and fill. The wrap will continue to soften. By the time you are finished adding the ingredients, it will be ready to roll. If you don't have ALL the ingredients called for in this recipe, please don't let that stop you from using what you do have and enjoying every bite.

Spring rolls are my absolute favorite Vietnamese food. Apparently, people have different versions of the dipping sauce. In our family (and yes, we're Vietnamese), we make a peanut-hoisin dipping sauce. We NEVER use a fish sauce for spring rolls. In a sauce pan, heat up one can of coconut soda (don't worry if you can't find this, I've subbed a can of 7-up or Sprite with the same result albeit with a slightly different taste), about 3 tablespoons of creamy peanut butter, and about 6 tablespoons of hoisin sauce. Whisk until all the peanut butter melts. Simmer. (Taste it & add more hoisin or peanut butter to suite your tastebuds.) Put a tablespoon of cornstarch into a mug, add water, & mix. Slowly add this to the simmering pot to thicken the sauce to your desired consistency - the sauce should have a consistency like gravy. This will make lots of sauce. Cool before serving. Top with crushed peanuts. In our family, 8 spring rolls does NOT equal 8 servings. Seriously, we each eat 3-4 of these as a meal. So that's enough sauce for everyone (well, sometimes, because some of us like the sauce so much, we practically drink the sauce!) UPDATED NOTE: I made 40 of these today for our party. When we make lots of these, it helps to take all the greens and chop it all up together; then I can grab 1 handful and get all the veggies at once. Also, we use slivered cucumbers - adds an extra crunch. Cucumber slices + peanut-hoisin sauce = heaven! Trust me on that one.

Brought this to a neighborhood gathering and simplified it since I only had a few minutes to get it ready. I bought the rice vermicelli and rice wrappers at the local asian store. I also found rib eye very thinly sliced which is usually used for Korean bulgogi. I marinated the beef in the soy and ginger rib eye marinade I also found on this website (I added more soy sauce and red pepper to the original recipe to add a bit of kick to it.) Instead of getting all the different herbs, I grabbed a fancy salad mix with baby spinach, arugula and radicchio. I stirfried the beef, boiled the water for the vermicelli and then saved that same hot water to put the rice wrappers in one by one to soften. These rolls disppeared first off the picnic table - perfect for a warm summer evening. So many people asked me for the recipe and they couldn't believe that I did this all within half an hour!

So delicious! If unable to find Thai basil, just add more cilantro and mint. Method for softening Rice Paper: alternate between sheets of wet paper towels. Within 3 minutes they will be soft enough to handle but not so soft that they disintegrate. Method for rolling:When rolling, don't start by covering the contents then pulling in. Rather, cover half the contents, then pull in and roll. This makes them firmer, and a lot easier to eat.

These rolls were great the same day I made them. They still tasted good the next day, but they started to get a little sticky. If you are serving them to company, make them fresh.

An explosion of flavour! My suggestions: Soak the rice 'Angel Hair' noodles in hot water until soft and white, if you boil them, they turn out soggy. Rinse the noodles in cold water, drain and they are done. Don't chop the herbs up, use whole leaves. Too easy to use too much if it's all chopped up. People have teeth! They can chew! The wrappers need to be simply dipped into warm water, one at a time, and taken out. Place on a clean, plastic cutting board. They will still be hard. Do not fret! By the time you have put the ingredients on, they will have softened up! Think of the centre of the rice paper wrapper as the 'top' of the finished roll. Place six shrimp halves (or sliced chicken, pork or tofu pieces) pink side down in a horizontal line. Around this place 6-10 cilantro leaves flat on the wrapper so they show through. On top of the shrimp/meat/tofu place the mint leaves and the basil leaves. Then an oblong nest of noodles. Then some shredded carrot and mung bean sprouts. (Forget the lettuce.) Finally some paper-thin slices of unpeeled English (hothouse) cucumber. You will have a manageable shape that is easier to roll. Roll up as you would do a burrito. Beautiful! I use a dipping sauce that is 2 parts smooth peanut butter, 1 part Hoisin sauce, whizzed with 4-6 cloves fresh garlic, a splodge of chili-garlic sauce, a lot of fresh lime juice and a bit of cold water to thin out. Note! These ''Rouleaux de Printemps'' are NEVER deep-fat fried!

I believe you are missing a few things, but it's ok overall. Carrot or jicama or even daikon for crunch is much needed in your recipe. I would double the shrimp in your rolls, so every bite has some shrimp in it. Also, your hoisin based sauce is the more appropriate one, but you should add some peanut butter and water to it, to give it better depth of flavor. The hoisin by itself can be a bit overpowering.

This is a really simple recipe. I added grated carrots and bean sprouts and used tofu rather than shrimp. Also, I added a spoonful of peanut butter to the hoisin dipping sauce. Everything turned out great.

These came out so pretty! Unless you have monster prawns, I'd double or triple the shrimp (you need 2-3 per roll of the 20-per-pound shrimp). My grocery store (Kroger) sells rounds of pre-made cocktail shrimp, which made this very easy. Didn't use the lettuce, but varied the herbs and carrots. Suggestions: try not to overload with noodles (and I added soy sauce when cooking those for flavor); you're slicing the shrimp lengthwise; and the tea kettle of hot water worked great to keep the wrapping water hot. I think some of the folks having problems with tearing wrappers may have been leaving the wrapper in the water until it is soft. It really, really only needs to be submerged and pulled out immediately--I promise. It will get softer as it sits. Also, I had better luck wrapping by putting the ingredients in a neat shrimp-down pile off center of the round wrapper. Fold up the two short ends, and tuck their corners into the ingredients (you're looking for a rounded edge, not a square one like in gift wrapping), then use the shorter of the long sides to wrap over the ingredients and the longer one to pull them all together. The fish sauce was great (oh, but that smell); didn't get around to the hoisin.

Fabulous. Make sure you use Thai basil (also known as Siam basil or licorice basil in some places). It makes all the difference. Everything about this recipe is authentic and delicious. This is my all-time favorite Vietnamese/Thai appetizer.

Excellent taste and they make a pleasing presentation with the colorful filling. I did have trouble making the rolls tight and uniform at first, but will practice more. I had one left over and saved it in waxed paper overnight in the fridge. It was even better. Not mushy at all.

I am vietnamese and had this numberous times. I simplify and yet keep it authentic with a few twists to this version. As another reviewer noted, must add boiled pork cut thin. for greens I used a prebagged/prewashed mixed green salad bag from the grocery store. cilantro is a must, as well as a cucumber and celery spear. celery may be about a 5th or so of a standard piece of celery.As well as a strand or two of green onion running the length of the roll. As far as the hoisin, we always added lime and fresh chili to the hoisin and then topped with toasted crushed peanuts. WE NEVER served it with fish sauce. Might be a my family thing, but even when I order these from the local restaurants they only serve it with Hoisin the way I mentioned. Great basic recipe. Great light lunch/dinner not just an appetizer.

I don't know if I should credit the original recipe, however I found the SAUCE recipe from one of the reviews and it was a great sauce. 1 part peanut butter to 2 parts hoisin sauce, mix over low heat, thin it out with water.

Super yummy and very easy to make! The most time-consuming part was chopping the fresh herbs, but other than that, was a breeze to make. Just like eating at a resturant!

These are beyond amazing... I was SO nervous to try them and have had a really difficult time finding rice paper. For those of you who are novice kitchenistas like myself, they are not in the refrigerated section! They come in a stack of squares, similar to a stiff paper. My husband and I went to an asian food store to find them and I almost missed them!! The clerk didn't understand what I was looking for, and I was so happy to stumble upon them on my way out! Also, I was lucky enough to meet a seasoned expert at the asian food store and almost bought the wrong fish sauce. According to your taste, some are much more anchovy friendly, and smell substantially worse. I am SO glad I asked the gal in front of me... she helped me pick a different one, and the sauce did not smell fishy at all (I HATE the smell of fish). "Tiparos" was the fish sauce the nice lady recommended FYI :-) Also, I was confused on how to wrap the rolls... The rice paper called "Three Ladies Brand" has a diagram on the back on how to do it, and by the fourth roll, they looked just like the rolls I order at my favorite restaurant. Last, I love peanut sauce, and decided to look for another recipe. Found a really easy and absolutely amazing recipe! Just Hoisin Sauce, Crunchy Peanut Butter... Microwave for 45 seconds, then add water to make it creamy. I could have licked the bowl!! Enjoy! I will be making them again next week :-)

I never knew mint could be so tasty in a dish! Excellent rolls accompanied by excellent sauces! I loved the advice of mixing 1 Tbsp of peanut butter with the 3 Tbsp Hoisin - heat it up and yummy!

I mix the fish sauce combo and hoisin and chopped nuts all together, then add some peanut butter as well. To send to school for lunch I roll them into parchment paper, keeps them from sticking together and maintains moisture level.

This is a light and refreshing meal. I didn't use vermicelli (substituted it with mixed rice), and made mine vegetarian by leaving out the shrimp. I stuffed the spring rolls with thin tomato slices, yellow bell pepper, carrots, mint leaves and lettuce. The rice wrappers are tricky to work with, but really - just give them a quick dip in borderline hot water and then start adding your ingredients in. The rice wrapper will get softer as you go along. Make sure you have a sharp knife when cutting the spring rolls because otherwise they will fall apart or get squashed. Oh, and one last thing, I mixed 2 parts hoisin sauce to 1 part smooth peanut butter and zapped it in the microwave to heat up instead of on the stove. It's less of a mess this way. I like this recipe and will make it again. Thanks!

TIPS: You don't need warm water in a bowl, make it easy for yourself. Hold the wrapper under the faucet for one second; Lay on a wet towel and assemble (the wrapper will soften up immediately) Be careful to buy the wrappers made of rice, don't buy the wrappers that look like white like flour or are made with flour - these are the wrong ones and are for making fried eggrolls. 99 Ranch Market has them in the Vietnamese section of their stores. You can add whatever ingredients you want, but using basil, mint, or cilantro are key to the unique taste of these rolls. Don't overstuff the roll, these are delicate, and much easier to roll when not over-filled especially if you want to use a dipping sauce. You don't want these looking like burritos! After wrapping, slice them in half on a diagonal slice (much prettier). Dipping sauce: I bought thick teriyaki sauce, added a "little" crunchy peanut butter, and thinly sliced green onions. Rolling the wrappers: Easy to do but takes practice, and you'll be an expert after a few tries. Take these to a party, and everyone will go ga-ga over them and think you're a genius.

Brilliant. Just like the local here. TIP.....when I make them I get a big deepish plate and boil the kettle and put the rice paper in. Takes only 10 seconds or so to soften. Fish out of hot water and put on to a teatowel and work with that. At the same time Im working with one I put another paper in....and so on until the water is far too cold. Also I use avocardo, beansprouts, julienne carrots, prawns tossed in mayo, mint, corrieander (cilantro) and fine angel hair like noodles....mmmm

Finally! I was trying to make these by 'memory' from the ones I have at the Vietnamese restaurants, but they kept falling apart! Dipping the rice paper one at a time was the trick! These are so easy and inexpensive to make. I usually use a satay sauce, though...I make it by mixing peanut butter, hoisin sauce, a dash of soy sauce and a little broth for consistency (or onion and garlic powders and water).

I adore Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls. The first time I ever had them was with marinated beef rather than shrimp and served in a make-it-yourself fashion with all of these incredients plus bean spouts so each person could customize it to their liking. Scrambled egg also makes a nice ingredient and I like to use lettuce that is crispy.

These are sooo good. There are so many ways to be creative with this recipe - but it's perfect as it is too. Whatever you do, don't overfill them or you'll have a mess like I did... until I figured out what was doing wrong.

this was so very good! I did change mine a little to fit my taste. I added the boiled pork (its a must for us) and I also did shredded carrots and bean sprouts. I left out the mint because we are just not a fan of it. The second time I made these I did much better at wrapping them. My boyfriend is half Vietnamese and he said he would think I was Asian with how good I did the second time, lol! I found that if I put the stuff more to one side, then roll it, it held together better. Also, just run the rice paper under warm water just till it is flexible, then I put a little bowl of water to dip my fingers in to moisten it where needed, when needed. Oh and I also made the sauce with 1 part crunchy peanut butter and 2 parts Hoisin sauce, and it was very yummy! My daughter, who is part Vietnamese just said she loves me the most because I can make them now :), if it was up to her, she would eat them for breakfast, lunch and dinner! Thanks so much for the recipe!! :) I will probably make these for the rest of my life!

I've made these several times and they always get rave reviews. Last night I took them to an appetizer Cook Off and was thrilled to be announced the Taste winner!! This group is very sophisticated and the other selections were amazing so I was so surprised. I got so many compliments on the Hoisin Peanut sauce and also brought Sweet Chili Thai sauce from this site, using only half the sugar. Both were a big hit! I add carrots like so many here but also take all the herbs and mix them together so it's easier to layer on during assembly. More than one person asked if I bought the rolls- this recipe is that good. Thank you so much - I am always so excited to find something interesting, different and delicious and this is it! Don't get frustrated, at first rolling it can be difficult but gets easier each time.

Great recipe! Once I got the hang of it, these rolls came together quickly. If you haven't worked with these delicate wrappers before...make sure to plan that the first four or five won't be very pretty! Instead of lettuce, I used some angel hair shredded cabbage and added shredded carrots for more color. I used bean sprouts in the filling as well. The dipping sauce was excellent.

If it was possible to give this recipe six stars I would! It is fabulous AND very, very easy to prepare. I did not prepare the fish sauce/lime/chili dipping sauce because I cannot stomach the smell of fish sauce. The hoisin/peanut sauce is good enough to eat with a spoon. Try this recipe... you will not be disappointed.

Just like you would order in a Vietnamese restaurant. The wrapper needs at least 1 minute to soften (I kept a kettle of boiled water nearby to keep the water hot) you can feel by the texture when it's ready. Once my kids saw what I was doing they took over so these rolls aren't too difficult to make! We used shrimp, basil, cilantro and slivered cucumber - skipped the lettuce. Dipped in hoisin sauce mixed with a tbsp of ALMOND butter due daughters peanut allergy. Yummy!

Despite the amount of grumbling and cursing that accompanied my attempts to make pretty rolls, these turned out quite well and tasted a lot like the rolls at my favourite Vietnamese restaurant (note to self, do not use old cheap rice paper wrappers for future efforts.. structural integrity is key for a proper roll!) I made the rolls pretty much as per the recipe, but had to omit the cilantro as the store was out. I also added a bit of shredded carrot for extra colour and sweetness, bean sprouts for crunch and tossed the cooked vermicelli with some of the fish sauce/lime juice sauce for added flavour. Very tasty, though I must admit not quite worth the amount of effort needed to assemble if it's just a regular dinner, hence the four stars instead of five. Definitely a keeper if you're looking to impress some guests... I'll probably make some for my next summer BBQ.

Thanks for giving me the confidence to try this at home! It was Deeee-Licious! And my guests were very impressed. Score!

VERY IMPORTANT: there are 2 kinds of spring roll wrappers! DO NOT get the kind made of wheat flour from the freezer section that look like egg roll wrappers! Rice wrappers are thin, clear, and feel just like a dry noodle. In fact, the asian store I went to stocked the wrappers in the noodle aisle. You just have to moisten the wrapper in hot water. It will feel hard but by the time you layer the ingredients it will have softened. Great recipe! I thought the herbs were a little strong. I would have preferred more lettuce. I also added shredded carrot and thinly sliced cucumbers. Made a huge difference.

I always make these without vermicelli, but I add in julienned carrots, spring onions and blanched glass noodles. For the sauce, try frying a small shallot in a little oil until brown, then add in rice wine vinegar, sugar, and sesame oil, and thin out with a tbsp of water. Toasted sesame seeds is also a good idea.

These were great. I used grilled pork instead of shrimp (b/c its what i had). Also, I tried both dipping sauces and they were excellent! I did add a bit more chili sauce, though, as we found it not spicy enough. Thanks Paula.

I have been very fortunate to have lived with a Vietnamese family for a year and then my sister married a Vietnamese gentleman. Vietnamese food is awesome and Spring Rolls are my favorite! Every Vietnamese shop has a different take and their own 'secret' ingredient when I visit cities. This recipe is very authentic, but as every Italian has their own 'perfect' sauce, every Vietnamese mother has her own 'perfect' recipe for Spring Rolls. It's time consuming but worth every minute!

These are so good. And the suggestions from other cooks are excellent. My idea, to make life easier for the cook, is to have all ingredients available and have each person "roll their own". This is what we do with tacos and it works with spring rolls too. That way, they can be individualized and the guests have the fun of making their own spring roll.

This is similar to a recipe I always make but here are the differences. I do not use Thai Basil, I also add sliced boiled pork (about two slices per roll). For the Hoisin sauce, this is what I do. I take about 1 or 2 garlic cloves (chopped) and saute it in a little bit of oil until it is slightly brown. I then add the hoisin sauce in and saute that very quickly and then add a little bit of water to dilute the consistency a little bit so that it is not too thick and not too runny. This makes a better dipping sauce then just Hoisin sauce alone which has a pretty thick/strong taste.

Yum! I had no time or energy for shrimp, so I subbed in some rare roast beef from the deli counter, doused in soy sauce. Delicious and way easier.

I was a bit underwhelmed by these spring rolls. I thought the herbs were a bit overpowering, because there's otherwise not a lot of flavor in there. I suppose the sauces are supposed to add flavor, but I think spring rolls should be able to stand on their own, and these don't. Also, unrelated to my rating since it was my mistake, note that these tend not to keep very well even when refrigerated. Only make enough for what you'll eat right then!

Never Again! The next time I want to eat these delicious rolls, I will search out a Vietnamese restaurant. It would be easier, take less time and probably cost less in the long run. This is NOT something you can make at home unless you have training. First of all, the rice wrappers cannot be found in most grocery stores, and as there are no Asian food stores in my vicinity, I had to make a trip into New York. I only found one kind of wrapper and while they were rice, they were not 8.5 inches. Working with them, was like working with spider webs dipped in jello. As to the vermicelli...."2 oz."???This is a joke. Rice vermicelli come in a stiff bundle (package size 8 oz.) that like a bale of hay or raffia, cannot be broken easily. Once they are cooked (I had to dump the whole thing into hot water to break them up) it required tongs and scissors to break them up, so the idea of "put a few" on the roll is ridiculous. All in all (not counting time to go into the city to purchase ingrediens) I spent 4 frustrating hours trying to make these. Like I said, DO NOT ATTEMPT THIS AT HOME. Perhaps a video would be helpful, as well as a more realistic recipe.

I love these rice paper rolls. At my local Vietnamese restaurant they are called "Fun Rolls" because the fresh ingredients, dipping sauce, rice paper and a bowl of hot water are brought out to your table and you wrap them yourself! I prefer them with a lighter dipping sauce made with 1/4 cup of water, 2 tablespoons fish sauce, 1 tablespoon lime juice, 1 tablespoon sugar and a touch of fresh crushed garlic; divine.

I'll give these three stars for easy and healthy recipe; We were not accustomed to Vietnamese rolls; Ihad a hard time finding the rice wrappers but after three stores I found them; they are not in the refridgerated section since they are sold dry. The rice wrapper has a sticky/stretchy consistency and texture that wasn't appetizing to me. I also thought all three of the fresh herbs were a bit much but since the shrimp is bland I guess it needs it. I added some shredded carrot and seasoned shrimp with salt and pepper. I didn't lke the sauces in the recipe and threw them away; we used spicy cocktail sauce instead.

This is an excellent, fresh recipe. I've been a fan of Vietnamese spring rolls for more then 10 years, and have looked everywhere for tasty, light rolls. These actually surpass some of the restaurants I've eaten at. I made the recipe exactly as written. I did not make the Hoisin and Peanut Sauce, but that fish sauce is absolutely incredible. It does need some type of thickener though to really stick to the rolls. These took some practice getting the rolling right without actually destroying the rice paper. I recommend that people buy a few extra rice papers since you're guaranteed to rip at least a couple trying to roll them up.

These were a huge hit at a pot-luck I went to. I cooked the shrimp in some of the hoisin sauce and it tasted great. Also, I'd recomend to get the round rice wraps instead of the square--they are easier to wrap. Thanks for a great recipe!

Excellent recipe. I had problems with rolling and ended up using two wrappers for a couple. I am going to try to use a bambo sushi roll mat next time and see if that helps. Do not oversoak the wrapper, only a second in water and that should be enough. It softens as you work with it.

My all time fave, you can substitute sliced chicken or thinly sliced pork, or beef, we prefer to cook them on a hot griddle in the middle of the table in a little butter(really enhances the flavor) very quickly. A little tip is to put the lettuce down FIRST then the noodles, then the meat. That lets the freshly cooked meat juices drain into the noodles, and the lettuce keeps the hot juices from melting thru the wrap so it doesnt fall apart. Also thinly sliced cucumbers make it AMAZING!..

These were amazing! I love the homemade sauce. I put much more lime juice in it, and made the garlic chili sauce from scratch, as well as the hoisin sauce, since I will be moving soon and didn't want to buy huge jars of either. I added more mint, basil and cilantro than the recipe called for as well, and it came out wonderful!

This was a nice change from the norm and I love how the flavors compliment each other. Two small tweaks: I used 3 tsp fish sauce instead of 4 tsp and used 3:1 ratio of hoisin and peanut butter. I also added sprouts, cucumber sticks, shredded carrot and pork as suggested. I spread the hoisin sauce in the roll and dipped in the the other sauce. Thanks for posting this recipe!

Fresh and delicious! For those that do not like the strong taste of cilantro- you can leave it out altogether or just play around with the amount of mint & basil that you add. I also added avocado, cucumber & matchstick carrots. Also I made a simple dipping sauce with Hoison sauce, water & crunchy peanut butter

I am Vietnamese and just wanted to let everyone know this is a really good and really easy recipe. Super Healthy and delicious.The sauces they recommend are tasty as well.

This is exactly what I was looking for! Perfect reproduction of my favorite resturant's dish. Excellent fish sauce also. Right on!

Wonderful recipe! We add small cucumber spears and wrap it up with everything.

WOW! What an awesome recipe- and very versatile...read some suggestions from other reviewers and added cucumber, also some shredded carrot and radish. Yummy! Thanks for the advice on dipping the rice wrappers until just soft- worked perfectly. Thanks Paula for the great recipe!

I finally got around to making these and can say that they are worth the effort. I took the advise of another reviewer and copied a local thai restaurant and added a few more fillings. I added cilantro, mint, cucumber, carrot, lettuce, rice noodles, fried tofu, alfalfa sprouts. Delicious. I did not have much trouble rolling the rice wrappers as I followed others advice and wet them for only a second. They will soften more as time goes by. I served with hoisin/peanut butter sauce, and 2 other dipping sauces from other spring roll recipes I got from this website. Will make again they do require quite a bit of effort but well worth it. YUMMY!

I've made these a couple of times and they are so good, just like the Vietnamese restaurant we used to go to in St. Paul (Hoa Bien). A few changes I make include omitting the mint, using regular basil from my garden, adding shredded carrot, and increasing the amount of shrimp. While I love the spring rolls, none of us cared for the sauces. I have to keep looking for the perfect peanut sauce.

These were terrific. I added finely sliced cucumbers (julienned) for extra freshness and crunch, yum! I did not chop the herbs but layed them flat on the wrapper so when the spring roll is done, the leaves show thourgh the rice wrapper. It looks great. I need a bit of practice to roll them up so they stay nice and tight, but the taste was wonderfull. I used my own recipe for a dipping sauce (on this site: "The best thai peanut sauce".) I added more coconut milk and some water to the dipping sauce to make it thinner in order to dip. Thanks for this recipe

These were a big hit at a neighborhood party. Very fresh & everyone favorably commented they weren't deep-fried. Suggest making sure all ingredients are dry; too much water (noodles) can leave rolls soggy. Suggest 30 min refrigeration. LOVED the 1st sauce!

As a family we all got into "race" of who could roll the best, which made the rolling everyones job instead of just mine, and it worked out GREAT! The sauces were EXACT!! If you like more of the Thai sauce, add a rounded tablespoon of peanut butter to the hoisin sauce. We made all three.

I'm Vietnamese so I eat these all the time. I'm vegetarian so my mother makes a different variety. It has vegetarian ham, clear vermicelli noodles, tofu, and roast rice powder tossed together. Then that mixture is rolled with the other ingredients instead of shrimp.

balance is crucial, I feel, for this recipe...getting the amount of cilantro and noodles to have the right taste is something I haven't quite figured out yet...

For the dipping sauce: 2 parts water, 1 part fishsauce, 1 part peanut butter, 1 part lemon juice, splash of sesame oil, very thinly sliced red peppers, palmsugar or (maple) syrup to taste, handful of chopped coriander. For a cheap version: use surimi instead of shrimps. For a lo-carb version: leave out the noodles and add carrot, bean sprouts, cucumber, bell pepper and tofu,

I don't give many recipes 5 stars, but this is a keeper! Didn't have mint or Thai basil, put matchstick carrots and cucumbers in, worked out great. The sauce is just like a restaurant we used to eat at. If you like vietnamese spring rolls, look no further.

These taste EXACTLY like the ones I order from the restaurants. I've made them a couple times a week for the past month... my mom LOVES them! The first time I made them, I found Thai basil at an Asian grocery store but all the times after that, I bought regular basil from any grocery store and it worked just fine. Adding extra cilantro doesn't quite give it the same flavor so for them to taste more authentic, be sure to use regular basil. I also added shredded carrots and julienned cucumber for added color and crunch. One additional hint as to rolling them up: with the lettuce on the far side, fold up the side closest to you over the ingredients, then fold both the uncovered sides towards the center. Lastly, using the lettuce to hold everything steady, continue rolling the spring roll up towards the top of the wrapper and voila... perfectly rolled spring rolls!

very good flavors. I didn't use the vermicelli, and also used some pork instead of shrimp. Easy to follow instructions, and the hot water method for the wrappers definitely works better. i used the dipping sauce from Fresh Spring Rolls with Thai Dipping Sauce.

I made these spring rolls exactly as directed, but made my own peanut sauce for dipping from the Indonesian Satay recipe from this site. These taste just like the ones I get at a local Thai house and are so easy to make!

I've always loved fresh spring rolls but never got around to making them myself. We were attending a party, and since I happened to have the necessary ingredients, I thought I'd quickly "throw" them together. Turns out the wrappers were a lot trickier than I imagined, so the end result was an authentic tasting, but not authentic looking roll. I'll be making these again. With practice, I'm sure I'll get the rolls a lot tighter. Thanks Paula, for a great recipe!

This was easier than I thought, and it came out great! As some have pointed out, definitely do not leave the rice paper in the water too long! It softens more as you work with it. Also, I used bacon instead of shrimp and that was delicious! I had some leftover and the next day, the wrappers were very hard. I just took the contents out and re-wrapped them in new wrappers and they were as good as fresh! Yum!

I could not believe that we loved these! Fantatsic. Made it with tofu instead of shrimp.

Tasty! A word about fish sauce, though: there are two kinds of Vietnamese fish sauce. One has a thick, pinkish-beige sediment in it and one is brown and clear. Get the clear brown one! Also, some of the mint leaves I used were a little tough. Next time I'll just use little young ones.

I made these for a family get together this week and wow, were they a hit! Delightfully fresh tasting and after a short learning curve with the wrappers ( They worked best when I just dipped them quickly in water and wrapped very quickly too), very easy to make. It is very imporant to have all your fillers ready before you wrap. (I used shrimp, noodles, cucumber, spicy bean sprouts, mint and cilantro) My only problem was that the finished wraps were slighty sticky so I served them on a large platter on a bed of lettuce leaves so they wouldn't stick together and my guests could pick up a lettuce leaf with the wrap if they didn't like the tactile stickiness. I used a ginger teriaki dipping sauce. The presentation was beautiful with the pink shrimp and the bright green mint leaves glowing through the translucent wrappers. Thanks Paula!

Outstanding! I have the pickiest kids around and they did not ask for more. They DEMANDED!!!

Fantastic!

This recipe is the greatest!!! I have always wanted to make these every since I had them at a resturant called Chop Sticks here in Richmond, VA. They are so light and refreshing. They are also easy to make. The flavors meld together so nicely. I add a little Oyster Sauce for added flavor and I use the small Salad Shrimp. I will be making these every week.

yum yum, i love spring rolls. i used lightly seasoned/sauted tofu and shrimp. i'd never had fish sauce like this, and i loved it, very light and tangy. thanks!

These were the best! Everyone loved them gone in no time. I did add cucumber and sprouts. Thanks for sharing.

Sooo good! There's something about the combination of fresh herbs with the noodles and shrimp that made this divine. This tastes just like the spring rolls I order at my favourite Vietnamese restaurant (maybe even a little better!). It's so refreshing and the perfect accompaniment to a summer meal. Thanks!

The garlic chile sauce is the best. I make the recipe on bean sprouts in a bowl (skip the the rice wrappers) with all the fixings and it's exceptional.

These are fantastic! Fresh and light. It took a couple tries to get the rolling down. They were as good, maybe better, than my favorite restraunt's rolls. I added bean sprouts for some extra crunch but followed every thing else exactly. Will definitely make again and again.

I have made this recipe a few times now and it is superb! Be sure not to overcook the vermicelli. If very thin my mother taught me to drop in boiling water, immediately after 2-3 minutes (extra minute if thicker) quickly drain and rinse in cold water. This will yield vermicelli that will not be sticky and a little bite. I made one other substitution which is to use Red leaf lettuce. I clean it and remove the ribs from the lettuce. I get rave reviews each time I make these, people asking for my version of the recipe. The fish sauce recipe provided is really good and authentic. You can halve it though, I feel I have a lot left over for a recipe this size. I made these recently for a friend who couldn't have gluten, and used the San-J Thai peanut sauce for dipping instead of hoisin sauce, and it was a very good substitute to make this recipe completely gluten free. Two meat variations: I've made this recipe pan frying chicken breast strips marinated with San-J Asian BBQ sauce (gluten free), and another time with pork strips marinated/sprinkled with Chinese Five Spice powder then pan-fry. These pair well with the fish sauce dipping sauce.

Ive made this recipe a couple times and just feel like it needs some tweaking with the shrimp. I feel like there is some flavor missing with the shrimp. Ive tried using siracha and/or rice vinegar. Any suggestions?

These were fantastic! I bought 1lb of the 40-50 count cooked shrimp(on sale) and just put 2 or 3 in each roll instead of cutting up. I also added thin, stick-sliced cucumbers and shredded carrots. I used fresh basil and cilantro from my garden and no mint. Served them with the garlic fish sauce recipe and also the hoison/peanut butter sauce listed in one of the reviews. My pool party guests raved about them. They are a tasty light and healthy appetizer. They do take a little time to make but well worth the effort. I made mine the morning of the party and covered them with wax paper in the refrigerator until ready to serve.

sooo good! i'm not a fan of mint so i left that out and i couldnt find any thai basil but love cilantro so i threw in extra and i also added sprouts. again... sooo yummy!

I used egg rolls and fried them instead of spring rolls because I could not find them in the grocery store. The fresh herbs were wonderful in the roll, and the recipie for the fish sauce dipping sauce was incredible. Highly recomment the sauce!

It might not be fair to rate this given that I didn't follow the recipe exactly, but the end result was great. I used a store-bought thai peanut sauce for convenience, and added to the inside of the roll so these would be easy to take to lunch. I used half a pound of shrimp, split lengthwise and layered across the wrapper. I stored them in a plastic container with a barely damp paper towel on the bottom. Thanks for sharing.

Second time made and second time yummy! Thanks for the recipe!

I've been wanting to make these for a while now. This recipe came out very well and seems to be pretty close to what I've had in Vietnamese restaurants! Healthy, tasty and not too hard to make. Plus kids love the rice wrappers which start out sort of like clear plastic discs and turn floppy and elasticy when you dip them in hot water! (bonus - they are only 2 points each on WW) You can use other meat - I used chicken since my husband doesn't eat shrimp. Also cucumber slivers and carrot shreds are sometimes used.

My mom and I always go to a local, family owned Vietnamese resturant and get spring rolls and have always talked about thrying to make them and with this recipes help, we were able to! They turned out great! The more Thia Basil the better!! I also added sprout to them to copy the resturant, Vien Dons, style.

I found it helpful to soak the mint if you are not picking it off your own plants. Fresh mint from the store is a little dry. I also threw in about a 1/2 tsp of rice wine vinegar into the rice it gives it a more authentic taste. These were fantastic, for me anyways.

This is very good! I love the peanut butter and hoisin sauce ,mixture! The reviewer who said the sauce is the key is absolutely right! Oh! yeah, I did use peanut butter instead of chopped peanuts.

These are great. I added shredded carrots and cucumber matchsticks, and omitted the mint. Love the fish sauce. The hoisin is too thick and sweet for my taste.

absolutely wonderful. i am planning for the lettuce, mint, cilantro and basil in my garden this spring so i can make this routinely. one of the best on the allrecipes site! very authentic, light, and refreshing!! could be altered to suit your own tastes with chicken instead of shrimp, with tofu, whatever...

The freshness of these spring rolls is outstanding, alot of different textures going on here, served with a little pickled ginger on the side is a nice palate cleaner.

Just made this for my sister's wedding reception on July 3. They were amazing. I modified the recipe to make a vegetarian version. Left out the cilantro as I'm not a big fan. I cut some english cucumber into julienne strips and grated some carrot. Also added some avocado to some of them. Sprinkled the veggies with some lime juice. I tried the hoisin-peanut sauce that someone else had recommended. It was a bit bland so I spiced it up with some garlic, lots of tabasco sauce, lime juice and a few drops of sesame oil. Also used a thai chili dipping sauce. Not big on the fish sauce idea! All in all the recipe was great, everyone loved them. I did find that the wrappers were too delicate, I had to double them as they kept tearing. The veggies were poking holes in them. Next time I will chop them smaller. I just wish I had noticed the serving conversion option, as I had to make a lot of them so just guessed when making 6 batches. I ended up with a lot of leftover veggies and noodles. Will definitely make these again!

I made these last summer and have started again this year. You taste unique flavors with each bite. Nice and light for snacks or entertaining. The peanut sauce is the final touch of flavor that makes you want one more for the road.

Tastes like what you get at restaurants! Forgot the lettuce and added shredded carrots. Only made hoisin dipping sauce. Took a little practice to assemble but fairly easy once you get the hang of it . FYI rice vermicelli was called cellophane noodles at my grocery store. Thanks for sharing!!

These were very good. The only change I made was leaving the mint out and left the shrimp whole. They need to be eaten the day you make them. The ones I had left over did not save well. Both sauces were very good also.

I've been making these for years and love them. Some tips I've learned: not all rice paper wraps are created equal, try different brands; shrimp can be cut/split down the center to make go further; mint is so delicious, I use whole leaves; dry ingredients inside help make the rolling easier; must dip them in something (all sauces mentioned here sound great!) otherwise they taste bland; can't beat how healthy they are!! YUM!

The sauces are fabulous. I made these with saifun mung bean threads, cucumber, cilantro, green onions (white part chopped and greens laid lengthwise), and broccoli slaw from a bag! Couldn't have been easier and I am a very basic cook! Everything was available in my local supermarket.....so delicious, healthy, and no cooking! even the bean threads just required soaking for a minute in boiled water.

Didn't really care for this, for all the effort of prep and finding the ingredients, the final product wasn't all that fantastic taste wise. I liked the texture and aroma of the herbs, but was really lacking in flavor. I made the shrimp ones with the addition of crisp blanched asparagus, shredded carrots and sprouts. And I made another lot with marinated thin pork slices which helped with the flavor aspect. My favorite part was the 1st sauce, without the sauce the rolls would have been barely edible. The final product did look really cool though, I wouldn't make this again unless it was for a fancy party or something. It was a good light meal, very fitting for a hot afternoon.

I've had a vietnamese dish named buns (boons). Anyway, since then I've remembered the ingredients but didn't know how to make the fish sauce (named nuoc mam). I found a recipe but when I made it, it didn't taste anything like the restaurant. So, I decided that was the best I could do, then decided to see if I could do spring rolls. I got your recipe and saw the fish sauce and couldn't believe it. I've looked all over this web site for it. Anyway, I made it and it was just like the one I'd eaten before. I poured the other out. I didn't have all the ingredients for the spring rolls, although I will soon. I'm just glad I looked for them. Thanks