Is Vietnamese Spring Rolls Healthy?

Yes, Spring Rolls are healthy! It's full of fresh ingredients like fresh vegetables, herbs, and low-fat protein if using shrimp or tofu. The Vietnamese rice paper rolls and cooked vermicelli noodles are made from rice flour, making it low in carbs, but it has a small amount that keeps you satisfied but is not overly full like a heavy rice dish. You can always omit the noodles and fill up your rolls with all vegetables and shrimp if desired! However, be mindful of the delicious dipping sauce, which can pack hidden calories.

What is the Difference Between Egg Rolls and Spring Rolls?

Egg rolls and Spring rolls use very similar ingredients, and it’s easy to confuse them if you are unfamiliar. The difference between egg rolls and spring rolls is that egg rolls use cooked ingredients like ground meat, vegetables, and glass noodles or bean thread noodles. The Eggrolls are then deep-fried and served with a sweet peanut dipping sauce on the side. Spring Rolls, on the only hand, use fresh raw ingredients with cooked shrimp or protein, and they can be eaten raw without frying or cooking. Think of it this way, “Spring” Rolls equals fresh and light, while “Egg” Rolls need to be cooked before eating. (:

How long can you keep leftover spring rolls?

Fresh spring rolls are best eaten "fresh" in one setting. If there are leftovers, use a damp paper towel to wrap around the rolls, then use plastic wrap to cover the spring rolls. Keep them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for only one meal.

Vietnamese Fresh Spring Rolls with Thai Sweet Chili Sauce

Name: Vietnamese Spring Rolls Recipe
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 50 min
Yield: 10
Cuisine: Vietnamese
Ingredients: 1 packet of vermicelli noodles; 1 tablespoon salt for boiling with the noodles.; ½ teaspoon fish sauce; ½ teaspoon lime juice; 1 pound cooked shrimp; 1 tablespoon salt; 1 teaspoon fish sauce; 1 teaspoon lime juice; 10-15 large spring roll wrappers; 1 cup shredded carrots; 2 cucumbers, sliced thin and long (Persian, pickling, or English cucumbers are best); 2 cups bean sprouts; 15-20 sprigs of cilantro (leave long, 3-4 inches); 20-30 leaves of fresh mint leaves; 20-30 leaves of Thai basil; 2 cups romaine lettuce (chopped in salad bite-size pieces); 1 cup of sweet chili sauce; 2 tablespoon water; 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or lime juice; 2 tablespoons minced cilantro; 2 tablespoons carrots, diced

Description

Vietnamese fresh spring rolls with sweet Thai chili sauce are the perfect appetizer with fresh crunchy vegetables, tasty vermicelli noodles, and cooked shrimp. These homemade spring rolls are healthy, light, refreshing, and satisfying. A perfect starter to serve all year round!

Ingredients

Scale

For the Spring Rolls

1 packet of vermicelli noodles
1 tablespoon salt for boiling with the noodles.
½ teaspoon fish sauce
½ teaspoon lime juice
1 pound cooked shrimp
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon fish sauce
1 teaspoon lime juice
10-15 large spring roll wrappers
1 cup shredded carrots
2 cucumbers, sliced thin and long (Persian, pickling, or English cucumbers are best)
2 cups bean sprouts
15-20 sprigs of cilantro (leave long, 3-4 inches)
20-30 leaves of fresh mint leaves
20-30 leaves of Thai basil
2 cups romaine lettuce (chopped in salad bite-size pieces)

For the Dipping Sauce

1 cup of sweet chili sauce
2 tablespoon water
1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or lime juice
2 tablespoons minced cilantro
2 tablespoons carrots, diced

Cook Mode Prevent your screen from going dark

Instructions

Cook the noodles according to the package instruction. Add 1 tablespoon of salt to the water to help season it a bit. Rinse the noodle with cold water, place in a bowl, and season with fish sauce, lime juice, or any flavor of your liking. Set aside the other ingredients for rolling. These vermicelli rice noodles can be found in Asian markets.
Dip the rice wrapper in warm water in a large bowl for a few seconds until softened. Don't let it get too soft or difficult to handle. Cold water will take longer than warm water.
Grab a small handful of noodles, and spread them into a short strip the length of your pointy finger.
Add the sliced cucumbers on either side of the noodle to form a rectangular shape. I use this trick to help keep the noodles and ingredients in one place for easy folding.
Add a tiny amount of each herb and vegetable to the noodles.
Roll the top of the softened noodles over the top of the ingredients.
Fold each side of the wrapper over the ingredients to wrap around the ingredients.
Add the shrimp on top, then roll until the end of the rice paper. That's it! You have yourself a delicious fresh spring roll! Roll the other wrappers or as many as you'd like for your servings. Keep any leftover rice paper wrappers in an air-tight container for the next time to keep them from getting stale.

Notes

Do not use hot water to soak your wrappers. The thin rice paper sheets will get cooked quickly, causing the sheets to rib or damage easily in boiling water.
Cut your finished spring rolls in half using a kitchen scissor. This technique is helpful when you are short on time and want the appetizer to last for all the guests to sample a small piece.
Cutting your spring rolls also allows the guests to scoop the sauce into the middle part of the roll, making them tasty to the last bite.
Slice your shrimp in half for an easier roll. They also go a long way if sliced in halves.
Season your noodles before use. Add fish sauce, soy sauce, lime juice, or rice vinegar to season the otherwise bland noodles! This is my secret tip to make my summer rolls extra flavorful and addictive.
For leftover ingredients, turn them into a healthy and tasty salad bowl!
Don’t be discouraged if the first few wrappers look immature-ish. It takes practice; after a few rolls, you should feel comfortable wrapping them. You may rip some wrappers, and that’s ok. Just get a new one and start fresh. There are usually 25 wrappers in one packet. You will get a hold of the wrapping in no time at all.
Spring rolls are best eaten fresh. You can refrigerate them and eat them for the next meal, but I don’t recommend eating them as leftovers the next day at all. So roll your wrappers accordingly.
If using pre-cooked frozen shrimp, steam it for a few minutes until soft. Then let cool and slice the shrimp in half lengthwise.
If using raw shrimp, boil a pot of water with 1 tablespoon of salt, with enough water to cover the shrimp. Devein the shrimp, add the raw shrimp, and cook for 3-4 minutes. Turn off the heat, drain the water in a colander, let it cool, and slice the shrimp in half lengthwise.
Spring Rolls are best eaten fresh. You can refrigerate them and eat them for the next meal, but I don’t recommend eating them as leftovers the next day at all. So roll your wrappers accordingly. They are amazing as party finger food. It’s sure to impress your guests if you bring a full platter or homemade fresh spring rolls to share!
If using pre-cooked frozen shrimp, steam it for a few minutes until soft. Then let cool and slice the shrimp in half lengthwise.
If using raw shrimp, boil a pot of water with 1 Tbsp of salt, with enough water to cover the shrimp. Add the raw shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes. Turn off the heat, drain the water in a colander, let it cool, and slice the shrimp in half lengthwise.
If the shrimp has shells, peel the shells first before cooking. Then boil a pot of water with 1Tbsp of salt, with enough water to cover the shrimp, add the raw shrimp and cook for 3-5 minutes. Turn off the heat and drain the water in a colander. Let cool, and slice the shrimp in half lengthwise.

Prep Time: 20
Cook Time: 30
Category: Appetizer
Method: stove top
Cuisine: Vietnamese

Keywords: Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Summer Rolls, Shrimp Spring Rolls, Vietnamese Spring Rolls Recipe, spring rolls, fresh rolls