These Fresh Spring Rolls are light, crunchy, and packed with crisp veggies, rice noodles, and fresh herbs, all wrapped up in soft rice paper. They come together in only 30 minutes with no cooking required. They're the perfect appetizer, light lunch, or make-ahead snack for a hot day.
🔍 Quick Look: Fresh Spring Rolls
- 🕒 Ready In: 30 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 16 rolls
- 🔥 Calories: ~50 per serving
- ⭐ Main Ingredients: Rice paper, rice noodles, lettuce, carrots, cucumber, herbs
- 📖 Dietary Info: Vegetarian, vegan, gluten-free
- 👩🍳 Method: No-cook
- ⭐ Difficulty: Beginner
I first fell in love with fresh spring rolls when I had them in Thailand dipped in the most amazing peanut sauce. I came home determined to figure out how to make them, and after tearing a lot of rice paper and overstuffing the rolls, I finally figured it out! This recipe has since become my go-to when I want something fresh and light for a snack or even lunch.
Craving more Asian flavors? Don't miss my Thai Peanut Sauce (perfect for dipping these spring rolls), Coconut Lemongrass Tea, and Baked Chicken Satay.
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❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe
- No Cooking Required - Aside from a quick boil of the noodles, these rolls come together with zero oven or stovetop time. They're perfect for making on hot summer days!
- Fresh and Healthy - Loaded with fresh veggies and herbs, the spring rolls are naturally vegan and gluten-free, and light enough for a snack or a side dish for a meal.
- Totally Customizable - Swap in whatever veggies, herbs, or protein you have on hand. Make the spring rolls your own creation, the options are endless!
🛒 Key Ingredients
- Rice paper wrappers: This tends to be the one ingredient people struggle with. I recommend buying an extra pack if you haven't worked with them before, since it can be a bit of a learning curve. This is the make-or-break ingredient.
- Rice vermicelli noodles: Thin rice noodles that cook in just a few minutes. Rinse them cold right after cooking so they don't clump together.
- Fresh herbs: A mix of mint and cilantro is what makes these taste bright and authentic. Don't skimp on these, the herbs really add nice fresh flavor.
See the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and quantities.
🔄 Substitutions & Variations
- Add Protein: These are vegetarian, but you can add cooked shrimp, shredded chicken, or crispy tofu if you want a heartier roll.
- Noodles: Use any thin rice noodle, or even skip the noodles for a lower-carb, extra-veggie roll.
- Veggies: Switch up the veggies with bell pepper strips, shredded purple cabbage, avocado slices, or thin mango strips all work really well in these rolls.
- Herbs: Add Thai basil (if you can find it) for an even more authentic, fragrant flavor.
How to Work With Rice Paper
Rice paper looks intimidating, but it's easy once you know the trick for working with it. Fill a large shallow bowl with warm water and dip one wrapper in for just 5 to 10 seconds. It should still feel slightly firm when you pull it out, not fully soft.
🥣 How to Make Recipe Name
Step 1: Dip one sheet of rice paper into warm water in a shallow dish for about 5-10 seconds. It should still feel slightly firm when you remove it, but it will soften more as you work with it.
Step 2: Lay a clean lint-free towel down on your work surface. Place the sheet of rice paper onto it.
Step 3: In the lower third of the wrapper, layer a small handful of lettuce, a few cucumber and carrot sticks, a small pinch of noodles, and a couple of fresh mint and cilantro leaves.
Step 4: Fold the bottom of the wrapper up over the filling.
Step 5: Fold in the sides like an envelope.
Step 6: Roll tightly upward until you have a small burrito shape. Enjoy with peanut sauce!
🌟Expert Tips
- Don't overstuff. This is the number one reason the spring rolls tear. A small amount of filling is all you need, and it makes the rolls much easier to roll.
- Don't oversoak the rice paper. Pull it out while it still feels a little firm. It will keep softening as you work with it, and an over-soaked wrapper tears the second you touch it.
- Work one wrapper at a time. Rice paper is unforgiving if it dries out or sits too long. Soak, fill, roll, then move on to the next.
- Get your station ready first. Rolling goes fast, so have all your veggies sliced, your noodles cooked, and your water bowl set up before you soften the first wrapper.
- Keep finished rolls covered. Place a damp paper towel over them so they don't dry out, and space them apart so they don't stick to each other.
💭 FAQs
Space them out on the plate rather than piling them up, and cover them with a damp paper towel. If you're storing them, lay a piece of parchment between each roll so they don't stick together.
They're best the day you make them, but you can prep a few hours ahead. Wrap them individually in a damp paper towel, store in an airtight container in the fridge, and eat within a day for the best texture.
Yes! They're low in calories, packed with fresh veggies and herbs, and naturally vegan and gluten-free. Most of the calories actually come from the dipping sauce.
Absolutely. These are vegetarian as written, but cooked shrimp, shredded chicken, or even crispy tofu all make great additions. Just add them to the lower third of the wrapper along with the veggies.
I highly recommend enjoying the spring rolls on the day they are made, but they can be stored if you happen to have leftovers. Wrap each spring roll individually in plastic wrap. This will prevent them from sticking together and drying out. They can be stored in the refrigerator for up to 2-3 days.
More Asian Recipes to Try
📋 Recipe
Fresh Spring Rolls
Ingredients
- 16 rice paper wrappers
- 3 ounces rice vermicelli noodles cooked
- 3 cups romaine lettuce thinly sliced
- 2 medium carrots julienned
- 1 English cucumber julienned
- ¾ cup fresh cilantro leaves
- ¾ cup fresh mint leaves
- peanut sauce for dipping
Instructions
- Dip one sheet of rice paper into warm water in a shallow dish for about 5-10 seconds. It should still feel slightly firm when you remove it, but it will soften more as you work with it.
- Lay a clean lint-free towel down on your work surface. Place the sheet of rice paper onto it.
- In the lower third of the wrapper, layer a small handful of lettuce, a few cucumber and carrot sticks, a small pinch of noodles, and a couple of fresh mint and cilantro leaves.
- Fold the bottom of the wrapper up over the filling. Then fold in the sides like an envelope. Roll tightly upward until you have a small burrito shape. Enjoy with peanut sauce!
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