Description
Fresh Spring Rolls are a light, vibrant appetizer featuring delicate rice wrappers filled with shrimp, fresh herbs, crisp vegetables, and vermicelli noodles, served with a creamy, flavorful peanut dipping sauce. Perfect for a healthy, refreshing snack or starter, these rolls combine sweet mango, crunchy carrot and cucumber, fragrant mint, basil, and cilantro for an irresistible taste.
Ingredients
Spring Rolls
- 1 package spring roll rice wrappers (found in the Asian foods section at the grocery store)
- 1 package vermicelli rice noodles (found in the Asian foods section at the grocery store)
- 2 mangos, peeled and sliced into thin strips
- 1 large carrot, peeled and shredded or sliced into thin strips
- 1 large English cucumber, peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 pound small, cooked shrimp, deveined, tails removed (or substitute chicken)
- 1 bunch fresh mint leaves
- 1 bunch fresh basil leaves
- 1 bunch fresh cilantro
Peanut Dipping Sauce
- 3/4 cup sweet chili sauce
- 1/3 cup peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)
- 1/2 teaspoon low-sodium soy sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon hoisin sauce
Instructions
- Cook the Vermicelli Noodles: Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the vermicelli rice noodles according to the package instructions, usually just for a few minutes until tender. Drain and rinse with cold water to stop cooking and keep noodles separated.
- Prepare the Fillings: Gather and prepare all toppings—peel and slice the mangos, shred or thinly slice the carrot and cucumber, and have the fresh herbs and cooked shrimp ready to go.
- Soften the Rice Wrappers: Pour about 1 inch of warm water into a deep dish or pie pan. Dip one rice wrapper into the water and soak for 10-15 seconds. Remove it when it still feels firm but pliable, and lay it flat on your work surface or plate.
- Layer the Ingredients: Place 1-2 slices of each vegetable, a few shrimp, a few leaves of each herb, and a small pinch of noodles on the third of the rice wrapper closest to you.
- Roll the Springs Rolls: Fold the sides of the wrapper inward over the fillings, then carefully roll the closest edge up and over the ingredients tightly, like a burrito, sealing the roll completely. Avoid soaking the wrapper too long to prevent tearing.
- Make the Peanut Dipping Sauce: Combine the sweet chili sauce, peanut butter, low-sodium soy sauce, and hoisin sauce in a food processor or blender. Pulse until the mixture is smooth and creamy. Serve alongside the spring rolls for dipping.
Notes
- Do not soak rice wrappers for too long or they will become too fragile and tear during rolling.
- Substitute cooked chicken for shrimp if preferred or for a poultry variation.
- The peanut dipping sauce can be adjusted for thickness by adding a little water if too thick.
- Add fresh lime juice or crushed peanuts to the sauce for extra zing and crunch.
- These spring rolls are best served fresh to maintain their crisp and fresh texture.
