Vietnamese Spring Rolls With Shrimp, Pork and Herbs

Vietnam • Regional Dish • Appetizer

Gỏi Cuốn (Vietnamese Spring Rolls)

These fresh Vietnamese spring rolls combine shrimp, pork, herbs, rice vermicelli, and crisp vegetables, wrapped in soft rice paper and served with a bright dipping sauce.

Servings8
Prep Time35 min
Cook Time15 min
DifficultyModerate
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Instructions

  1. Cook the shrimp in boiling water for 2 minutes, then drain and cool. Slice each shrimp in half lengthwise.
  2. Simmer the pork in lightly salted water for 10 to 12 minutes, or until just cooked through. Cool slightly, then slice thinly.
  3. Soak the rice vermicelli according to package directions until tender, then drain and rinse under cold water. Cut the noodles a few times with scissors if they seem too long.
  4. Stir together the warm water, fish sauce, lime juice, sugar, garlic, and chili in a small bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set the dipping sauce aside.
  5. Arrange the shrimp, pork, noodles, carrot, cucumber, lettuce, mint, and cilantro near your work surface so rolling goes faster and with less chaos.
  6. Dip one rice paper sheet in lukewarm water for just a few seconds, then lay it on a damp board or clean work surface. Let it soften briefly.
  7. Place a lettuce leaf near the lower third of the rice paper. Add a small bundle of noodles, carrot, cucumber, mint, and cilantro on top.
  8. Set a few slices of pork over the vegetables. Place 4 shrimp halves in a line closer to the upper third of the wrapper, cut side up, so they show through the finished roll.
  9. Roll the lower edge of the rice paper up over the filling and tuck it in firmly. Fold in the sides, then continue rolling to the top into a tight cylinder.
  10. Repeat with the remaining wrappers and filling ingredients.
  11. Serve the spring rolls right away with the dipping sauce.

Cultural Context

In Vietnamese, these fresh rice paper rolls are called gỏi cuốn, often translated as “salad rolls.” They are typically filled with shrimp, pork, vegetables, herbs, and rice vermicelli, then served as a cool, fresh dish rather than fried. The balance matters: soft wrapper, tender noodles, fragrant herbs, and a dipping sauce that wakes everything up without bulldozing the flavor. Nước chấm is the traditional dip, even though peanut sauce is also popular in many home kitchens and restaurants.

Fun Fact

The Vietnamese word cuốn means “to roll,” which means the name gỏi cuốn basically tells you exactly what is happening. Rare and refreshing honesty from food terminology.

Cook’s Tip

Shrimp and pork are a classic combination for gỏi cuốn, but you can use only shrimp if you want a lighter version. Butter lettuce helps keep the filling tidy and makes rolling easier, which is a nice little gift from the food gods. If your rice paper tears often, you are probably soaking it too long or using water that is too hot.

These rolls are best eaten the day they’re made. The filling can be prepared ahead, but rolled spring rolls tend to toughen and dry out in the refrigerator. Keep the filling restrained rather than cramming in every vegetable in your kitchen. A good spring roll should feel fresh, balanced, and easy to bite, not like edible luggage. Traditional versions are wrapped in rice paper with rice vermicelli and are commonly served with nước chấm, while some cooks also serve them with peanut sauce.

Trivia

One classic rolling trick is to place the shrimp closer to the outer layer of the rice paper so their pink-orange color shows through the finished roll. It is practical and showy, which is really the best combination.

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