Discover the Easy Recipe for Homemade Spring Rolls You Never Knew You Needed!

From shrimp fritters to steamed dumplings, as the Chinese New Year approaches, supermarket end caps fill up with Asian delicacies. And like clockwork, you’re tempted to grab a box or two. However, a closer look at the endless list of ingredients might make you think twice. Not to mention the price, which can be off-putting. So, you consider maybe homemade spring rolls would be a better option. The catch? It seems too complex: hard-to-find ingredients, special tools, the intricate folding… Just the thought might discourage you.

But what if we told you making homemade spring rolls isn’t that complicated? You don’t need any special equipment, and these days, every grocery store carries the necessary ingredients in their international foods section. All that’s left is a foolproof recipe… “I always wanted to make these but was too scared to start… The instructions are perfect and the results delicious,” says Françoise, a user who was thoroughly impressed by the traditional Vietnamese spring roll recipe from Women’s Journal. It looks like we’ve found the right method!

Easy Vietnamese Spring Rolls: Ingredients

Here are the ingredients needed to make 30 to 40 spring rolls, depending on the size of the rice paper wrappers and the amount of filling you use:

• 150 g of shrimp
• 600 g of pork shoulder
• A handful of dried black mushrooms
• 2 carrots
• A handful of bean sprouts
• 2 yellow onions
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 100 g of rice vermicelli
• Rice paper wrappers (preferably 16 cm in diameter)
• 1 egg
• 4 tbsp soy sauce
• Some cilantro (or parsley if you’re not a fan)
• Green salad leaves (like lettuce or oak leaf)
• Mint leaves
• Salt and pepper

Steps to Prepare

From preparing the filling to cooking and folding the spring rolls, here’s a step-by-step guide. The process is simple, but it requires some patience.

1. Begin by soaking the mushrooms and vermicelli in warm water for 15 minutes to rehydrate them. Chop the mushrooms (after removing the stems) along with the vermicelli. Also chop the cilantro or parsley, and the bean sprouts.
2. Peel the shrimp and chop them with the pork. Grate the carrots, chop the onions, and crush the garlic.
3. Combine everything in a large mixing bowl. Add a beaten egg, soy sauce, and season generously with salt and pepper. Mix well: your filling is ready.
4. Soak a rice paper wrapper in warm water for 20 to 30 seconds, flipping it until it softens. Carefully place it on a clean towel to absorb excess water.
5. Place about two teaspoons of filling at the base of the wrapper and flatten slightly. Roll from the bottom up tightly to avoid air pockets (which could cause the spring rolls to burst during cooking). Fold the left and right sides over the filling, then finish rolling up tightly. Repeat until all the filling is used. For more detailed instructions, refer to the Women’s Journal recipe where the folding of the spring rolls is illustrated step-by-step.
6. To cook the spring rolls, heat a generous amount of neutral oil in a frying pan. Fry them over high heat to brown, then reduce to a low heat to cook through. Turn the spring rolls regularly to prevent burning. Allow about 15 minutes for cooking. Drain on paper towels, then let them cool slightly before enjoying wrapped in a lettuce leaf with mint leaves.

Pair your spring rolls with a special dipping sauce. Mix 3 tbsp of fish sauce with 3 tbsp of water, a bit of lemon juice, sugar, salt, and garlic.

And there you have it, your homemade spring rolls are ready to enjoy. Sure, it takes a bit of patience, but the satisfaction of making them yourself is well worth it. You’ll find they taste even better…