Fresh Spring Rolls Peanut Sauce

Published on July 27, 2022 Fresh spring rolls-colorful vegetables, rice noodles, and herbs wrapped in rice paper. Serve with peanut sauce on the side for dunking the rolls. Enjoy as an appetizer, snack, or light meal. I love to pick a variety of veggies for color, texture, and flavor. A few of my favorites include: lettuce, bell peppers, carrots, cucumbers, and cabbage. I also add avocado because avocado makes everything better. Spring rolls are fun to make for parties. We like to have all of the ingredients prepped and ready so when the guests arrive they can make their own spring rolls. It is a fun and interactive way to get the party going. Don’t be scared, they are easy to roll, just like making a burrito, once you get the hang of it you will be a spring roll pro! Practice makes perfect. Rock and roll! I also like to eat these spring rolls for lunch or a light dinner, especially in the summertime. They are refreshing and full of flavor.

Spring Roll Ingredients

Rice paper (spring roll wrappers)– you can find the round spring roll wrappers at most grocery stores in the Asian aisle. Vermicelli rice noodles– thin rice noodles also called rice sticks or maifun. The cooking time of the noodles varies across brands so make sure you follow the package instructions. Lettuce– I love the texture of butter lettuce, but red or green leaf lettuce will work too. Bell peppers– I like to use red and yellow bell peppers for color. Cut them into thin strips.Carrot-thinly sliced.Purple cabbage– for crunch and color. Cucumbers– use Persian or English cucumbers, again, thinly sliced. Avocado– I love adding avocado for a creamy element. Herbs-fresh mint, basil (regular or Thai), and cilantro leaves.

Peanut Sauce

Peanut butter– I like to use creamy natural peanut butter. Hoisin sauce– adds a nice sweetness. Rice wine vinegar– for a little tang. Soy sauce– use low sodium soy sauce. If you need the spring rolls to be gluten-free, make sure you use Tamari. Garlic– minced fresh garlic. Ginger– make sure you use fresh ginger. The flavor is SO good! Sriracha– for a little heat. Hot water– to thin out the peanut sauce. Chopped peanuts– for garnish.

To make the peanut sauce, in a medium bowl, stir together all of the ingredients, except for the water and chopped peanuts. Whisk in the hot water until sauce is smooth. If the sauce is too thick, you can add a little more water until desired consistency is reached. Pour in a serving bowl and garnish with chopped peanuts. Set aside until ready to serve.

Set Up the Work Station

Before you get started, make sure your work station is set up and ready to go.

Have all of your veggies cut up and your ingredients laid out. Cook the noodles, according to package directions. Lay a damp, linen-free towel over a clean work surface. You will roll the spring rolls directly on the towel. You need to dip the rice paper in water to soften it up. Put warm water in a pie plate or shallow bowl. Make sure the water isn’t too hot. Have a platter or plate ready to place the spring rolls on.

How to Make Spring Rolls

Place a rice paper in the water and let soften for about 20 seconds, or until pliable. Don’t let them get too soggy or they will rip. You want the papers to still feel rigid, it will make them easier to roll. Carefully remove the paper from the water and lay flat on the towel. Lay one piece of lettuce over the bottom third of the rice paper. On the lettuce, place about 2 tablespoons of rice noodles, and equal amounts of peppers, cucumber, carrot, cabbage, and avocado. Top with a few fresh herb leaves. Don’t use too many ingredients or it will be too hard to roll. Pick up the end of the rice paper closest to the filling and tightly wrap it over the veggies. Fold over the sides, like you are making a burrito. The paper will stick to itself, holding everything inside. Finish rolling until you have a tight spring roll. Place on a platter, seam side down or cut with a sharp knife on the diagonal. Repeat the process with remaining ingredients.Serve with peanut dipping sauce.

Variations

Spring rolls are fun to make and easy to customize. If you want to mix up the fillings, here are some ideas.

Use your favorite veggies, just make sure you thinly slice them so they are easy to roll. Add tofu, just make sure you squeeze out the excess liquid before using. Add shrimp, don’t forget to remove the tails! Serve with a different sauce. I prefer peanut sauce, but spring rolls are also good with with nước chấm, a Vietnamese dipping sauce made of fish sauce, chili, sugar, and lime juice.

Can Spring Rolls be Made in Advance?

You can make the peanut sauce and prepare the veggies up to two days in advance, but spring rolls are best the day they are made. If you refrigerate spring rolls overnight, the rice paper hardens, making the rolls a weird, chewy texture.