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Home Quick and Easy

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

By:Nagi
Published:28 Apr '17Updated:5 Feb '23
456 Comments
Recipe v Video v Dozer v

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls are packed with bright, fresh flavours and served with an insanely addictive Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce that takes a minute to make. With a couple of cheeky tricks, step by step photos and an easy to follow video, you’ll be rolling perfect rice paper rolls like a pro in no time!

This is a reader-favourite recipe included by popular demand in my debut cookbook “Dinner”!

Jam packed with fresh, bright flavours, learn how to make Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with an easy to follow video tutorial and step by step photos. Served with an addictive Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce! recipetineats.com

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls – always a hit!!

If I took a platter of these to a gathering with my friends, I guarantee they’d be one of the first things to go. Everybody I know loves these. Even the hardest of hard-core carnivores munch these down as enthusiastically as they would a rack of ribs.

They truly are that good.

Vietnamese food is my idea of the ultimate “accidently healthy” food. Sure, there are a handful of deep fried recipes. But generally, most Vietnamese dishes are super fresh, full of bright flavours, loaded with herbs and salads, with just a bit of protein. Dressings and sauces are refreshingly light and devoid of oil, unlike basically every Western dressing!

Jam packed with fresh, bright flavours, learn how to make Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with an easy to follow video tutorial and step by step photos. Served with an addictive Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce! recipetineats.com

I think that Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls are one of those things that people love but always assume are just too fiddly or too hard to make. To dispel of that myth, let me tell you – I am not into fiddly. That’s why you’ll never see fancy decorated cakes on my blog. I simply don’t have the patience or co-ordination for fiddly dishes – sweet or savoury.

I actually posted this recipe way back when I started my blog. A couple of years on, and my photos have somewhat improved but more importantly – VIDEO! I REALLY wanted to remake this with a video, it is so great to be able to demonstrate how to make these rolls.

Serving idea: DIY spread!

Lay out all the ingredients with a large bowl of water for dipping the rice paper in, then make everyone make their own. This DIY approach is a menu item on Vietnamese restaurants here in Sydney which is very popular, I always order it!

Jam packed with fresh, bright flavours, learn how to make Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with an easy to follow video tutorial and step by step photos. Served with an addictive Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce! recipetineats.com
Jam packed with fresh, bright flavours, learn how to make Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with an easy to follow video tutorial and step by step photos. Served with an addictive Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce! recipetineats.com

Tips to make Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls

In addition to the video, I have 2 little tips that can make your Vietnamese Rice Paper Roll Making Life so much easier:

  1. Bundle up fly-away bits inside a piece of lettuce. I like making these with bean sprouts and vermicelli noodles (other filling suggestions in the recipe notes). Until you get your rolling technique down pat, bundle it up in lettuce before rolling it in the rice paper. This holds the “stuff” together which makes it so much easier to roll the rice paper and it will also prevent things like bean sprouts, carrots, cucumber etc from piercing the rice paper;

  2. Use two rice paper sheets – again, this is a tip while you are an up-and-coming Rice Paper Roll Master. It is much easier to handle when rolling. The downside is that the ends are a touch chewy, because there’s triple / quadruple layers. But it’s not tough chewy, not in the least bit. It’s just chewy compared to how soft and fragile a single layer of rice paper is. It doesn’t deter me at all. My mother noticed it, but it didn’t stop her from hoeing down 4 of these in minutes. Never fails to amazes me that a woman of a certain age can consume so much so quickly. (PS She came over to be my hand model for the video, this was a tough one to shoot by myself!)

Jam packed with fresh, bright flavours, learn how to make Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with an easy to follow video tutorial and step by step photos. Served with an addictive Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce! recipetineats.com

PS The reason the prawns and lettuce bundle are laid out in different positions on the rice paper is so there is only layer of rice paper on the prawns once rolled up – makes the prawns more visible. Ie Pretty rolls.

Peanut Dipping Sauce for Rice Paper Rolls

This peanut sauce is everything!! This is a Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce. The 2 key ingredients are peanut butter and hoisin sauce which is thinned out with either milk or water (I prefer milk for colour. With water, the sauce is darker). Plus vinegar for a bit of tang (really needs it), garlic (it ain’t Asian if there’s no garlic in it!) and a touch of chilli if you want (which I love).

It’s different to Thai / Malaysian / Chinese style peanut sauces and I think you and this Vietnamese Peanut Sauce are going to be very good friends. 🙂

Jam packed with fresh, bright flavours, learn how to make Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with an easy to follow video tutorial and step by step photos. Served with an addictive Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce! recipetineats.com

So…..what do you think? 🙂 Have I convinced you to try your hand at becoming a Rice Paper Roll Master?? – Nagi xx

PS There are a bunch of other filling ideas in the recipe notes. I’ve kept this fairly classic.

PPS Even if they are wonky, they still taste incredible!!!

Get your Vietnamese fix!

  • Bun Cha – Vietnamese Meatballs (Noodle Bowl)

  • Lemongrass Chicken – one of my favourite things to grill!

  • Vietnamese Caramel Pork – another iconic Vietnamese food! Also see the Chicken version.

  • Vietnamese Caramelised Pork Bowls – the super quick version of the above

  • Vietnamese Noodle Salad

  • Vietnamese Chicken Salad

And some other ways with fresh prawns

  • 5 Prawn Dipping Sauces for a giant bucket of fresh prawns

  • Prawn Mango Avocado Summer Salad with Lime Dressing

  • Thai Prawn Mango Avocado Salad

  • Prawn Cocktail

  • Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls (this recipe)

  • Fresh peeled prawns alongside a Corn Salad with Avocado for a quick summer meal

  • Browse all Prawn / Shrimp Recipes

Jam packed with fresh, bright flavours, learn how to make Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with an easy to follow video tutorial and step by step photos. Served with an addictive Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce! recipetineats.com
Jam packed with fresh, bright flavours, learn how to make Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with an easy to follow video tutorial and step by step photos. Served with an addictive Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce! recipetineats.com

Watch How To Make It

This recipe features in my debut cookbook Dinner. The book is mostly new recipes, but this is a reader favourite included by popular demand!

Hungry for more? Subscribe to my newsletter and follow along on Facebook, Pinterest and Instagram for all of the latest updates.

Jam packed with fresh, bright flavours, learn how to make Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls with an easy to follow video tutorial and step by step photos. Served with an addictive Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce! www.recipetineats.com

Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls (Spring Rolls)

Author: Nagi | RecipeTin Eats
Prep: 20 mins
Total: 20 mins
Appetizer, Finger Food, Starter
Vietnamese
4.88 from 113 votes
Servings7
Tap or hover to scale
Print
  • 16567
Recipe video above. Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls are incredibly fresh and healthy. The Vietnamese peanut dipping sauce that accompanies this is sensational and completely addictive!

Ingredients

  • 7 – 14 sheets of 22cm/8.5″ round rice paper (Note 1)
  • 11 small cooked prawns/shrimp (about 12cm/5″ in length, unpeeled including the head)
  • 50g / 1.5 oz dried vermicelli noodles
  • 7 lettuce leaves – use a lettuce with soft leaves, like Oak or Butter Lettuce (Note 2)
  • 14 mint leaves
  • 1 cup bean sprouts

Vietnamese Peanut Dipping Sauce (Note 3)

  • 1 tbsp peanut butter, preferably smooth (crunchy is ok too)
  • 2 tbsp Hoisin Sauce
  • 1 1/2 tbsp white vinegar (or lime juice)
  • 1/3 cup milk (any fat %) (or water)
  • 1 garlic clove, minced
  • 1/2 tsp crushed chilli, samba oelak or other chilli paste, adjust to taste (optional)

Instructions

  • Peanut Sauce: Combine the Peanut Dipping Sauce ingredients. Mix briefly (it won’t come together), then microwave for 30 seconds. Mix again until smooth. Set aside to cool. Adjust sour with vinegar, salt with salt and spiciness to taste.  Thickness can be adjusted with milk or water once cooled.
  • Place vermicelli noodles in a bowl and cover with warm water for 2 minutes, then drain (or follow packet instructions).
  • Peel the prawns, slice in half lengthwise and devein (watch video).
  • Remove the crunchy core of the lettuce leaves (watch video).
  • Tip – LETTUCE BUNDLE (Note 4): Place some vermicelli noodles and bean sprouts in a lettuce leaf, then roll it up, finishing seam side down. Repeat.
  • Fill a large bowl with warm water. The bowl doesn’t need to be large enough to fit the whole rice paper in one go.
  • Place two rice papers together (if using 2). Note which side is the smooth side – this is supposed to be the outside of the spring roll. Submerge the rice papers into the water (both of them at the same time, together) for 2 seconds. If your bowl isn’t large enough to fit the whole rice paper in one go, that’s fine, just rotate it and count 2 seconds for each section you submerge into the water.
  • Place both the rice papers (one on top of the other, they will stick together) on a board or the counter with the smooth side down.
  • On the top part of the rice paper, place 3 prawns with a mint leaf in between, as per the photo below.
  • Place the lettuce bundle with the seam side down onto the middle of the rice paper.
  • Fold the left and right edges of the rice paper in, then starting from the bottom, roll up to cover the lettuce bundle. Then keep rolling firmly. The rice paper is sticky, it will seal itself.
  • If you placed the ingredients on the rice paper as per the photo below, your rice paper rolls should look pretty with the prawn and mint leaves on the smooth side of the roll and the seam on the side or underside of the roll.
  • Serve immediately with the peanut dipping sauce.

Recipe Notes:

* Peanut free sauce alternative: sweet chilli sauce.
1. Tip to make your rice paper roll life easier: use 2 rice papers per roll. Easier to handle and less prone to tearing. The ends of the roll where there are quadruple layers of rice paper will be a bit chewier, but not super chewy, it is still soft. 
Nowadays, rice paper is sold even at supermarkets here in Australia, in the Asian section. It’s super good value too!
2. Lettuce: I use butter or oak lettuce because they are softer and more pliable than iceberg which makes it perfect for rolling up. Iceberg and other crunchy lettuce doesn’t work as well because they break when you scrunch them, and are prone to tearing the rice paper. If you can’t find a soft lettuce, then I suggest shredding the lettuce – it will make it much easier to handle!
3. Sauce: Some Hoisin sauces differ in strength of flavour so adjust the flavour to taste at the end by adding more peanut butter or vinegar, then milk or water to adjust thickness. Milk doesn’t add flavour to the sauce, it just makes it a lighter colour so you know it’s a peanut sauce – the colour you get at Vietnamese restaurants. So you can use water if you prefer, but the sauce will be a darker brown. Or even coconut milk!
4. My tip for rolling these up is to wrap the bean sprouts and vermicelli noodles in the lettuce then roll it up and/or scrunch it lightly so it stays together. Then roll it up in the rice paper. Much easier to handle!
5. STORAGE: Some recipes will tell you that you can make rice paper rolls the day before and you can keep them moist with a damp paper towel. Firstly, I find that the rice paper rolls smelt like the paper towel and secondly, they didn’t hold up that great anyway. My rule of thumb is 6 hours (max 8) – you can make them up to 6 hours ahead, tightly wrap each one in cling wrap as soon as you make them and refrigerate. Don’t just put them on a plate and put cling wrap on the plate, you should roll up each on in cling wrap (you should be able to fit 2 per piece of cling wrap – wrap one first, then place another next to it and roll up with the remaining cling wrap).
DIY OPTION: A popular menu item at Vietnamese restaurants here in Sydney are DIY rice paper rolls. So lay out all the components in this recipe out on a table with a large bowl of water, and let everyone make their own!
6. OTHER FILLING IDEAS:
* Julienned vegetables like carrots, cucumbers
* Alfalfa, watercress and other similar shaped vegetables
* Thinly sliced tofu
* Shredded chicken and other proteins
* Other herbs like coriander/cilantro, chives (this is classic Viet)
7. ORIGINAL PEANUT DIPPING SAUCE: As requested by a reader! The one provided in the recipe is more authentic and akin to what you get at Vietnamese restaurants here in Sydney. But here is the original one, FYI:
½ cup smooth peanut butter
1 tbsp sugar
4 tbsp hoisin sauce
1 tbsp sweet soy sauce (kecap manis, it’s thick like syrup)
2 small garlic cloves (or 1 large), minced
1 birds eye chilli, finely chopped
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp lime juice
Water
Mix together ingredients, using water to thin to a dippable consistency.
8. Nutrition per rice paper roll, no sauce.

Nutrition Information:

Serving: 93gCalories: 135cal (7%)Carbohydrates: 19.2g (6%)Protein: 11.5g (23%)Fat: 1.1g (2%)Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.1gCholesterol: 75mg (25%)Sodium: 201mg (9%)
Keywords: Vietnamese Rice Paper Rolls
Did you make this recipe?I love hearing how you went with my recipes! Tag me on Instagram at @RecipeTinEats.

Originally posted in July 2014, updated with new words, an even better peanut dipping sauce, new photos and a video!

Life Of Dozer

“WHY is she setting fire to my food???!!!”

HAPPY BIRTHDAY DOZER!! I want to tell you that he had an extra special day….but honestly? It’s like every day is his birthday….

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Hi, I'm Nagi!

I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative!

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456 Comments

  1. Sue says

    December 30, 2022 at 11:58 am

    2 stars
    I loved the rolls and the hints for rolling them but the peanut dressing was a big th UVB’s down in our family. It lacked freshness and tang and flavour Fortunately I was able to go to your Vietnamese prawn noodle salad recipe and get another delicious dressing together quickly.
    This is my first negative experience on recipe tin eats. I have a lot of favourites

    Reply
    • Sue says

      December 30, 2022 at 11:59 am

      Thumbs down sorry

      Reply
  2. Martin Arrowsmith says

    December 29, 2022 at 10:14 pm

    Thanks for another great recipe, Nagi. I asked for your cookbook for Christmas and it’s fantastic. The rice paper rolls were great. I left out the bean sprouts and substituted julienned green mango and included Thai basil and coriander leaves. The dipping sauce was delicious.

    Reply
  3. andrew says

    November 29, 2022 at 3:02 pm

    because i do all the cooking, and my wife gives new meaning to the word PICKY (she is asian but a spoilt brat that I worship) so i spend a lot of time on the internet and invariably now first thing i do is find you and check what you have. I have used so many of your recipes and they are great.
    not sure if you have an interest in a special recipe I have for chicken wings (tori niku) once you taste them you will immediately divorce your partner and start stalking me!! – :):):) please drop me a line if you want the recipe, would love to share it?

    Reply
  4. Jo says

    November 10, 2022 at 7:54 pm

    Delicious recipe. Handling the rice paper nearly beat me but I persevered and it was amazing.

    Reply
  5. Mikaela says

    October 2, 2022 at 1:20 pm

    You are my absolute favourite! I always refer to your site for fun new ideas and every single thing I have made has turned out beautifully! Thanks for sharing all your tasty treats! Cheers from Canada!

    Reply
    • Lee says

      February 14, 2023 at 9:02 pm

      2 stars
      The peanut sauce let this down big time. Way too much vinegar flavour, not enough peanut. It was also too runny. I salvaged it with an extra tablespoon of peanut butter.

      Reply
  6. Duncan Bennett says

    September 28, 2022 at 3:45 pm

    In the middle of prepping your Viet rice paper rolls.
    Peanut sauce is scrum diddly.
    I swapped out Sambal oulek for my home made Sambal bajak. Basically onion & chilli caramelised reduction. Will swap out bean sprouts for sliced sugar snap peas from the garden. Keep it up Nagi, you make it all so deliciously easy.
    Haven’t had a dud yet!

    Reply
  7. Cristina says

    September 10, 2022 at 4:25 am

    Hello!! What kind of peanut butter do you use? Which one do you recommend? Thank you!

    Reply
  8. Jenny says

    August 10, 2022 at 4:27 pm

    As I can’t eat seafood what else can I use.
    It looks delicious!

    Reply
  9. Dimitri says

    July 31, 2022 at 11:21 pm

    What a beautiful recipe and dish.

    Reply
    • Robin says

      August 2, 2022 at 9:56 am

      I agree

      Reply
  10. Bec says

    June 22, 2022 at 12:20 pm

    Help! What am I doing wrong with the dipping sauce? I added all the ingredients but it is like the vinegar curdled the milk almost immediately and before I could get it to the microwave. I persisted and kept stirring after it had been in the microwave but I had what looked like curdled milk pieces floating around – not smooth like it is pictured. Any suggestions?

    Reply
    • HerDew says

      December 23, 2022 at 2:34 pm

      The milk or water is added at the very end when all the peanut sauce ingredients are incorporated. Milk or water is used to adjust the thickness of the sauce.

      Reply
  11. william ryan says

    June 15, 2022 at 1:57 pm

    5 stars
    Another great recipe .When making the dipping sauce we sauté the garlic a bit then add 1 Tbs. tomato paste cooking till it gets a little darker then add the remaining items. This adds another dimension to the sauce making it a bit more complex. Enjoy.
    wdr

    Reply
  12. Debra Schroeder says

    April 16, 2022 at 2:02 pm

    5 stars
    as usual amazing

    Reply
  13. Nakigirl53 says

    March 13, 2022 at 9:37 am

    5 stars
    Hi Nagi. Made this for the 2nd time, for a “nibbles” evening with my neighbours. I wasn’t going to let rolling these morsels beat me!!!! I have to say they came out a lot better. The peanut sauce is to die for and so quick and easy to make. I also added a glug of lemon oil to the vermicelli and it took, the flavour up a notch. I purchased the mini rice paper. Had to hold them under water for 45secs to soften.. They were def a Vietnamese product. Yum yum all round.

    Reply
  14. Kelly Hemmise says

    February 6, 2022 at 8:33 am

    5 stars
    Made tonight and oh my days, yum! Best bit? Super quick and easy. Not a huge mint fan so went corriander. As usual, thanks Nagi.

    Reply
  15. Bec says

    January 28, 2022 at 1:04 pm

    5 stars
    Your recipes never fail !
    Thanks as always for the step by step instructions and short videos . Rolled these babies like a pro . Can’t believe how good they looked and so tasty !

    Reply
  16. Pam says

    January 25, 2022 at 10:42 am

    I am loving your recipes. Almost mastered the lemongrass chicken. So good. Next is the wraps with peanut sauce….looks so good!
    Thanks very much!

    Reply
  17. Jacquieb says

    November 16, 2021 at 9:07 am

    5 stars
    The video is so good and my rolls looked nicer than many restaurants because of the video. My husband and I felt that the peanut sauce was better the next day so in the future, we will make it in advance. Easy, fresh and delicious. Thanks again Nagi. Hugs to Dozer.

    Reply
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I believe you can make great food with everyday ingredients even if you’re short on time and cost conscious. You just need to cook clever and get creative! Read More

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