Summer Rolls

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Summer rolls are easy Vietnamese spring rolls bursting with fresh summer flavors. Shrimp, lettuce, carrot, and rice noodles, wrapped neatly in rice paper and served with a homemade hoisin-peanut sauce. This easy summer appetizer is healthy and delicious.

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What Are Summer Rolls?

Summer rolls are a popular Vietnamese appetizer made with healthy summer ingredients like rice noodles, lettuce, fresh carrots, shrimp or pork, rolled tightly in rice paper similar to a spring roll. These refreshing delicacies are typically served as an appetizer with a savory dipping sauce for a quick and easy summer snack.

Unlike spring rolls, summer rolls use a special Vietnamese rice paper (bánh tráng) and are not fried but rather served at room temperature, making them a healthy gluten-free alternative to spring rolls.

Vietnamese Summer Roll Ingredients

There are many different ingredients you can add to summer rolls however to make it a true summer roll it should be wrapped in Vietnamese rice paper.

The ingredients in this easy summer roll recipe are:

Rice noodles (bún – rice vermicelli)
Shrimp
Lettuce
Vietnamese rice paper
Carrots

For the scratch made dipping sauce:

Hoisin sauce
Creamy peanut sauce
Apple cider vinegar
Warm water
Sugar
Roasted peanuts

Easy Summer Roll Variations

Although this recipe uses shrimp, there are many different proteins that work well in fresh summer rolls.

Sliced pork
Chicken
Beef
Tofu

You can also make vegetarian summer rolls by filling them with your favorite vegetables. Just be sure to cut the vegetables into fine matchsticks.

Carrot
Scallion
Radish
Bean sprouts
Lettuce
Bell pepper
Cucumber
Cabbage

Try my Egg Rolls!

Tips for Making Summer Rolls

What is the best way to cut vegetables for these spring-summer rolls?

To make sure the summer roll wraps nice and tight, the vegetables should be cut into fine matchsticks, similar to a julienne.

You can find pre-sliced or shredded produce at many grocers that will save time and prep.

How to keep my summer roll wrappers from drying out?

Work on one summer roll at a time and do not wet all the wrappers at once. Dip a single wrapper in the water, fill, roll, and seal before moving on to the next.

Make sure you have plenty of room to work with and set yourself up a rolling station with everything you need before you begin assembly.

What is the best way to soften the rice paper?

Dipping the rice paper into cool or room temperature water makes them easier to work with. Hot water softens them too quickly and makes them sticky, while room temperature water gives you more working time.

What Do I serve with Summer Rolls?

Summer rolls are best served as an appetizer, party snack, or pre-dinner starter. Pair this recipe with some of your Vietnamese favorites for an authentic meal.

Try my Country Cabbage Rolls!

Make ahead and Storage Tips

Summer rolls can be prepared up to 3 days ahead of time which can be a real time saver. Here are some tips when making Vietnamese summer rolls ahead of an event or party.

Leave the summer rolls whole instead of cutting them. This will keep them fresh and you can cut them before serving.
Wrapping each roll in plastic wrap will prevent the rice paper from drying out and keep the summer rolls from sticking together.

Leftover summer rolls need to be stored in the fridge in a sealed container. To keep them fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days, place a damp paper towel over top of the roll inside the container.

It is not recommended to freeze this recipe as this will cause the rice paper to dry out and crack.

Try my Thai Spring Rolls With Homemade Peanut Sauce Recipe!

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Summer Rolls

Cook Time: 10

Total Time: 10

Summer rolls are a fresh Vietnamese favorite that are easy to make yourself. These Vietnamese spring rolls are made with rice noodles, lettuce, carrot, and shrimp for a healthy summer appetizer. Served with a quick and simple homemade hoisin-peanut sauce.

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Ingredients

water for boiling
4 oz. rice noodles or rice vermicelli
4 oz. peeled and deveined shrimp
2 leaves fresh lettuce, sliced
6 sheets Vietnamese rice paper
2 oz. carrot, peeled and cut into matchstick strips

Hoisin-Peanut Sauce

4 tablespoons hoisin sauce
1 tablespoons creamy peanut sauce
4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
1/4 cup warm water
sugar to taste
1 tablespoon roasted peanuts, roughly chopped or pounded

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Instructions

Fill a large pot with water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add the rice noodles to the boiling water and cook as per the instructions on the package, stirring occasionally to prevent sticking. Once finished, drain the water and rinse the noodles under cold water to stop the cooking.
To make the hoisin-peanut sauce, combine the hoisin, peanut sauce, apple cider vinegar, warm water, and sugar in a small bowl. Whisk together until combined and transfer to a small dipping bowl along with the chopped peanuts.
In a small pot on the stove bring some water to a rapid boil. Add the shrimp to the water and cook for 1 minute until they are cooked through. Drain the shrimp and set aside to cool.
Once cooled, slice the shrimp in half lengthwise.
Begin assembling the rolls by first dividing the rice noodles, shrimp, lettuce, and carrots into 6 equal portions.
Fill a large bowl with water and dip 1 sheet of rice paper into the bowl. Shake off any excess water and transfer to a clean dry cutting board for assembly.
Place rice noodles on the lower half of the paper, followed by sliced carrots and lettuce. Top with 3 halves of sliced shrimp.
Fold the bottom half of the paper snug over the filling, then fold in the sides to secure in place. Finish rolling the summer roll from the bottom towards the top of the paper, making sure the roll is nice and tight.
Repeat steps 5 through 7 for the remaining ingredients. Cut the summer rolls in half diagonally and serve immediately with hoisin-peanut sauce.