I can’t get over how fresh, colorful, and satisfying these shrimp spring rolls are with two irresistible dipping sauces. One bite and you’ll see why they belong on repeat all summer.
I’m obsessed with these fresh shrimp spring rolls because they hit that rare sweet spot: light but actually satisfying. The bite is cool, crisp, and juicy, with shrimp tucked into soft rice paper wrappers and just enough crunch to keep things interesting.
I love them for summer lunches, lazy dinners, or anytime I want something fresh that doesn’t feel like a boring salad. And the sauces?
That’s where I lose all self-control. Tangy, salty, peanutty, punchy, dip-after-dip good.
But the best part is how clean and bright every bite tastes. Fresh, fast, and ridiculously craveable.
No fork required.
Ingredients
- Shrimp makes these rolls feel filling, fresh, and honestly kind of fancy.
- Rice paper wrappers keep everything light, chewy, and fun to eat.
- Vermicelli noodles add that soft, slurpy bite you’ll expect in spring rolls.
- Butter lettuce gives a cool crunch and helps hold the fillings together.
- Cucumber brings the snap, which keeps each bite super refreshing.
- Carrot adds color, crunch, and a little natural sweetness.
- Cilantro tastes bright and fresh, especially with shrimp.
- Mint makes the rolls taste extra clean and summery.
- Thai basil is optional, but it’s seriously worth adding.
- Scallions add a mild oniony kick without taking over.
- Lime wakes everything up, especially the dipping sauce.
- Nuoc cham is salty, tangy, sweet, and totally addictive.
- Peanut hoisin sauce is creamy, easy, and very kid-friendly.
- Plus, sesame seeds make the rolls look a little more finished.
- Basically, salt, pepper, and soy sauce help everything taste balanced.
Ingredient Quantities
- Shrimp, 12 ounces peeled, deveined and cooked
- Rice paper wrappers, 12 rounds (8 to 9 inch)
- Rice vermicelli noodles, 4 ounces, cooked and drained
- Butter lettuce or leaf lettuce, 8 to 12 leaves
- Cucumber, 1 medium, julienned
- Carrot, 1 medium, julienned or shredded (about 1 cup)
- Fresh cilantro leaves, 1/2 cup packed
- Fresh mint leaves, 1/2 cup packed
- Fresh Thai basil, 1/2 cup packed (optional)
- Scallions, 2 to 3, thinly sliced
- Lime, 1 for serving and 1 for sauce
- For traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce (Nuoc Cham): fish sauce, 3 tablespoons
- For Nuoc Cham: fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons
- For Nuoc Cham: warm water, 1/4 cup
- For Nuoc Cham: granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons
- For Nuoc Cham: garlic, 1 clove minced
- For Nuoc Cham: red chili or chili flakes, 1 teaspoon or to taste (optional)
- For 2 ingredient peanut sauce option: creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup
- For 2 ingredient peanut sauce option: hoisin sauce, 1/4 cup
- Soy sauce, 1 to 2 teaspoons, for seasoning as needed
- Neutral oil, 1 teaspoon for brushing shrimp if desired
- Sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon for garnish (optional)
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
How to Make this
1. Cook rice vermicelli according to package directions, drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
2. If shrimp are not already chilled, warm a skillet over medium heat, brush shrimp with 1 teaspoon neutral oil, season with salt and pepper, and heat 1 to 2 minutes per side until opaque; cool and slice in half lengthwise if large.
3. Prepare produce: separate butter or leaf lettuce leaves, julienne cucumber and carrot, thinly slice scallions, and pick fresh cilantro, mint, and Thai basil leaves; halve a lime for serving.
4. Make Nuoc Cham dipping sauce: whisk together 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1/4 cup warm water, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 teaspoon chopped red chili or chili flakes if using; adjust with 1 to 2 teaspoons soy sauce if desired.
5. Make 2 ingredient peanut sauce option: stir together 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter and 1/4 cup hoisin sauce until smooth; add water a teaspoon at a time to reach desired consistency and season with soy sauce to taste.
6. Set out a large shallow bowl of warm water for the rice paper wrappers and a clean work surface; one at a time, dip a rice paper round into the water for about 5 to 10 seconds until pliable but not overly soft, then place on the work surface.
7. Assemble each roll: lay a lettuce leaf on the lower third of the softened rice paper, add a small handful of rice vermicelli, a few cucumber and carrot sticks, some herbs and scallion slices, and 3 to 4 shrimp halves across the center; fold bottom edge over fillings, fold sides in, and roll tightly to enclose.
8. Repeat until all wrappers are used, keeping finished rolls covered with a damp towel to prevent drying; sprinkle sesame seeds over peanut sauce if desired.
9. Serve fresh shrimp spring rolls immediately with Nuoc Cham and the peanut sauce on the side and lime wedges for squeezing.
Equipment Needed
1. Large pot for boiling rice vermicelli
2. Colander or fine mesh strainer for draining and rinsing noodles
3. Large skillet for warming or searing shrimp
4. Cutting board and a sharp chef knife for veggies and herbs
5. Mixing bowls for Nuoc Cham and peanut sauce
6. Shallow bowl or wide dish for warm water to soften rice papers
7. Tongs or chopsticks for handling shrimp and rolls
8. Clean work surface or silicone mat for assembling rolls
9. Measuring spoons and cups for sauces and seasonings
FAQ
(EASY) Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Shrimp: poached or shredded chicken, firm tofu (pan-seared or baked), cooked lump crab meat
- Rice paper wrappers: large butter or romaine lettuce leaves, collard green leaves blanched briefly, soft flour or corn tortillas
- Rice vermicelli noodles: soba noodles (chilled), glass/bean thread noodles, thinly shredded cabbage or jicama for extra crunch
- Creamy peanut butter (for sauce): almond butter, sunflower seed butter (nut free), tahini mixed with a touch of honey
Pro Tips
1) Keep everything mise en place and slightly damp. Lay out fillings in small bowls and keep herbs and lettuce wrapped in a damp towel so they stay fresh and pliable while you work. It makes assembly calm and fast rather than frantic.
2) Don’t over-soak the rice papers. Dip each one just until it becomes pliable, then let the residual moisture do the rest on your work surface. Over-soaked wrappers get gummy and tear; slightly under-soft ones will soften as you assemble.
3) Serve shrimp at room temperature and slice larger pieces lengthwise. Warmed, well seasoned shrimp read better against the cool herbs and crisp veg, and halving larger shrimp makes rolling neater and gives the perfect bite size.
4) Balance your sauces to taste and keep texture in mind. For nuoc cham, adjust acidity, sweetness, and salt in small increments until it sings with the rolls. For the peanut option, thin with hot water a teaspoon at a time so it stays dip-friendly without becoming runny.
(EASY) Fresh Shrimp Spring Rolls Recipe
I can’t get over how fresh, colorful, and satisfying these shrimp spring rolls are with two irresistible dipping sauces. One bite and you’ll see why they belong on repeat all summer.
12
servings
100
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large pot for boiling rice vermicelli
2. Colander or fine mesh strainer for draining and rinsing noodles
3. Large skillet for warming or searing shrimp
4. Cutting board and a sharp chef knife for veggies and herbs
5. Mixing bowls for Nuoc Cham and peanut sauce
6. Shallow bowl or wide dish for warm water to soften rice papers
7. Tongs or chopsticks for handling shrimp and rolls
8. Clean work surface or silicone mat for assembling rolls
9. Measuring spoons and cups for sauces and seasonings
Ingredients
Shrimp, 12 ounces peeled, deveined and cooked
Rice paper wrappers, 12 rounds (8 to 9 inch)
Rice vermicelli noodles, 4 ounces, cooked and drained
Butter lettuce or leaf lettuce, 8 to 12 leaves
Cucumber, 1 medium, julienned
Carrot, 1 medium, julienned or shredded (about 1 cup)
Fresh cilantro leaves, 1/2 cup packed
Fresh mint leaves, 1/2 cup packed
Fresh Thai basil, 1/2 cup packed (optional)
Scallions, 2 to 3, thinly sliced
Lime, 1 for serving and 1 for sauce
For traditional Vietnamese dipping sauce (Nuoc Cham): fish sauce, 3 tablespoons
For Nuoc Cham: fresh lime juice, 2 tablespoons
For Nuoc Cham: warm water, 1/4 cup
For Nuoc Cham: granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons
For Nuoc Cham: garlic, 1 clove minced
For Nuoc Cham: red chili or chili flakes, 1 teaspoon or to taste (optional)
For 2 ingredient peanut sauce option: creamy peanut butter, 1/2 cup
For 2 ingredient peanut sauce option: hoisin sauce, 1/4 cup
Soy sauce, 1 to 2 teaspoons, for seasoning as needed
Neutral oil, 1 teaspoon for brushing shrimp if desired
Sesame seeds, 1 teaspoon for garnish (optional)
Salt and black pepper, to taste
Directions
- Cook rice vermicelli according to package directions, drain, rinse under cold water, and set aside.
- If shrimp are not already chilled, warm a skillet over medium heat, brush shrimp with 1 teaspoon neutral oil, season with salt and pepper, and heat 1 to 2 minutes per side until opaque; cool and slice in half lengthwise if large.
- Prepare produce: separate butter or leaf lettuce leaves, julienne cucumber and carrot, thinly slice scallions, and pick fresh cilantro, mint, and Thai basil leaves; halve a lime for serving.
- Make Nuoc Cham dipping sauce: whisk together 3 tablespoons fish sauce, 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, 1/4 cup warm water, 2 teaspoons granulated sugar, 1 minced garlic clove, and 1 teaspoon chopped red chili or chili flakes if using; adjust with 1 to 2 teaspoons soy sauce if desired.
- Make 2 ingredient peanut sauce option: stir together 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter and 1/4 cup hoisin sauce until smooth; add water a teaspoon at a time to reach desired consistency and season with soy sauce to taste.
- Set out a large shallow bowl of warm water for the rice paper wrappers and a clean work surface; one at a time, dip a rice paper round into the water for about 5 to 10 seconds until pliable but not overly soft, then place on the work surface.
- Assemble each roll: lay a lettuce leaf on the lower third of the softened rice paper, add a small handful of rice vermicelli, a few cucumber and carrot sticks, some herbs and scallion slices, and 3 to 4 shrimp halves across the center; fold bottom edge over fillings, fold sides in, and roll tightly to enclose.
- Repeat until all wrappers are used, keeping finished rolls covered with a damp towel to prevent drying; sprinkle sesame seeds over peanut sauce if desired.
- Serve fresh shrimp spring rolls immediately with Nuoc Cham and the peanut sauce on the side and lime wedges for squeezing.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 75g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 100kcal
- Fat: 1.5g
- Saturated Fat: 0.3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 0.4g
- Monounsaturated: 0.8g
- Cholesterol: 50mg
- Sodium: 350mg
- Potassium: 150mg
- Carbohydrates: 12g
- Fiber: 1.5g
- Sugar: 2g
- Protein: 8.2g
- Vitamin A: 900IU
- Vitamin C: 6mg
- Calcium: 50mg
- Iron: 1mg
