Gỏi cuốn (aka Vietnamese spring rolls, salad rolls, fresh rolls, summer rolls, rice paper rolls, or whatever you want to call them) is a popular Vietnamese appetizer that I discovered as a kid and was instantly hooked to. Stretchy translucent wrap stuffed with tiny rice noodles, crunchy vegetables, aromatic herbs and a side of creamy peanut sauce; I love every single thing about this dish!
What’s nice about those rolls is that they are simple to make and very adaptable. You can use different ingredients and they always turns out great. Traditionally made with prawns and pork, I adapted the recipe to make it plant-based by ditching the meat and adding more vegetables.
Some of my favourite fillings include rice noodles, leafy greens, sprouts, red cabbage, carrots, cucumber, bell peppers, beets, avocado, as well as fresh herbs like mint, basil and cilantro. I sometime add proteins like baked tofu to transform this appetizer into a more substantial meal.
For the peanut dipping sauce, I usually wing it so feel free to play with the ingredients and measurements to make it your own. By instance, you can replace the rice vinegar with lime juice, the soy sauce with coconut aminos and the chilli paste with chili flakes or hot sauce. Sesame oil is optional but adds a pleasant aroma to the dish. You can even add ginger or substitute the water for coconut milk, for an extra kick of flavor.
Time to roll
To create the rolls, we first need to soften the rice papers. My favorite method for that is to simply run them under tap water for around 5 seconds, making sure to wet both sides. You can also soak them into a large bowl of water.
Place the wet rice paper on a clean surface (cutting board, counter top or large plate) and stack your fillings in the centre, leaving at least an inch on each side of the sheet to help the folding process.
Then, fold like a burrito :
Although I enjoy this dish all year round, I find it’s perfect for hot summer days because it’s light, fresh and doesn’t require much cooking. If you make these rolls, let me know what you put in them and how they turned out!
Fresh veggie rolls with peanut-hoisin sauce
Ingredients
Peanut hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup peanut butter
- 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
- 1/4 cup water (or more, if needed)
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar (or 2 tbsp lime juice)
- 1-2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tsp chili paste or flakes
- 1/2 tsp sesame oil (optional)
Fresh veggie rolls
- 8 sheets rice paper
- 2 oz rice vermicelli
- 1-2 cups lettuce of choice
- 1 cup red cabbage, finely chopped
- 1 cup carrots, cut in matchsticks or with a julienne peeler
- 1 cup cucumber, thinly sliced or in julienne
- 1 cup bell pepper, sliced
- 1 bunch roughly chopped fresh mint
- 1 bunch roughly chopped fresh cilantro
Instructions
Peanut-hoisin sauce
- Add all ingredients into a small bowl and mix with a spoon until well combined. If the sauce is too thick, add a bit more water
Fresh veggie rolls
- Bring a pot of water to a boil and cook the rice noodles according to package directions, about 5 minutes. Drain and rinse them under cool water, then set aside.
- Make sure to prepare all ingredients before starting to roll – wash the lettuce, roughly shop the fine herbs and chop the vegetables into thin slices.
- Take a rice paper and soften it under warm tap water for about 5 seconds. Place it on a large plate or cutting board. Don't worry, the paper will continue to soften as we put the fillings in.
- Leaving about 1 inch of open rice paper around the side edges, cover the middle of the rice sheet with some lettuce, followed by a small handful of rice noodles, red cabbage, a few strips of carrot, cucumber, bell pepper and fresh herbs (or whatever fillings you chose).
- Fold the lower edge up over the fillings, rolling upward until the filling is compactly enclosed. Fold over the short sides like a burrito, and lastly, finish rolling it up. Repeat with the process with the remaining ingredients.
- Serve the spring rolls with peanut hoisin sauce on the side. You can serve them whole, sliced in half or in thirds.
